Get your titers done

[missy]

So as most of you know we are in a measles outbreak that is actually getting worse. Some predict this is the new normal.
I got my MMR vaccines in the 1960s and the year I got it was one of the years they said it was not effective. However I am on a med that does not allow me to get live vaccines. So I asked my physician to run MMR titers the other day. MMR titer is a blood test that determines if you are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella. It measures the level of antibodies in your blood that your immune system produces to fight off these diseases.


Results were back in less than 24 hours. I am "immune" to measles and am protected. My DH who got another measles vaccine last month (I asked him to because a few years ago our internist checked his titers and they were zero even after getting the vaccines a few months before that) was also checked and now finally he is "immune". So yay.

Anyway I am sharing this so others who aren't sure get their titers checked. Not everyone will be immune despite getting the vaccine and not everyone needs the vaccine because they are already immune. The only way to know for sure is check your titers. Interestingly enough Greg's titers were MUCH higher than mine (being recently vaccinated). SO I am guessing immunity wears off and is not forever. While I am still in the immune category my titers were 10 times lower than Greg's.

 

[kenny]

Thanks, I should get checked.

 

[lyra]

I have had several measles vaccines and have had titers done. I had measles as a child and it didn't give me immunity that lasted.

 

[missy]

I have had several measles vaccines and have had titers done. I had measles as a child and it didn't give me immunity that lasted.

I’m sorry. That’s what happened to my dh. But the third attempt worked. Before his last mmr vaccine he had no antibodies to the disease. Now he does. But it took three vaccines as an adult. I’m not suggesting you do that but just sharing his experience

 

[Tonks]

So as most of you know we are in a measles outbreak that is actually getting worse. Some predict this is the new normal.
I got my MMR vaccines in the 1960s and the year I got it was one of the years they said it was not effective. However I am on a med that does not allow me to get live vaccines. So I asked my physician to run MMR titers the other day. MMR titer is a blood test that determines if you are immune to measles, mumps, and rubella. It measures the level of antibodies in your blood that your immune system produces to fight off these diseases.


Results were back in less than 24 hours. I am "immune" to measles and am protected. My DH who got another measles vaccine last month (I asked him to because a few years ago our internist checked his titers and they were zero even after getting the vaccines a few months before that) was also checked and now finally he is "immune". So yay.

Anyway I am sharing this so others who aren't sure get their titers checked. Not everyone will be immune despite getting the vaccine and not everyone needs the vaccine because they are already immune. The only way to know for sure is check your titers. Interestingly enough Greg's titers were MUCH higher than mine (being recently vaccinated). SO I am guessing immunity wears off and is not forever. While I am still in the immune category my titers were 10 times lower than Greg's.

Weirdly, you can have issues responding to the MMR even if your vaccine was way more recent than the 60s. I had both my kids’ titers done and one had no immunity at all to mumps. Fine with measles and rubella, just zero immunity to mumps.

So yes, titers. Interestingly, I got pushback from my physician doing titers for me. Zero pushback on the kids.

 

[missy]

Weirdly, you can have issues responding to the MMR even if your vaccine was way more recent than the 60s. I had both my kids’ titers done and one had no immunity at all to mumps. Fine with measles and rubella, just zero immunity to mumps.

So yes, titers. Interestingly, I got pushback from my physician doing titers for me. Zero pushback on the kids.

I’m sorry you got pushback. I wonder why some doctors are resistant to running something as easy as titers. Results took less than a day. I wonder if it has anything to do with insurance but even in that case they should give you the option

 

[Tonks]

I’m sorry you got pushback. I wonder why some doctors are resistant to running something as easy as titers. Results took less than a day. I wonder if it has anything to do with insurance but even in that case they should give you the option

To the extent I understood her reasoning, it was annoyance that she kept having patients ask for them. Said she couldn’t very well do them on everyone.

She also expressed reluctance to revaccinate if titers were low. (And yes, I realize none of that is good).

 

[missy]

To the extent I understood her reasoning, it was annoyance that she kept having patients ask for them. Said she couldn’t very well do them on everyone.

She also expressed reluctance to revaccinate if titers were low. (And yes, I realize none of that is good).

That’s a very poor excuse on her part. What happened to her oath to help her patients and do no harm. It’s an important and super easy test especially now. Took less than 15 seconds

 

[finerthings]

I had mine done a couple of weeks ago and they came back positive for immunity. I had reached out to my doctor asking her if I should get another MMR shot and she said that there isn't much CDC guidance on this for adults, but she recommended the titre draw so I went ahead and did that instead of just going to CVS and getting the shot.

 

[Lookinagain]

I had a blood test for this. Why would a doctor say it's too much trouble to do a blood test? Mine showed immunity for all three.

 

[kenny]

[CHANNELING DF]

"Yes, by all means get your titers done."



[/CHANNELING DF]

 

[kenny]

Sorry ladies.
It was just sitting there.

 

[Ibrakeforpossums]

Oh god, I liked this before I even got it.
I have breast implants, the 1st set got hard. I told a friend they looked like headights. She said, 'They look like head lice?"
I never win.

 

[Daisys and Diamonds]

To the extent I understood her reasoning, it was annoyance that she kept having patients ask for them. Said she couldn’t very well do them on everyone.

She also expressed reluctance to revaccinate if titers were low. (And yes, I realize none of that is good).

arnt these childhod diseases often quite serous for adults ??
an adult could then unwitting spread the disease to the unvaxinated