Tuesday 6 July 2021

Changes in my period after having my vaccines.

If you don't like to read about periods I suggest you move on from my blog today. I know it can be a sensitive subject for some.

I am quite lucky when it comes to my periods, I have the contraceptive implant in my arm and my periods are few and far between. When they do come they are light and I get hardly any pain unless I am in the last few months before my implant is due to be changed. So for a year or so since it was last changed I have had it easy but not at the moment. 

Sanitary Pads with glitter on

I last had my implant changed in January 2020 and it has been great until a few months ago. I got a heavyish period a few days after having my first Covid vaccine and thought nothing of it. It was heavier than what I am used to but nothing too bad. It had been a few months since I had last bled so didn't put 2 and 2 together until I had my 2nd vaccine.

Two days after having my 2nd vaccine I had another period which was a little bit heavier than my normal periods and only lasted a few days. I had been finished for about 10 days and then my period came again and this one was even worse. Bleeding twice in a month might be a worry for some but it has happened in the past to me and I have worried and visited the doctor who said it sometimes happens when using the contraceptive implant. This second period was the worst I've had since my late teen years. I won't go into the details but there was cramps and I ended up taking myself off to bed with a hot water bottle. I was heavy for 3 days and then it eased off and felt like a normal period.

It was only then I Googled "Do Covid vaccines affect periods?" and I was surprised with what I saw. There is reports of the menstrual changes after having the vaccine. Some experts say it's coincidental but some are saying it could be a short term side effect4000 reports have been made to the Medicines & Healthcare Regulatory Agency about people experiencing period irregularities after receiving the Covid vaccine. 4000 people doesn't seem like a lot but sometimes people don't like to talk about their periods. It has got me thinking that it just isn't being talked about or could be that it just isn't a well known thing yet?

Some people have reported heavier periods, some lighter, earlier periods, some later. Some people have even reported missed periods. I suppose that is why it's is difficult to determine whether these changes are definitely linked with the vaccine. The HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccine and the flu vaccine have been reported to affect menstrual cycles temporarily so it wouldn’t be surprising of COVID-19 vaccines do so briefly either. 

The people who have reported these effects are saying that they mostly last for a single month and I am hoping that it is true. I don't want another period like the one's I had last month.

I feel like I am turning into a conspiracy theorist. lol I really do think that these periods are side effects from the vaccine. I feel fine in every other way and have no other symptoms of anything nasty going on but I am not stupid, I know that an out of the ordinary period should not be ignored. I have spoken to a nurse at our GP's surgery who put my mind at ease. She made me realise along with having the Covid vaccine I have had a few things going on which has stressed me out one thing being my great aunt being ill and then passing away. My heavy period could have been brought on by the stress of worrying about that and the vaccine, which I was anxious about. She said to wait and see what happens over the next few weeks and if anything doesn't feel or seem right to make an appointment which I of course will.

Have you had any changes in your periods after having your vaccine?

5 comments :

  1. I've heard lots of stories about this, after my first vaccine I was fine but after my second vaccine it arrived the next day almost a week early! I was seeing a nurse this week anyway so I mentioned it and she said it was very common, possibly it's your body reacting to the vaccine and thinking that you are ill and so wanting to avoid a pregnancy. Fingers crossed everything will be back to normal for you next month!

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  2. I've not heard about people having these changes after the vaccine, but then again I haven't been reading a lot either and we are well past that stage, lol.
    Anyway, hope the stresses ease and things settle.

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  3. I have heard a lot about the vaccine causing hormonal changes and period irregularities too. Hopefully it is just a short term side effect and all will go back to normal next/this month.

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  4. I have heard about this. Luckily I have had no problem with periods after my two injections x

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  5. Mine was late - but about 8-10 days each time. I find when I'm heavier I'm on the dot regular, but have lost weight and find it gets more irregular the lower weight I am, so the first time just put it down to being on a diet. But had seen lots of others online talking about having late periods, and after the 2nd jab it was the same. 8ish days later than expected. Will be interesting to see if this time it's back to 4 weekly. Thankfully the heaviness hasn't changed for me - it's still 3-4 days with heavier on day 2. Being on warfarin I'm lucky mine aren't heavier, but I find it really interesting how so many people have been affected.

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