In the article “Concerns about Gardasil,” published April 22, the Kernel quoted Dr. Hatim Omar, who implied that teenagers faint at the sight of a needle, and a second doctor reported, “Concerns about side effects are largely overstated and the vaccine is extremely safe.” I am one of the 7,000 girls who experienced an adverse reaction to the Gardasil vaccine, and this reaction was not because I am afraid of needles.

I suffered a concussion last August after the first Gardasil injection in the series of three. After I received the injection, I felt fine and normal, but when I stood up to check out of the gynecologist’s office, I passed out and hit my head on a wall. I woke up in a different room, could not remember where I was, who I was, and had completely lost my short-term memory. I had gotten a new wallet and cell phone while on vacation, and had no idea where these came from. After I was told the ambulance was on the way, I lost consciousness again, and was in and out of consciousness for the next five hours. I have no recollection of what happened between the time I tried to check out of the doctor’s office and the time I left the hospital, except for the few minute snippets I described above. I spent the next two weeks in bed because I suffered from severe headaches and could not stand for more than a few hours at a time. During this time, I was unable to work, and was unable to prepare for the start of my college career, which began three weeks later.

I am a music major, and after my concussion was unable to play the oboe or practice for my audition, which took place three weeks later. I spent the majority of last semester struggling to catch up and also had difficulties playing until November. It has been nine months, and I can finally say I have returned to normal. I still don’t remember entirely what happened that day, and I don’t expect to ever know. However, what I do know is that I would never deem this vaccine “extremely safe.” Do the side effects occur in a limited number of people? Do the side effects disrupt a woman’s life if she is affected? Should people exercise caution with their decision to get this vaccine? The answer to all of the above is, ‘Yes.’

I urge both doctors and patients alike to consider the implications of this vaccine. Before doctors conclude this vaccine is “extremely safe,” and imply that teenagers overreact to the side effects, please consider those of us whose lives have been affected by this vaccine. Please take this into account in the future before you make a broad general statement and encourage more young women, and potentially men, to suffer like I did last summer.

Lindsay Baranowski

Spanish and music freshman