Tetanus Booster?

[Play Care]

My doctor keeps trying to talk me into this. So far I've resisted. Did you get one? Say no way? What made you decide? I've tried looking up some information on it, but would really like some hard facts.

[Blackcat31]

I get a Td booster every 10 years. I also get an MMR booster too

These are the recommendations for adult vaccines from the Mayo Clinic

Ages 19 to 26

• Influenza vaccine once a year
• Tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine if not previously vaccinated, plus additional dose during pregnancy
• Tetanus-diphtheria toxoids (Td) booster every 10 years
• Varicella vaccine if not previously vaccinated or not immune
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine if not previously vaccinated
• Measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) if not previously vaccinated or not immune
• Meningococcal vaccine for first-year college students living in residence halls if vaccine wasn't given on or after age 16

Ages 27 to 59

• Influenza vaccine once a year
• Tdap vaccine if not previously vaccinated, plus additional dose during pregnancy
• Td booster every 10 years
• MMR vaccine if not previously vaccinated or not immune

Ages 60 to 64

• Influenza vaccine once a year
• Tdap vaccine if not previously vaccinated
• Td booster every 10 years
• Zoster vaccine

Ages 65 and older

• Influenza vaccine once a year
• Tdap vaccine if not previously vaccinated
• Td booster every 10 years
• Zoster vaccine if not previously vaccinated
• Pneumococcal vaccine

[itlw8]

I was due for my tetnus booster Yes you really need it every 10 years or 5 if you are cut by something dirty. I garden so heck yes I get one.

But because many adults carry pertussis as adults they want us to have a Dtap so I had that that covered both this year. Working with children especially infants that do not have the whole series completed it is important do do what we can to protect the children.

[Neekie]

I get all the vaccines regularly and so does my dh, not just to protect ourselves, but to protect the dcks and our dgks as well.

[MrsSteinel'sHouse]

I am anti-vaccine but even I get tetnus. That is one of the few I have my son have (he is now 16) With scouts and hiking and cutting ourselves... the ER would have made us both have it by now anyway

[Candy]

I don't remember if I got one or not but i do know doctors try to push a lot of shots on people even if they have bad side effects. I would probably get one though if i did not have one. Now if he was pushing the chicken pox shot i would probably tell you forget about it.

[Michael]

I would die from it. I'm allergic to tetanus. No shots for me.

[Play Care]

I would die from it. I'm allergic to tetanus. No shots for me.

How did you find out?
I am worried about a bad reaction. I've read where people were so exhausted they couldn't do anything but sleep for a few days after.

[Neekie]

How did you find out?
I am worried about a bad reaction. I've read where people were so exhausted they couldn't do anything but sleep for a few days after.

I have never had a reaction like that to a tetanus shot, but I have gotten a sore arm from them if they jab the needle in too hard or in the wrong way. But the last two or three shots I have gotten, I didn't even get a sore arm from.

[MarinaVanessa]

We were just learning about vaccines in my Child Nutrition, Health & Safety class and that info pretty much just supported why I get my tetanus booster every 10 years.

Tetanus is an infection caused by bacteria that produces a toxin that affects the brain and nervous system. It leads to stiffness in the muscles and can cause muscle spasms, serious breathing difficulties. Sometimes it can cause death. The bacteria spores are mostly found in soil and dirt but can pretty much be anywhere that's why Dr's recommend getting a shot if you step on a rusty nail etc but pretty much you can have a paper cut and then go out and garden and still get tetanus. There is a way to treat tetanus if you get it but it doesn't always work and it's not always effective which is why they recommend the vaccine. If you get the vaccine you can prevent getting an infection if you do come into contact with the bacteria that gives you tetanus. It used to be that they only gave it to you once in your life and then you never needed another one again but over time they have found that the vaccine wears off after about 10 years which is why they recommend getting the booster every 10 years.

[Angelsj]

We were just learning about vaccines in my Child Nutrition, Health & Safety class and that info pretty much just supported why I get my tetanus booster every 10 years.

Tetanus is an infection caused by bacteria that produces a toxin that affects the brain and nervous system. It leads to stiffness in the muscles and can cause muscle spasms, serious breathing difficulties. Sometimes it can cause death. The bacteria spores are mostly found in soil and dirt but can pretty much be anywhere that's why Dr's recommend getting a shot if you step on a rusty nail etc but pretty much you can have a paper cut and then go out and garden and still get tetanus. There is a way to treat tetanus if you get it but it doesn't always work and it's not always effective which is why they recommend the vaccine. If you get the vaccine you can prevent getting an infection if you do come into contact with the bacteria that gives you tetanus. It used to be that they only gave it to you once in your life and then you never needed another one again but over time they have found that the vaccine wears off after about 10 years which is why they recommend getting the booster every 10 years.

You are only getting information here from one side. Please bear that in mind while reading it. However, the information, even as given here is incorrect.

Tetanus requires an anaerobic environment, so the concept of getting tetanus in a paper cut is impossible. It is not going to allow for an anaerobic environment.
If you get a deep or nasty cut, you do have time to go get a shot.
Some people do react, though tetanus has one of the lowest reaction rates of any immunization. And despite the recommendation, they are finding that SOME people maintain tetanus immunity for 19 or more years.

OP, the biggest push right now with getting people to get the TdaP is the pertussis component. That is the one they are pushing people to get.
I would recommend, if you are on the fence, that you do your own research about EACH component, weigh the risks and the benefits in your own life, then make a decision.
In that particular shot (you can get just Td, just as an aside), you would need to understand those items for three different vaccines, tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis.
Immunization is a highly personal decision, but one that also effects others, esp those who cannot be immunized, through herd immunity. It is a coin that needs to be examined closely.
Also, if you decide NOT to get immunized, you need to understand the diseases you are at risk for and know what to do about that. I think this is where people who are on the fence often fall off. They don't want to have to learn about the diseases and be aware of the risks to themselves and those around them, so they just take their chances with the vaccines themselves.
Both have risks, both have benefits. We just need to be informed, whichever decision we make.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

My doctor keeps trying to talk me into this. So far I've resisted. Did you get one? Say no way? What made you decide? I've tried looking up some information on it, but would really like some hard facts.

No way.

I was fully vaccinated as a child and was surrounded by people who vaccinated. However, I began reading the ingredients contained in the vaccinations and doing research on what would happen IF I did not get certain ones and the things I found were enough to convince me to not do "routine vaccinations" for myself. Now that I have children, I also do not vaccinate them.

Tetanus is something I would definitely NOT get even if I selectively vaccinated. If you suspect you might contract tetanus (when something is oxygenated there is no concern ... ex: rust on a nail or a bleeding wound) and head to the hospital they will give you a shot whether you have been vaccinated against tetanus or not. So, really it is pointless to be vaccinated ahead of time. If you are not vaccinated against tetanus you will want to ask for the TiG shot (a non-vaccine shot). If you are vaccinated, they'll give you a different shot (a vaccine related one).

http://guggiedaly.blogspot.com/2010/05/one-thing-that-has-frequently-come-up.html

"Summary: Tetanus requires a wound that is deep enough and neglected enough to create an anaerobic environment so that the bacteria can flourish, die off and spread a toxin in the body. The incubation period is 3-21 days, the average being 8 days."

The vaccine ingredients scare me far more than the things they supposedly protect against (which, they really don't at all... 80% of the people in the last big measles outbreak in California were vaccinated against it. Do some research!).

http://vaxtruth.org/2011/08/vaccine-ingredients/

Tetanus shot ingredients: http://www.livestrong.com/article/17...-tetanus-shot/

You can also always ask the Doctor for the insert that came with it and they will hand it to you. It'll list ingredients as well. That is what I did when I got my last vaccination as a teenager (which was the flu shot...). After researching them, I said no more.

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

I get all the vaccines regularly and so does my dh, not just to protect ourselves, but to protect the dcks and our dgks as well.

If your daycare kids are vaccinated and vaccines work, then you really have nothing to worry about whether you are vaccinated or not. Right?

[EntropyControlSpecialist]

We were just learning about vaccines in my Child Nutrition, Health & Safety class and that info pretty much just supported why I get my tetanus booster every 10 years.

Tetanus is an infection caused by bacteria that produces a toxin that affects the brain and nervous system. It leads to stiffness in the muscles and can cause muscle spasms, serious breathing difficulties. Sometimes it can cause death. The bacteria spores are mostly found in soil and dirt but can pretty much be anywhere that's why Dr's recommend getting a shot if you step on a rusty nail etc but pretty much you can have a paper cut and then go out and garden and still get tetanus. There is a way to treat tetanus if you get it but it doesn't always work and it's not always effective which is why they recommend the vaccine. If you get the vaccine you can prevent getting an infection if you do come into contact with the bacteria that gives you tetanus. It used to be that they only gave it to you once in your life and then you never needed another one again but over time they have found that the vaccine wears off after about 10 years which is why they recommend getting the booster every 10 years.

That's absurd since rust means that oxygen has hit the nail. :: Oh my Heavens, Big Pharma has control over everything.

Really, everyone is exposed to tetanus in the dirt. It's the natural immunity from the dirt that ACTUALLY helps to fight against tetanus. Research it. There have been studies done in communities.

[Willow]

I get it, right along with the pertussis more recently.

Your hard facts Play Care:

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/tetanus/