[daisydaffodil]

How many MMR jabs did you get? (2nd thread tonight, I know, sorry!)

Reason I ask - I had the usual MMR when I was tiny followed by a booster just before starting school. Had the MeninC at school, BCG and a DipTetPolio at fourteen I think.. Had HPV jabs done in 2008/2009.. Now - all that seems normal right?

But I had a third MMR at seventeen done, for some reason, noone has ever been able to explain why. I was sent a letter telling me I needed one, my GP surgery organised it - which seems odd looking back as surely school nurses will organise that?

Have never met anyone since who had three lots - not even my younger sister! So am very confused - is it at all normal? Worth asking the doc next time I'm in if I am remembering things wrongly or if it actually happened? (although I clearly remember getting the letter!)

And if it did happen, can it have any odd effects - like cancelling out any immunity? Or am I just super-immune?

[xoxAngel_Kxox]

Are you sure you had 2 lots before you started school? Not everybody of our age did due to the autism scare stories.

Somebody once told me that the boosters are pointless, as if you haven't taken up immunity the first time, you probably won't any further times, but I don't see why that would be. As far as I know, you're either immune or you're not. I shouldn't think it'd be harmful for you to receive another dose; your medical records should prevent this from happening, but definitely question it if you're worried (although I suppose it's a bit late now).

EDIT: I don't know much about medicine so please don't jump down my throat if what I've written is a load of rubbish.

[daisydaffodil]

Nah definitely had it twice when I was little, the certificatey thing is somewhere - though I might check that later, just to see. It 's maybe something like they did an extra dose due to a measles outbreak but then I'm sure that others would have had the injection too.. Am dithering over phoning GP tommorow anyway so may mention this if I do, dunno. Think you are right about it not having any effects though, something tells me the immune system would just fight off the injection if given again (but it's a long time since I've done anything human biology related..)

That said, there is an NHS website saying that the MMR was introduced in 1988 and the booster in 1996 so apparently people born pre 1992 only got one injection.. Even *that* doesn't add up as my mum remembers me having two!

[Madprof]

Perhaps the introduction of the booster was phased so you had it but not everyone your age did. Or perhaps they're trying to catch the people who missed out due to MMR scare. Either way, there's still a push to make sure everyone has had two MMR jabs by the time they go to uni (our first years were asked to check their immunisation history when they arrived). Perhaps your GP surgery just sent around a letter to all 17 year olds regardless of immunisation status to ensure they 'caught' everyone?

Having another booster won't have done any harm.

Boosters aren't pointless. Sometimes (with certain infections or types of vaccination) immunity can start to 'wear off' as the white blood cells that have been 'trained' to fight the infection die off. It needs someone way better at immunology than me to explain exactly why and how this happens.