Hepatitis A vaccination question

[pixy0stix]

Fuck shit hell. A restaurant dh and I ate at last week has been closed due to hep a exposure. Anyone who has eaten there in the past 14 days is being asked to be vaccinated.

This isn't a common one that we would have been vaccinated for before, right?

Have I said fuck yet?

[ttt]

Probably not I had to get it before my trip to Brazil because I had never had it before. 

Also, it's a two-shot series, so you'll have to go back in 6 months to get the second. 

[origami]

Oh no! I'm assuming you're about my age so no I don't think it's a common one for us. I just got vaxed for it in April of this year

[kirra]

Probably not

I got it as a teenager, but only because my pediatrician prefers to vaccinate for everything possible. It isn't part of the standard schedule.

[pixy0stix]

Luckily? The health dept is giving out free shots for those that ate there.

[elleblue]

My H and I went through this last year when there was a contamination issue with some bags of CostCo frozen berries. You'll definitely want to get the vaccine, you'll need to get two shots of it, 6-12 months apart. How long ago were you potentially exposed? I think the vaccine is only effective if you get it within the first few weeks of exposure. 

And I'm sorry Pixy, it sucks. The first shot made me feel like crap for a week. Hopefully you will have an easier time of it. 

[sushi]

Yeah, not common unless you travel. I got it before going to Malawi, and my family was meticulous about keeping us up to date.

[elleblue]

Jun 27, 2014 19:04:07 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Luckily? The health dept is giving out free shots for those that ate there.

Yeah, the Hep A vax is not exactly cheap. Costco of course reimbursed us for our shots. 

[MrsAxilla]

Go get the vaccine ASAP. You need it within 14 days of exposure in order to be effective.

[ttt]

Jun 27, 2014 19:04:07 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

Luckily? The health dept is giving out free shots for those that ate there.

That's good, because normally they're like $115 per shot. Sometimes insurance covers it, sometimes it doesn't. Ours wouldn't cover it unless we got it from an in network doctor. 

[pixy0stix]

It was last Friday. We only knew about it because we pulled up tonight and a news crew was outside. So I pulled out my phone and googled. We'll be going tomorrow.

[elleblue]

Jun 27, 2014 19:09:33 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

It was last Friday. We only knew about it because we pulled up tonight and a news crew was outside. So I pulled out my phone and googled. We'll be going tomorrow.

Glad you caught it. In our case we had finally broken open the bag of frozen berries one Sunday after having it in the freezer for more than a month. And the very next day, the story hit the news. Better of course that we hadn't had them immediately after buying, but still aggravating. 

Guess what we haven't had in over a year - frozen berries! Lol.

[NewOrleans]

omg that is the suck.

[pixy0stix]

I'm drinking margaritas. Maybe that will kill the hep a.

[orangeblossom]

No, generally it's not a mom one to receive unless you're in an endemic area. I think AZ has it on their list of required/ suggested immunizations.

Vaccinating people for Hep A is the common course of action when an exposure happens.

I'm sorry. This sucks.

[taratru]

Whaaaaaa?!?! I love eating there. Good luck with the shots. :::shudder:::

[audry80]

Kids usually are vaccinated at one years old. It's a newer vaccine so most adults are not vaccinated.

Hep A is the reason I needed a liver transplant. It's rare to lead to acute liver failure but it's no fucking joke.

Hope you are in the clear.

[meshaliuknits]

Huh. I got my hep a vax from work. It was bundled with hep b. I didn't realize it was uncommon. Or that work spent $200 on me.

Sent from my EVO

[orangeblossom]

Jun 27, 2014 19:58:52 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

Huh. I got my hep a vax from work. It was bundled with hep b. I didn't realize it was uncommon. Or that work spent $200 on me.

Sent from my EVO

I wouldn't say it's uncommon, just that it's not generally one of the vaccines that people worry about if as far as getting it.

It's generally not required for school, for most places, so that's why it doesn't generally get a lot of exposure, except in times like what pixy described.

[sunterp]

I only got the Hep A shot when I left the country.

[sushi]

I don't remember it being that bad. Then again, I got polio, MMR, and tdap boosters at the same time so my sore arms were expected.

[Scout'sHonor]

I saw that story and thought you'd mentioned being there recently . I had that vac a few years ago before traveling and it wasn't too bad. Sore arm for a few days.

[meshaliuknits]

Jun 27, 2014 20:16:32 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

Jun 27, 2014 19:58:52 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

Huh. I got my hep a vax from work. It was bundled with hep b. I didn't realize it was uncommon. Or that work spent $200 on me.

Sent from my EVO

I wouldn't say it's uncommon, just that it's not generally one of the vaccines that people worry about if as far as getting it.

It's generally not required for school, for most places, so that's why it doesn't generally get a lot of exposure, except in times like what pixy described.

I think I'm more surprised work spent $ on me.

Sent from my EVO

[PinkSquirrel]

I got my first shot 7 years ago before my honeymoon and then never went back for the second. I just finally went and go the combo Hep A & B vaccine a few weeks ago because I'm leaving for Rwanda and Tanzania tomorrow and it was a nice and easy vaccine for me. I had zero side effects.

[orangeblossom]

Jun 27, 2014 21:17:19 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

Jun 27, 2014 20:16:32 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

I wouldn't say it's uncommon, just that it's not generally one of the vaccines that people worry about if as far as getting it.

It's generally not required for school, for most places, so that's why it doesn't generally get a lot of exposure, except in times like what pixy described.

I think I'm more surprised work spent $ on me.

Sent from my EVO

LOL.

[Norticprincess]

It isn't an overly common one unless you travel. I got it before we went to Ecuador. I've had to explain why I got it to multiple ID docs when it would show on my titers. No it was just prophylactic before travel, not due to a possible exposure. DH got it through work before going to several spots in Africa (with a bunch of other stuff).

[Deleted]

That happened when I was in grade school--a cafeteria worker exposed all the kids.

Good luck. Hopefully it's not too inconvenient to the vaccine.

[alleinesein]

Jun 27, 2014 20:54:19 GMT -5 sushi said:

I don't remember it being that bad. Then again, I got polio, MMR, and tdap boosters at the same time so my sore arms were expected.

Human pin cushion.  I got 6 shots on the same day before I went to India.  3 in each arm...not fun!!  TDAP, MMR, Polio Booster, Hep series, Typhoid and a TB test. 

The second part of the Hep series was fine.  No actual pain unless I whacked my arm into something. 

[soxin2]

I think I got the Hep B vax through work (direct care group home) and the Hep A vax before doing volunteer work in Mexico.

I could have those backwards.

In high school, my few years younger than me boyf got one from his pedi, but I was told I was too old.

So, not common that you'd have already had it unless those conditions apply.


I also have a family history of assorted liver issues, so I was happy to get both when offered. Otherwise, not on most 30somethings standard course.

[pixy0stix]

So far it's been fairly convenient to set up an appointment. I went to the county website, clicked through various links, filled out information for dh and I, and picked a time slot for shots. 12:30 tomorrow.