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.

Oh yes the news are full of anti vaxxers dying from Covid. The few I know that did not get the vaccine. All had Covid and are still alive and we’re not hospitalised .

My second jab was two months ago and have not got my period since. I just assumed it was the menopause kicking at 50.

@Talktalkchat

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.

I believe it's because they wonder if it is affecting their reproductive system if it's affecting periods.

The real issue is about being upfront about side effects, and if people find them worrying, explaining what causes them, or what the most likely explanation is.

This business of dismissing people for being concerned actually has the opposite of the intended effect. It makes people suspect the medical are being dishonest, or that if they had reason to, they would be dishonest.

Have had huge issues with my prepress since getting the vaccines. I feel like it's also affected my hormones mood and appetite (All for the worse!). Was not given any leaflet with either first or second vaccine and never heard about yellow card until I read this thread, and I try and read up on these things as much as possible. I'm actually really angry that the effects on menstrual cycles are not being investigated and are quite often dismissed. I'm pro vaccine but don't want my dd getting it until there's more research on the impact on women.

I'm sure if one of the side effects was shrivelling men's balls there would be an immediate stop to that particular vaccine.

*periods

In terms of AZ impacting fertility: they have the patients in the trials and while they were meant to be on long term contraception some of them have still got pregnant after they had been vaccinated: they got pregnant at the same rate in the placebo and the vaccine groups, so they can be confident there's no impact on fertility. I haven't seen the equivalent data for Pfizer but it's likely to have been obtained in the same way.

I agree that that doesn't mean there's no short term impact on cycle length etc, but I think generally this is a result of the immune system being pressed into action, and can happen as a result of natural infection with most viruses.

My sisters GP told her it wouldn't be anything to do with the vaccine, said its down to stress, she stated she wasn't stressed and nothing had changed but apparently it might be something on the back of her mind and she isn't aware of it.
I guess women are just hysterical and therefore not a side effect.
I'm sure she isn't the only one.

I've seen so much on here about ladies struggling with periods after their vaccines. Mine are usually like clockwork, but after my second Moderna jab it was 9 days late for no reason whatsoever. That's absolutely unheard of for me. I was fine after the first one, but I actually had it on the first day of my period, whereas the second was a couple of days before I was due to ovulate - so I wonder whether the immune response delays ovulation. The only other time I've ever been late (also by 9 days incidentally) was when I had a severe throat infection which was the worst illness I've ever had, and I think that was the same reason.

@Beamur

The information about reporting side effects was given to me. Birdyflight the advice for menopausal women is to get a GP check if you have a period after not having had one for several months. It might be because of the vaccine but generally once periods stop, they don't start again.

On a slightly different note. Before vaccines l had completely stopped having periods for ages but then after a flight to ltaly..not long haul..mine came which was a shock. Exactly a year later having had no period all that time l went on holidays again and lo and behold after the flight another period. I was early 50s . So doesn't always happen that they don't come again

the immune response delays ovulation

A fucking PITA for women waiting to start taking something like the Mini Pill

After my first AZ jab I skipped a period.
After my second one I started bleeding heavily the day after.

My periods have been messed up since then and have got increasingly heavier. I'm currently on day 31 of bleeding, ultrasound normal and waiting for an urgent gynae appointment.

Of course, it could be unrelated but I have read about women having longer term period problems from the jabs so wondering if this is what has caused my problems. I'm 45 but my periods were like clockwork before this.

And they need to address the problem of delayed ovulation in women. If starting the Pill you have to start taking it on first day of period. Impossible if it has screwed with the cycle. Unwanted pregnancy is not something women should be expected to risk for this.

@erictries

RE The yellow card reporting system. How do so many people not know anything about it? I was told that everyone should be told about it when going for their injections.

I'm a vaccinator. After we administer a dose we give each patient an information leaflet away with them that has the details of the yellow card reporting scheme.

This is being looked into and the more people that report it the more data they have

I'm a vaccinee. I can confirm I was given zero leaflets, paperwork or anything of any kind (not even a sticker).

I did know about the yellow card scheme already, but it wasn't mentioned to me when I got the jab.

I know women who have been sacked for not taking the jabs. Care homes. You'd have thought they were needed but no...

@ArabellaScott I'm a vaccinee. I can confirm I was given zero leaflets, paperwork or anything of any kind (not even a sticker)

I work in Scotland. It's pretty standard here. Also I got my Covid booster over the weekend and was given the information when I checked in, then the vaccinator ticked the box ( on TURAS) to say that I had received the info.

@MercyBooth

And they need to address the problem of delayed ovulation in women. If starting the Pill you have to start taking it on first day of period. Impossible if it has screwed with the cycle. Unwanted pregnancy is not something women should be expected to risk for this.

Does it matter because after a week of taking the pill you are covered? Can start the pill anytime

Not what i was told

[quote erictries]**@ArabellaScott* I'm a vaccinee. I can confirm I was given zero leaflets, paperwork or anything of any kind (not even a sticker)*

I work in Scotland. It's pretty standard here. Also I got my Covid booster over the weekend and was given the information when I checked in, then the vaccinator ticked the box ( on TURAS) to say that I had received the info. [/quote]
I live in Scotland. I had no info or leaflets with 1st or 2nd vaccine, neither did my partner.

You can take the pill anytime you want. You should just be careful for the first week as you may not be instantly covered against pregnancy.

Im child free by choice. I wouldnt have this bloody problem if i had been granted the sterilisation the several times i asked for it in my 20s and 30s. They point blank refused each time. Im now 48 and still having to worry about this shit which i fucking wouldnt be if they had done what i asked. So they can stuff their second vaccine until this sorts itself out. You reap what you sow.

Just want to share my experience, I am an NHS worker so had my first jab early in January and my period was 10 days late for the first time in 15 years. I am not sure whether it effected my ovulation and I ovulated earlier but I must have conceived just after my period had finished and before the 5 days fertile window (massive surprise but much wanted) I did not associate this with having the vaccine at all and when my period was late in February I presumed there was an underlying health issue and had some bloods done which I was told that my hormone levels were low and looked like I had PCOS obviously a massive surprise as I’ve never had any prior irregular cycle or symptoms. I didn’t find out I was pregnant until March and by that time was 9 weeks.

There was another thread last week about the jabs and fertility. Lots of women (including me) got pregnant unexpectedly right after the jab!

My period was late and odd, and then I got pregnant. I wonder if the irregularity link, post-jab, has led to women misjudging their ovulation window (I.e. when you have to be extra careful).

That's a bit worrying for me to hear! I really don't want to be pregnant at the moment. I did test after 60-something days and it was negative, so hopefully not? Still no period though.

This is the other thread, really interesting:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/4351501-Pfizer-infertility?msgid=111144683#111144683

My first was Moderna. I attempted to get the second on Saturday but was refused. Given my period still hasnt fucking come im glad she refused. She said they were doing Pfizer and was told they cant mix them.

"Risk unwanted pregnancy Protect The NHS"