Vaccines and periods. This article has made me fume

[BettyBag]

www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-58573593.amp

I had period problems following bother doses of AZ vaccine. Specifically I missed a period both times and the following one showed up late and was generally weird. My cycle is incredibly regular and this is the first time my period was irregular since I had my youngest 15 years ago. It's back to normal now (I'm front line and had first dose in Jan).

I'm just livid at that article. I went to my GP when my second one didn't appear, he never asked about the vaccine and I didn't mention it. I didn't connect it to the vaccine until I came across and article about period changes due to vaccine and realised the dates matched. The NHS website advises not to seek advice regarded missed periods until there are 3 missed in a row. Which begs the question how the fuck can they be so sure the numbers are low whe nobody appears to be asking women about this.

It's clear to me that this question mustn't have been asked during the trials. Who cares, its just women stuff?

My favourite part of the article is the bit where they admit nobody knows why vaccines fuck with periods and there has been hardly any research yet they are sure it doesn't effect fertility. It doesn't bother explaining how they are so certain about this.

I am not an anti vaxxer. I have had all jabs as have my kids. I would have had the jab if I had known it caused menstrual changes. It just makes me extremely distrustful of the competence of medical science when it comes to women. I don't think there is a conspiracy I just don't think they particularly care.

[quote Jenala]@nevergoesaway a leaky vaccine is one that doesn't stop transmission. Vaccines that stop transmission are called 'perfect' vaccines (perfect here just meaning in terms of stopping transmission).

Far as I have read, these vaccines do reduce transmission and obviously people get less sick when they've had it. There is a role for leaky disease vaccines in disease management, but obviously it can't bring the virus to extinction if it can continue to spread.

I'm jabbed now but I think the knowledge these vaccines are leaky means those who choose not to have the jabs shouldn't be treated so badly, it becomes a much more personal decision if it's no longer about protecting others in the same way.

I have recently had to isolate because someone I work with, who had their second jab in April, just tested positive.[/quote]
Thank you very much for the reply, I hadn’t heard that term before!

anti vaxers do hate hearing the truth.

So here's some more things they will hate

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/woman-hospitalised-with-covid-comes-home-to-find-husband-dead-from-virus/ar-AANMVSU?ocid=mailsignout

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-58376709

www.al.com/news/2021/09/alabama-pickers-couple-known-for-reselling-and-vaccine-opposition-both-dead-of-covid.html?utm_source=reddit.com

[quote alreadytaken]anti vaxers do hate hearing the truth.

So here's some more things they will hate

www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/woman-hospitalised-with-covid-comes-home-to-find-husband-dead-from-virus/ar-AANMVSU?ocid=mailsignout

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-stoke-staffordshire-58376709

www.al.com/news/2021/09/alabama-pickers-couple-known-for-reselling-and-vaccine-opposition-both-dead-of-covid.html?utm_source=reddit.com[/quote]
These links are all only evidence the risk benefit analysis. The first link they are over 65 and both hugely overweight, so massively at risk and therefore they are much more at risk of covid than the vaccine. Similarly with the second one, the guy is 40 and clearly quite overweight. Third link again, both obese. They are not comparable to a healthy 12 year old. They're just not. The risk vs benefit is going to be different for different people.

I also continue to wonder why we are not being encouraged to do certain things shown to reduce severity of sickness alongside the vaccine, such as ensuring you're not vitamin D deficient. A policy that doesn't encompass everything is just... weird.

Again not an anti vaxxer but there is nuance as to who is going to benefit most from the vaccine, and who is less at risk. Splitting everyone into "Pro vaccination = good person" and "Anti-vaxxer = dumb idiot who is going to die" adds nothing helpful. If we want people to take the vaccine who really should due to their risk factors, denigrating them isn't going to help at all. The discourse sometimes feels like it's more about showing everyone that we think correctly rather than actually wanting others to make the right decision for their health and individual circumstances.

@ShaneTheThird

My sympathies. I had it really badly during first lockdown. Also have other health issues. No desire to go through to risk experiencing similar symptoms again, even if less severe. No thanks. My immune system has done it's work. I don't understand why you would require the vaccine after a mere 28 days of getting the live infection. Are you less likely to get side effects? I had antibodies a year later.

As regards people treating you badly, we've become a society high on a oppositional rhetoric. Putting people into categories of 'good' and 'bad' I sometimes think it's like because the 'big things' prejudice based on race, sex, disability, have sort of been ameliorated, we've now shifted to dividing people based on politics, personal opinions, personal choices and it's fuelled by a sort of aggressive victimhood/skewed morality. It's, intolerant, nasty and God knows where it will take us as the boundaries aren't so easily defined.

Hope everything works out ok x

I was in the Oxford trial for the AZ vaccine. I was only asked about periods before each vaccine as a precaution against pregnancy (it was a contraindication in the trial at the time and I also had to have a pregnancy test before each dose).
Even at my final appointment last month when the effects on periods have been in the news, I wasn't asked.

It's not anti-vax to say that women should be told that a vaccine could have an impact on their menstrual cycle. In fact telling women to expect it might stop actually stop the anti-vax using it as an excuse not to vaccinate.
Gas lighting women and telling them that the vaccine doesn't cause changes, which is what was happening originally, is just going to create mistrust.

@ElBandito

It's not anti-vax to say that women should be told that a vaccine could have an impact on their menstrual cycle. In fact telling women to expect it might stop actually stop the anti-vax using it as an excuse not to vaccinate. Gas lighting women and telling them that the vaccine doesn't cause changes, which is what was happening originally, is just going to create mistrust.

Exactly this. Just telling women over and over it's in their heads is only going to reduce vaccine uptake.

It feels like this weird, patrician response that the 'unwashed masses' can't be given information to inform their decisions, because god forbid they make the wrong one. Us at the top know what the right decision is, so let's metaphorically pat them on their silly little heads and tell them they just don't understand. Lie if need be, it's for the greater good yada yada yada. I mean, that approach is everywhere but with covid most seem to have suspended all critical thinking and suddenly trust the sources they might usually question.

I had issues with my period after having Covid for the first time. (And it has continued) mid cycle bleeding has been happening. I had a scan and nothing was found. No changes after the vaccine.

Caroline Criado Perez has been saying for years that women are ignored by medical research.

Ignoring people leads to resentment and and distrust which is so stupid when you consider the importance to everybody of the vaccine.

I track mine and they're always 31/32 days. My first jab was 14 days into the cycle — that cycle lasted 48 days. I then had my second jab 21 days into that next cycle. I'm now on day 60 and nothing yet.

I'm not too worried (apart from knowing it will turn up when I'm out for the day, probably wearing white trousers), but I wish it was listed as a potential side effect rather than me finding out online.

I'm not too worried (apart from knowing it will turn up when I'm out for the day, probably wearing white trousers), but I wish it was listed as a potential side effect rather than me finding out online.

It's probably just too soon for the information to be out yet.

I totally don't get these people who think talking about this stuff is being anti-vax, or talking about risk benefit questions. Where do they think information on side effects comes from? How do they think individuals are supposed to make medical decisions? Individuals aren't statistics.

When have the NHS ever vaccinated children for an illness that they aren't especially vulnerable to? never heard of flu vaccines?

It's probably just too soon for the information to be out yet.

That's probably true. They had added some things to the leaflets in the 8 weeks between my two doses, so it must be on a rolling basis. Hopefully it'll be added soon if a lot of people have reported it.

I'm only not worried because I know the vaccine can cause it — I'd be worried it was something more sinister if I hasn't found that out.

It’s going to have an impact on our bodies in some form.

“There is no evidence it won’t affect fertility” yet it can stop your period and the vaccine has been out for a short period of time.

@MoonlightApple

Caroline Criado Perez has been saying for years that women are ignored by medical research.

Ignoring people leads to resentment and and distrust which is so stupid when you consider the importance to everybody of the vaccine.

They prob aren’t

[quote DysonSphere]**@Whatwouldscullydo* You can get any money if men suffered erectile dysfunction after the jab they'd have done the research months ago. It would not he trivialised the same way.*

Quite. It reminds me of a trip I took to America, friend driving from Orlando to Miami, as I was about to dose off, I was suddenly awed by a huge (truly massive) billboard with flashing lights and words in bold red: CAN'T GET IT UP??!! DOCTOR Joe Blogs, ERECTILE DYSFUNCTION SPECIALIST CALL 12345678 NOW!!! FOR A FREE CONSULTATION, DON'T SUFFER!!

Typical I thought. Women get orgasm dysfunction too, but nobody gives a s* let alone put out an ad.

I have thyroid issues. God help any woman who doesn't respond to basic treatment. Better get rich quick. It baffles me how there are so many women practicing medicine yet they somehow mostly speak with man voice. Not one bit surprised they're totally ignoring women, some of the dismissive comments in the DM made my blood pressure rise.[/quote]
Because not being able to come isn’t the same as not being able to get a hard dick. Former has no medicine for either gender.

My menstrual cycle has been off since my first dose in March.

[quote Jenala]@nevergoesaway a leaky vaccine is one that doesn't stop transmission. Vaccines that stop transmission are called 'perfect' vaccines (perfect here just meaning in terms of stopping transmission).

Far as I have read, these vaccines do reduce transmission and obviously people get less sick when they've had it. There is a role for leaky disease vaccines in disease management, but obviously it can't bring the virus to extinction if it can continue to spread.

I'm jabbed now but I think the knowledge these vaccines are leaky means those who choose not to have the jabs shouldn't be treated so badly, it becomes a much more personal decision if it's no longer about protecting others in the same way.

I have recently had to isolate because someone I work with, who had their second jab in April, just tested positive.[/quote]
I have to disagree totally. We are trying to both keep people alive and keep the health system functioning. Vaccination lowers cases and transmission and very importantly significantly lowers the likelihood of needed an icu. Something like 87% of Australian patients in icu are unvaccinated and nearly all the rest have had one dose not two. It’s pretty critical people get vaccinated.

To be clear I also think women’s observations should be taken seriously. I think it’s clear there’s no overall risk to fertility but that doesn’t mean there’s no impact on the next period at all and I’d rather be informed.

I don’t think any women on this thread who have shared their experiences can be called anti-vax considering they had the vaccination….

My teen daughter and I have been discussing this. I'm very pro vaccine, as was she but links with irregular periods are putting her off. She's concerned about long term impact on fertility and of course I have no answers...

@KobaniDaughters

I don’t think any women on this thread who have shared their experiences can be called anti-vax considering they had the vaccination….

I've noticed that now, even bringing up questions about the legal issues around bodily autonomy or medical privacy seem to get you labeled an anti-vaxxer, whether or not you've had the vaccination yourself.

Why do people think that fertility is going to be in any way affected?

We take medications that pause our fertility for years. We get our fertility back. What is in the drug that could possible cause long term fertility issues?

Women are still getting pregnant.

Women are fat and obese and this has an issue with fertility. Yet we don’t talk about it.

We don't yet know what the long term effects of having the virus could be on hormones and fertility. My menstrual cycle changed after having had Covid. Again this seems to be something that is not discussed.

I had 2 Pfizer doses and it messed with my periods too. The first brought on a period early but it was only a few days. I thought this would happen after hearing stories from friends. I then didn’t have a period for 5 weeks until I had the next dose - which was an unusually light bleed. 2 weeks later I had Revenge Of The Menstruation - well over a week of heavy period. It’s now returned to normal.

I’m utterly pro-vaccine (even my children have had it - not in the U.K.) but was a bit at the lacklustre info on menstrual changes and general lack of interest.