When I was a child and everyone in our school got the small pox vaccine, Health Canada phoned my mom and told her I couldn’t take it so I didn’t.
It’s not something that bothered me until the topic of vaccines due to this pandemic came up. I didn’t know the reason why I couldn’t get the small pox vaccine so worried about this vaccine and unfortunately my mom has gone completely senile so I could not ask her.
When mentioning my concerns about the vaccine, I got tossed into the ‘anti vaxxers’ clan ; the selfish people who didn’t care about anyone but themselves.
So after getting my second vaccine today I finally discovered the reason why. Penicillin! I’m highly allergic to penicillin and the pharmacist today said that years ago penicillin was used as an antiseptic in most vaccines. Oddly enough I figured it had something to do with it so made sure there was none in the vaccines I got.
I’m so happy to discover this today. Now that health mystery is solved. Next thing I need to get is a medical alert bracket.
Note: Not all people somewhat hesitant to take a vaccine are anti vaxxers nor do they need to be hassled. Just sayin’
@Bratti … That’s well worth knowing Bratti.
I’m amazed you haven’t been prescribed Penicillin at some time throughout your life … now that would have been a horrible way to find out you were allergic.
The trouble is scot, people ask me why I won’t have the vaccine, and to some it sounds like I’m trying to convince them not to have it…They shouldn’t ask me if they don’t like the answer…
Me too Bratti but I never knew about it being used years’ ago as an antiseptic in vacccines. Not that I can recall ever having any other than in probably the last ten or so years when it was the 'flu jab and another for pneumonia plus the two recent ones for coronavirus. Instead of penicillin I would have to have something called Tetracycline. Initially I only found out I was allergic to penicillin when bitten by a dog when I was about 12, after having the penicillin I came out in big, red weals all over. Not painful or any other problems but I’ve always declared that allergy.
If you need any scans re: heart problems you might find that allergy to seafood prevents you having a certain kind of scan, not sure which scan that would be but a close family member couldn’t have that scan following a stroke, for that reason any blood clot could never be traced. She’s alright and was OK at the time but that scan could have been useful had it been a more serious stroke. Odd that there is no substitute as whatever contains something to do with seafood is a tracing agent, not using it could have left her with some serious problems had it been more severe.
Be careful where they fix that ‘bracket’ OGF, it could be painful!
@Morticia Never does a day pass without me learning something new on here. All I wonder is what on earth, as a retiree, am I going to do with all this information?
I respect everyone’s right to make their own decisions which frankly are none of my business and I keep it so.
And I respect your decision regardless.
I have. When I was 4 years old I got a virus that put my temperature up to 105 and hallucinating.
I was rushed to the hospital and given penicillin. My throat instantly swelled up and I was in intensive care for about 5 days. That’s when I found out. I knew I was allergic to penicillin. What I didn’t know was that it was the reason why I couldn’t have the small pox vaccination.
Really? Isn’t that interesting. Whenever I’ve ‘had’ to take antibiotics I have been prescribed from the tetracycline family.
That’s a shame you were bitten by a dog when you were younger. I hope it didn’t change how you feel about them or at least I hope the experience didn’t leave you fearful. That would be such a shame.
Funny that because I know more than one person severely allergic to penicillin who had the Covid and other vaccines with no reaction. So I don’t think they use penicillin these days.
Oh they definitely don’t. That’s something I checked before committing to being vaccinated because although they say you need to wait to be monitored for 15 minutes. I wouldn’t have 15 minutes.
Yes, it’s very interesting finding out something that is so relevant to ourselves in such a way. Fortunately I’ve never had any health problems requiring antibiotics since then, thankfully. I always give Tetracycline as an alternative to Penicillin though when asked about allergies.
At the time that dog bit me I was roller skating along the pavement outside my house. The dog jumped up at me, knocking me over, then proceeded to bite me. It wasn’t a big dog but as I was skating that made me more unsteady so I fell over. No problems with dogs over that at all, I have in the past had my own dogs, both big and small – a small mongrel and a couple of German Shepherds, so no lasting effects. I get on very well with dogs, no fear of them at all.
It was more than interesting. It was crucial I found out this info cause I almost didn’t get vaccinated due to it.
I think my in-laws thought I was making stuff up. Lol
This is great news. Unfortunately experiences like you’ve described can scare some people forever and it would be a real shame if you couldn’t get a dog because of it . Our old neighbour was petrified of dogs. One day we found him at the side of our house holding a rake out at our dog
It didn’t go over too well
I felt really sorry for him though.
He was literally petrified. .
