Comments on: Reality: Ignore it and it will go away http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/ Just another WordPress weblog Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:42:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.1-alpha by: Isobel http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-516338 Fri, 16 May 2008 06:22:14 +0100 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-516338 I think my parents would have done themselves a favor had they vaccinated me against chicken pox. They never got it as children, and nor had my sister, so when I brought it home from preschool the whole family got sick! And they were in their 30s! (My sister was 10). We must hope they never get shingles. I think my parents would have done themselves a favor had they vaccinated me against chicken pox. They never got it as children, and nor had my sister, so when I brought it home from preschool the whole family got sick! And they were in their 30s! (My sister was 10). We must hope they never get shingles.

]]> by: Tanglethis http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515770 Wed, 14 May 2008 11:38:33 +0100 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515770 Denelian, my first question would be... how do you know you don't have HPV? Many people do, and it comes and goes without their ever realizing it. That's the interesting thing about HPV... your body can and will fight it off on its own. The question is whether, <i>while</i> your body is fighting it off (which may take a year or two), the virus causes lesions that will do more harm than the virus itself. It's kind of a personal call, this whether to get it or not, particularly if your insurance won't cover it. (Hopefully this will change eventually; at the moment, most insurance only covers the group of people who were specifically tested for FDA approval i.e. women age 9-26.) I got vaccinated for the following reasons: 1. I had a strain of HPV, and fortunately it was detected pretty early, so I could have the external lesions treated and keep an eye out for irregular Pap tests. But I found the experience demoralizing and the treatment a little painful, so I would prefer not to experience that again with any other strain. 2. My cousin had a strain of HPV, and didn't detect it until she had an internal lesion. She's had reproductive organ issues for several years now and recently had a partial hysterectomy. Denelian, my first question would be… how do you know you don’t have HPV? Many people do, and it comes and goes without their ever realizing it. That’s the interesting thing about HPV… your body can and will fight it off on its own. The question is whether, while your body is fighting it off (which may take a year or two), the virus causes lesions that will do more harm than the virus itself.

It’s kind of a personal call, this whether to get it or not, particularly if your insurance won’t cover it. (Hopefully this will change eventually; at the moment, most insurance only covers the group of people who were specifically tested for FDA approval i.e. women age 9-26.) I got vaccinated for the following reasons:
1. I had a strain of HPV, and fortunately it was detected pretty early, so I could have the external lesions treated and keep an eye out for irregular Pap tests. But I found the experience demoralizing and the treatment a little painful, so I would prefer not to experience that again with any other strain.
2. My cousin had a strain of HPV, and didn’t detect it until she had an internal lesion. She’s had reproductive organ issues for several years now and recently had a partial hysterectomy.

]]> by: denelian http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515612 Tue, 13 May 2008 22:38:11 +0100 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515612 does anyone wanna give me an opinion here... i am 31, and i do NOT have HPV... but they won't give me the vaccine at the PPH because i am too old... anyone think it will be worth it to pay for it? really unsure here... does anyone wanna give me an opinion here…

i am 31, and i do NOT have HPV… but they won’t give me the vaccine at the PPH because i am too old… anyone think it will be worth it to pay for it? really unsure here…

]]> by: Ms Kate http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515599 Tue, 13 May 2008 21:31:58 +0100 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515599 I worked at Mass General as a research tech in orthopedic research and oncology. I did insulin-like growth factor and receptor assays with sera from the Framingham Heart Study cohort, looking for biomarkers for impending osteoarthritis. I also archived lab samples (mouthwash, swab, snot) for genetic analysis when my lab tech at Harvard was on vacation. I have sense moved on, but it makes my current job easier knowing what certain lab-based researchers that we fund are talking about! I worked at Mass General as a research tech in orthopedic research and oncology. I did insulin-like growth factor and receptor assays with sera from the Framingham Heart Study cohort, looking for biomarkers for impending osteoarthritis.

I also archived lab samples (mouthwash, swab, snot) for genetic analysis when my lab tech at Harvard was on vacation.

I have sense moved on, but it makes my current job easier knowing what certain lab-based researchers that we fund are talking about!

]]> by: louise http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515553 Tue, 13 May 2008 19:28:35 +0100 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515553 No problem at all; I can see how what I said could be interpreted the way you did. No problem at all; I can see how what I said could be interpreted the way you did.

]]> by: Jay http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515525 Tue, 13 May 2008 18:41:34 +0100 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515525 Louise, sorry, didn't know the back story. And given that I spend a fair amount of my time explaining that no, I'm not the nurse, I admit to having the sensitivity turned up too high. Sorry again. Louise, sorry, didn’t know the back story. And given that I spend a fair amount of my time explaining that no, I’m not the nurse, I admit to having the sensitivity turned up too high. Sorry again.

]]> by: nothip http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515486 Tue, 13 May 2008 17:02:44 +0100 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515486 Remember folks, one *can* get HPV from non-sexual contact, although likely not a toilet seat piator. The fundies (and the drug companies) would do us all a favor by simply changing the way we talk about HPV and removing the cooties (STD) stigma. Why don't they? Probably because the STD part of the CDC <i>owns</i> HPV. Remember folks, one *can* get HPV from non-sexual contact, although likely not a toilet seat piator.

The fundies (and the drug companies) would do us all a favor by simply changing the way we talk about HPV and removing the cooties (STD) stigma. Why don’t they? Probably because the STD part of the CDC owns HPV.

]]> by: louise http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515483 Tue, 13 May 2008 16:43:14 +0100 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515483 "was" a lab tech, but thanks Mnemosyne! You're right; I geeked out a bit. Ms Kate is a pal and I thought it was cool- I've performed the very blood tests she discussed long ago and can't imagine how the technolgies have changed... Jay, over the course of a dozen years, I worked in hospitals from 26 bed to 1000+, in small private practices and in a very large reference laboratory outside of Boston. My co-workers on the bench ranged from those with 2 year associate degrees to PhD. Some specialized in certain fields (Blood Bank, Hematology, Chemistry, Microbiology, Histology, etc) and some were like me- "jack of all trades" and able to work all 3 shifts. Snark at me all you want, but wait until I really put my foot in my mouth, okay? It'll happen... “was” a lab tech, but thanks Mnemosyne! You’re right; I geeked out a bit. Ms Kate is a pal and I thought it was cool- I’ve performed the very blood tests she discussed long ago and can’t imagine how the technolgies have changed…

Jay, over the course of a dozen years, I worked in hospitals from 26 bed to 1000+, in small private practices and in a very large reference laboratory outside of Boston. My co-workers on the bench ranged from those with 2 year associate degrees to PhD. Some specialized in certain fields (Blood Bank, Hematology, Chemistry, Microbiology, Histology, etc) and some were like me- “jack of all trades” and able to work all 3 shifts.

Snark at me all you want, but wait until I really put my foot in my mouth, okay? It’ll happen…

]]> by: Phoenician in a time of Romans http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515475 Tue, 13 May 2008 16:20:38 +0100 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515475 Please tell me that the excuse "I got it from a toilet seat" is going to show up sometime... Please tell me that the excuse “I got it from a toilet seat” is going to show up sometime…

]]> by: Mnemosyne http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515474 Tue, 13 May 2008 16:15:21 +0100 http://pandagon.blogsome.com/2008/05/13/7197/#comment-515474 <i>Amazing, given that’s she’s a girl, I know, that she went beyond lab tech./snark off.</i> Given that louise is (IIRC) a lab tech, I think she was just excited to find out someone else was in her field. No need to be snotty about it. Amazing, given that’s she’s a girl, I know, that she went beyond lab tech./snark off.

Given that louise is (IIRC) a lab tech, I think she was just excited to find out someone else was in her field. No need to be snotty about it.

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