Where do I find old immunization records?

[Silkenray]

Somehow, my college managed to not send me my medical forms to fill out. Perhaps they got lost in the mail between here and England. It's far from the only thing they mailed me that I never received. I also never got my orientation information, my advisor information, or anything like that. It just never arrived.

So, as a result I got an email yesterday stating that my registration was on hold until I provided proof of MMR immunization. That's fine. I had all my shots as a child. The problem is finding proof.

I changed doctors several times as a kid, in no small part to my mother being crazy and paranoid and making impulsive decisions. I've also been out of the country for 4 years, in a country with national health, so I haven't had insurance during that time OR a doctor in the US. The doctors in the UK do NOT have a copy of my immunization records. Because of my mother's aforementioned crazy paranoia, as well as cost issues, I haven't had a primary care provider for at least eight years prior to my move to the UK. I've gone to specialists (like gynecologists and optometrists) as necessary. So I'm really not sure WHERE my records are. I think my parents HAD a copy, but they moved a few years ago, and I can't seem to find the file anywhere.

If I don't find them, my college will let me get the shots all over again there... but that's a last resort. I'm terrified of needles, due to needing blood work done every three months as a kid and having terrible veins. So clearly I want to avoid that if at all possible. But I don't even know where to begin looking. Any thoughts?

[Chloe]

You may find your college has an exemption for those with a religious objection to vaccinations. You may newly discover such an objection.

[Troodon]

Can you tell them that you have a religious opposition to immunization?

[Silkenray]

Originally Posted by Chloe

You may find your college has an exemption for those with a religious objection to vaccinations. You may newly discover such an objection.

There IS a place for just such a thing on the form. It does require a signature from a member of the clergy, though.

ETA: I want to do things above board if at all possible.

[Chloe]

Originally Posted by Silkenray

There IS a place for just such a thing on the form. It does require a signature from a member of the clergy, though.

Hmm. If I were not a university administrator, I'd probably recommend an illegible scribble, assuming your moral compass would countenance it.

ETA: Ah, I see it would not.

[Jahungo]

If you know any of the primary care physicians you had, try calling them, even if it was eight years ago. It might be a pain, but the records will be there somewhere.

Also, it's possible your school (e.g. your high school or elementary school) has the records still, sometimes they keep records.

[AnglRdr]

Silkenray, you might contact the district you graduated high school from. They might still have your immunization record on file.

[Chloe]

Didn't you spend some time in college before? Might your old college have them? (Ignore this if I'm hallucinating).

[Silkenray]

Yep, I went to college before. I can try calling them tomorrow.

My parents apparently HAVE a copy of my records here. I've managed to find all of my brother's medical records, but not mine... so I'm not sure where it is.

[blucanary]

Is there a titer test for MMR? If so you can have your doctor do one and that should work as proof.

[Mateus]

I am a clergymember! It's that church that does free online ordinations. Hold on, let me look it up...ok, I'm an ordained minister in the Universal Life Church. Do you want my fax number?

[Bettie Page Turner]

Originally Posted by blucanary

Is there a titer test for MMR? If so you can have your doctor do one and that should work as proof.

Yes, there is. You might ask if the doctor at the student health clinic can order one.

[Algae]

I just discovered I can ask for immunization records through my state's Department of Health. Can you try that?

[ange84]

Don't know if it's the same over there but we have an immunisation register, I'm not sure who can access it, but ti can be accessed and a doctor would probably be able to do so, so maybe looking into if there is something similar there.

[Banrion]

Originally Posted by Bettie Page Turner

Yes, there is. You might ask if the doctor at the student health clinic can order one.

Her primary objection to just getting another jab is the needle. Surely the needle for a blood draw to do a titer is bigger and more difficult than just getting another jab?*





*Not singling you out specifically Bettie, just the last post that has said this in the thread.

[Annissa]

I ran into this exact same problem. I just started college after a 13 year hiatus.

The office that gave me my infant immunizations no longer exists, so I called the clinic where I had them re-done in '87 (when I changed school districts) and called my old high school where I graduated in '96 and neither of them had the records. I ended up just getting another MMR shot.

I'm also scared to death of needles, so I understand your concern. But I was surprised at how little it hurt. It wasn't nearly as bad as it was back when I was 9 and my arm wasn't sore at all afterward.

[Silkenray]

Success! My last college has a copy of my immunization records. I just have to fax them a release form, and they'll mail them out.

I'm still following up other leads, just in case something goes horribly wrong.

[Silkenray]

Update to an update: My old college does NOT have them. My old doctor has my records on file, but isn't sure she has my immunization records. We will know on Monday.

[RivkahChaya]

Silkenray, my husband and I both received full sets of vaccinations as adults when we joined the military, and there is no harm in getting extra boosters, and probably it is helpful, as some people (very, very few, but still) lose childhood immunity from vaccines. I also got an additional MMR in college, because there was an outbreak in a dorm, and everyone had to get either a shot, or produce records. I was lazy, and got the shot. On top of that, I had some extra boosters when I was nine, and we travelled to the Asian part of the Soviet Union.

But my main part is, the vaccines I had as an adult were not from needles and syringes, they were from a vaccine gun. Feels like a particularly bad mosquito bite, but nothing more. No soreness afterward.

And as someone else pointed out, adults have a higher threshhold of pain than children do, so those dreaded vaccines from childhood might not be so bad now, even if you do need actual shots.

But before you panic, find out if they are using needles, or the gun.

Originally Posted by Silkenray

Somehow, my college managed to not send me my medical forms to fill out. Perhaps they got lost in the mail between here and England. It's far from the only thing they mailed me that I never received. I also never got my orientation information, my advisor information, or anything like that. It just never arrived.

So, as a result I got an email yesterday stating that my registration was on hold until I provided proof of MMR immunization. That's fine. I had all my shots as a child. The problem is finding proof.

I changed doctors several times as a kid, in no small part to my mother being crazy and paranoid and making impulsive decisions. I've also been out of the country for 4 years, in a country with national health, so I haven't had insurance during that time OR a doctor in the US. The doctors in the UK do NOT have a copy of my immunization records. Because of my mother's aforementioned crazy paranoia, as well as cost issues, I haven't had a primary care provider for at least eight years prior to my move to the UK. I've gone to specialists (like gynecologists and optometrists) as necessary. So I'm really not sure WHERE my records are. I think my parents HAD a copy, but they moved a few years ago, and I can't seem to find the file anywhere.

If I don't find them, my college will let me get the shots all over again there... but that's a last resort. I'm terrified of needles, due to needing blood work done every three months as a kid and having terrible veins. So clearly I want to avoid that if at all possible. But I don't even know where to begin looking. Any thoughts?

[Silkenray]

Update to an update of an update. Apparently my High School still has my medical records, and they'll be sending them over.