To not know where to turn about vaccine fears?

[WaxedNotVaxed]

I've started a new job in the NHS, I'm patient facing and there is pressure being put on for me to get the covid vaccine as soon as possible.

My fears are that I have PCOS and have always struggled with my periods and my cycles used to be 100+ days. Since having a baby a few years ago I have a 29 day cycle and I don't want to mess with this?

I'm scared about the vaccine making me infertile? Or having long term impacts on my reproductive health? It's scary enough with PCOS and I definitely want another child.

I'm overall just a bit skeptical as a 26 year old woman who wants more kids and has PCOS to get a vaccine without long term studies for a virus id likely only be mildly ill from?

I can't say this at work but I feel really anxious over it

Don't really know why people are saying in this thread the vaccine is 100% safe, there have been about 50 deaths in the UK linked to blood clots (you have a 1 in 55,000 chance of getting a blood clot).

Obviously also the myocarditis issue with Pfizer and Moderna.

I've been double vaxed. Had my first vaccine in January and got pregnant in March.

I have endo and have unusual cycles. I didn't find that my cycles were affected and after over a year of trying was happy to be pregnant. I'm now 23 weeks and she's healthy and happy in there

@samwitwicky Literally frightening that you are working for the NHS. Your comparisons are in no way similar to the COVID jab. Why are some vaccines already mandatory then?

OP, listen to the experts who have said that this is safe. Speak to someone who has proper knowledge, not a bunch of vaccine-dodgers who are here to justify their own dubious choices and are probably getting a high from doing so.

@WaxedNotVaxed I'm going against the grain here and I have to say I totally agree with you OP. People keep saying there is no evidence that it affects fertility, but there is also no evidence that it doesn't either. That's the issue and is also the reason I won't be having it. Also, people seem to forget that having both jabs doesn't stop you contracting the virus and passing it on. So even though your patient facing, it will not make a difference to them if you have the vaccine or not. The only person that would be affected would be you, which is totally your choice.

[quote sammysnake]@samwitwicky Literally frightening that you are working for the NHS. Your comparisons are in no way similar to the COVID jab. Why are some vaccines already mandatory then?

OP, listen to the experts who have said that this is safe. Speak to someone who has proper knowledge, not a bunch of vaccine-dodgers who are here to justify their own dubious choices and are probably getting a high from doing so.

[/quote]

Not high at all.

But it does tickle me that my working for the NHS whilst not being vaccinated bothers you so much.

[quote lockdownbabyx]@WaxedNotVaxed I'm going against the grain here and I have to say I totally agree with you OP. People keep saying there is no evidence that it affects fertility, but there is also no evidence that it doesn't either. That's the issue and is also the reason I won't be having it. Also, people seem to forget that having both jabs doesn't stop you contracting the virus and passing it on. So even though your patient facing, it will not make a difference to them if you have the vaccine or not. The only person that would be affected would be you, which is totally your choice. [/quote]
Once again, there’s so much wrong in this. Proper ‘bloke in the pub’ type stuff.

@samwitwicky It's irresponsible of you and shows that you lack a basic understanding of medicine and risk. Guarantee that private healthcare will introduce mandatory jabs first and there will be a slide towards private care taking over the public sector. All because people in your shoes thought they knew better than the experts.

As a patient, I would expect patient facing staff in nhs to be vaccinated. If they were not, not only would I be concerned about the risk they present to patients and their stance towards the patients they are supposed to be caring for, but I would also question their clinical judgment

Good job there's no way for you to know then really.

If I was in any kind of health care I would of course tell patients I was double jabbed regardless...i imagine many others do, to stop this kind of nonsense comment.

A doctor may smoke cigarettes, but will still advise patients to quit smoking and offer support for this. Would you question these ethics?

I would if they were smoking in the consultation room and blowing smoke rings into the faces of patients with COPD. Which is about the only way this would be remotely comparable or relevant.

😂

A doctor may smoke cigarettes, but will still advise patients to quit smoking and offer support for this. Would you question these ethics?

EVERYONE has a choice, healthcare worker or not, and that choice does not have to be justified to anyone

Well said. It's never occurred to me to ask my medical professionals if they had the MMR or whatever. This is no different.

Woman’s Hour had a guest on on Friday discussing the vaccine and pregnancy. Why don’t you listen and see what they say ( spoiler alert - get the vaccine ). The BBC Sounds site will tell you who she was and her expertise.

I also work for the NHS (in a non-patient facing role and currently on maternity leave), and share the same reservations as you OP. Over 4000 women were recently reported to have raised concerns over the effects of the vaccine on the menstrual cycles, and as it is known that only 5-10% of people will raise concerns regarding the side-effects of medical procedures, the true number of women affected could be much higher. You are also completely right in saying that we do not yet know the long-term side effects, perhaps 5-10 years down the line might be different, but as these vaccines are still in the trial phase until 2023, I fully commend your decision to hold off and seek further information before making your decision. I too, will not be having them (if at all) until it is proven they have no adverse effects on fertility etc., and will gladly stand my ground on any pressure I am likely to face.

@Dutch1e

A doctor may smoke cigarettes, but will still advise patients to quit smoking and offer support for this. Would you question these ethics?

EVERYONE has a choice, healthcare worker or not, and that choice does not have to be justified to anyone

Well said. It's never occurred to me to ask my medical professionals if they had the MMR or whatever. This is no different.

That's because those diseases are virtually eradicated through decades of mass vaccination.

@Ellpellwood

A doctor may smoke cigarettes, but will still advise patients to quit smoking and offer support for this. Would you question these ethics?

I would if they were smoking in the consultation room and blowing smoke rings into the faces of patients with COPD. Which is about the only way this would be remotely comparable or relevant.

Exactly this ☝️

I think people think about "NHS workers" and associate it with GPs and outpatients, 20 minute appointments, but I spent several days and nights in hospital with my toddler last week, with breathing difficulties. 5 days, different nurse/Dr every shift as you'd expect. It was only made slightly less terrifying because I assumed the staff would have had at least one dose by now, but here we are, apparently there's whole armies of antivax staff! Who knew?

@Ellpellwood

I think people think about "NHS workers" and associate it with GPs and outpatients, 20 minute appointments, but I spent several days and nights in hospital with my toddler last week, with breathing difficulties. 5 days, different nurse/Dr every shift as you'd expect. It was only made slightly less terrifying because I assumed the staff would have had at least one dose by now, but here we are, apparently there's whole armies of antivax staff! Who knew?

Hope your toddler is better now. All the healthcare workers I know IRL are vocal advocates for the vaccine.

Thisismyname your link is to a website run by an American activist group who oppose vaccinations generally, it is not a legitimate health website.

If a doctor has shared this then I would raise that as a complaint, it would be really inappropriate. Tbh I struggle to imagine a doctor doing that.

There are lots of other jobs you could do.

I find it quite worrying that you work for the NHS and you are happy to be unvaccinated and patient facing.

There is no evidence that the vaccines cause fertility problems, but if you are that paranoid then find a different role.

@SchrodingersImmigrant

You should speak eith someone with good knowledge about it who can address your worries. It's absolutely fine to be worried about things. I remember reading that women with PCOS are at bigger risk of covid and issues so it's absolutely worth for you to speak with someone who can put your mind at ease

You can't speak to someone who knows, because nobody knows the long term effects of this vaccine on account that it's not been on the market very long.

Nobody can tell you the sode effects as nobody knows, thats why its a trial period. If you dont want it dont have it, i wont be until at least 2023. Worlds gone crazy.

Dt2 aged 24 has pcos She had similar fears but was reassured. She has had both injections now and appears to be fine.