Okay Doc

[Cyber]

Here's the situation. I got my MMR and Hep B shot a couple of weeks ago. Right after the shots I came down with cold like/allergy symptoms (i.e. runny nose, itchy eyes, etc.) which I thought were just a cold/allergies. Then 10 days later, my entire body broke out with little tiny pink bumps. They're not grossly noticable and don't itch - but bother the hell out of me.

The rash is progressing and it has been over 7 days. I called the office and a nurse told me it can happen and should go away soon. Should I demand to see the doc or wait it out for a few days?

Thanks in advance.

[aut0sh0cker]

see a doc NOW. whats the worst that will happen? he will tell you its nothing, then at least you will have peace of mind

[Genro757]

In my expert medical opinion...its probably H1N1

[ideliver]

from uptodate.com


Cliff notes version...a self-limited reaction...see your doctor to make sure not a more severe problem...


Adverse reactions — Adverse reactions to the MMR vaccine include fever, rash, joint complaints, hypersensitivity reactions, the development of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, and seizures. These reactions occur more frequently with the first than with the second dose [59].

Fever (>39.4ºC) develops in 5 to 15 percent of MMR recipients, usually within 6 to 12 days after immunization [52]
Transient rashes also occur in approximately 5 percent of MMR recipients [52]
Joint complaints (secondary to the rubella component of the vaccine) may occur 7 to 21 days after MMR immunization [60]. Joint pain, usually of small peripheral joints, has been reported in 0.5 percent of young children and arthralgia and transient arthritis in 25 and 10 percent of postpubertal females, respectively.
Hypersensitivity reactions to the MMR vaccine are usually minor (wheal and flare, or urticaria) and have been attributed to trace amounts of neomycin or gelatin, but not to egg antigens, since the MMR vaccine does not contain significant amounts of egg-white cross-reacting proteins [52,61,62]. (See "Allergic reactions to vaccines").
Reports of an association between the development of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) and receipt of MMR were supported by a study in the United Kingdom in which the occurrence of ITP within six weeks of receiving MMR vaccine was estimated to be 1 in 22,300 doses [63]. This incidence was far lower than ITP after natural measles or rubella infection, but greater than the incidence of ITP in the general population (between three and eight cases per 100,000 children per year). No cases of recurrence of ITP were noted in individuals who had developed the condition before receipt of MMR. Although the ACIP advises against a booster dose of vaccine in patients with post-immunization ITP, the authors of this study suggest that a second dose might be safe [63]. (See "Clinical manifestations and diagnosis of immune (idiopathic) thrombocytopenic purpura in children").
The risk of febrile and nonfebrile seizures following MMR vaccine was calculated in a cohort study of almost 680,000 in the United States [64]. Receipt of the MMR vaccine was associated with an increased risk (RR 2.8) of febrile seizures 8 to 14 days after immunization. There was no increased risk of nonfebrile seizures, and the children with febrile seizures after vaccination had no higher risk of subsequent seizure or neurodevelopmental disability than other children with febrile seizures in the absence of vaccine administration. Similar results were reported in a cohort study of Danish children (RR 2.8 for febrile seizure within two weeks of MMR vaccination) [65]. Compared to children who had not received MMR at the time of their first febrile seizure, children with post-MMR febrile seizure had a slightly increased risk of recurrent febrile seizures (RR 1.2), but no increased risk of epilepsy. (See "Febrile seizures" and see "Patient information: Febrile seizures").
Postlicensure studies suggest that the risk of febrile seizures one to two weeks after immunization is increased in children who receive MMRV compared with children who receive separate injections of MMR and varicella vaccine (odds ratio 2.3, 95% CI 1.6-3.2) [66]. Nonetheless, the absolute risk of febrile seizures remains low (4 to 5 per 10,000 vaccinees).

The risk of encephalopathy after MMR vaccine was evaluated in a retrospective case-control study including 452 children with encephalopathy and related conditions and up to three controls for each case [67]. Cases were no more likely than controls to have received MMR vaccine during the 90 days before onset of encephalopathy.