Did you have changes to period e.g. worse PMS, painful period, after covid vaccine?

[Chocaholic9]

I have just had my first period after being fully vaccinated (I live overseas.)

I am really baffled by the experience I've had this period. I got the most awful PMS. I don't remember a month this bad. I felt so depressed, sad, angry and irritable. I was also exhausted (to the bone) on the day before my period came. I do not experience these symptoms normally. It was such an extreme few days that I was actually Googling PMDD and have made an appointment with my doctor to discuss.

But it seems odd because I do not normally get PMS. How have I gone from hardly any PMS to PMDD symptoms within the space of a month? I felt fine the rest of the month, in fact happy and content. I have really been scratching my head over this.

I read about the changes the vaccine can make to your menstrual cycle (www.bbc.com/news/health-56901353) and wondered if those kinds of changes can somehow affect hormones to worsen PMS.

When my period came I also felt exhausted to the point I am having to take time off work, unplanned. I feel utterly burned out.

My period this time is also more painful than it's been in the past.

Has anyone else experienced a weird period after the covid vaccine?

I'm not complaining because I'd rather have a bad period than get covid, but I'm baffled by this change and just curious if anyone else has had a similar experience.

I'm mid-late 30s and so I'm used to my period being a certain way.

Mine was weird in that it was better! Rather than feeling sick, cramps and headache I actually felt fine. I back to back the pill so I've only had 2 or 3 periods since June but I can't remember the last time I could actually cope. I'll report back next week to see if my luck changes.

Mine was delayed after both doses (AZ) bit returned to normal the following cycle. Women's menstrual cycles can be affected by changes to the immune system.

I had a period every two weeks after my vaccine (AZ) but now haven't had one for 14 weeks!
Not that I'm complaining about that. But I'm dreading it when it comes as I imagine it will be hideously heavy.
I've taken a pregnancy test and deffo not pregnant

It was weird because my period has been all over the place since getting the vaccine. I’ve been like clockwork since my first ever one and even getting covid last year didn’t affect it.

I should have taken out shares in clear blue as the amount of pregnancy tests I’ve taken has been unreal.

DD was a regular as clockwork before hers (double jabbed, Pfizer). Ever since her first dose in June she's had a period every two weeks and they're agonisingly painful and almost unmanageably heavy. Only upside is they last three days instead of her usual five or six.

If there's no improvement in a couple of months she's going to speak to the GP about it. She says that she had a period a few days after her first jab even though she wasn't expecting one for two weeks, so she's convinced there's a connection.

I haven't had a period for years thanks to my mirena coil, but I did have a bit of spotting after my first AZ which was very unexpected.

I had my first dose (Pfizer) just before the middle of my cycle and it ended up delaying ovulation by two weeks (I track it well) and when I did ovulate I had terrible stabbing pains, and PMS was much worse with a week or so of strong cramps. Overall that cycle ended up being over 6 weeks long, but then I had a normal period in between. After second dose I had bleeding in the middle of cycle but then period arrived normally. And yes, like PPs there were a few panic pregnancy tests taken!

I had Pfizer. My petite regularity hadn't changed but it does this weird stop start thing towers the end. Also now pp have mentioned it my pms is much worse. I want to murder dp for the slightest irritation the poor man!

Thanks everyone for sharing.

I did a lot of research and there seems to be many anecdotes from women, including post menopausal women who got periods or spotting after the vaccine.

Hard to know if this is really a thing, or if these occurrences would have happened without the vaccine. But I know my own body and I do believe the vaccine has had an effect on my menstrual cycle.

Mine was absolutely fine after vaccination.

I get random months when I have terrible PMS rage - to the point that I'm googling PMDD and wondering if I should go to the GP about it. But then other months I'm fine, or just a bit sad, or have bad pains but no emotional symptoms. It's been like that since my mid-30s so I think it's the beginning of peri, but no other signs of that so far.

Just to reassure you that it might not be the vaccine, it might be a coincidence.

I had AZ in July, mid cycle and have never had a period since.

Not had second due to some ongoing neurological problems it’s caused and I’m still being seen for.

A doctor told me it’s the menopause (not tests - this was just one of the drs on the ward when I was in for neurology tests). I’m 41. Periods like clockwork all my life before that, fell pregnant first time trying the year before.

I guess I must be the luckiest woman alive to have my only symptom of menopause my periods disappearing overnight, eh.

@whatswithtodaytoday

Mine was absolutely fine after vaccination.

I get random months when I have terrible PMS rage - to the point that I'm googling PMDD and wondering if I should go to the GP about it. But then other months I'm fine, or just a bit sad, or have bad pains but no emotional symptoms. It's been like that since my mid-30s so I think it's the beginning of peri, but no other signs of that so far.

Just to reassure you that it might not be the vaccine, it might be a coincidence.

I think I'm definitely too young for perimenopause. My mother didn't have her menopause until mid to late 50s so if I'm the same I'm 20 years off menopause.

But you're right it could be coincidence. I'll see what my next period is like. If I continue to have PMDD symptoms over a longer period, obviously it won't be the vaccine.

It's not a coincidence it's been reported that it's totally messing with periods and cycles, heavy periods etc but like anything periods and female hormone related it's been mostly ignored by the medical industry.

It's impacting women with endometriosis and causing huge flare ups, I do know there is due to be some research into the links between the vaccination and the impact on women, but not sure it will give us answers quickly.

Also I'm sorry to hear it's impacted you like this and fingers crossed your body can balance out in the coming months.

I have definitely seen mine go a little haywire. My rhythm and cycle is all off - very long gaps! I'm still trying to get to grips with whatever new rhythm it's trying to settle into, but not figured it out yet, much to my distress.

I had AZ as did my sister and both of us have had our cycles messed up.
She didn't have a period for 3 months and then had one exceptionally heavy 2 day period, then no more since. She is worried now as she was hoping to try for a baby. Needless to say after reading there are issues with Pfizer as well, I won't be encouraging my teenagers into getting jabbed. No chance. Why is there not more concern voiced over these issues?

However...I would imagine all the incidences reported are entirely coincidental...

First vaccine 27 July

Period 27 August
Next period Halloween..............incredibly painful

Absolutely zero changes.

No- have had both vaccinations and the booster. No change at all

I also had the booster, and still no changes.

I've had long covid twice and one AZ vaccine and all three affected my period.

The thing that happens to me is that at the beginning of my period struggle with nausea and then my face goes white and cold and then my head feels cold.

I then test my blood pressure and find that it has dropped from 120/80 to about 100/70. Then usually the next day it drops further to about 85/52, and then I just lie flat feeling exactly like a cold flat tyre.

Usually it gets better in a few days. This time, post-Delta covid, it's really going on for a long time. My blood pressure is still low after 6 days and it's really kind of depressing as I would hope it would go away sooner.

I can't seem to find any reference to anyone else having this problem anywhere, which is a bit odd.

I know I'm short of vitamin B12 and iodine but feeling rubbish like this is kind of holding me back from sorting that out as my appetite has gone. Grrr...