Tetanus shots anyone?

[Jakers]

Just a curious question for you guys. How often do you get your tetanus booster shot? I do a bunch of Township stuff and regularly spend a week cut up and full of buckthorn slivers. Bug bites are also common here in Minnesota and it's easy to get 200 bites a day. From all the reading I've done it seems this is a prime scenario for using up the protection of a tetanus shot.

The reason I ask this is the last two times I've gotten a simple but dirty cut I've wound up with tetanus like symptoms that went away in a day the first time but took there days this time and were much worse. I called the clinic and they said every 10 years and hung up. It was late in the day and I didn't have the energy to argue. I'll talk to them more in depth tomorrow if I can. I would like to have an opinion from those in the same profession and similar work.

Thanks and saw safe

 

[SeMoTony]

VA told me good for 15 years IIRC 17 years ago oops thanks for reminder

 

[SeMoTony]

VA told me good for 15 years IIRC 17 years ago oops thanks for reminder

 

[AGoodSteward]

You are your own best doctor. Even more so with the information at your fingertips. If it helps you sleep nights, it will be worth doing.

 

[Del_]

Every ten years and you'd better keep up with it.

 

[Jakers]

i forgot to mention that my last one was in 2012. from all the reading i did, it seems the shot is only good for protecting you from X-number of bacteria. one cut and youre fine. many cuts and the amount in your body lessens each time so eventually you run out and your body cant fight the tetanus causing bacteria on its own. im not accident prone but im also not scared of a scar or two from working in the brush. some internet sources said every 5 or 6 years depending on the source and all agreed that its a good idea to get a booster if you have had a big, dirty burn or cut. all sources agreed that punctures are worse than little cuts because they dont bleed and self clean. thorns and slivers count as punctures i guess

 

[old CB]

My wife is an ER nurse, a good one. She says that a shot should last you ten years, although sometimes they'll give another for a deep, nasty wound--meaning way more than the flesh wounds we get from trees.

It does not matter how many cuts you get, you're covered for ten years.

 

[Jakers]

Ok. Thanks for the advice

 

[ATH]

Ask your family doc...

I hadn't had one in a long time. When our kids were getting theirs as babies, I asked the nurse whether adults should get them. She said probably not necessary unless you have frequent t (even small cuts) that get dirty. I got one that day too...