hi lynda, in my opinion if the college doesn’t require it, why get it, especially knowing it can cause gbs. there are reports on this online yahoo search guillain-barre syndrome, there are 5 cases of gbs from the vacc in college kids. if he watches what he is doing in dorm life, cleaning and disinfecting, then he should be fine. don’t keep him in a bubble-life is too short for that, he just needs to take smart precautions. you don’t need a dr to tell you that, that is just a positive way of looking at the situation, and just my opinion. i’ve been paralyzed 4 times since last aug, i don’t hold back unless my body tells me to.:)

I agree with cheryl. Let him experience life with caution. These are illnesses a person can get almost anywhere, granted it is a higher risk in that kind of living environment but if we hold ourselves or our loved ones back then they may not grow and reach their potentional. I realize as a mother you will be scared to death, possibly you could educate the university about the illness and the risks, as well as his dorm mates. dorm living is wonderful and an experience he might enjoy. goodluck and i’m sure whatever decision you make it will be right for your son and your family.

take care

sherry

MENINGOCOCCAL POLYSACCHARIDE VACCINE (Systemic)
2.

Some commonly used brand names are:
In the U.S.-
Menomune
In Canada-
Menomune

In an information sheet published by the CDC on:
MENINGOCOCCALVACCINES
W H A T Y O U N E E D T O K N O W

4 Some people should not get meningococcal vaccine or should wait

• Anyone who has ever had Guillain-Barré Syndrome
should talk with their doctor before getting MCV4.

See the following for more information.

[url]http://www.cdc.gov/niP/publications/VIS/vis-mening.pdf[/url]

lynda,

if the vaccine is egg based you could get gbs from it. the odds are lo. college rules might have to come into play in order for you to decide what to do. take care. be well.

gene gbs 8-99
in numbers there is strength

MENINGOCOCCAL POLYSACCHARIDE VACCINE (Systemic)

Some commonly used brand names are:
In the U.S.-
Menomune
In Canada-
Menomune

In an information sheet published by the CDC on:
MENINGOCOCCALVACCINES
W H A T Y O U N E E D T O K N O W

4 Some people should not get meningococcal vaccine or should wait

• Anyone who has ever had Guillain-Barré Syndrome
should talk with their doctor before getting MCV4.

See the following for more information.

(Link deleted by administration)

Hi

Dr. Gareth Parry, the head Neurologist at the University of Minnesota
told us a at GBS support group meeting, that it is a known side affect
of the vaccine.

If he were my son he would NOT get the vaccine.

Good luck to you both !!

Maureen Boz

Dear Steve’s Mom:

Ask that your son be exempt from the vaccination. You will need a letter from a doctor stating the risks or the college admission zombies won’t allow him to take classes.

My experience with college dormitories are that if you want an education, you should avoid them at all costs. If you want your son to learn the best way to launder bong water out of his clothes, then the dormitory is the way to go.

Lee

P.S.

If your son is studying abnormal psychology, then the dormitory is almost as good as getting an intership.

Hehe Lee, that is an important skill to learn in college.

[quote=Lee Spurgeon]If you want your son to learn the best way to launder bong water out of his clothes, then the dormitory is the way to go.[/quote]

LOL Lee, I ‘ll have to remember that one when my sons get older! 😉

lynda,

if the vaccine is egg based you could get gbs from it. the odds are lo. college rules might have to come into play in order for you to decide what to do. take care. be well.

gene gbs 8-99
in numbers there is strength

I had GBS at the age of 10 months from a DTP vaccination. In most of my cases Dr’s would not give me any further vaccines. They have discouraged me from gettting anything like that. When I went to college I had waivers for many of my vaccinations. I lived a perfectly healthy life in a college dorm. My policy has been the less the better. I think in his case this may also be true!

Best of Luck!:)

MENINGOCOCCAL POLYSACCHARIDE VACCINE (Systemic)
2.

Some commonly used brand names are:
In the U.S.-
Menomune
In Canada-
Menomune

In an information sheet published by the CDC on:
MENINGOCOCCALVACCINES
W H A T Y O U N E E D T O K N O W

4 Some people should not get meningococcal vaccine or should wait

• Anyone who has ever had Guillain-Barré Syndrome
should talk with their doctor before getting MCV4.

See the following for more information.

(Link deleted by administration)

The Doctors have always suspected that my GBS originated with a Flu shot I got while in nursing School in 1983. I think I would have rather have had the Flu…..LOL May as well have a sense of humor about it now. I too am the less the better and I question every vaccination.

Lynda,

My daughter was stricken with GBS in 1999 at the age of 14. This was a decision we too struggled with when she went off to college. The college that she attends has had a few outbreaks of Mennigitis so the vaccine was required. She did qualify for an exclusion but after speaking with her neurologist, her rumotologist and an infectious disease doctor we decided that mennigitis was far worse then the risk of a second round of GBS. While Brandy was in the hospital we witnessed first hand the outcomes of mennigitis as one of the children in the PICU unit had mennigitis. Brandy lived two years in a dorm and the only option we opted for was a private bathroom as opposed to a community bathroom (sent lots of bleach). She spent her third year in an apartment and will finish her senior year, this year in a house that she and 3 other friends are renting. As far as any other vaccinations she required, we opted out of them. As her chosen career will be a pediatric nurse, we too will cross this bridge for vaccinations in the future again. Best of luck and wish your son well at college.
~Maggie~

Dear Lynda –

I’m Ethan’s mom – like Steve, Ethan had GBS in 2000 at age 10.5. Last year both Ethan and his younger sister got the meningitis vaccine. (He’s also had a tetanus shot since GBS.) He had no problems. Meningitis is too scary – I’d risk the shot. There’s no question that he’ll be living in a dorm in college – he spent last summer at a college program and stayed in a dorm.

I can’t wait to get my daughter the HPV shot. Luckily she thinks injections are fun (but not as much fun as watching her brother get them!)

I’m new to this forum. My daughter had Kawasaki Disease last year when she was 14. Before being discharged from the hospital she was given the flu vaccination. A few weeks later she developed the symptoms of GBS and has ondergone four rounds of IVIG, the last being in September of last year. She is much better but not back to 100% yet.

Because Kawasaki Disease can cause vasculitis she has a cardiologist now. On her last visit the cardiologist mentioned the meningitis vaccination study and suggested she probably should not have it when the time comes. While dorm life would be an experience, I sincerely hope it is one she chooses to opt out of in favor of less exposure to all the things she could be exposed to while living in such close quarters. I can’t put her in a bubble, darn it!

I look forward to learning more about life after GBS from this group of parents and patients.

Tina in Reno

to Steve’s mom and all other worried parents:

I had GBS when I was 6 years old. I am currently a 20 year old in my third year of college. I lived in the dorms freshman year, in an apartment with 3 girls last year, and now, as I transfer, I will be going back into the dorms. I had the meningitis vaccine before I left for college three years ago and I am doing completely fine. I had a very serious case of GBS and so far, I have only had minor problems with reflexes and coordination. I have had no relapes even, post-vaccination. Unfortunately I had a friend pass away due to meningitis in the summer of 2005. I would take a relapse of GBS over losing a loved one again any day.

Thanks for your time and feel free to email me if you have any questions!

I’m Eric.
46 kinda newly diagnosed w CIDP? I’ve run the gammet of Prednisone, now IvIg and am feeling worse and worse, but praying about ot.

In my time in the Infusion Center, I’ve talked w about 8 CIDP sufferers, all of which developed the Disease as a reaction to a vaccine (apparently) BUT NOBODY DISCUSSES CAUSE!~

My son, Max is18, college bound, and, very much, his father’s son. Looks, genetics, etc. I WAS going to get him the Menengitis Vaccine (I’ve almost lost a buddy to it, as well) but I’m, now torn.

What is the Secret, here? GBS/CIDP seems to be common enough that some thought to cause and prevention must hasber been given?

Soerry toburden you, glad you are doing better *Thank God) but, your opinion? Doc says I ask to many questions “Just apply for Disability”

Eric

hi eric,

you can never ask too many ques. you doc just does not know the answers. the fact that you are not feeling better suggests that you need a 2nd opinion. where do you live? i may be able to make a suggestion. the gbs damage due to vaccines is hard to get admission to much less a fix. avoid any that are egg based or have mercury in them. take care. be well.

gene gbs 8-99
in numbers there is strength

Hi Eric,
If our doc told us we asked too many questions, I would as one more question,”What are we doing here?” Regarding the vaccine, Kevin WILL NOT be getting the vaccine, as well, since there obviously is a genetic predisposition to autoimmune disease in our family, I will not get my healthy 14 y/o the vaccine either. I will probably buy a condo or rent an apartment. I personally can not go through this with another child, I may not have the stregnth and courage to make it out the other end. It is a very hard choice! Good luck in your decision.
Dawn

This past Fall I was very nervous about my daughter going to a large university without having the vaccination. I did a lot of research and found that there is a vaccination that can be given to people with GBS/CIDP. You need to be sure to get the right one. My daughter received the vaccine and has not had any problems. She is on IVIG and also Cellcept and I was very concerned about her getting sick.

Hi guys,
I just wanted to let all of you know this. I am 44 and was diagnosed with GBS at the age of 40. Last spring my 21 year old daughter joined the Army National Guard and of course they were required to have all kinds of shots and such. However, when alyssa fillled out her form and the question was asked if any family member had ever been diagnosed with GBS and she put her mother, she as immediately taken aside and told she could not have the flu shot, nasal spray for something, another vaccine of some kind and is not allowed to give blood. I thought this was pretty drastic for someone who wasn’t even diagnosed with it..makes me wonder if the army knows something that we don’t know. Both of my kids will be starting college soon, alyssa will start march 31 and joshua will start this fall after he graduates high school and they have both chosen to live in an apartment. They havn’t really discussed the concern of different illnesses but it was definitely in the back of my mind but i didn’t want to scare them and i guess i want them to look at the risks and make their own decisions. Mainly because i won’t be around forever and they need to know how to handle things. But, if my child was the one that had been diagnosed with GBS I would definitely have a hard time deciding what to do. Good luck moms and dads and have fun kids while your at school regardless of this dreadfully inconvenient old syndrome.

Sherry

I recall a patient asking, I think Dr. Steinberg (but I cant be sure) this type of question at one of the meetings or conferences I attended. the answer was something like this ………. If a patient is believed to have got GBS from a particular shot, they should definitely stay away from that shot, and possibly others too. He spoke of a patient who had a tetanus shot I think, and got GBS, that same patient had another tetanus shot a couple of years later with the same result, and believe it or not, a third tetanus shot had the same result a few years later. However, many many GBS patients have had shots and suffered no ill effects. Personally, I will not have the flu shot, for many different reasons, and when it comes to another tetanus, I’m actually not sure what I will do as I have had one in the past without incidence when I didnt know that I should possibly not have one.

My daughter 16, is healthy and fit, and was offered the Meningococcal vaccine 2 years ago as a ‘precaution’, and i said no. I will however rethink that when she goes to college and if she does move into a dorm. I think it should be evaluated on a person to person basis.

Can anyone tell me–if an egg based vaccine may cause GBS, then should the person who has GBS history stay away from eggs??

Also, has anyone had seizures as a result of GBS or related medicines?