Gardasil Information and Uses

Gardasil

Gardasil Overview

Gardasil (generic: human papillomavirus quadrivalent (types 6, 11, 16, and 18)) is a vaccine used to prevent genital warts and cervical, vaginal, and anal cancers caused by certain types of human papillomavirus in girls and women age 9 through 26 years. It may also be used to prevent genital warts in boys and men age 9 through 26 years.

This vaccine comes in an injectable form and is given in a series of 3 injections, usually in the arm muscle.

Common side effects of Gardasil include pain, swelling, itching, bruising, and redness at the injection site, headache, and fever.

Gardasil does not contain thimerosal.

Uses of Gardasil

Gardasil is a vaccine (injection/shot) that is used for girls and women 9 through 26 years of age to help protect against the following diseases caused by Human Papillomavirus (HPV):

Cervical cancer
Vulvar and vaginal cancers
Anal cancer
Genital warts
Precancerous cervical, vaginal, vulvar, and anal lesions

Gardasil is used for boys and men 9 through 26 years of age to help protect against the following diseases caused by HPV:

Anal cancer
Genital warts
Precancerous anal lesions

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Side Effects of Gardasil

The most common side effects with Gardasil are:

pain, swelling, itching, bruising, and redness at the injection site
headache
fever
nausea
dizziness
vomiting
fainting

Tell your health care provider if you have any of the following problems because these may be signs of an allergic reaction:

difficulty breathing
wheezing (bronchospasm)
hives
rash
Tell your health care provider if you have:
swollen glands (neck, armpit, or groin)
joint pain
unusual tiredness, weakness, or confusion
chills
generally feeling unwell
leg pain
shortness of breath
chest pain
aching muscles
muscle weakness
seizure
bad stomach ache
bleeding or bruising more easily than normal
skin infection

Contact your health care provider right away if you get any symptoms that concern you, even several months after getting the vaccine.

Gardasil Interactions

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins and herbal supplements.

Immunosuppressive therapies, including irradiation, antimetabolites, alkylating agents, cytotoxic drugs, and corticosteroids (used in greater than physiologic doses), may reduce the immune responses to vaccines.

Gardasil Precautions

You should not get Gardasil if you have, or have had:

an allergic reaction after getting a dose of Gardasil.
a severe allergic reaction to yeast, amorphous aluminum hydroxyphosphate sulfate, polysorbate 80

You should continue to get routine cervical cancer screening. Gardasil may not fully protect everyone who gets the vaccine. Gardasil will not protect against HPV types that you already have.

Gardasil Food Interactions

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of Gardasil there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving Gardasil.

Inform MD

Tell your health care provider if you:

are pregnant or planning to get pregnant. Gardasil is not recommended for use in pregnant women.
have immune problems, like HIV infection, cancer, or you take medicines that affect your immune system.
have a fever over 100°F (37.8°C).
had an allergic reaction to another dose of Gardasil.
take any medicines, even those you can buy over the counter.

Gardasil and Pregnancy

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Gardasil is not recommended for use in pregnant women.

Gardasil and Lactation

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or planning to breastfeed. It is not known if Gardasil is excreted in human breast milk or if it will harm your nursing baby.

Gardasil Usage

Gardasil is a shot that is usually given in the arm muscle. You will need 3 shots given on the following schedule:

Dose 1: at a date you and your health care provider choose.
Dose 2: 2 months after Dose 1.
Dose 3: 6 months after Dose 1.

Fainting can happen after getting Gardasil. Sometimes people who faint can fall and hurt themselves. For this reason, your health care provider may ask you to sit or lie down for 15 minutes after you get Gardasil. Some people who faint might shake or become stiff. This may require evaluation or treatment by your health care provider.

Make sure that you get all 3 doses on time so that you get the best protection. If you miss a dose, talk to your health care provider.

Gardasil can be given at the same time as RECOMBIVAX HB®1 [hepatitis B vaccine (recombinant)] or Menactra [Meningococcal (Groups A, C, Y and W-135) Polysaccharide Diphtheria Toxoid Conjugate Vaccine] and Adacel [Tetanus Toxoid, Reduced Diphtheria Toxoid and Acellular Pertussis Vaccine Adsorbed (Tdap)].