I've just been to have to my outstanding vaccines here in the UK

[RUSSandRACHEL 3]

Hi there everyone, I wondered if anyone can shed a little light on this...

I had my medical in London just before Christmas and they told me I need TDaP and the MMR vaccines for my records to be complete for AOS. Not wanting to pay an extra £60 on top of the medical, I decided to get them done at my local GP's office for free. Little did I know at that stage that I'd have to find a Civil Surgeon and get them all transcribed onto the I-693 etc... At the medical they said I could just send in proof on my new vaccines with AOS, simple as that. Obviously, I've now discovered that that is not the case so I have an appointment all lined up with a CS in NY next month (my POE is May 31st).

So, I have just had my appointment with the nurse at my local surgery and she looked at my DS-3025 worksheet and didn't know what 'TDaP' is. She says the T is for Tetanus, the D is for Diptheria, but she didn't know what the 'aP' was... She says they dont have it (!) So, instead I've had TD/IPV - which is apparently Tetanus, Diptheria & Polio instead as apparently that would be suitable for my age range.

Is she right and does anyone know if this will all be what I need for AOS. I'm so confused!

[payxibka 10,047]

Hi there everyone, I wondered if anyone can shed a little light on this...

I had my medical in London just before Christmas and they told me I need TDaP and the MMR vaccines for my records to be complete for AOS. Not wanting to pay an extra £60 on top of the medical, I decided to get them done at my local GP's office for free. Little did I know at that stage that I'd have to find a Civil Surgeon and get them all transcribed onto the I-693 etc... At the medical they said I could just send in proof on my new vaccines with AOS, simple as that. Obviously, I've now discovered that that is not the case so I have an appointment all lined up with a CS in NY next month (my POE is May 31st).

So, I have just had my appointment with the nurse at my local surgery and she looked at my DS-3025 worksheet and didn't know what 'TDaP' is. She says the T is for Tetanus, the D is for Diptheria, but she didn't know what the 'aP' was... She says they dont have it (!) So, instead I've had TD/IPV - which is apparently Tetanus, Diptheria & Polio instead as apparently that would be suitable for my age range.

Is she right and does anyone know if this will all be what I need for AOS. I'm so confused!

and Pertussis

[alex and astrid 38]

TDaP is Tetanus, Diptheria, and acellular Pertussis (whooping cough). They gave you the wrong one. There is an adult one for TDaP, called "Boostrix" that you can get instead. As far as I know, it is available in the US.

[Otto 83]

** Duplicate Topic merged - posting duplicate topics in multiple forums isn't recommended.

[RUSSandRACHEL 3]

I have already had Pertussis. Its on my vaccine records I gave in at my medical. The nurse said TDaP is not suitable for my age. Whooping cough is only for below age 3 or something! Arrggghhh! What should I do? I havent left the UK yet, still a 3 weeks to go...

[Danu 19]

You should be fine, they ask for one or the other, and you can only have 1 TDaP in your life (after the original set you were given anyway). I don't believe you can get another shot so close to having the first one, but you should be ok with the one you got.

[RUSSandRACHEL 3]

Thank you everyone for your replies!

Just to make things clearer, I had MMR, Tetanus & Diptheria, Polio & Pertussis a few months after I was born (I am now 26).

At the London medical I was told I only need to have the MMR & Tetanus, Diptheria & Pertussis (TDap).

So, today I've actually had MMR, Tetanus, Diptheria & Polio. Doesn't that mean that if all those other vaccines have been updated after 26 years, the Pertussis will need updating too??

Like Danu said, isnt it too close to have yet another dose of T & D?? I'm thinking now that the nurse probably isnt familar with TDaP as its for adults and I can't think that many adults at our little surgery in the middle of no where ever go in for this. She said Pertussis was really for children. Uhhh, I dont know. I guess we'll have to wait for what the Civil Surgeon says - as if they need any more excuse to rip us off!

Edited May 10, 2010 by RUSSandRACHEL

[prettyunique 1]

Pertusis is not only for children. I am 28 and recieved a dose of Tdap within the last year as a requirement for work. It is a new recommendation by the CDC, but not a requirement as this point. They are finding that the booster that americans were getting at 12 does not provide life long immunity. The vaccine that children get is Dtap.

DTaP is a vaccine that lets children younger than 7 develop immunity to three deadly diseases caused by bacteria: diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis. Tdap is a booster immunization that offers continued protection from those diseases for adolescents and adults. Tdap also has a reduced dose of the diphtheria and pertussis vaccines, is approved for adolescents starting at the age of 11 or 12 and adults ages 19 to 64.

So the current recommendation is that everyone needs a booster shot for tetanus and diphtheria every 10 years after first being immunized. That booster comes in the form of a vaccine called Td. But since immunity to pertussis also wears off during childhood, a weaker form of the pertussis vaccine has been added to the booster to make the vaccine Tdap. The current recommendation is that one dose of the Tdap vaccine be substituted for one dose of the Td vaccine between the ages of 11 and 64.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

Thank you everyone for your replies!

Just to make things clearer, I had MMR, Tetanus & Diptheria, Polio & Pertussis a few months after I was born (I am now 26).

At the London medical I was told I only need to have the MMR & Tetanus, Diptheria & Pertussis (TDap).

So, today I've actually had MMR, Tetanus, Diptheria & Polio. Doesn't that mean that if all those other vaccines have been updated after 26 years, the Pertussis will need updating too??

Like Danu said, isnt it too close to have yet another dose of T & D?? I'm thinking now that the nurse probably isnt familar with TDaP as its for adults and I can't think that many adults at our little surgery in the middle of no where ever go in for this. She said Pertussis was really for children. Uhhh, I dont know. I guess we'll have to wait for what the Civil Surgeon says - as if they need any more excuse to rip us off!

Kinda random but I've actually HAD pertussis, Whooping cough. It sucked. It was then that I learnt (due to my mum's fury that I got it even though I had the shot as a child) that it wears off around 10 years of age and you need to have a booster so even though I told the doc I had had pertussis (I was 17 and am now 26) he had me get Boostrix (like Astrid said) which is tDap.

I was also told that because Whooping cough is really bad for babies (i.e. death) that's why we have the shot as kids. It's also rather bad for the elderly (inability to breath and all that.. honestly as a swimmer and brass band player it SUCKED for several months until I regained lost lung function).

So - looking at this: http://199.236.85.158/consular/IV_DS-3025.pdf which is the immunisation worksheet, these are the shots:

-- DT or DTP or DTaP - ?? you'll need to look at your sheet. (DTP is what I had, 4 of them during my childhood :S)

-- Td or Tdap - You were told to get Tdap but you got Td so you SHOULD be fine.... (i had Tdap - boostrix - at my panel doc)

-- Polio-OPV or IPV - you now have (mines ticked "not age appropriate")

So here's the schedule: http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/PDF/wk/mm5901-Immunization.pdf on page 2 at the bottom (note 1) says that Tdap is supposed to be given to adults.. it also reads like you COULD get the Tdap shot now, even though you've already had TD (though I honestly don't know).

Here's the info on needing the booster shot as an adult - http://www.drugs.com/newdrugs/fda-approves-glaxosmithkline-tetanus-diphtheria-whooping-cough-vaccine-boostrix-adults-1199.html

AND here's the sheet to print for your nurse to tell her "this is what I need, tell me I won't react bad since I had TD-IPV already": http://www.gsk.com.au/resources.ashx/vaccineproductschilddataproinfo/95/FileName/18E3B13783B912EDB1CC5071C8D8527E/PI_Boostrix.pdf (out of interest I can't find anything contra-indicating having Tdap now that you've already had TD.. I just loathe to ignore the pertussis one.. 'cause I know it's on the requirements... up to you.)

**Edit - the safest thing to do (and what I would do now personally) might be to just get a copy of your immunisation sheet (hopefully whole medical if you can) before you leave and because you need to see a CS anyway, IF you need the shot they'll tell you then and there. Yeah it might cost you a bit of money (you can go to a health clinic here I think for cheaper) at least you'll know for sure and not getting unnecessary shots.

Edited May 10, 2010 by Vanessa&Tony

[prettyunique 1]

It is true that you can not get another TD for another 10 years. So they should not make you get a TD so that you can get the pertusis.

[prettyunique 1]

It is true that you can not get another TD for another 10 years. So they should not make you get a TD so that you can get the pertusis.

According to this link: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/combo-vaccines/DTaP-Td-DT/faqs-nipinfo-DTaP-DT-Td.htm

Could you clarify the timeline for giving Tdap vaccine after someone has received the Td vaccine?

The recommended interval between Td and Tdap for adolescents is 5 years and for adults it is 10 years. However, if there is a risk of pertussis or if the person will have contact with an infant younger than 12 months of age, then there is NO minimum interval. It is a risk (increased local reaction) vs. benefit (prevention of pertussis infection) situation that must be assessed by the provider. There are data suggesting that it is safe to give these two vaccines as close as 2 years apart, but they can be given even closer if the benefit outweighs the risk. The bottom line is that there is no minimum interval written in stone. (9/10/06)

[VanessaTony 3,567]

According to this link: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd-vac/combo-vaccines/DTaP-Td-DT/faqs-nipinfo-DTaP-DT-Td.htm

Could you clarify the timeline for giving Tdap vaccine after someone has received the Td vaccine?

The recommended interval between Td and Tdap for adolescents is 5 years and for adults it is 10 years. However, if there is a risk of pertussis or if the person will have contact with an infant younger than 12 months of age, then there is NO minimum interval. It is a risk (increased local reaction) vs. benefit (prevention of pertussis infection) situation that must be assessed by the provider. There are data suggesting that it is safe to give these two vaccines as close as 2 years apart, but they can be given even closer if the benefit outweighs the risk. The bottom line is that there is no minimum interval written in stone. (9/10/06)

Good to know! Thanks for finding this

[RUSSandRACHEL 3]

Ok well thank you everyone. Vanessa you're a star!!!!! I will definitely print off that info. I dont know to be honest if I want to go back to the dr's here in the UK again. She didnt even seem to know what she was doing... I think Im just gonna go and see the CS in the US, like we planned on the 15th June and if he makes me get the Pertussis, then so be it! We'll just have to pay a little extra! Im tired of all this now! My arm is really hurting from yesterday I have emailed the place where I had my official US Medical in London today, saying I need a copy of the DS3025 for the Civil Surgeon. We'll see what happens there...

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Rachel--I researched this a while back and they don't have the drug Tdap in the UK to my knowledge. Your drug given to babies contains polio and most think the P is for polio. So that's probably why your nurse was confused. The CDC list is an American list and not everything will be available in every country. My husband took the UK baby version from his NHS service, got it recorded by Knightsbridge on the immunization worksheet, and even got green card without seeing a civil surgeon.

And another bit of trivia about the names

DTaP / DT / Td / Tdap

D = diptheria, large dose

d = diptheria, smaller dose developed for adults because reaction was shown in adults taking baby version

T = tetnus

aP = acellular pertussis, larger dose

ap = acellular pertussis, smaller dose

Upper and lower case letters are used to indicate the strength of dosage in the mix.

[RUSSandRACHEL 3]

Oh really?? That did cross my mind that it'd be an american list. Yes, I had the small dose of diptheria the other day... I'm hoping they wont make me have the whole lot all over again just because the Pertussis is missing. But we'll see... Very interesting info Nich-nick. Thank you!

Vanessa, I heard back from the Knightsbridge Drs here - they were understanding but can't give me a copy of the DS3025 as they said the only copy goes straight to the embassy and they dont have one to give me. That means the only one is in my possession in the mystery envelope. Oh well.