Is it worth the cost? I'm in my early 20s and i haven't engaged in sex yet. I heard about the many benefits, but not sure if there are any negative consequences
I would say it's worth it because health and quality of life is in many ways priceless. If you want to put a price tag on it, visit a doctor and inquire about prices plus insurance if applicable, and you can decide from there. It doesn't really seem like there are plausible detriments but speak with your doctor to confirm that.
I had it done when I was a teenager. As with any injection, you might feel pain, nausea, and dizziness but those are temporary. It's best to talk to your doctor about it though.
I'd say unless you usually have bad reactions to vaccines or have some disorder where you cannot have vaccinations, you should definitely get the HPV vaccine. As with any vaccine, there is a possibility you may feel under the weather for a day or two, but that's very common. If you plan on being sexually active, it is definitely worth it. Since you're in Canada, you may be able to get it for a pretty reasonable price as well. I'm planning on getting the first of the three of mine in August
Aye I would definitely get it if you're going to be a sexually active male. Preventing HPV prevents increased risk for various cancers like anal, penile, and oropharyngeal. Definitely worth it.
I agree with the others above, if you haven't had sex yet, get it done. I have a friend who has been undergoing debilitating chemo for a year now due to rectal/anal cancer, she had to undergo a colostomy (her colon is now diverted to the side of her abdomen and all waste is now collected in a bag she has to wear permanently). About 13 strains of the HPV virus (there are 40 known variants) are recognized as a causative agent for cervical cancer in women, and one of these 13 HPV types is known to cause "cancers of the vulva, vagina, penis, anus, and certain head and neck cancers (specifically, the oropharynx, which includes the back of the throat, base of the tongue and tonsils)". Anal/rectal and head/neck tumors are among the hardest to treat cancers around, with very poor prognoses. Having a vaccine that can prevent these nasty diseases, even if rare, is well worth the cost.
I agree with the others. If you ever plan on being sexually active, HPV is pretty common and can be spread through any and every genital activity there is. Pretty much all of us that touch someone else's genitals are at risk.
You're in the right place. If you haven't had sex yet, then now is the time. It is pretty much a given that people in your age group are getting vaccinated. I don't know of many side effects or negative issues with it. People get flu shots. That's also a vaccine for a virus. I have been vaccinated for Hep A / Hep B. In fact, I need to get a booster. It has been about 10 years. They are somewhat easier, though not exactly easy to transmit during sex. Hep A mostly has to do with food borne transmission, which can happen and might happen during travel. I would also look into vaccination for those sooner than later, especially if it's covered by insurance. My only major disappointment is the lack of vaccinations for Hep C and HIV. As for your OP, I would suggest going ahead with it. I heard there has been a campaign at the high school in some states. Probably a good idea to make people aware.
Whatever you do, do NOT get Gardasil. It's been known to cause serious issues to many people. It's caused brain swelling and death in several people. I got the vaccine when I was 16 and within a few months, I started experiencing weird symptoms, like: major fatigue, dizziness, pulsatile tinnitus, weight gain (I gained 50 pounds within 3 months), temporary blindness, migraines, and nausea. I suffered from this thinking maybe it was just allergies and that my metabolism was changing. But when I was 20, I was diagnosed with Pseudotumor cerebri because I started experiencing blind spots in my vision. There is an ongoing lawsuit against Gardasil. Just be careful and research the brand of vaccine.
I did not know this. I have not had this vaccine. As for Hep A/Hep B, I know they make Twinrix, which covers both. I can't remember if I had one shot or separate ones. Yes, it is always good to read up on the brands and side effects before going for a vaccine. I was nervous about the Hep vaccines, but encountered no side effects.
I took Gardasil, and I'm just fine. I consider vaccination and important part of my sexual ethics. Adrienne
In December of last year, the FDA approved Gardasil 9. This is the FDA we're talking about, I have dealt with them for almost 20 years and they do not fool around, they are strict and very demanding when it comes to the approval of drugs in the US, in addition, they have tremendous influence on the rules and practices of other regulatory agencies in the world. Here is what they said in their press statement on Gardasil 9 in December, 2014: The Gardasil trials were conducted with tens of thousands of people in the targeted age groups, these are considered gold-standard clinical trials with a huge number of subjects and demonstrates beyond any reasonable doubt that the vaccine is safe and very effective against the types of HPV that are the most dangerous. I am sure there are lawsuits, it's the American Way, and I am not saying that there are no rare adverse reactions, nevertheless, the overwhelming evidence, verified by a strict food and drug agency, is compelling. The FDA has NOT issued any special warnings (what they call "black-box warnings") about Gardasil 9 that I know of, this is an important fact to consider.
Well, I'm glad none of you experienced anything negative from Gardasil. I've just heard too many scary stories because of it. But it's your body. Good luck.
Discuss that with your doctor but the obvious benefits for sexually active gay males are well obvious, while the side effects are pretty minor.
Thanks everyone for your input. The benefits seem to outweigh the risks substantially. It is quite expensive, but I think it is always better to be safe. I am not getting it because I want to sleep around with people. Not like that at all. But, I want to protect myself whenever it does happen in a relationship. It is bizarre that it is covered only to girls and young women in most provinces. Everyone else has to pay in full it seems. Seems some of the things it is supposed to prevent would cost substantially higher on the health care system. I think Alberta is the only province in Canada that covers boys and young men as well from what I can see, I could be wrong. It definitely is not covered in Ontario.
I got Gardasil when I was 15, & my dad didn't want me to get the last round because he heard the horror stories too, but I did anyway & I'm fine. Who knows about later in life, but I haven't had anything go wrong yet. But yes, definitely get the vaccine, even if you don't go with Gardasil.
I wouldn't get it. Not all vaccines are equal and I've heard bad things about this one. I think Japan has banned it and other countries are considering a ban due to too many serious side effects. If you do get it pay close attention to your health after the first shot. If you feel like it's hurt you in some way you don't have to complete the series. Also, I read that it only prevents a few strains of HPV...do your own research though.
Had it done when I was freshmen in high school. Parents told me "might as well do it before you're sexually active". Didn't hurt at all and was covered under my parents plan. if you can do it and at an affordable rate, why not?