Immunization Question

[K & I 0]

My husband has his medical in about 2 weeks. He has no record of his childhood immunizations, so back in October he had all of the required shots he needed according to the information on Dr. Seiden's website. He opted to just get the immunizations instead of getting a titer test. However, after reading further on their website recently, it stated that he either needed a series of the Tetanus/Diptheria (Td) or have a booster within 4 weeks of his medical. At this point he has had neither. So, he went and had a titer test (hoping to prove he was cleared for this) and it showed he did not have the required amount of antibodies for the Diptheria. We are now assuming he did not have that immunization as a child. He called the local clinic he originally had the shots back in October and they are telling him that they will not be able to give him another Td booster for 3 years!

So, here I am wondering what to do?? He has called another local clinic to see if they will give him a booster for this and he has an appt tomorrow to find out. Has anyone ever experienced this type of issue? I realize now we should have looked into this a little further a long time ago, but we thought by just getting the immunizations would be fine. I guess we just assumed he would have had this Diptheria immunization as a child and the titer test would have confirmed. Guess we were wrong. Any help or advice would be helpful. Thanks all!!

[Inky 1,110]

All the shots are to be as up-to-date as possible, you can't get a TD booster early, there are reasons for that, also why its called a booster. He should just take all his vaccination proof with him to the medical and at the medical they will determin whats to be done, if he needs extra shots etc. They give them at the office if you are missing anything.

[coraliesolms 47]

All the shots are to be as up-to-date as possible, you can't get a TD booster early, there are reasons for that, also why its called a booster. He should just take all his vaccination proof with him to the medical and at the medical they will determin whats to be done, if he needs extra shots etc. They give them at the office if you are missing anything.

See if you can get some sort of proof from the doctors office that he had one last october.. that should be sufficient.

[darkchilde794 5]

I think for the interview (specifically for him to get his medical released), he needs to only begin the vaccination series. So if he gets the first TD shot (I think it's a 2 or 3 shots to get the full TD), he should be okay. When he does go for an AOS, he needs to have completed all the shots, which may take some time.

I also think they are not as strict with diptheria -- I got my TD shots as a kid and just had boosters for tetanus. I emailed the Seiden office about not having a "diptheria booster" (it's very expensive and my doctor advised me that it's not necessary), and they are fine with it as long as I am updated with my tetanus booster.

Hope this helps!

[K & I 0]

Thanks guys for your helpful replies. He went this morning to a different clinic to see if they would give him the Td booster, unfortunately he has to wait until Monday as they do not give them on Saturdays. Just to be on the safe side, if he can get a booster, he will go ahead and have it done. Finger's crossed he is able to get it. I would just hate for him to get hung up at his medical for this one thing. And this is just me being "me"...I am a VERY "what if" kinda girl. But thanks again for all your help!!

[darkchilde794 5]

K & I -- you can definitely e-mail the Seiden group and ask them your questions. At least you'd be able to get the "right" answers before he goes and gets his medical. And if his vaccinations are deemed incomplete, they might be willing to provide vaccinations at the office.

Don't worry! Things will turn out okay!