Immunization Recommendations

GoanCanuck

How did you come to this conclusion?

machadinha

I'm sure you could Seriously, if you're short of money I'm not sure if your personal health is the best sector to economize. That's easy for me to say though, travel immunisations aren't very expensive here & partly insured. With travelling in general however you have to take into account that your pre-departure costs will often form the bulk of it, the ticket, jabs and whatnot.

Another thing is you could probably get most of it done abroad but apart from it being fairly late it remains to be seen if everything is available, and in up-to-standard form etc. From previous threads it seems that for the US hopping over into the next state where they have better national health deals can work wonders so maybe look into that. But, I agree, it seems that regretfully on the whole it seems to be expensive there. Hey demand better conditions now! Go on strike for your right to a free annual India fix!

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thirdreel

Yes, and one additional point to this (I speak from being in the midst of the experience). It's easy to say, while you're at home looking at your guidebook and planning your trip, "Oh, I'll just get that done my first few days there." It won't work that way. Your first day here will be spent going "WHAAAAA?" The next few days will be spent, little by little, figuring out how to do simple tasks like finding a place to buy toothpaste.

devonlasses

Hi all, this is a usefull website for travel jabs advice www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk and i got sore arms cos i had mine today!

camelgirl

Rabies is rare for visitors to India BUT someone posted this not long ago and it's worth reading.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/e...er/4705473.stm

Some more information which may be useful, noting that rabies kills thousands of people a year in India along with lots of information about the pre-exposure vaccine, which is what everyone here is talking about, not the vaccine given after you've been bitten.
http://www.who.int/vaccines/en/rabies.shtml

Another good link about rabies in India--especially for animal lovers: http://www.animalindiatrust.org/

I personally took several trips to India without getting the pre-exposure rabies vaccine but did finally get it a few years ago. The polio vaccine or booster is definitely MUCH more important. There have been threads about this already if you search "polio".

I also think the shots you have organized all make good sense. We are all quite lucky to even have the choice of whether to take or not take vaccines, since most of the developing world is desperate to save their children from the diseases we readily have access to vaccines to prevent. Not picking a fight with the "natural" IM crowd who I know will never change their mind, but I won't either about vaccines.

hfot2

When we travel we always take sterile syringes with us - just in case. If you seriously plan to wait to get shots anywhere this might be a consideration.

On the other hand, my reaction to the tetanus shot was not fun - I wouldn't want to be traveling and have that arm ache.

And, several of the shots require a series of jabs as mentioned above.

On the bright side, most of these shots will give you immunity for a long time hence - the rest of your life[?] or at least for 10 years [?]

wonderwomanusa

>most of these shots will give you immunity for a long time hence - the rest of your life[?] or at least for 10 years [?]<

As I understand it, tetanus is good for 10 years, but typhoid only for 3 or 4 years, depending on if you had the injection or the oral vaccine. I believe the hepatitis jabs protect you for life, but I'll certainly check on that before I head back for another visit!

iwanttogoback

hep shots will give you lifetime immunity if you have the three shots over six months. i believe that two shots should give you about 10 years. polio, measles, tetanus, rubella, diphtheria are usually 10 years - in australia it is recommended that you have updates of these every ten years after the initial childhood onslaught.

my understanding is that one of the reasons that it is recommended that you are vaccinated against so called childhood diseases like measles is so that you reduce the risk of transmitting the disease overseas where resistance levels may be much lower. it would be quite possible to pick up the disease just before you left and carry it with you...

hfot2

The travel clinic here in Vermont used to say get a tetanus shot every FIVE years. Then, when the tetanus serum became difficult to obtain, suddenly it was changed to every 10 years.

I've had our own GP give us the shots every 5 years: we get into situations with bikes and bike tools and whatnot that result in cuts in unclean situations.

On the other hand, overdoing it with antibiotics drives me crazy. I hate reading about people who take cipro prophylactically.

camelgirl

What happened to me may be unusual, but at some point I developed a very strong reaction to my last tetanus shot, which was a few years ago, which indicated that I probably should not get anymore . I guess a lifetime of getting them somehow has made me now unable to get anymore. At least that's what I think and I haven't gotten them since. Wonder what the science is on this?

machadinha

Hm yes it's one of those things. I took syringes on my first trip to India, travelling solo. To propose to a doctor to use them requires tact, as you're basically saying that you don't trust their dirty medieval equipment. Moreover in the event that I'd really have needed them, such as after an accident or so, I was always wondering who was gonna tell the doctors that I was carrying my own syringes. I went for a Hep B follow-up shot in a Delhi hospital. When I suggested using my own syringes the doctor kindly informed me that I had been given the kind that can be used both in the veins and in the muscles I believe. She told me those were fine in emergencies but would have me up against the roof if she used them just like that, they're quite thick. She then kindly handed me a bunch of proper syringes for my further travels for free. Quite embarrassing all of it really.

Sama

hmmm...interesting, camelgirl!

I got my last tetanus shot before 1999, when I put a gardening fork through my big toenail (ouch!). I got one again last month for my India trip, however, I almost fainted getting that sucker (and here I am with about 5 tattoos!). The polio and hep A shots were painless, but that tetanus shot....WHEW! The nurse put a cold cloth on the back of my neck and told me she's had big tough football players faint from a tetanus shot. It hurt, it burned going in, and my deltoid muscle hurt for three days afterward.

I wonder why? Is it the solution it's in, or what?

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My India, 2005-2008
sama: Pali/Sanskrit: that state of consciousness which reflects neither attachment nor aversion

camelgirl

Wow, cool! That's why I just love India--always some unexpected kindness that makes you have to take back any recent anger response to being ripped off or lied to!!! There always seems to be a balance of experiences, though sometimes it's hard to remember (when your tired and dusty)!

camelgirl

I asked someone about this and was told it hurts almost everyone, except if it's your first shot, it's just a painful sucker! And, as far as my reaction, it was a "systemic" one--like I had the flu and felt pretty bad which indicated a strong immunity already. Hope I don't step on a rusty nail with poo on it because I'm not certain if I should get another one even for that!

machadinha

Haha hm yes indeed. And here's me sitting with my goofy syringes, I never felt so stupid. In keeping with Thirdreel's earlier comment she also kindly inquired if anything else was amiss, with a view to my umm slightly agitated state. Those first few days can really be hard going. Very recognizable TR!