(( VaginaPagina ))

I am planning (hoping, lol) to become sexually active in the future. I had just read information saying things like "if you're not sexually YET, you don't really need it" but then there is stuff saying "your best chances are if you get it before you starting having sex". I had heard that it was fairly expensive, but I'm covered under my parent's insurance and live in Canada, so I was thinking that it might be covered.

Thanks for your input! Good to know about the tenderness at the injection site, although I suppose that's to be expected. :-) I hope you're okay.

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valarltd.livejournal.com

The general consensus is that it's best taken before sexual activity.
This is because any sexual activity can expose you to HPV.

I should be okay. Even if I'm not clear, we're monitoring closely enough that we can clear it up.

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They say it's best and most effective if you get it before you become sexually active. And like you said, it only protects against a few strains of HPV, not all of them. A lot of girls I know have gotten it because they don't read the information pamphlet and think it prevents all HPV strains altogether. I don't know if you already knew this, but to be fully protected it's 3 shots over 9 months.

They make you wait about 15 minutes after you get the shot because there have been a few cases of people having reactions to it. Not dying or anything, but people I know that have had reactions felt really ill for about a day after, and then they're okay. If you've ever had the meningococcal shot, it hurts less than that, but your arm will be sore for a day or two. If you relax your arm, it'll hurt for one or two, if you tense it it'll hurt for much longer. I'm 17, and I hate needles, but it definitely wasn't the worst. I don't know if it's free in Canada, but if you can get it without paying the $400 a shot, I think it's worth it. If cancer, particularly cervical cancer doesn't run in your family, and you don't sleep with your phone on your stomach, I'm not sure I'd get it though. But I'm not a doctor! That's just what I would assume! Good luck!

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That's not true, not everyone makes you wait 15 minutes after getting the shot.
I've had my first two shots, and I've never been told to wait around.

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Okay, they had girls in Victoria that were paralysed for a few hours after their shot, so that's why they started making us wait for 15 minutes. Everyone I know that's had it has had to wait 15 minutes after people started having reactions to it. It might be because it was a school injection program, but I'm not sure. People that have had it at the doctor's that I know of have had to wait too, but I'm not sure if that's just in Australia.

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I don't know.
Mine was done at a medical clinic that's part of the hospital.

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igiveyoumylife.livejournal.com

ditto - Ive watched a few friends get it done also (we've done a Gardasil pact) and there was no waiting around, no one had a reaction, and it was covered my insurance (except copay). As long as you are 26-27 and UNDER it may be covered if you have private insurance (this is for those of us in the US)

I'm just saying that it is best to say this to avoid any alarmist terror preventing someone from getting the shot.

From:

igiveyoumylife.livejournal.com

The schedule is:
2 months after first shot, 6months after 2nd shot for those of you still accessing this post

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I did know about getting the shot over several months. I believe it's two months between the first and second, and fourth months between the second and third, although I might be wrong about that. I know it only protects a few strains, and that it's best if you get it before you become sexually active. That's why I was considering getting it now - sometimes it can be hard to plan for when you're going to become sexually active, you know?

I figured about the fifteen minutes thing - that's common with all shots. I've had many shots from school, and the one that hurt most was a tetnus or something shot in the arm that left me unable to use my arm for like a week. -.- God that hurt. I hate needles as well, so it's comforting to know that someone who also hates them was able to get it. I'll talk to my doctor about the cost. Thanks!

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I was told two months, and then three months.
Except I'm not following it exactly right...because that didn't fit my schedule.

The Gardasil pamphlet thing I got said two months then three, but it says if you miss a date, contact your health physician and plan a new date.

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Yeah, it hurts a LOT less than tetanus! I have the lowest pain threshold ever, it took 5 doctors to hold me down when I was 7 to get a Hep B injection... Just relax your arms and tense your feet and it'll hurt a lot less. If you lie down it hurt way less too! I was sure I got mine over 9 months, but Wikipedia said something like 6. It might vary depending on where you are and what they've found is most effective? Yeah, I think if you can get it without paying thousands of dollars for it, it's worth it. It prevents the strains that cause 90% of genital warts apparently too (thank goodness for Wikipedia ;;;;), so I think that's pretty awesome. I hope the hurt doesn't last too long! ミ♡♥

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ravaged-storm.livejournal.com

I hate needles, but it didn't hurt me at all. Just relax and don't watch.

As for timing, it's three shots, preferrably taken two months between, but anything 30 days more or less works. (ie if you have your first, then have your second thirty days later, then your third 90 days after that, you're fine, etc)

And yes, best to get it before you become sexually active as if you already have a specific strain it won't protect you against that strain.

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It's free in Australia for a while longer (girls 12 - 20-something I think...), and they had an injection program for girls in Australian schools to get the injection, so that's why I got it. The important thing to remember is that it's not going to prevent all strains of HPV. And I made a mistake! It's 3 shots over 6 months, I have a terrible memory! Sorry!

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jennifer0246.livejournal.com

Cervical cancer is not thought to be genetic, it's widely believed to be caused by HPV.

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This question actually does get asked a lot, but it's okay if you couldn't find previous posts about it. :-)

The most common side effect for people (including myself) is just soreness at the injection site for a few days. I've gotten two shots of it, and I'm supposed to get my third next month (sometime before I turn 19). Both times, I've gotten it in my left arm. The first time, I got a bruise and my arm hurt for a couple days. The second time, my arm hurt again, but it lasted for a shorter period of time. It's nothing unbearable.

I don't think age really matters. They don't want girls to be too young, but you're never too old to protect yourself. I started it at 18, and I'm finishing it right around my 19th birthday. It protects against four strains of HPV, and even if somebody already HAS HPV, it is still a good idea to get this shot because the shot protects against OTHER strains.

You can always look for more information regarding side effects on the Gardasil website. Just Google it.

Oh, and I know this is opinion, not fact, but my dad believes all girls should get this, because even if the girl is not sexually active, you want to protect the people you care about from HPV. People DO get in to bad situations, and rapes DO happen. It's better to be protected from the worst.

Hope this helps a lot!

Oh, and also: I would suggest you get this before you are sexually active, but even if you wait until you become sexually active, it will still be effective. I was sexually active when I got my first shot.

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Ugggh, sorry. I figured it had been asked, but I'm new to livejournal and VP both, so I'm still learning how you categorize things. I'm sorry for asking a repeated question... again. n.n

That's good to know. I'm kind of a scaredy cat for needles (I'll want to kill myself for getting it voluntarily) but it's comforting to know it wasn't too bad. I didn't think age mattered that much, but I knew about the sexually active thing. That's what one of the reasons I was considering getting it NOW, because I agree with your dad. You just never KNOW, y'know? It could happen.

You did help. Thanks!

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I have no idea how to search memories on LJ myself. So I understand. Haha.

If you could figure out how to search it, though, that would prove very helpful. A lot of people have posted a lot of information about Gardasil over the past several months.

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twisty-mirror.livejournal.com

it might help you to make a decision based on your insurance company covering the vaccines.

i recently tested positive for high-risk HPV, and thankfully haven't had an abnormal pap. when i called my insurance company to check that they would cover an HPV test, they told me that they do not cover the gardisil vaccine for anyone over the age of 26. i think this is total crap, as i don't see why they wouldn't want to pay for a vaccine that could SAVE them money later on.

good luck with whatever you decide!

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I'm covered under my parents insurance, so I'm going to call the insurance company tomorrow and ask if Gardasil is covered by them. I looked up previous posts here on VP, and I saw someone mention that she thought her parents were with the same insurance company as mine (Great West Life) and that it was covered, so that's a good sign. I'll call tomorrow (or get my mom to call) to double check. Money is, of course, an issue, since I don't have a job right now and it's not something I would want my parents to have to pay for. If it wasn't covered, I would wait and get it at a later date. I'll have to wait and see, though.

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katie-keysburg.livejournal.com

Under a certain age in the US, the CDC is covering the shots, and you can get them for $25 a piece, even if you don't have insurance. Unfortunatly, I've had to pay full price for two of the three...

Keep in mind, once you become sexually active, you will need to have a yearly gyno visit for a pap smear regardless of the shot.

Some people have allergic reactions to ingredients in the shot... not the medicine itself. Its cultivated in yeast, so probably just people with the yeast allergy.

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I don't live in the US, I live in Canada. Thanks, though, that would be great to know if I did live there. :-)

I know that this shot doesn't mean you get to skip the yearly visits. Nothing could make us so lucky! But it does make for a little peace of mind, one would think.

I was also aware of that, too. ^^ I'm not allergic to anything except nickle, and I'd discuss it with my doctor anyway just in case. Thanks!

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vesperholly.livejournal.com

I got it this past summer, two of the shots before I turned 26 and the third 3 months after turning 27. Didn't hurt a bit, and I haven't had any side effects whatsoever.

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Good to know! Thanks!

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pocochina.livejournal.com

Thanks for posting this! I think I'm getting it soon too so it's good to see some info.

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I'm glad I did then. :-) As my teachers always said, if there's something you're confused about, then it's almost a certainty someone else is confused about it, too!

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jennifer0246.livejournal.com

Lots of information at the HPV and HPV-vaccine tags -- I've also tagged your post, so it can be a resource for others who are looking in the future. :)

Edited Date: 2007-11-25 11:13 pm (UTC)

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