Vaccinated women TMI thread

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

My unpopular opinion is definitely because of my views on this vaccine.

Which is what I was trying to clarify. It isn't because "to make a very personal medical decision for your OWN daughter? Goodness.. as mom you get to make that choice for her." It's your other conversations that happen in the threads that typically is. We may not agree on our viewpoints on the vaccine and I really don't see any issues with that. It's how life works. I don't ignore people generally because I may not agree with them on one thing but agree with them on another, just how I am I suppose but that wasn't why I sought to clarify anyways. We do agree on something for today..getting back to the thread topic

 

[AndreaA]

I’m so sick of everyone who is gung-ho for this vaccine telling anyone who isn’t that they should “talk to your doctor”. I mean no kidding, people should talk to their doctor. Then if someone replies that they HAVE talked to their doctor and that the doctor is in agreement with skipping it then suddenly that person is “over sharing” and ”no one asked for that information”. Basically the whole interaction is designed around the premise that all doctors will recommend the vaccine unreservedly for 99.9% of the population and so of course you’re a dummy if you suggest that maybe you aren’t quite on board with it all. They certainly don’t want it getting out that not all doctors think the vaccine is beyond reproach.

It’s condescending, elitist, and completely transparent. No one who says “talk to your doctor” REALLY wants you to talk to your doctor, (I have seen very few cases of people with actual issues being told to talk to their doctor - likely because those people aren’t posting about it - it’s always those who are just personally hesitant with no or minimal mitigating circumstances) they just want you to shut up and get the vaccine.

This issue of female reproductive health being shoved aside is pretty par for the course. My period was multiple weeks late after the second vaccine, and I had cramps which I haven’t had since I was a teenager. I have never had an illness cause issues with my cycle. I have never had my anxiety cause issues with my cycle. Maybe it’s nothing - certainly I HOPE it is nothing - but it deserves examination and not the standard brush-off present in most male-centric circles. It’s particularly irritating seeing women just push it aside as no big deal.

 

[Heigh-Ho]

I’m so sick of everyone who is gung-ho for this vaccine telling anyone who isn’t that they should “talk to your doctor”. I mean no kidding, people should talk to their doctor. Then if someone replies that they HAVE talked to their doctor and that the doctor is in agreement with skipping it then suddenly that person is “over sharing” and ”no one asked for that information”. Basically the whole interaction is designed around the premise that all doctors will recommend the vaccine unreservedly for 99.9% of the population and so of course you’re a dummy if you suggest that maybe you aren’t quite on board with it all. They certainly don’t want it getting out that not all doctors think the vaccine is beyond reproach.

Can we move on? I already apologized to the person because I didn't mean anything by my comment. Can we keep the other endless conversations out and maybe make this one more focused on cycle changes (which your last part of your conversation keeps in line with this thread).

It just seems like people come onto a thread and then make it about something else and then the thread gets into circles and then gets shut down. That would be awful for that to happen to this thread when I think we all agree openly discussing women's cycles should be something we talk about

 

[ArielFlounderSebastian357]

It just seems like people come onto a thread and then make it about something else and then the thread gets into circles and then gets shut down. That would be awful for that to happen to this thread when I think we all agree openly discussing women's cycles should be something we talk about

I mostly just read on this forum but I have noticed that too and it's a reason I don't really comment on threads especially ones related to covide-19 or the vaccine.

People on all sides are being condescending, elitist, and completely transparent. People on all sides are jabbing at each other. I sometimes see more heated ways of getting your opinion known and I think that makes other people react too. And I've noticed personal issues seem to follow some people from thread to thread.

I actually just read that one of the reasons some people haven't gotten the vaccine is because they haven't discussed it with their doctor or it wasn't brought up in conversation when they were last at the doctor and some doctors interviewed didn't even consider that maybe because they've been left out of the vaccine distribution for the most part until now. I think it's at least something people are trying to suggest and it's been all over the news how places are now opening up vaccine appointments more at doctor's offices to try and get the people who really get advice from them. For some people that's where they really go to for advice. I don't know people enough to say that when they suggest talking to your doctor they aren't really meaning that, I think I would think the best out of people and don't think they have bad intentions even though sometimes this forum shows me I'm wrong

Tink424 created a thread for those wanting to share they aren't getting the vaccine and that's a great place for conversations about not getting it to be at because I have noticed how quick some things get to bad when certain things get mentioned. While I can't guarantee cross over conversations won't happen there I can promise I will personally stay out of that specific thread out of respect for those who want to share their thoughts without other threads getting shut down https://www.disboards.com/threads/not-getting-covid-vaccine.3839688/#post-63039741

 

[ArielFlounderSebastian357]

For those still wondering I got Moderna and did not have any changes, a friend of mine got Pfizer and did for 1 cycle but she's back to normal, another friend had Moderna and had minor spotting that started 2 days after getting it but lasted for 3 days and it doesn't seem to have done anything else to her cycle. A coworker of mine got Pfizer and had no changes.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Tink424 created a thread for those wanting to share they aren't getting the vaccine and that's a great place for conversations about not getting it to be at because I have noticed how quick some things get to bad when certain things get mentioned. While I can't guarantee cross over conversations won't happen there I can promise I will personally stay out of that specific thread out of respect for those who want to share their thoughts without other threads getting shut down https://www.disboards.com/threads/not-getting-covid-vaccine.3839688/#post-63039741

Thank you for bringing that to attention. I don't need to go on that thread save to mention what any friends or families have to say who aren't getting the vaccine but I've already shared that on a thread and then I think I mentioned on one of the threads about kids and the vaccine what we know one of my husband's family will do for theirs so yeah no need.

If that thread can be a safe spot for people to share who aren't getting the vaccine or who have strong reservations against it it's all good to me, it's much better than threads getting shut down that are otherwise decent threads because conversations go off the deep end.

I mean the How to know if someone is vaccinated thread just got shut down and that one had been going for like 2 weeks (a record these days lol) although it got bumped back up..probably why disagreements started it had already died down only to be brought back to life.

So again thanks for calling out that thread.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

For those still wondering I got Moderna and did not have any changes, a friend of mine got Pfizer and did for 1 cycle but she's back to normal, another friend had Moderna and had minor spotting that started 2 days after getting it but lasted for 3 days and it doesn't seem to have done anything else to her cycle. A coworker of mine got Pfizer and had no changes.

So back to the thread topic did you know anyone who had J&J? Seems like a mixed bag for your friends and you on any changes and the particular vaccine.

 

[Colleen27]

My 13 year old dd has not been vaccinated yet. Not going to lie, this concerns me for her. Is this really a one off occurrence?

It didn't seem to have any effect on my 12yo, though her period just started a few months ago and isn't super-regular yet so we might not notice if it did cause minor changes. Her pediatrician said she's confident that any menstrual changes related to the vaccine are similar to those that can be caused by illness and will be short lived, which seems to mesh with the vast majority of anecdotal reports of issues and the limited amount of data available so far. It also matches my experience: I had one wonky period and the next was 98% back to normal (a couple days early, which is just at the edge of my usual margin of error).

I was a little more concerned about DDs getting the vaccine than I was for myself, but in the end I felt like the unknowns of long-term covid impacts were more worrisome than the unknowns of long-term vaccine effects. And since my area was for most of the spring one of the hottest hot spots in the nation and a place where few people/businesses were following mask and distancing rules, I felt the odds of them getting covid if they didn't get the vaccine were pretty high.

 

[Colleen27]

I’m so sick of everyone who is gung-ho for this vaccine telling anyone who isn’t that they should “talk to your doctor”. I mean no kidding, people should talk to their doctor. Then if someone replies that they HAVE talked to their doctor and that the doctor is in agreement with skipping it then suddenly that person is “over sharing” and ”no one asked for that information”. Basically the whole interaction is designed around the premise that all doctors will recommend the vaccine unreservedly for 99.9% of the population and so of course you’re a dummy if you suggest that maybe you aren’t quite on board with it all. They certainly don’t want it getting out that not all doctors think the vaccine is beyond reproach.

I'm not sure that's a fair broad brush to be painting with. I would not dismiss someone who said they had talked to their doctor and made the decision not to vaccinate with his/her support, but I do use "talk to your doctor" pretty often because so many people seem to be forming their opinions on the vaccine based on stuff they've heard/read online or in the media and that's a poor way for anyone to evaluate any health decision. Particularly since the human tendency to complain more loudly than to say "I'm okay" means that you can find information online to scare you out of any drug or procedure known to man.

 

[fly girl]

It didn't seem to have any effect on my 12yo, though her period just started a few months ago and isn't super-regular yet so we might not notice if it did cause minor changes. Her pediatrician said she's confident that any menstrual changes related to the vaccine are similar to those that can be caused by illness and will be short lived, which seems to mesh with the vast majority of anecdotal reports of issues and the limited amount of data available so far. It also matches my experience: I had one wonky period and the next was 98% back to normal (a couple days early, which is just at the edge of my usual margin of error).

I was a little more concerned about DDs getting the vaccine than I was for myself, but in the end I felt like the unknowns of long-term covid impacts were more worrisome than the unknowns of long-term vaccine effects. And since my area was for most of the spring one of the hottest hot spots in the nation and a place where few people/businesses were following mask and distancing rules, I felt the odds of them getting covid if they didn't get the vaccine were pretty high.

I just feel there hasn't been much research or data collected on women's reproductive health on this so it makes me pause. Rational? Irrational? This is new and just rolled out to younger teens so I am waiting just a wee bit longer.

Yes, Michigan was a hotspot. As a native Michigander with family there I have kept tabs on the state. I think if I lived there maybe my hesitancy wouldn't be as great. Our rampant time was before the vaccine, so I never felt that conundrum.

I am just waiting it out a little bit longer to make sure no real side effects with teens. I was actually the same way with myself. I was glad I wasn't in one of the first tiers, as mRNA is new for large scale vaccines. I wanted to see. Overly cautious? Overly worrisome? Yep, you betcha.

Again, it is so odd feeling this way as I never have with vaccines before. I remember waiting over 2 hours for the bird flu vaccine with my dd who was really little back then. I wasn't taking chances. And yet here I am with this one.

 

[DisneyDebbie]

I don't know what's going on with my body, but something is off - I'm 47 and it could be peri-menopause, or it could be from stress (I'm a dance teacher and school teacher- this is a very stressful time of year, however I've never had these issues in the past) or maybe it's the vaccine.

I received J&J in the middle of March. I have gotten 5 periods lasting at least 6 days since then! they are ranging from starting on day 13 to day 18 in my cycle.

A question for those hesitant because of lack of research on reproductive health. Are you worried that the vaccine inhibits ovulation? damages the eggs? or harms the uterus? What is it about this vaccine in regards to reproductive health? Are there other vaccines that have reproductive complications? (I admit to not doing research in this area)

 

[leahgoogle]

I don't know what's going on with my body, but something is off - I'm 47 and it could be peri-menopause, or it could be from stress (I'm a dance teacher and school teacher- this is a very stressful time of year, however I've never had these issues in the past) or maybe it's the vaccine.

I received J&J in the middle of March. I have gotten 5 periods lasting at least 6 days since then! they are ranging from starting on day 13 to day 18 in my cycle.

A question for those hesitant because of lack of research on reproductive health. Are you worried that the vaccine inhibits ovulation? damages the eggs? or harms the uterus? What is it about this vaccine in regards to reproductive health? Are there other vaccines that have reproductive complications? (I admit to not doing research in this area)

The experts think that the menstrual irregularities are caused by inflammation based on the body's response to the vaccine. Inflammation can also affect estrogen so that could be at play, as well. Not sure if this is affecting ovulation or the consequence to the ovaries/eggs due to the inflammatory response. Long-term studies will have to sort that out. I'm in peri-menopause too and my periods can be a little out of whack. They have never been less than 21 days apart though. I'm not aware of any other vaccines that have caused these issues. I have not gotten this vaccine for a variety of reasons, but I am watching to see what becomes of these side effects. There are too many women experiencing these issues after the vaccine for it to be "just stress".

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Initially I was more like it's really hard to tell. My cycles never changed from their normal during the pandemic, a time of high stress so I can't just easily explain it by stress even though cycles can be very much affected by them. I was on mine when I got the second dose. It lasted 9 days (normal 5-7). 8 days after stopping I started again with a 5-day one. My original next one was supposed to be May 17th, my tracker changed that to June 2nd, but today I started again (a few days early just like my first one that I was on when I got the second dose was). I would have chalked it up to stress but it just doesn't happen to me to have a period 8 days after stopping. I'm guessing mine was a one-time disruption but am tracking it for my own purposes.

FWIW an interesting article I read today was discussing efficacy of the covid-19 vaccine with women in somuch that is ever so slightly less with women than men and that hormones such as estrogen may play a role. They also mentioned this in terms of side effects. I didn't even know this but in the U.S. it wasn't even required to include women until 1993 when before trials often excluded women.

During these trials (many trials) they don't really ask for menstrual cycle changes, so hard to say no to something that wasn't studied. It does seem that this question of is it or is it not impacting cycles is drawling attention to this so I'd say that's a good thing.

I think the musings were initially dismissed until more women came out and discussed changes. Your cycle can be impacted by a lot of things so it's hard to pinpoint things but I'm going to be inclined to believe a stronger correlation when it comes to situations like me and women who were in menopause restarting again. I think one of the bigger things will be delving into ones that more closely match someone's cycle from those way off.

I'm also confused is this the same Jen Gunter that said the following: "Dr. Jen Gunter, an obstetrician and gynecologist in the San Francisco Bay Area, said a link is possible, since the uterine lining, which is shed during menstruation, contains immune cells that help protect the uterus." (this was from early May). Where did she say it was BS or was this a different Jen Gunter?

And update to my post:

My period was 5 days and normal for me in terms of pain, flow, etc. For me it appears to just have been a one-time disruption. If something happens between now and when my next one actually starts I'll post about it.

I do almost wonder if some of these affects for those not in menopause and still having regular (for them) periods may be occurring just based on what part of your cycle you are on. Like because I was actively on my period when I got my second dose might have had some impact due to changes already occurring with being actively on my period to cause a second period to start so soon after the other one ended plus having a slightly longer (but very very light last few days) of the period I was actively on when I got my second dose. Purely an random thought though.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

The experts think that the menstrual irregularities are caused by inflammation based on the body's response to the vaccine. Inflammation can also affect estrogen so that could be at play, as well. Not sure if this is affecting ovulation or the consequence to the ovaries/eggs due to the inflammatory response. Long-term studies will have to sort that out. I'm in peri-menopause too and my periods can be a little out of whack. They have never been less than 21 days apart though. I'm not aware of any other vaccines that have caused these issues. I have not gotten this vaccine for a variety of reasons, but I am watching to see what becomes of these side effects. There are too many women experiencing these issues after the vaccine for it to be "just stress".

I am in peri-menopause and I had cycles that were sometimes 17 days apart before I got put on hormonal medicine to regulate them.

There are other vaccines that have been associated with menstrual changes - the flu & HPV vaccine.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-569...f chemical,earlier periods, Dr Male explained.
It's also worth noting that actually getting Covid has been linked to changes in the menstrual cycle. I'm confused why people (not you specifically) aren't more worried about the long term effects of getting Covid, when we KNOW there are long haulers and the side effects have been more severe (blood clots, etc).

https://www.healthline.com/health/menstruation/can-covid-affect-your-period
So far, it does seem that menstrual changes are temporary & short lived with both the vaccine and natural infection.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Moderna and yes if has affected me....frequency and length, I had no qualms with getting the vax but holding off on the kiddos. Especially after conversations with an ID doc whose opinion weighed heavily in my decision. It actually tipped the scales significantly. Too much is still unknown at this point.

 

[leahgoogle]

I am in peri-menopause and I had cycles that were sometimes 17 days apart before I got put on hormonal medicine to regulate them.

There are other vaccines that have been associated with menstrual changes - the flu & HPV vaccine.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-569...f chemical,earlier periods, Dr Male explained.
It's also worth noting that actually getting Covid has been linked to changes in the menstrual cycle. I'm confused why people (not you specifically) aren't more worried about the long term effects of getting Covid, when we KNOW there are long haulers and the side effects have been more severe (blood clots, etc).

https://www.healthline.com/health/menstruation/can-covid-affect-your-period
So far, it does seem that menstrual changes are temporary & short lived with both the vaccine and natural infection.

Time will tell, I guess. Anecdotally, I don't know of anybody who has had menstrual disruption with the covid infection (or with HPV or Flu vaccines for that matter). Nor, has it been documented like it has been after the vaccine. You and I differ in opinions on the risk of long-haul covid. One thing I hope we can agree on is that these issues with women should not brushed under the rug. Long term studies need to be done to see exactly what is happening with covid and the vaccine. The health issues of women is sometimes not taken as seriously as it should be.

 

[PezRuth]

Last dose of Moderna was in February. I have had no changes to my cycle. I am 43. In my circle of friends, there has been no impact.

 

[DisneyJamieCA]

Time will tell, I guess. Anecdotally, I don't know of anybody who has had menstrual disruption with the covid infection (or with HPV or Flu vaccines for that matter). Nor, has it been documented like it has been after the vaccine. You and I differ in opinions on the risk of long-haul covid. One thing I hope we can agree on is that these issues with women should not brushed under the rug. Long term studies need to be done to see exactly what is happening with covid and the vaccine. The health issues of women is sometimes not taken as seriously as it should be.

I agree it needs to be studied. But we're hearing about it now because we're all getting the vaccine at the same time. If everybody in the country got the HPV vaccine at the same time, it would be similar. Or if this vaccine were spread out, it likely wouldn't make the news.

I'm not in this to change your mind, but it doesn't really matter what anecdotally you know. All the stories here are anecdotal as well. The science does back up what I've said. And I don't know how you can deny long haulers.

 

[leahgoogle]

I agree it needs to be studied. But we're hearing about it now because we're all getting the vaccine at the same time. If everybody in the country got the HPV vaccine at the same time, it would be similar. Or if this vaccine were spread out, it likely wouldn't make the news.

I'm not in this to change your mind, but it doesn't really matter what anecdotally you know. All the stories here are anecdotal as well. The science does back up what I've said. And I don't know how you can deny long haulers.

I never denied long haulers. I just said our opinions on the subject are different. Better get back to the topic at hand

 

[ArielFlounderSebastian357]

So back to the thread topic did you know anyone who had J&J? Seems like a mixed bag for your friends and you on any changes and the particular vaccine.

I actually don't know anyone yet who has gotten Johnson and Johnson come to think of it.