General Question

Pandora's avatar

Do you remember when was the last time you had a tetanus shot?

Asked by Pandora (32206points) April 1st, 2012

I’m a bit ashamed to admit that I thought that tetanus only came from a rusty nail. I just read this after asking a flutherite if they have had their tetanus shots. It has been some time for me and I have long forgotten when I last got one.
I had no idea how simple it would be to get it from a simple cut. Not just a rusty nail, nor how fatal it is once you get it.
So am I the only one who has forgotten about it and let it slide?
Do you know of a vaccine other than tetanus that adults should get every once in a while?

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16 Answers

Adirondackwannabe's avatar

I got mine last year.

gailcalled's avatar

Dr. jabbed me last summer when I had my annual physical.

chyna's avatar

It just so happened that I had one in 1990. The doctor told me it would be easy to remember to get them every 10 years, so I have remembered to get them in 2000 and 2010.

Pandora's avatar

@chyna Good idea. Only I’m sure I shouldn’t wait till 2020. :)
Well I’m sure if I get it now, I can take the next one at 2020 if I’m still around.

gailcalled's avatar

My doc. says every five years.

Pandora's avatar

@gailcalled It probably is safer than 10 years.

JLeslie's avatar

Yes, in ‘95, I had a bad reaction. Probably because I had it too soon, and it was not necessary to begin with, and now I don’t get the shot, I just track my titer (blood test to show if you have tetanus protection) which is always extremely high. I just had an accident 10 days ago outside, the fence had some rust, road rash all over me, and thank God I was alert and could refuse the shot. I really need to get one of the medical alert things. I have a suspicion the shots might contribute to my muscle trouble, but I have no way of being sure. Previous to that I never had a bad reaction to the vaccine.

Honestly, I think if they tested 100 people who had not had the vaccine for 20 years, I bet 99 of them would still have protective levels, but I have never seen any studies, they just keep dosing people up with the vaccine. My mom always gets her titer done, it has been over 25 years from her last shot, and she always is plenty high for protection.

JLeslie's avatar

@Pandora The protocol is every ten years. If you have an accident and it has been more than 5 years then they are supposed to give you one for the accident.

deni's avatar

I was probably 10. I don’t care. I don’t like vaccines. I’m fine.

Adirondackwannabe's avatar

@deni You should probably get one. The nurse messed up on my last one and it hurt, but nothing like the illness would hurt.

JLeslie's avatar

@deni Just get the titer test every few years when they draw your blood for something else anyway.

downtide's avatar

About 10 years ago when I accidentally stabbed myself in the finger with a dirty fork. I guess I would be due for another?

Pandora's avatar

@deni, Nobody likes vaccines until you wish you had taken it.

JLeslie's avatar

@Pandora Unless you regret taking it. My mom worked for the FDA in vaccinations. She collected the VAERS forms. I am pro-vaccine, and so is she, but not unnecessary vaccination. When I had my adverse reaction and went to the hospital to get my vaccine information they talked me out of doing anything. I’m an idiot, you would think I would know better considering where my mom worked. It was like they thought they would be in trouble and needed to CYA. Anyway, goes to show the hospital, and probably doctors, often don’t report.

I would vaccinate my children, but I won’t take vaccines as an adult unless I know protection is low.

Coloma's avatar

10 years for me last June. Last time was after I slashed the top of my foot/ankle open running into a paint scraper in a bucket while painting my old house in 2003.

gailcalled's avatar

Repeating myself. Sorry

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