I'm 17, a virgin, and my mom is almost forcing me to get the Gardasil shot. I'm supposed to get it later today. I don't plan on being sexually active anytime soon(wait until marriage). Should I still get the shot even though I'm not having sex?
2007-07-31 22:14:26 · 11 answers · asked by EM23 2 in Health ➔ Women's Health
I would go ahead and get it. Even though you are not sexually active (good job on the wanting to wait til marriage) someday you will be sexually active (once you get married) and it is possible that your future husband could possibly have HPV because it is a very common and contagious virus. If you get it now you won't have to think about it in the future. Plus you should do it now while it is covered on your parent's insurance!
2007-07-31 22:43:32 · answer #1 · answered by Annabanana 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
OK. here's the thing..The HPV or Gardasil injection could very well save your life. While it is true that right now, the injection will only protect you against 17 or 18 of the different strains, it will be improved with in your life time. We do not start running the truest risk of contracting HPV until we have ANY sort of sex.. Remember this, you are having sex with every single person your partner has ever had sex with, and every single person her partners have had sex with.. It runs on and on.. You are to be congratulated for deciding to wait to have sex. Just remember that you can not always be sure what is around the corner. These injections, while still new, have such a great potential to save lives. 3 injections, compared to cervical cancer. They might not prevent all of the possible dangers we women face, but it is such a fabulous start, why not have the best head start possible. If this had been available in my mothers life time, or even mine, there would be so many women alive right now.
The choice is yours. Talk to your Doctor, ask questions, do not stop asking until you get the answers you need to make an informed decision. Do what you think is right, and bless your mothers heart for only wanting you to be safe against something she never had a chance against.
I hope that soon, the injection will be available for boys and young men. It makes me very sad that the cut off age is 24, because my sons are to old for it now.
Good luck sweetheart, and remember, ask questions, read everything you can., talk to your mom...make the right choices for yourself. That's all we moms want, is for our children to have the best things life can offer.
2007-08-01 00:43:35 · answer #2 · answered by Robin B 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm 18 and pretty much in the same boat as you. However, my mother and I decided not to get the shot because it is a very new drug and side effects have not been thoroughly tested yet.
Don't let your mother force it on you. You can say no to the shot and get it later (within the next 3 or 4 years, and before being sexually active) but you can't undo getting it.
See if you can call your doctor's office and talk to someone about the shot.
2007-07-31 22:22:17 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you really don't want the shot let both your mom and the doctor know that you are not comfortable with having it.
I can't get the shot because of the fact that I am much older than the age group the medication it was studied on and also I have had problems with vaccines in the past.
2007-07-31 22:25:46 · answer #4 · answered by sokokl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There has been a lot of discussions among women (women groups, etc) about this new Gardasil shot. Many are against it saying Merck (the manufacturers) use women as guinea pigs. It has not been tested long enough and you can read about it here:
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/sections/cervical_cancer/
2007-07-31 22:38:36 · answer #5 · answered by Josephine 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't worry it doesn't hurt that bad. Just try not to think about it and don't look at the needle. The nurse will clean the injection site (usually your arm) and then give you the shot. It doesn't hurt too bad, it's just like a slow, dull aching pain. Your arm will probably be sore for a couple days after. My experience with it was not too scary =). You will be fine!!
2016-04-01 05:12:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you are not going to be sexually active soon, is not enough of a reason to refuse it. It is going to give you life long immunity, and if at all you plan to take it, sooner the better.
If you don't want to take it due to any other reason, let it be known to mom, she won't force you then. And there won't be any displeasure.
Good luck, either way!
2007-07-31 22:35:38 · answer #7 · answered by aWellWisher 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes! its better to be safe than sorry. you never know what could happen in the future. your mom is only trying to protect you and i think the younger you get the shot, the more effective it will be. young women who are not taking advantage of the prevention shot are making a big mistake. you would only be doing the right thing for yourself and for your future spouse.
2007-07-31 22:18:29 · answer #8 · answered by kim h 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
YES! Get the shot. Once it's done then you can just relax & forget about it.
How great that we have come so far that we now have a vaccine to protect women from cervical cancer....
2007-07-31 22:59:00 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say "safe than sorry", except you probably don't need to if you're not planning to have sex. But you don't know what you'll do. And you also can get it through other contact. Whatever you want, basically.
2007-07-31 23:56:06 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋