Covid vaccine and menstruation

[Anonymous]

Tbh my period is a month late, one month out. It was due a few days after my fist shot. Had PMS from hell then nothing. Not pregnant. I think I just skipped a cycle, which happens when I’m stressed or sick sometimes. Second shot scheduled for today, I’m not super worried about it.

[Anonymous]

Period normal after 1st shot. 40 year old female.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In other words, shhhhh, stop talking about this! You might confuse all the women who are too dumb to understand science and their own bodies. Got it.

Do you really think the average woman can explain how the menstrual cycle works at the physiological level? And how the physiological stress response works? And how the immune system works? And how they interact at the cellular and molecular levels? It doesn't mean anyone is dumb, it just means they haven't gone to school to learn that stuff and maybe don't need to act like the sky is falling if the vaccine alters their cycle for one month.

I don’t know... I am in a humanities field and have read a fair amount about this stuff. Yes it’s complicated, but there are some basics women could understand to optimize their menstrual health. FWIW in some other cultures there is a lot of discussion about periods and the relation between overall health and menstrual issues. I used Chinese medicine to deal with my endometriosis, which Western medicine said could only be controlled by putting my body into early menopause. Even my surgeon was amazed that I had no regrowth seven years after my surgery, a fact that Western medicine can’t explain since I didn’t go on birth control but instead adjusted my diet and lifestyle.

I scheduled my vaccine so it would be about a week into my cycle. I am probably on the threshold of perimenopause and can definitely feel when my estrogen dips. Things get more achy and I feel less energetic and well. I have had no issues with the vaccine or effects on my cycle.

PP above would love to hear more about this. My DD (16) has really bad period cramps. We have her on progesterone, and it's helping some, but not enough. I never had bad cramps so can't really relate and don't know how to help her. We did do an U/S and it's not endometriosis.

We got Pfizer this week and her period came early and painful a few days later, but hers are always irregular, so I can't say that is a side effect.

[Anonymous]

Finally! My 22 and 19 year old will get the sibling they wanted when they were 5 and 2! Can't wait to see their reaction when I tell them the happy news!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Finally! My 22 and 19 year old will get the sibling they wanted when they were 5 and 2! Can't wait to see their reaction when I tell them the happy news!

LOL! Yeah I’m 4 years into menopause and I can’t wait to start my period again after my vaccine. Maybe I can then lose my menopause weight and toss the expensive Premarin cream!

[Anonymous]

Interesting read about the requirement that women in clinical trials be in birth control (and, no, there’s nothing chicken little in here, just food for thought):

“And because of this perception of our cycles (linked as they are to our immune systems) as overly complicated variables that pharmaceutical companies have long ignored, women are too often left without good information on how drugs and vaccines will impact women who experience natural cycles of menstruation and ovulation.”

https://verilymag.com/2021/03/covid-19-clinical-trials-exclude-pregnant-breastfeeding-menstruating-women-2021

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In other words, shhhhh, stop talking about this! You might confuse all the women who are too dumb to understand science and their own bodies. Got it.

Do you really think the average woman can explain how the menstrual cycle works at the physiological level? And how the physiological stress response works? And how the immune system works? And how they interact at the cellular and molecular levels? It doesn't mean anyone is dumb, it just means they haven't gone to school to learn that stuff and maybe don't need to act like the sky is falling if the vaccine alters their cycle for one month.

Wow, pp. Do you not realize how condescending you are being?

Sorry you feel that way but “I kNoW mY bOdY” is not a substitute for medical knowledge and doesn’t qualify people to make the inferences they’ve been making on this topic. And it is downright irresponsible during a pandemic that has killed half a million people. These discussions are not harmless as much as you want to tell yourself they are.

I’m curious PP..are you saying you feel that people should not be allowed to discuss this? Is that what you are saying ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I have had breast pain since day 3 and reported to CDC, doctor and gyn. Do not dismiss women’s health. It is now day 14 and no relief. Not anti-vax, but we need to be able to openly discuss possible side effects. Shutting down these conversations is terrifying — do not silence women our health is also important. I understand that Covid itself can alter cycles. That may explain why some of us are getting these side effects — could be evidence the vax is actually working.

Have you had your lymph nodes checked by a doctor? I had my annual with my gyn a few days after my second vaccine and I told her how sore my armpits and boobs were. She told me that she noticed my underarm lymph nodes were a little enlarged during my breast exam and that it’s totally normal after the vaccine. I had my mammogram 4 weeks later and my lymph nodes were normal on my scan, so she was right.

[Anonymous]

https://www.medpagetoday.com/podcasts/trackthevax/91659

Text version of podcast. General discussion on covid, vaccine, women, x chromosome and immune system, but seems plausible that menstrual cycle could be affected for some women. Also found a link saying Israel health authorities plan to investigate social media reports of cycles impacted by the vaccine although an MD spokesperson brushed off the idea talking about pandemic related stress and dietary changes. Which of course would no explain changes a year in after getting vaccine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:https://www.medpagetoday.com/podcasts/trackthevax/91659

Text version of podcast. General discussion on covid, vaccine, women, x chromosome and immune system, but seems plausible that menstrual cycle could be affected for some women. Also found a link saying Israel health authorities plan to investigate social media reports of cycles impacted by the vaccine although an MD spokesperson brushed off the idea talking about pandemic related stress and dietary changes. Which of course would no explain changes a year in after getting vaccine.

That was interesting, thanks for posting. Key takeaways for me:

“So we often don't have publication of data from clinical trials telling us whether a drug or whether a treatment or whether a vaccine or an intervention worked equally well in men and women. Or whether there were differences in reporting of adverse events. Usually that comes out only after a drug or a vaccine or an intervention has gone to market. And it's through reporting that we learn about these differences.“

And:

“But please know that we utilize these anecdotal observations to formulate hypotheses that we can then test in clinical research settings.”

Keep sharing, ladies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Interesting read about the requirement that women in clinical trials be in birth control (and, no, there’s nothing chicken little in here, just food for thought):

“And because of this perception of our cycles (linked as they are to our immune systems) as overly complicated variables that pharmaceutical companies have long ignored, women are too often left without good information on how drugs and vaccines will impact women who experience natural cycles of menstruation and ovulation.”

https://verilymag.com/2021/03/covid-19-clinical-trials-exclude-pregnant-breastfeeding-menstruating-women-2021

Thank you very much for sharing this article. I found so much of it interesting.

"Disturbingly, the lack of significant testing on women in clinical trials is also why an estimated 80 percent of drugs that are eventually taken off the market are removed because of adverse side effects in women."

Natural cycle women do not get the benefit of health data (or access to quick treatment and monitoring).

Pfizer is testing on pregnant women *now* for the first time (met with applause from women health advocates).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:In other words, shhhhh, stop talking about this! You might confuse all the women who are too dumb to understand science and their own bodies. Got it.

Do you really think the average woman can explain how the menstrual cycle works at the physiological level? And how the physiological stress response works? And how the immune system works? And how they interact at the cellular and molecular levels? It doesn't mean anyone is dumb, it just means they haven't gone to school to learn that stuff and maybe don't need to act like the sky is falling if the vaccine alters their cycle for one month.

Wow, pp. Do you not realize how condescending you are being?

Sorry you feel that way but “I kNoW mY bOdY” is not a substitute for medical knowledge and doesn’t qualify people to make the inferences they’ve been making on this topic. And it is downright irresponsible during a pandemic that has killed half a million people. These discussions are not harmless as much as you want to tell yourself they are.

Please stop saying 500k people died. It is inaccurate. Almost 4 million people died.

Of course there are 9 BILLION people on the planet. Two people die every second (4 people are born). We have an overpopulation problem (and way too few people die from covid to solve it). More have died from lack of drinking water over the past 4 years than die from covid. Please stop using people's lives for your own personal opinion. It's awful.

[Anonymous]

Mine actually came a week early.

[Anonymous]

NP here contributing to the anecdata. I got the second shot late last week and my period is 3 days late. I'm going to report it on the app tomorrow (4 days late). I'm on the Pill.

[Anonymous]

Just got first dose of Moderna yesterday. Am very regular and had started spotting yesterday (before the shot) and period started for real today. My cramps have been substantially worse than usual and Advil is not having much effect (normally works really well on me). No regrets of course and can’t wait for the second shot but definitely think the vaccine has an effect on a lot of women’s menstrual cycles. I mean, it’s not surprising, right?