To CS - URGENT: Travel to China/Vietnam, vaccines and alternatives?

Hi CS,

Me and my girlfriend are travelling to China and Vietnam, and I got the information that both a refill of the "normal" vaccines here in Norway (DPT shot) and a Hepatitis A vaccine were STRONGLY recommended.

We were also recommended to get a drinking vaccine against e. coli and cholera (that is, I think the e.coli bit is what is hoped to be achived, but it also protects against cholera).

Now, I've had a gut feeling that vaccines are bad for a while, but since my girlfriend has been vaccinated when she went to Africa earlier this year, and some of my family are very anxious that I might get sick I'm no longer as sure about what I should do?

I think the drinking vaccine shouldn't be bad, as it doesn't go straight into the blood, however I really don't want to get the DPT shot, I feel it is very uncesseary.

However, Hepatitis A is very prevalent in China and Vietnam, and they say eating shellfish from polluted waters and lettuce washed in polluted water etc can give you Hepatitis.

What is your take on this CS? I really don't want to, but if I have to I might get the Hepatitis A shot...

Are there any natural things I can take to lessen the chance of getting Hepatitis A?

Have anyone else been to countries with a high prevalence of Hepatitis A without taking that shot?

Thanks!

hey
i have just returned from travelling between london and shanghai by train and i posted a similar question here before i left.

Dont bother with the vaccines.
I ate loads of dodgy food. I consumed food off the floor of a yurt(ger) in mongolia and had plenty of dodgy food in china and russia. (i would actually avoid most of the food from the street vendors as most of it has been sitting there for days)

However the funny thing was I picked up a UTI in Germany! More than likely from the e-coli breakout there and eating too many raw vegetables!
However apart from that, I wouldnt worry about the shots.

I took some andrographis to deal with parasites and also bring some antibiotics for use in emergencies(and a good probiotic too!).

Also you can take a load of vitamin B1 starting the week before you go to avoid bites by mosquitos and there are plenty of natural inect repellants that work well.

You would be best to tell you family you got the shots and then not get them.
Then both can be happy!

oh ya and dont drink any water that hasnt been boiled. ie if your in a restaurant dont order tap water. dont drink any tap water for that matter.

Drink only bottled water and as shite as their standards are in western countries, the water bottled by pepsi or coca-cola is your best bet as most of the bottled waters taste very strange or come in bottles with a ridiculous amount of plasticisers (you can feel by how soft the bottle is).

Nongfu spring is the best of a poor lot in china.

virtua_ - I second lambyjay

These vaccines are worse than helpful. They are not necessary.

If you have time you can also buy some SSKI and put a few drops it water, it will sterilize it.

Hep A is not even serious. I think the concerns are overblown in order to sells these unworthy vaccines.

Hmm, OK, but could a Hepatitis A vaccine actually be harmful to me, or would it just be that it isn't really helpful?

It does seem like it would improve immunity?

If I could I might tell my family that I got it but I am practically unable to lie about something like that...

And of course if such a vaccine isn't really harmful and it will improve immunity to Hep A then...?

http://www.thinktwice.com/dpt.htm

Yeah, I am NOT going to take the DPT no matter what, but I have to say I'm wondering about getting the hepatitis A...

I haven't been able to find anything about it being really harmful?

Thanks, sorry to bug you with these questions, I have to get the shot tomorrow so I'm trying to decide, I was starting to think I would get the hep a anyway now, but still a little bit unsure...

What could I do to counter the effects of the hep a vaccine if I get it? Is it the heavy metals that are bad in it?

http://www.nvic.org/vaccines-and-diseases/Hepatitis-A.aspx

{VAQTA contains aluminum and small amounts of non-viral protein, DNA, bovine albumin, and formaldehyde. Both HAVRIX and VAQTA manufacturer package inserts say they have "not been evaluated for its carcinogenic or mutagenic potential, or its potential to impair fertility."}

I wouldn't take any of this stuff. Here's info on the vaccine and Hep A.

I spent three months in north India and Nepal earlier this year, and with all the coughing having the diphteri vaccine
is something to consider. I had the typho fever vaccination as well.