The Truth About My Vaccine
Start writing a post
Food Drink

This Is My Truth About Vaccinations

How a vaccine side effect caused me to change my entire lifestyle.

280
This Is My Truth About Vaccinations

Whenever I tell someone that I don't get vaccinations, everyone seems appalled.

There has been recent debate on whether or not people should be vaccinating their children, and most agree that vaccinations are worth the risk. But, I was raised in an anti-vaccination household and have been exposed to all the staggering statistics that are associated with vaccination.

When I was young, my mom refused to give me the chickenpox vaccination, one that almost everyone receives at 4-6 years old. She instead would bring me around all of my friends who had the chickenpox and try to make me get it. If you get the chickenpox when you are young, there is a lesser chance you will get shingles as an adult, which is not guaranteed by the vaccination. When I went to high school she had to give in, as the vaccination was required to go to school. I only got the vaccination at age 15.

My pediatrician stopped arguing with my mom about vaccinating my brother and I after a few years, and would just say "I'm guessing you're not going to give Noelle and Thomas the [insert vaccination] this time?". She wouldn't even try to give my mom the reasons why we should get them, as my mom always did extensive research and combatted whatever the physician would say.

Vaccinations are normally just a guess as to which strain is going to cause the most damage that year, and most of the time they are completely wrong. They can cause you to contract the disease its trying to prevent, as they are just injecting a dead virus, or you could acquire painful side effects. There are many side effects listed by The History of Vaccines, but some of them include rashes, fever, infection, encephalitis, and even death.

There was one vaccination that showed me one of these side effects, and I had to make a major change in my life. The Meningitis Meningococcal vaccination was one of the few vaccinations that I was required to get before I went into my senior year. My mom tried to wait as long as she could to give me the vaccination because she had heard of many issues with it.

I got the shot 2 weeks before going into my senior year of high school, and it was definitely the most painful shot I had ever received. My arm hurt for almost a week after, and I started noticing that I would get extreme nausea after I ate. Almost a month later, I went into anaphylactic shock after eating scrambled eggs for breakfast.

I saw my physician, and she gave me the news that I had developed an egg allergy at the age of 18. I was shocked, as I had been eating eggs all my life and they were a big component of my diet. The physician started to look for an explanation as to why I developed the allergy so suddenly and to such a high extent, and sent me to an allergist. The allergist confirmed that the egg protein that I was allergic to was the same protein that they used to make the Meningitis Meningococcal vaccination. The allergy was one of the many side effects that the vaccination causes, but isn't explicitly stated.

Now, I have to carry an epipen around with me at all times, and can not eat many of the foods that once made up my diet. I have had many allergic reactions as I try to find a way to deal with the sudden allergy. The allergist said that many allergies that arise from vaccinations should disappear in 5-10 years, which is a very long time that I have to avoid eggs.

For me, the risk wasn't worth it, especially since only a very small percentage of people in the United States contract meningitis. The vaccinations that we have today need to be improved immensely, need to protect against more than 1-5 strains of the particular virus, and need to have less side effects. Being educated to go into medicine, I hope that someday I can help to bring vaccinations to their full potential.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

Waitlisted for a College Class? Here's What to Do!

Dealing with the inevitable realities of college life.

52051
college students waiting in a long line in the hallway
StableDiffusion

Course registration at college can be a big hassle and is almost never talked about. Classes you want to take fill up before you get a chance to register. You might change your mind about a class you want to take and must struggle to find another class to fit in the same time period. You also have to make sure no classes clash by time. Like I said, it's a big hassle.

This semester, I was waitlisted for two classes. Most people in this situation, especially first years, freak out because they don't know what to do. Here is what you should do when this happens.

Keep Reading...Show less
a man and a woman sitting on the beach in front of the sunset

Whether you met your new love interest online, through mutual friends, or another way entirely, you'll definitely want to know what you're getting into. I mean, really, what's the point in entering a relationship with someone if you don't know whether or not you're compatible on a very basic level?

Consider these 21 questions to ask in the talking stage when getting to know that new guy or girl you just started talking to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

Challah vs. Easter Bread: A Delicious Dilemma

Is there really such a difference in Challah bread or Easter Bread?

33437
loaves of challah and easter bread stacked up aside each other, an abundance of food in baskets
StableDiffusion

Ever since I could remember, it was a treat to receive Easter Bread made by my grandmother. We would only have it once a year and the wait was excruciating. Now that my grandmother has gotten older, she has stopped baking a lot of her recipes that require a lot of hand usage--her traditional Italian baking means no machines. So for the past few years, I have missed enjoying my Easter Bread.

Keep Reading...Show less
Adulting

Unlocking Lake People's Secrets: 15 Must-Knows!

There's no other place you'd rather be in the summer.

956274
Group of joyful friends sitting in a boat
Haley Harvey

The people that spend their summers at the lake are a unique group of people.

Whether you grew up going to the lake, have only recently started going, or have only been once or twice, you know it takes a certain kind of person to be a lake person. To the long-time lake people, the lake holds a special place in your heart, no matter how dirty the water may look.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Top 10 Reasons My School Rocks!

Why I Chose a Small School Over a Big University.

181186
man in black long sleeve shirt and black pants walking on white concrete pathway

I was asked so many times why I wanted to go to a small school when a big university is so much better. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure a big university is great but I absolutely love going to a small school. I know that I miss out on big sporting events and having people actually know where it is. I can't even count how many times I've been asked where it is and I know they won't know so I just say "somewhere in the middle of Wisconsin." But, I get to know most people at my school and I know my professors very well. Not to mention, being able to walk to the other side of campus in 5 minutes at a casual walking pace. I am so happy I made the decision to go to school where I did. I love my school and these are just a few reasons why.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments