Misscariage
Apparently women who have received the H1N1 vaccine have shown a higher chance of miscarrying then women who did not get the vaccine. Thank you Army for making it mandatory for me to get this vaccine THREE TIMES within the past year.
I'm sure this isn't the cause of MY miscarriage, but I will never know what the reason for it was. Right now everything that I find on miscarriages that pisses me off, is making the grieving better. Instead of crying over it I just want to go and yell at people. Part of this is feeling guilty, it was MY baby inside MY body, and I was supposed to be it's safe place but she is gone.
I think that YES the Military should be able to make mandatory vaccinations for soldiers who are prepping for deployment. But why is it mandatory for National Guard members trying to start families, when the risks for half these vaccines haven't been studied. It doesn't make sense to me.
Re: Misscariage
I'm sorry for your loss.
Just like buckeye, the NG need to be prepared too, and this was something you agreed to when you joined. I wouldn't put full blame on the H1N1 shot for causing your miscarriage. Miscarriages happen every day, to many women, and yes it's heartbreaking. If you get all worked up that it was indeed the vaccination that caused your loss, then you'll have a lot of issues to work out later and therefore causing pain in your job and service and possibly hold lots of resentment.
Sometimes our bodies just don't respond correctly and it can happen to anyone. I know lots of women that conceived and delivered perfectly then their next few pregnancies have miscarriages. Or visa versa.
Again, I'm really sorry for your loss.
And why were you given the H1N1 3 times? Did you not have proper documentation that you had already received it? Were you pregnant when they gave you the shot?
ETA - What about the AD couples who are starting to try a family?
Ok, we need it not to just be ready to deploy. But if we're called up for a natural disaster and there is a chance of being exposed to an illness, it's better that we already have the vaccine and can respond in a timely manner as opposed to taking the time for everyone to SRP. It's just like the flu shot(mandatory every year, unless pregnant or nursing), HIV test every two years, Tetanis, Hepatitis A&B, so on. I know you're upset about your miscarriage and I'm sorry for your loss but blaming the National Guard for giving you a vaccine that protects YOUR health, is ridiculous.
And I'm still wondering why you were given the shot 3 times in 5 months?
OP, I'm very sorry for your loss. I've been there several times. The emotions I felt were all over the map, from guilt to anger to resentment. I was also desperate to find someone or something to blame. It does get better in time. Your thinking and outlook will become more rational. I understand that you are reaching out for answers now. I hope you find peace soon.
I really hope a post that is really about a pregnancy loss doesn't get picked apart and thrown back in the face of someone who is grieving.
No. I'm genuinely trying to figure out WHY she was improperly vaccinated multiple times. And I answered her question.
I first got the shot when I was in training, along with the dozen or so other shots I had to get. Then when I started AIT they were doing the vaccinations again. Everyone that had AIT and basic at the same place had already had the shot but they told us we all had to receive it again. The same thing happened when I got back to my unit. I had paper work saying that I already received it TWICE but they were doing there annual flu shots for the entire company and said it was required that I had it done threw them.
OP, I am very sorry for your loss. I know it is a very hard thing to go through. Part of the grieving process is anger. I know you are angry and you want to find some reason or someone to blame.
There is no reason you should have been given the shot 3 times. Had you presented the documentation that you had recieved the shot, you probably wouldn't have had to get it again.
We are all required to get the flu shot to prevent us from getting the flu. Simple as that. If you get the flu, you may miss training. You could pass it on to other people in your unit and it effects their training. There are thousands of people who die from the flu virus every year. Could you imagine what would happen if the flu went through an entire unit, made people sick and even killed a few? That would be devastating not only to those people and their families, but also to that unit. No unit can afford for a number of people to be out of commision due to an illness.
The MTF at Leavenworth tried to give both DH and I a second dose. For DH, they had not properly kept records at the clinic. Fortunately, he hand carries his records. For me, the PA didn't seem to know that two doses are only required for those under the age of 10.
See, I know it happens. That's why I asked. And that's why I hand carry my records everywhere too. Heaven forbid all the systems actually talk and update easily!
Ok, so this answers your question about the NG vs. AD. You were given the shot b/c you were considered AD so you're required to get it regardless of "if you're prepping to deploy."
When they tried to give you the shot a second time, did you produce your shot records? I know they give them to you at basic and you should be able to get another copy, espeically if you were OSUT. There is NO reason you should have been given the shot more than once.
Wow People. She says right there in her post she is not blaming the vaccination. Ease up and act like you're actually in the Military Family. We are supposed to be the closest and my supportive family for our members because so many of us are so far away from our own families. We are held to a higher standard. Act like it.
I am so very very sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
OP - I am so very sorry for your loss. Any loss is devastating. You are that child's mother and now the child is gone, and that is so difficult. I hope that you find support and encouragement in the coming days, weeks and months to get through this very difficult time. Like some of the others suggested, I highly recommend visiting the MC/PL board and the TTCAL board. You will find a lot of support there from women who understand what you are going through.
To some of the other posters, seriously, shut up if you can't be supportive. It's not like the OP said the vaccine caused her to grow an 11th toe. SHE LOST A CHILD. Have a little heart.
Minimizing someone else's legitimate grief is inappropriate and insensitive. Saying "I'm not trying to minimize your pain" right before doing so is sort of like starting off a sentence with "No offense, but..." A loss at 6 weeks is terrible. It is the death of a child you love. The end.
Don't quote stats that aren't accurate and act as if you are some expert on this stuff. I've never once read that the m/c rate is 40-50% at 6 weeks. At 6 weeks you are past the point of a chemical pregnancy and the m/c rate is much lower. It's still common, unfortunately, but not THAT common. In either case, a statistic doesn't make the OP feel better. It just makes her worry that she'll be in the bad % of that stat next time.
You don't know what did or did not cause the OP's m/c. Yeah, it's probably not the vaccine, but unless you are a doctor running her PL panel, I'd just acknowledge that you don't have the answers.
Telling the OP that she should be happy that she can get pregnant in the first place is completely ignorant. Great, she got pregnant but then her baby died. I'm fairly certain that she wishes she never got pregnant in the first place because the loss is so difficult. This kind of comment does absolutely NO good.
Blaming the OP for opening a can of worms by mentioning m/c is immature (as was the response regarding hormones). She is in pain and searching for answers and support. Grow up.
I didn't read the rest of the thread, but like PP said...
because WE (USAR/ARNG) have to be ready at any time to move out in defense of our Nation.
ETA: wow... read the rest of the thread... wow.