Hi Everyone,
I'm going to China in about 8 months. My husband and I are adopting a child from an orphenage. We were told to get Hep B shots. In February I got my first shot. 4 Days after the first shot I got an excruciating pain in my upper left back. It lasted for 4 weeks. During that time, it migrated to my upper right back. I finally went to my primary care doctor who thought I might be having a reaction to the stabilizers and preservatives in the hep b vaccine. He prescribed a muscle relaxer and an antiinflammatory. I took that and it seemed to help. I waited two months before my second shot.This past friday I had the second shot (out of the series of three) Well here it is Tuesday and my back is killing me! The pain is back!! I took a muscle relaxer last night and it did nothing for me! Has anyone out there experienced this? Is this common?

Hi Everyone,
I'm going to China in about 8 months. My husband and I are adopting a child from an orphenage. We were told to get Hep B shots. In February I got my first shot. 4 Days after the first shot I got an excruciating pain in my upper left back. It lasted for 4 weeks. During that time, it migrated to my upper right back. I finally went to my primary care doctor who thought I might be having a reaction to the stabilizers and preservatives in the hep b vaccine. He prescribed a muscle relaxer and an antiinflammatory. I took that and it seemed to help. I waited two months before my second shot.This past friday I had the second shot (out of the series of three) Well here it is Tuesday and my back is killing me! The pain is back!! I took a muscle relaxer last night and it did nothing for me! Has anyone out there experienced this? Is this common?


WEre you told to get the shots for your own or the baby's protection? Cause If for your own, then you might choose not to get the third shot. You probably have achieved considerable immunity, and anyway, this medicine obviously does not suit you.

If for the baby's protection, your choices are much harder.

Your doc might want to be certain that your reaction is not an allergic one, 'cause if it is, recurrence could be very serious. I am an advocate of vaccination, but if I were in your shoes, I'd proceed with great caution.

sean

Hi Sean,
I was told to get these shots for my own protection. Appearantly HepB can be common among infant orphans.
Maybe a blood test would tell me if I had enough anti-bodies?

Jody

Hi Sean,
I was told to get these shots for my own protection. Appearantly HepB can be common among infant orphans.
Maybe a blood test would tell me if I had enough anti-bodies?

Jody


I don't want to offer false reassurance nor false worries, and therefore think the doc's opinion matters greatly here (although it also seems the doc did not pick up that your reaction was really severe. You might want to emphasize this a ln talking to him.)

Your blood tests would no doubt show some anitbodies after the first two shots. Public health experience, though, is that the whole series is needed to achieve a comfortable level of immunity. So, the answer is grey, not black or white. In my understanding, that is, and I am no doctor. I am just urging that you get your questions asked clearly, and answered clearly, allowing an informed judgement about this choice.

To take a step back: who told you to get the shots? does the adoption agency require it? If it is not required, I know the adoption process is a long one and the child can be tested easily for hep b either while in China waiting, or at worst, once back here at home. Then you'd know if there were anything to worry about.

sean

Hi Sean,
The adoption agency does not require you to take the shots. They recommend it only. In my infinite wisdom I decided to rush in and get the shots done right away. There is so much you have to do for an international adoption that this just became one more thing on the list to check off. I'll definitely talk to my primary doc. about my second reaction and see if maybe I can take the third shot by a different company, maybe they use different stabilizers and preservatives.

Hi Sean,
The adoption agency does not require you to take the shots. They recommend it only. In my infinite wisdom I decided to rush in and get the shots done right away. There is so much you have to do for an international adoption that this just became one more thing on the list to check off. I'll definitely talk to my primary doc. about my second reaction and see if maybe I can take the third shot by a different company, maybe they use different stabilizers and preservatives.


Hi Jody,

Yeah, its complicated. My wife and I went the first couple of steps in international adoption (not China, they wouldn't have me--too old!) before we achieved conception after years of trying. It is very daunting and I can understand completely your desire to get everything done that you can.

Because I'm not a medical professional I did not want to go too far in my advice, but what I'd discuss with the doc if it were me would be whether I need the third shot at all. How much of a chance are you taking with whose health, that's the issue, I guess.

Best of luck with this and with everything. We have friends who adopted a daughter from China who is now a beauteous five year old wonder girl. As we say in New York, it should only happen to you, too.

Bless


sean

Jody, for your info, YES, there is a test to make sure (or not) that you have converted to immune to Hep B. It's a simple blood draw and will indicate the antibody titer in your blood. Ask your primary care physician (or health department that offers travel vaccines) about it.

Some people will convert to immune after two shots, others won't until after 3. Some never do. From a public health standpoint, it is better to finish the series if you are worried about possible infection. Maybe your provider could give your injection in a larger muscle, such as your quadraceps in your leg. (BTW, shots in larger muscles don't hurt NEARLY as bad as they do in smaller ones like your deltoid)....and have an anti-inflammatory handy when you go get the shot?

Thank you Babycatcher and Sean for your support and advice. I know I will have to work this out with my doctor. I might ask him for the blood test and see what it says. If I have to get another one, I'll be armed with my anti-inflammatory(s). I am also advised to take Tetnus, Typhoid, and Malaria shots. I believe I will only be in fairly large cities in China (Bejing and Guanghouz)(forgive my spelling) Anyway, I'm thinking that my chances of getting Malaria and Typhoid will be very low. We'll be staying in four star hotels. No hiking or backpacking and no real interaction with locals. As you can see, I'm gun shy about taking any more vaccines!

Thanks again,
Jody