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leeza

Mar 9, 2011, 4:54 PM

Post #1 of 10 (4061 views)

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Hepatitis A vaccination

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Should I get vaccinated for Hepatitis A before going on vacation to La Paz?

Thanks

Dreamer Blue

Mar 10, 2011, 5:53 AM

Post #2 of 10 (4020 views)

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Re: [leeza] Hepatitis A vaccination

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I have spent time in La Paz almost every year for the past 13 and never got vaccinated. In those years I have also visited Ecuador, Russia, Tahiti and goodness knows where else and I have never got Hepatitis. HOWEVER. You can get Hepatitis anywhere - from New York to Toronto to Paris - at any time so if you are concerned about it, why not?
(On the other hand, I DID get food poisoning in a town in Nevada!)

morgaine7

Mar 10, 2011, 7:44 AM

Post #3 of 10 (4004 views)

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Re: [leeza] Hepatitis A vaccination

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I've lived full time in La Paz for almost four years with no vaccinations and no problems, and have never heard that the risk of hepatitis A is higher here than it is anywhere else. But I've spent most of my adult life in "third-world" countries and tend to be fatalistic. It's probably a good idea to ask your doctor or local health department what's best for you.

Kate

TedZar

Jul 26, 2011, 6:34 PM

Post #4 of 10 (3371 views)

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Re: [morgaine7] Hepatitis A vaccination

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About 30 years ago my wife - at the time - got hepatitus in the USA. I've been abroad for 20+ years now and just get the vaccine. It is cheap easy and lasts ten years.

Tomas_en_Mexico

Jul 28, 2011, 10:52 AM

Post #5 of 10 (3311 views)

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Re: [leeza] Hepatitis A vaccination

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Just about everyone should get the Hep A/B vaccination series (they are given together now), including folks who never leave the USA. All kids get this vaccine nowadays and the only reason older folks don't have it is that the vaccine has not existed long enough.

I would not get it just for a vacation to La Paz if it was inconvenient. But you should think about getting it as a general vaccination for future travel.

Hepatitis A is a bigger factor in developing countries and many kids get it and then are immune for life (which is why locals often don't need the vaccine as much). Hepatitis B, a chronic condition, can be sexually transmitted or transmitted in medical procedures, etc.

The Hep A/B vaccine is a series of a 3 vaccinations at 0,1,and then between 6 and 12 months (or the alternative vaccine is between 6 and 18 months). It is certified for 10 years, however, it may last much longer than that.

A more important vaccine for those over age 50, that partially protects you from a much, much higher probability event, is the shingles vaccine. See the center for disease control web site about that. The vaccine is difficult to acquire in Mexico.

(This post was edited by Tomas_en_Mexico on Jul 28, 2011, 10:54 AM)

thriftqueen

Aug 15, 2011, 7:05 PM

Post #6 of 10 (3171 views)

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Re: [Tomas_en_Mexico] Hepatitis A vaccination

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Since Tomas brought up the shingles vaccine - I realize this thread isn't about shingles vaccine but gives me an opportunity to get on the soap box about the same since may of our readers and posters are in the over the hill crowd (me included). The incident of shingles in seniors is very high as it is from the same chicken pox virus that most of us had as kids, it stays in the body and rears it's ugly head to cause shingles. My husband had shingles last year and it's not a pretty disease to get. Since that time we've talked to so many people who have had it and really suffered from it and some continue to do so as it affects the nerve endings in the body. Needless to say I ran right out and got vaccinated. The pharmacist at Walgreen gave me mine. Medicare will pay for it. Google it to learn more.

(This post was edited by thriftqueen on Aug 15, 2011, 7:07 PM)

La Isla

Aug 15, 2011, 7:29 PM

Post #7 of 10 (3159 views)

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Re: [thriftqueen] Hepatitis A vaccination

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Has anyone living in Mexico gotten the shingles vaccine?

bournemouth

Aug 16, 2011, 6:56 AM

Post #8 of 10 (3138 views)

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Re: [La Isla] Hepatitis A vaccination

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I think the only place we could get it is N OB - I discussed this with my local doctor recently and he says it is not available here - he thinks price may be a factor.

rockydog85251

Aug 16, 2011, 9:11 AM

Post #9 of 10 (3123 views)

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Re: [bournemouth] Hepatitis A vaccination

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While I'm not big on vaccinations, etc. I think I might seriously consider this one! I caught Hep A at a holiday buffet at the airline that I used to work for & thought I would have to get better in order to die!!! I have NEVER been so ill in all my 60+ years and hope to never get there again....... I could not have any alcohol for over 6 mos because my liver was so screwed up. The only thing that helped me, I'm sure, was the Milk Thistle that a friend's mother reccommended. I still take it to this day.
But I would say, do whatever you need to do to avoid this disease - any level of it!!!
Willie

chinagringo

Sep 6, 2011, 7:27 PM

Post #10 of 10 (2956 views)

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Re: [rockydog85251] Hepatitis A vaccination

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Rocky:

You bring up an interesting point since I have had the distinct pleasure of having Hepatitis twice - once while living in Bombay, India in the early 60's and once living in the US of A in the 90's. At the time of my second experience, I was being treated by a "voodoo witch doctor chiropractor" for back problems who also was into nutrition and vitamin supplements. My regular doctor who diagnosed the problem told me: "not to drink alcohol and eat properly". While I understood the no alcohol instruction, I asked what eating properly meant? His answer was: "you should know". Well imagine that: I didn't know! I asked how long it would take to recover and he said that if I wasn't cured in 6 months, then he would put me on interferon. I then called my chiropractor and explained by dilemma. His instruction was to get my blood numbers and I complied. At that point, he provided a regimen of 17 vitamin and supplement pills a day and a diet sequence over 7 days. Meanwhile, I was going in for weekly blood work to check my progression. In exactly 30 days, my blood work came back normal and my regular MD figured that it was a bad test. Two more blood tests later, he finally agreed that I was back to normal even though he didn't believe it. I said that I knew the first test was accurate by the way I was feeling and I believed in the regimen that I followed. The damned fool never asked what I had done!

I learned right then and there that regular MD's have no clue about diet or what natural supplements can do for you! To this day, I contact this chiropractor whenever I am experiencing some problems even though he is based in Oregon and I am in New Mexico.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM