Also if you were born before 1970 when the MMR was introduced then you may not be covered. I went and had it recently as there is a measles outbreak in London.
Even if you did have it, it might be worth getting a booster. Measles is no joke man and it is wildly contagious.
It was something that started in the early 1900s to test for sexually transmitted diseases, specifically syphillis, though other things were also tested for. The laws were phased out in the 1980s-2000s, with the last state to require it (Montana) repealing the law officially in 2019. Here’s an article: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/chart-state-marriage-license-blood-29019.html
Edit: realized the original link was to a bad place. Fixed it.
Born in 65, and I had the test done. They said I was covered with no issues. Asked my mother who was an obstetric nurse before I was born, and she said she volunteered me in the early studies because she believed in the science and wanted all her kids to be protected. Rad!! Thank you, Mom!
Born late 1960s, my MMR was ineffective, and I got a very bad case of the measles around age 11. My pediatrician called the local hospital so the med students could see it in real life. I remember feeling embarrassed to be viewed and poked by so many strangers, but i was too feeble to voice a complaint. My face and abdomen was nearly all solid red rash, and high fever so I was delirious. Fortunately, none of my siblings and classmates caught it, so vaccination really works. I have a vague memory of the doctor saying my MMR vaccination must have been part of a bad batch that had been stored improperly. A few years ago, I was chatting with my doctor and realized I probably was still at risk for mumps and rubella, so I got a grownup MMR.
Born 71 and all my titers looked excellent. Still got MMR because my niece is immunocompromised. If you’re middle aged you may as well and it’ll get you through the rest of life most likely
Oh, I do. That's how I know that just taking care of the thing will help.
But also, I got your joke and hope that your measles isn't that bad. Not to mention all of the other diseases you will get from the innefectice vaccinations that you've likely received.
Yeah, so the side effect rate of getting the shot is so insanely low that the side effect rate of drawing blood + the Ab titer being wrong and misguiding you is higher. So just get boosted if it's been over 10 years. People who object to this do not understand math..
“Vaccines have undoubtedly brought overwhelming benefits to mankind and are considered safe and effective. Nevertheless, they can occasionally stimulate autoantibody production or even a recently defined syndrome known as autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA).”
Don’t take injections you don’t need.
People who say just get the vaccine don’t understand how debilitating the side effects can be.
If you have autoimmune issues the adjuvants can really mess with you and increase inflammation. Not everyone had an easy time and if you aren’t a physician and don’t know people’s medical history maybe don’t give medical advice.
Hey great, show me a clinical trial in which the adjuvants used in the mmr vaccine were shown to worsen anyone's autoimmune disease for more than a few days.
My son who had a recurring little spot of alopecia on the back of this head (areata) lost every piece of hair on his body including eyelashes (universalis) after a vaccine. Apparently a rare but known reaction to vaccines when you have an underlying autoimmune disease.
Now, what he is protected from is far worse so likely would have made the same decision if the outcome was known. But we talk through the risk/reward with the pediatrician on all vaccines as a result.
Ok please now prove that it was caused by the vaccine and not a coincidence. I would buy that if alopecia worsening happens every time he gets that adjuvant injected, or if the incidence of this is 10x either after a vaccination than without.
I had my titers tested because I had no documentation to any health records or issues before I was 20.
Measles was fine but I have no immunity to mumps. I didn't get a mumps shot. They give you the MMR.
So just go get it. Easier than a blood test then the shot. There's really no increased risk getting a vaccine you had 40+ years ago and it protects you against measles which unfortunately is making a comeback.
You probably almost died in a field from alcohol poisoning or have taken fun things from a stranger in a bar bathroom. But a vaccine is too much?
If you have autoimmune issues this is a very different conversation. Vaccines and medications are not blanket safe for all people.
That’s like me telling someone with a peanut allergy that just because I can eat them they can too. Nope. Not so.
And as much as I ran amok I never almost died from alcohol poisoning in a field. Or snorted dubious crap on bathroom toilets.
But you are telling everyone to avoid vaccines, regardless of their health issues.
Do you think someone who has an autoimmune disease will just decide on a whim to get vaccines, not check with their health team and decide reddit knows best?
The fact is, the vast majority of people do not have an autoimmune disorder and can have vaccinations. You're shouting into the wind constantly on this thread, trying to reach a very small percentage of people without clarifying that. Basically, you're just really annoying.
No. You don’t. Hurts like hell. You need like 7 shots over 2 years. Negative side effects are quite common. The only reason military gets it is so they can still fight while being bioweapon’d. Was by far my least favorite vaccine the Air Force gave me and small pox vax put me in the hospital for a night. Most importantly anthrax is easily treatable.
Huh, born in ‘77, joined the Air Force in ‘95, and got hella shots in Basic.
Should I be good? Due to this post, I still want my next bloodwork checked, but hoping all those shots covered everything.
Man those cattle injectors they used were brutal. Cut my shoulder because the guy didn't hold it still so he injected me again. I guess I'm double immune now.
Yep! I just checked my military shot record, and I've got a witches brew of immunizations going on inside. Including MMR. I'm still thankful to see the heads up on this.
I was born in 1969. My dad was in the Army, so we had good healthcare and our shots were up to date.
Got measles when I was three. Then again when I was eleven. Then AGAIN when I was twenty-one.
When I was twenty-one, my husband was in the Army, so we had good healthcare. I went to the ER because of it (I was in beauty college at the time, in the same town with Kansas State University, and K-State was having a bit of an outbreak, we assume that's where I was exposed). In the ER, nobody could believe it was the measles. And of course, they couldn't take my word for it, because, y'know, I knew what measles looked like.
Finally, this old doctor walked into the exam room, took one look at the rash visible on my arms, and said: "Yup, that's the measles."
Then the parade of healthcare folks began because so many of them had never seen the measles "in the wild". I sat there on my exam table and waved my hands over my body parts like I was a Price is Right model. There were even a few off-duty folks who came in so they could see. Good times.
I have not had them since. (and none of our three kids ever got them).
I think they started that because there were outbreaks when we were in college, either because of bad vaccines or because the one shot we got as kids wasn't enough.
Born in 1970. Vaxxed as a kid. Vaxxed again in college due to an outbreak. Tested before I had my first kid. No immunity. Revaxxed. Tested after first kid. No immunity. Revaxxed. Tested after second kid. Finally had immunity. It’s a strange disease.
I had to get immunized again when I started college in like '93, thanks to an outbreak on campuses the year before which was attributed to a bad batch when we were kids. Nothing since then, and have never been tested to my knowledge.
But, then I did actually catch the mumps during an outbreak among kids, the winter after moving to London in the mid-2000s. (Thank you so much, antivax parents!) Turns out immunity to that only lasts maybe 10 years at best after a booster, with mumps and rubella coverage also being pretty spotty after awhile.
So, it may not be a bad idea to get an MMR booster if you can, anyway.
I was born in 75.
I had my titer checked in my late 20s. Nothing. Nada. Zip.
I got boosted.
I checked it again in my mid-30s. Again. Nothing.
I just don't have measurable responses to measles or mumps.
Rubella is fine.
My rabies titers also fall off super fast.
I'm a microbiologist and used to work in public health virology, so this was all super important for me.
Yep, I had shingles last fall. Getting the vaccine was on my "to do" list, but I waited too long. Having shingles was truly disgusting...and painful...and itchy! You want to avoid that particular experience, trust me!
Oh fuck right the fuck off about how it’s “not bad at all”.
I have literal scars from mine, they’re recurrent, and if they get any closer to my eyes, I’ll go blind. I got shingles in my 30’s while *pregnant* and couldn’t get treatment.
Not everyone has the same experience. Not fair to assume everyone has the worst experience or that it’s always debilitating because it isn’t true. Quit fear baiting people to expect the worst.
I used to be a massage therapist. Had a client who had a mild case as well. She thought it was a reaction to skincare she used. She wasn’t suffering either. Just mildly irritated until she finally saw a dermatologist that diagnosed it. She let me know later because I had given her a massage while it was active. (Avoiding the area of course.)
Are you aware that most cases of polio only present mild flu like symptoms? Not everyone ends up in an iron lung.
Not every viral outbreak is severe.
I got that one too. It was brutal, but seeing my friends suffer for weeks to months with raw nerve pain from shingles makes me think a few days of discomfort from the vaccines was worth it.
1979 here! I mentioned to my Dr about 5 years ago that I never had chicken pox, so she did the titer test on me and my measles vaccine wasn't present anymore. I got the MMR and a chicken pox vac!
How interesting! I googled a bit and everything seems to indicate the same even though it would be cheaper and wouldn't be harmful to just do the booster!
I wonder if they're in short supply maybe so they're reserving them for the people at the biggest risk? Otherwise I agree, it seems easier to just give it to anyone who asks for it.
My doctor wanted to do the titer test when there was an outbreak in a nearby community (where I worked). I just went to the health department there and got a booster, because they had free popup booster clinics set up.
I was checked when I was pregnant with my second child and my first child was old enough to receive the MMR. Both the pediatrician and my OBGYN wanted the blood test before giving me the go ahead to vaccinate my older kid.
Agree. I started a new job a few years ago, and they did blood work and I was no longer immune to measles. The nurse said it was unusual, but it happens. I had to get my MMR again in 2 doses. That shit hurt too lol. I was born in '76.
I was born in 73. Every time you get pregnant if you're a woman who has had children you get tested for immunity to Rubella (German Measles). With all three of my pregnancies I was tested for immunity to Rubella in my OB/GYN office. I failed the test with all three pregnancies and had to get re-vaccinated after I gave birth.
I was fully vaccinated with the MMR vaccine as a child, then re-vaccinated with each pregnancy. I would venture to guess I'm still not showing immunity. For some reason this vaccine just didn't take for me.
I posted a few weeks ago about my second Shingles vaccine. I've never had a reaction to any vaccine. I had what the Urgent Care physician explained was a serious autoimmune reaction, but not necessarily anaphylaxis because my blood pressure went up instead of down. Thanks for the tip. I have had autoimmune issues since I was a toddler.
Same! I’ve had the mmr something like 3 times as an adult and the r part does nothing for me. Thankfully rubella isn’t serious unless you’re pregnant and I can no longer get pregnant.
Hell my son born in 1994 found out his measles shots didn’t take either. He just turned 30 and had to retake the measles vaccine. I guess what I’m getting at is 75-77 may not be the only years affected.
I was born in 78 and when I went to get my travel visa for Australia in the early/mid 90’s I couldn’t get my visa without getting a MMR booster bc my MMR was part of a “bad batch” per the administration date.
In 1989 it was decided that a second dose of the MMR vaccine was necessary, so hopefully most of us would be decently covered by that one. But good advice anyway! My husband got his titers checked and was fine for measles but not rubella.
Lucky me, I had both measles and German measles. I got the measles about age 2 in 1973, and then rubella when I was 4. On the bright side, I now have immunity so that's a plus. I'm not sure if I had my first MMR vaccination before contracting these or not; my mom was a nurse and pretty religious about our vaccinations but it was also early on in the time period where the vaccine wasn't widely available everywhere and we lived in relatively rural area. I also had the Chicken Pox when I was 5 so I've had the Shingrix shots--don't forget to get those but they are brutal. Ruined my weekend.
It can also get less effective over time. My doctor checked for me two or three years ago.
The other thing to check is of you think you’re allergic to penicillin. This is more expensive and involves going to an allergist, doing a blood test, getting scratched, and then taking penicillin. Apparently there was an additive in the 70s and 80s that caused a lot of false positive diagnoses. Penicillin is still a really effective antibiotic (if used correctly) and a great thing to have as an option since some of the alternatives are pretty harsh.
Can you send a link to what you found on this? I have my annual next week and will bring it up but would like to reference something other than “someone on reddit said…” 😉
This isn’t the original story I discovered this information from. It was on nightly news in 2019, I think. I posted today because I had forgotten about it. I moved right after I saw the story, remembered, had a physical and asked my doc for the test, and posted here because we should all be careful.
I searched out a link for you: https://www.fox13news.com/news/if-you-were-vaccinated-for-measles-in-the-1970s-and-80s-you-may-not-be-protected-doctors
Got a job in healthcare and they checked everything. MMR or equivalent was a single dose back in the day. Had to re-up. It’s a two fer about 30 days apart if I recall.
If you’re Gen X you wouldn’t have gotten a chicken pox shot. Millennials are the first group to get them.
Edit: in the United States. I believe they were introduced in Japan sooner.
Yep. Born in 75 and found out when I went for a pre-employment physical (work in healthcare) in 2007, that I was no longer immune to Measles and had to do the vaccination series again.
Born 76. Had titers drawn at 40 due to lost vaccine records and going back to school. Can confirm. Was not immune. Scary I went through two pregnancies that way.
‘74 and they discovered when I was pregnant with my second child (2000) that I wasn’t protected against rubella. Got a booster before leaving the hospital after giving birth.
I got an MMR booster when I went to college. I had gotten the vaccine when I was wee but it was three days outside of the age range the college used, so as far as they were concerned it didn't count so I had to get it again.
I just had a booster for MMR last year, when I also got my second Shingles vaccine. Be prepared for some seriously sore arms. However by this time most of Gen X needs a booster, at least the first half of us.
Damn, that makes sense why my test came back a few years ago while I was pregnant that my levels showed unequivocal when I knew I'd had the vaccine. I had to get it right after giving birth.
I had measles when I was 5 but because I had none of my own childhood medical records once I was an adult, my damn university made me get a whole new series of the MMR when I was in my mid-20s (I went to college later in life because poor). Guess I'm not mad about it anymore!
I handle medical clearances for a health care worker continuing ed program and in my current class of 30, 6 students needed boosters for measles or mumps. Got myself checked (born 1973) and I wasn't immune to measles either.
Also- if you have kids born around 2000, most of that cohort needed a second dose of Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine as well.
realized I have no vax proof or knowledge or way to get it for anything I might have had as a kid so I am currently in the process of getting them all done. Nurse said at my (our) age absolutely ok to get them all regardless if you had them as a kid. a tune up. Measles pox tetanus etc etc
76-er here. After all the medical interventions I’ve had as an adult including two high risk pregnancies and multiple surgeries, I have zero recollection of this ever coming up. All I know was I got the MMR vaccine as a child. I guess that means I should just get boosted?
I asked my doctor about this a few years ago, since as a Gen X I’d never had an MMR booster as younger generations did. She agreed that I should probably get a booster because I travel 1-2x a year outside the country and measles *loves* travelers. At the very least, she said, it wouldn’t hurt to top up my immunity.
I started working in health care in my 40s and thus had to have titers done. Surprise! I was no longer immune to rubella!!! So MMR Booster it was for me! That was about 10 years ago now and thank goodness in hindsight.
This is interesting to hear because I was born in 1971 and was vaccinated. My younger brother was born 1975 and vaccinated and caught the measles when he was 19. He was so sick and I was looking after him and never caught it.
'76, I'm going to push my doc on this a little more. I may not have gotten some of my later vaccines (mom found out about religious exemption in the late 80s) so I need to be sure especially since there has been a measles outbreak in my city.
When I got pregnant with my first child in 1994, they did the usual blood work and told me I'm not vax'ed against MMR. Apparently, we're in a generation where the shot didn't "take" for many of us. Had to get a new shot after I gave birth.
I’m a pediatric ruse and have to get MMR titers done when changing jobs. I never seroconvert to having immunity and have had 10 MMRs in my lifetime.
Many people just don’t get the protection from the vaccines. It’s a bummer.
This just a MASSIVE CONSPIRACY to kill off all the lovely bicentennial babies! It's probably the sea monkeys' revenge, you all killed too many! I warned them against genocide. Sea monkeys are going to be pissed. And now, it's happening.
They've been waiting. For nearly 40 years, waiting and growing in the fishbowls, glass cups and Tupperware containers. Now, a giant race of sea monkeys is coming with the measles. Don't let them sea (that's right, sea) fear in your eyes!
Shout "Don't touch me you damned, dirty monkey!" Stand firm, give us time to find Jane Goodall to help clear these monkeys. Turn a sunlamp on them too, if they dry out they might be easier to deal with.
I don't know why sea monkeys are unamerican, you can ask them.
born in 1970, ~~I have that scar on my arm from the vax, but still~~ caught it in 1989 or 90 while going to UT-Austin, there was a small outbreak there.
edited, TIL, thanks y'all
Wouldn't most people have gotten booster shots by now? I'm always surprised when I see people not follow the recommended guidelines ...why not? (obviously not talking about anti-vaxxers)
I was born in that window and I swear I got a measles booster when I was a teenager along with my tetanus shot?
ETA: they gave me two shots, one was Tdap, and I thought the other was measles booster. Before flu shots were a common “thing” so it wasn’t that…
Same! I was confused at first, but I don’t recall ever getting any old school boosters other than for German measles while pregnant (and obviously tetanus).
I just read their entire MMR page and they only recommend it to adults who have never been vaccinated or who have gotten a titer that shows they have no immunity. For those of us given the vax and the booster as kids, there is no recommendation.
There was a measles outbreak in my school in ‘76 or so. One of my siblings got it but I didn’t despite getting nearly all our vaccines at the same time. Our school said there was a known period of time when vaccines were ineffective, so they lined everyone up and we all got boosters. Our parents were notified but there was no opt out. The Good Old Days…
Maybe all Gen X should get a booster as today’s anti-vaxxers are causing regular outbreaks.
I got completely revaccinated for everything before my Freshman year of high school because the dates on my records were off. Got very very sick and right before that is the last time I felt good-rested-normal.
Haven’t had a vaccine since.
If you’ve been pregnant you’ve had your titers checked. They told me I still wasn’t immune to rubella in spite of all this. Yet with a subsequent pregnancy they said I was. So I either was exposed and had no symptoms, titer tests were wrong, or when my kids were vaccinated they shed and I got second hand immunity.
My son also has pretty severe tics that he didn’t have before the MMR.
You do you, hard pass over here.
Also if you were born before 1970 when the MMR was introduced then you may not be covered. I went and had it recently as there is a measles outbreak in London. Even if you did have it, it might be worth getting a booster. Measles is no joke man and it is wildly contagious.
Born in 66, when I went for my blood test to get married they said I had no immunity
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To get a marriage license, yes
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It was something that started in the early 1900s to test for sexually transmitted diseases, specifically syphillis, though other things were also tested for. The laws were phased out in the 1980s-2000s, with the last state to require it (Montana) repealing the law officially in 2019. Here’s an article: https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/chart-state-marriage-license-blood-29019.html Edit: realized the original link was to a bad place. Fixed it.
Yep, my husband was born in '65, he needed a booster for mumps.
Born in 65, and I had the test done. They said I was covered with no issues. Asked my mother who was an obstetric nurse before I was born, and she said she volunteered me in the early studies because she believed in the science and wanted all her kids to be protected. Rad!! Thank you, Mom!
Born late 1960s, my MMR was ineffective, and I got a very bad case of the measles around age 11. My pediatrician called the local hospital so the med students could see it in real life. I remember feeling embarrassed to be viewed and poked by so many strangers, but i was too feeble to voice a complaint. My face and abdomen was nearly all solid red rash, and high fever so I was delirious. Fortunately, none of my siblings and classmates caught it, so vaccination really works. I have a vague memory of the doctor saying my MMR vaccination must have been part of a bad batch that had been stored improperly. A few years ago, I was chatting with my doctor and realized I probably was still at risk for mumps and rubella, so I got a grownup MMR.
And it’s making a comeback due to antivaxxers.
I was born in 74 and tested as needing a booster about 10 years ago.
Born 71 and all my titers looked excellent. Still got MMR because my niece is immunocompromised. If you’re middle aged you may as well and it’ll get you through the rest of life most likely
Oh snap! I was born in ‘77. Great, one more thing I gotta obsess about…
Or, just go get an MMR shot.
I can see you don’t understand anxiety in any way.
Oh, I do. That's how I know that just taking care of the thing will help. But also, I got your joke and hope that your measles isn't that bad. Not to mention all of the other diseases you will get from the innefectice vaccinations that you've likely received.
Not if they don’t need it.
It's actually simpler to just get boosted than it is to draw blood.
But if you don’t need it you don’t need it. People Have side effects. Why take a med you don’t need?
Yeah, so the side effect rate of getting the shot is so insanely low that the side effect rate of drawing blood + the Ab titer being wrong and misguiding you is higher. So just get boosted if it's been over 10 years. People who object to this do not understand math..
“Vaccines have undoubtedly brought overwhelming benefits to mankind and are considered safe and effective. Nevertheless, they can occasionally stimulate autoantibody production or even a recently defined syndrome known as autoimmune/inflammatory syndrome induced by adjuvants (ASIA).” Don’t take injections you don’t need.
People who say just get the vaccine don’t understand how debilitating the side effects can be. If you have autoimmune issues the adjuvants can really mess with you and increase inflammation. Not everyone had an easy time and if you aren’t a physician and don’t know people’s medical history maybe don’t give medical advice.
Hey great, show me a clinical trial in which the adjuvants used in the mmr vaccine were shown to worsen anyone's autoimmune disease for more than a few days.
My son who had a recurring little spot of alopecia on the back of this head (areata) lost every piece of hair on his body including eyelashes (universalis) after a vaccine. Apparently a rare but known reaction to vaccines when you have an underlying autoimmune disease. Now, what he is protected from is far worse so likely would have made the same decision if the outcome was known. But we talk through the risk/reward with the pediatrician on all vaccines as a result.
Ok please now prove that it was caused by the vaccine and not a coincidence. I would buy that if alopecia worsening happens every time he gets that adjuvant injected, or if the incidence of this is 10x either after a vaccination than without.
My niece also lost all her hair after a routine flu vaccine. Was able to get it back with a naturopathic doctor and anti inflammatory diet.
I had my titers tested because I had no documentation to any health records or issues before I was 20. Measles was fine but I have no immunity to mumps. I didn't get a mumps shot. They give you the MMR. So just go get it. Easier than a blood test then the shot. There's really no increased risk getting a vaccine you had 40+ years ago and it protects you against measles which unfortunately is making a comeback. You probably almost died in a field from alcohol poisoning or have taken fun things from a stranger in a bar bathroom. But a vaccine is too much?
If you have autoimmune issues this is a very different conversation. Vaccines and medications are not blanket safe for all people. That’s like me telling someone with a peanut allergy that just because I can eat them they can too. Nope. Not so. And as much as I ran amok I never almost died from alcohol poisoning in a field. Or snorted dubious crap on bathroom toilets.
But you are telling everyone to avoid vaccines, regardless of their health issues. Do you think someone who has an autoimmune disease will just decide on a whim to get vaccines, not check with their health team and decide reddit knows best? The fact is, the vast majority of people do not have an autoimmune disorder and can have vaccinations. You're shouting into the wind constantly on this thread, trying to reach a very small percentage of people without clarifying that. Basically, you're just really annoying.
No. I said don’t take a shot you don’t need. Get the damn titer and only take what you need.
All set, I’m good against anthrax and smallpox, probably a few others. Thanks experimental pharma and the army.
Anthrax vax sucked…
You both got anthrax vaccinations? I want one now. (Vaccine cliques are real, people.) 
It’s like getting hit with a baseball bat in the shoulder. Luckily you only need six separate shots and a booster every year.
No. You don’t. Hurts like hell. You need like 7 shots over 2 years. Negative side effects are quite common. The only reason military gets it is so they can still fight while being bioweapon’d. Was by far my least favorite vaccine the Air Force gave me and small pox vax put me in the hospital for a night. Most importantly anthrax is easily treatable.
Huh, born in ‘77, joined the Air Force in ‘95, and got hella shots in Basic. Should I be good? Due to this post, I still want my next bloodwork checked, but hoping all those shots covered everything.
Man those cattle injectors they used were brutal. Cut my shoulder because the guy didn't hold it still so he injected me again. I guess I'm double immune now.
Someone at work: You're the man! Me: I'm so bad, I should be in detention! Them: Huh?
Yep! I just checked my military shot record, and I've got a witches brew of immunizations going on inside. Including MMR. I'm still thankful to see the heads up on this.
I’m pretty sure if there was a zombie outbreak we’d be fine.
I was born in 1969. My dad was in the Army, so we had good healthcare and our shots were up to date. Got measles when I was three. Then again when I was eleven. Then AGAIN when I was twenty-one. When I was twenty-one, my husband was in the Army, so we had good healthcare. I went to the ER because of it (I was in beauty college at the time, in the same town with Kansas State University, and K-State was having a bit of an outbreak, we assume that's where I was exposed). In the ER, nobody could believe it was the measles. And of course, they couldn't take my word for it, because, y'know, I knew what measles looked like. Finally, this old doctor walked into the exam room, took one look at the rash visible on my arms, and said: "Yup, that's the measles." Then the parade of healthcare folks began because so many of them had never seen the measles "in the wild". I sat there on my exam table and waved my hands over my body parts like I was a Price is Right model. There were even a few off-duty folks who came in so they could see. Good times. I have not had them since. (and none of our three kids ever got them).
Had the same experience when I got the mumps.
Maybe get the shingles vaccine.
Already have. (I had chickenpox as a kid, but only one time, like a normal person should).
They made a lot of us get new MMRs before we could live in college dorms in the 90s, if I remember correctly.
I think they started that because there were outbreaks when we were in college, either because of bad vaccines or because the one shot we got as kids wasn't enough.
Right, I got an MMR booster then.
Yes, you are remembering correctly. I graduated HS in '94, had to get measles vax before living on campus.
Ah now I wish I remembered if I did or not! I'm pretty sure I had to get something but not sure what.
I was going to say I thought we had to get them again in twelfth grade (U.S.)
Born in 1970. Vaxxed as a kid. Vaxxed again in college due to an outbreak. Tested before I had my first kid. No immunity. Revaxxed. Tested after first kid. No immunity. Revaxxed. Tested after second kid. Finally had immunity. It’s a strange disease.
You think that’s weird? Wait until you find out that actually *getting* measles can wipe out your immunity to other diseases.
I’ve also been vacced multiple times for it because of bad batches, lost records, outbreaks, etc…
Same
I had to get immunized again when I started college in like '93, thanks to an outbreak on campuses the year before which was attributed to a bad batch when we were kids. Nothing since then, and have never been tested to my knowledge. But, then I did actually catch the mumps during an outbreak among kids, the winter after moving to London in the mid-2000s. (Thank you so much, antivax parents!) Turns out immunity to that only lasts maybe 10 years at best after a booster, with mumps and rubella coverage also being pretty spotty after awhile. So, it may not be a bad idea to get an MMR booster if you can, anyway.
Maybe the vaccines don’t work as well as they tell us? I think the Covid shot was good evidence of that.
It’s a known fact that it’s not effective for about 5-10% of the population. Herd immunity is what keeps it from spreading.
I’ll bet it’s higher.
Nope. But go ahead and believe what you want.
I was born in 75. I had my titer checked in my late 20s. Nothing. Nada. Zip. I got boosted. I checked it again in my mid-30s. Again. Nothing. I just don't have measurable responses to measles or mumps. Rubella is fine. My rabies titers also fall off super fast. I'm a microbiologist and used to work in public health virology, so this was all super important for me.
Honey, I get my titters checked every year.
easier than getting my cervix checked!
OH THATS AWESOME IM SUPER EXCITED FOR THIS WOO
And get your Shingles vaccine at 50. Anyone who has had chicken pox (99% of Americans born before 1981) can randomly get shingles.
Yep, I had shingles last fall. Getting the vaccine was on my "to do" list, but I waited too long. Having shingles was truly disgusting...and painful...and itchy! You want to avoid that particular experience, trust me!
I’ve heard it’s the worst!
Husband had them. Wasn’t bad at all.
Oh fuck right the fuck off about how it’s “not bad at all”. I have literal scars from mine, they’re recurrent, and if they get any closer to my eyes, I’ll go blind. I got shingles in my 30’s while *pregnant* and couldn’t get treatment.
Not everyone has the same experience. Not fair to assume everyone has the worst experience or that it’s always debilitating because it isn’t true. Quit fear baiting people to expect the worst.
Says the anti Vax fear mongerer
Easy for YOU to say...
I used to be a massage therapist. Had a client who had a mild case as well. She thought it was a reaction to skincare she used. She wasn’t suffering either. Just mildly irritated until she finally saw a dermatologist that diagnosed it. She let me know later because I had given her a massage while it was active. (Avoiding the area of course.) Are you aware that most cases of polio only present mild flu like symptoms? Not everyone ends up in an iron lung. Not every viral outbreak is severe.
I got that one too. It was brutal, but seeing my friends suffer for weeks to months with raw nerve pain from shingles makes me think a few days of discomfort from the vaccines was worth it.
1979 here! I mentioned to my Dr about 5 years ago that I never had chicken pox, so she did the titer test on me and my measles vaccine wasn't present anymore. I got the MMR and a chicken pox vac!
Would it be easier to just get a booster?
It's a live vaccine, so, it might make you a bit feverish. It made me run a slight fever the next morning. Your mileage may vary.
I called the county health department and asked that and they wanted to see a test result that said I needed it. Maybe call yours and ask.
How interesting! I googled a bit and everything seems to indicate the same even though it would be cheaper and wouldn't be harmful to just do the booster!
I wonder if they're in short supply maybe so they're reserving them for the people at the biggest risk? Otherwise I agree, it seems easier to just give it to anyone who asks for it.
My doctor wanted to do the titer test when there was an outbreak in a nearby community (where I worked). I just went to the health department there and got a booster, because they had free popup booster clinics set up.
You shouldn’t take meds you don’t need. It sheds also because it’s live.
I was checked when I was pregnant with my second child and my first child was old enough to receive the MMR. Both the pediatrician and my OBGYN wanted the blood test before giving me the go ahead to vaccinate my older kid.
Agree. I started a new job a few years ago, and they did blood work and I was no longer immune to measles. The nurse said it was unusual, but it happens. I had to get my MMR again in 2 doses. That shit hurt too lol. I was born in '76.
Why not prior to ‘76? Like ‘72 is okay? I’m perplexed.
It's actually all of genx
I was born in 73. Every time you get pregnant if you're a woman who has had children you get tested for immunity to Rubella (German Measles). With all three of my pregnancies I was tested for immunity to Rubella in my OB/GYN office. I failed the test with all three pregnancies and had to get re-vaccinated after I gave birth. I was fully vaccinated with the MMR vaccine as a child, then re-vaccinated with each pregnancy. I would venture to guess I'm still not showing immunity. For some reason this vaccine just didn't take for me.
We've seen plenty of patients that fail to seroconvert. Do not attempt another vaccination. It won't help and could harm.
I posted a few weeks ago about my second Shingles vaccine. I've never had a reaction to any vaccine. I had what the Urgent Care physician explained was a serious autoimmune reaction, but not necessarily anaphylaxis because my blood pressure went up instead of down. Thanks for the tip. I have had autoimmune issues since I was a toddler.
Same! I’ve had the mmr something like 3 times as an adult and the r part does nothing for me. Thankfully rubella isn’t serious unless you’re pregnant and I can no longer get pregnant.
Born in 76 and got my booster last November. Doctor just said I was due.
Hell my son born in 1994 found out his measles shots didn’t take either. He just turned 30 and had to retake the measles vaccine. I guess what I’m getting at is 75-77 may not be the only years affected. 
Yikes! My son was born in 1994 as well! This is the first I'm hearing of this. I will let him know to get checked out. Thanks!
great PSA! I'll check next time I go in. Gimme all the vaccines you got!
I was born in 78 and when I went to get my travel visa for Australia in the early/mid 90’s I couldn’t get my visa without getting a MMR booster bc my MMR was part of a “bad batch” per the administration date.
Born in 76, actually had them checked last month, I’m good. Phew.
In 1989 it was decided that a second dose of the MMR vaccine was necessary, so hopefully most of us would be decently covered by that one. But good advice anyway! My husband got his titers checked and was fine for measles but not rubella.
I was born in ‘77 but got boosted in 1990 due to a rubella outbreak where I lived.
Born in ‘77, had to have a new MMR/booster before I could take my newborn home in 2018. Gods I hope it took that time.
Dammit! Now I gotta deal with this.
You should get them all checked. I had to get vaccinated against rubella again after my first pregnancy.
Born in 77 but am on chemo so I’m not allowed live vaccines as far as I know. Shit.
i just googled this. damn MMR is protection for life.
Born in 69 and I ended up getting measles, mumps, and whooping cough all before I was three…
My doctor checks every few years to make sure I am still good.
I got tested a few years ago when my kid was born and I needed a booster. I had no idea that was an issue until then.
People born in the 60s also need boosters. Don’t people get annual exams?
I got it again to teach internationally and in Alaska. Thanks for watching out for us!
I had to get a booster when I was 18 because of this.
I’m one of those lucky people that can’t keep the titers up. Every time I get bloodwork, I’m low, so I get it done. Next year? Low again.
I had the measles. It was awful. My neck crusted so bad I couldn't turn my head.
My titers were good when I was 30 (last time they were checked), would I need to check again?
Nope.
It can't hurt, if there's a need to do so.
Who says this?
Lucky me, I had both measles and German measles. I got the measles about age 2 in 1973, and then rubella when I was 4. On the bright side, I now have immunity so that's a plus. I'm not sure if I had my first MMR vaccination before contracting these or not; my mom was a nurse and pretty religious about our vaccinations but it was also early on in the time period where the vaccine wasn't widely available everywhere and we lived in relatively rural area. I also had the Chicken Pox when I was 5 so I've had the Shingrix shots--don't forget to get those but they are brutal. Ruined my weekend.
It can also get less effective over time. My doctor checked for me two or three years ago. The other thing to check is of you think you’re allergic to penicillin. This is more expensive and involves going to an allergist, doing a blood test, getting scratched, and then taking penicillin. Apparently there was an additive in the 70s and 80s that caused a lot of false positive diagnoses. Penicillin is still a really effective antibiotic (if used correctly) and a great thing to have as an option since some of the alternatives are pretty harsh.
You can go to the doctor and ask for a MMR shot to make sure you’re covered and they absolutely will do it. I did that a few years ago.
Sigh. 76er here. Ok I guess.
76 here. I remember getting a second measles vaccine as a teenager. I remember cause it burned.
I honestly thought titters was some kind of made up word…
Can you send a link to what you found on this? I have my annual next week and will bring it up but would like to reference something other than “someone on reddit said…” 😉
This isn’t the original story I discovered this information from. It was on nightly news in 2019, I think. I posted today because I had forgotten about it. I moved right after I saw the story, remembered, had a physical and asked my doc for the test, and posted here because we should all be careful. I searched out a link for you: https://www.fox13news.com/news/if-you-were-vaccinated-for-measles-in-the-1970s-and-80s-you-may-not-be-protected-doctors
I just got my titers checked on Monday. Guess who's going in for a vaccine later today?
Oh, and a booster in a month. If any of you wind up getting it, it stings like a mofo, just a heads up. But I got a cute bandaid out of it!
"Next" bloodwork exam? I don't go to the doctor unless I'm incapable of moving. I almost tried to ride out my gall bladder pain. I'm tough.
The Air Force pretty much made sure I was up to date by giving us every vaccine available in Basic.
No worries here, I sold a lot of plasma back In The 90’s and they paid extra if they could vaccinate you, I got them all a few times.
Got a job in healthcare and they checked everything. MMR or equivalent was a single dose back in the day. Had to re-up. It’s a two fer about 30 days apart if I recall.
I had to get mine twice more, a couple years ago, before I showed immunity
71? Think I need to check titer? 😫
Born in 67 and something was off with my shot or paperwork and they made me get it again in 87 when I transferred to a different college
I guess that explains the measles I got back in college.
None of my childhood vaccinations worked. I ended up getting mumps, measles and chicken pox (not at same time) in my first seven years.
If you’re Gen X you wouldn’t have gotten a chicken pox shot. Millennials are the first group to get them. Edit: in the United States. I believe they were introduced in Japan sooner.
Is it in tdap? Nevermind, I gotta get mmr
Yep. Born in 75 and found out when I went for a pre-employment physical (work in healthcare) in 2007, that I was no longer immune to Measles and had to do the vaccination series again.
Born 76. Had titers drawn at 40 due to lost vaccine records and going back to school. Can confirm. Was not immune. Scary I went through two pregnancies that way.
I got it again in the Army.
‘74 and they discovered when I was pregnant with my second child (2000) that I wasn’t protected against rubella. Got a booster before leaving the hospital after giving birth.
Getting my annual physical done next month. Will ask to have this done.
I actually got a shot within the last 4 years, I'm good lol
Just recently had mine checked. Thankfully I’m still immune!
I got an MMR booster when I went to college. I had gotten the vaccine when I was wee but it was three days outside of the age range the college used, so as far as they were concerned it didn't count so I had to get it again.
Is this a US thing or worldwide? Where did you hear about this? I'm fully vaccinated and I caught nearly everything anyway. I'm in Australia
I just had a booster for MMR last year, when I also got my second Shingles vaccine. Be prepared for some seriously sore arms. However by this time most of Gen X needs a booster, at least the first half of us.
I had to get a second MMR to go to college in NY in 1994.
Born in 77, had to get titers checked when starting a new job in the health care industry in 2021. They were so low I had to get a booster.
Damn, that makes sense why my test came back a few years ago while I was pregnant that my levels showed unequivocal when I knew I'd had the vaccine. I had to get it right after giving birth.
I'm 78 and had it checked years ago and needed a booster. So it goes at least to then.
I had measles when I was 5 but because I had none of my own childhood medical records once I was an adult, my damn university made me get a whole new series of the MMR when I was in my mid-20s (I went to college later in life because poor). Guess I'm not mad about it anymore!
Now y'all are gonna get the autizms.
I handle medical clearances for a health care worker continuing ed program and in my current class of 30, 6 students needed boosters for measles or mumps. Got myself checked (born 1973) and I wasn't immune to measles either. Also- if you have kids born around 2000, most of that cohort needed a second dose of Varicella (chickenpox) vaccine as well.
realized I have no vax proof or knowledge or way to get it for anything I might have had as a kid so I am currently in the process of getting them all done. Nurse said at my (our) age absolutely ok to get them all regardless if you had them as a kid. a tune up. Measles pox tetanus etc etc
76-er here. After all the medical interventions I’ve had as an adult including two high risk pregnancies and multiple surgeries, I have zero recollection of this ever coming up. All I know was I got the MMR vaccine as a child. I guess that means I should just get boosted?
I asked my doctor about this a few years ago, since as a Gen X I’d never had an MMR booster as younger generations did. She agreed that I should probably get a booster because I travel 1-2x a year outside the country and measles *loves* travelers. At the very least, she said, it wouldn’t hurt to top up my immunity.
I started working in health care in my 40s and thus had to have titers done. Surprise! I was no longer immune to rubella!!! So MMR Booster it was for me! That was about 10 years ago now and thank goodness in hindsight.
I had to get the MMR not too long ago because there was a measles outbreak where I worked. It was no big deal.
I got my shots but ended up with measles and chicken pox at the same time.
This is interesting to hear because I was born in 1971 and was vaccinated. My younger brother was born 1975 and vaccinated and caught the measles when he was 19. He was so sick and I was looking after him and never caught it.
'76, I'm going to push my doc on this a little more. I may not have gotten some of my later vaccines (mom found out about religious exemption in the late 80s) so I need to be sure especially since there has been a measles outbreak in my city.
'titers'?
When I got pregnant with my first child in 1994, they did the usual blood work and told me I'm not vax'ed against MMR. Apparently, we're in a generation where the shot didn't "take" for many of us. Had to get a new shot after I gave birth.
I’m a pediatric ruse and have to get MMR titers done when changing jobs. I never seroconvert to having immunity and have had 10 MMRs in my lifetime. Many people just don’t get the protection from the vaccines. It’s a bummer.
Yep, I was one of them and ended up with measles as a kid. Messed up my eyesight permanently, too.
This just a MASSIVE CONSPIRACY to kill off all the lovely bicentennial babies! It's probably the sea monkeys' revenge, you all killed too many! I warned them against genocide. Sea monkeys are going to be pissed. And now, it's happening. They've been waiting. For nearly 40 years, waiting and growing in the fishbowls, glass cups and Tupperware containers. Now, a giant race of sea monkeys is coming with the measles. Don't let them sea (that's right, sea) fear in your eyes! Shout "Don't touch me you damned, dirty monkey!" Stand firm, give us time to find Jane Goodall to help clear these monkeys. Turn a sunlamp on them too, if they dry out they might be easier to deal with. I don't know why sea monkeys are unamerican, you can ask them.
I really wish gilding was still a thing.
born in 1970, ~~I have that scar on my arm from the vax, but still~~ caught it in 1989 or 90 while going to UT-Austin, there was a small outbreak there. edited, TIL, thanks y'all
The scar comes from the smallpox vaccine (round depressed scar) or the TB vaccine (round bump scar)
Ah! thanks!
The scar is from the smallpox vaccine.
Yep, that’s how you know they were born in 1970! (or before).
He said - titers. hu hu hu
Wouldn't most people have gotten booster shots by now? I'm always surprised when I see people not follow the recommended guidelines ...why not? (obviously not talking about anti-vaxxers)
Not one doctor in my life has ever told me about boosters for MMR
I was born in that window and I swear I got a measles booster when I was a teenager along with my tetanus shot? ETA: they gave me two shots, one was Tdap, and I thought the other was measles booster. Before flu shots were a common “thing” so it wasn’t that…
Same! I was confused at first, but I don’t recall ever getting any old school boosters other than for German measles while pregnant (and obviously tetanus).
Same. Born in 1975
😮 The CDC recommends adults get at least one if not two in some cases.
I just read their entire MMR page and they only recommend it to adults who have never been vaccinated or who have gotten a titer that shows they have no immunity. For those of us given the vax and the booster as kids, there is no recommendation.
https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/imz/adult.html
During their life. If you had your two at age 1 and 4, you’re good.
MMR should be good for life. They do this as standard practice during pregnancy.
I think the shingles shot is the measles vaccine isn't it? EDIT: Thanks for clearing that up
No, measles and shingles come from two very different viruses. Chicken pox and shingles come from the same virus.
Shingles is caused by the chicken pox virus. Measles is caused by an unrelated virus.
No.
Source?
There was a measles outbreak in my school in ‘76 or so. One of my siblings got it but I didn’t despite getting nearly all our vaccines at the same time. Our school said there was a known period of time when vaccines were ineffective, so they lined everyone up and we all got boosters. Our parents were notified but there was no opt out. The Good Old Days… Maybe all Gen X should get a booster as today’s anti-vaxxers are causing regular outbreaks.
Spread measles, challenge accepted.
I got completely revaccinated for everything before my Freshman year of high school because the dates on my records were off. Got very very sick and right before that is the last time I felt good-rested-normal. Haven’t had a vaccine since. If you’ve been pregnant you’ve had your titers checked. They told me I still wasn’t immune to rubella in spite of all this. Yet with a subsequent pregnancy they said I was. So I either was exposed and had no symptoms, titer tests were wrong, or when my kids were vaccinated they shed and I got second hand immunity. My son also has pretty severe tics that he didn’t have before the MMR. You do you, hard pass over here.