My sister asked me for my opinion and advice

[Scarlett]

She and her husband have been vaccine....hesitant I guess.  She said she wanted to wait a bit.  And it didn't help that her adult RN daughter  who is a surgical nurse strongly discouraged her from getting the vaccine.  Anyway, she and her husband both got it a couple of weeks ago.  Not sure what finally convinced her--I had not been discussing it with her for months because it seemed pointless. It  might have been because her XH got Covid and is now at two full weeks of hospitalization...he might get to come home this week--with oxygen.

When she told me she was getting the vaccine she also said (via text) that she wasn't having her teen daughters get it because it could affect their fertility.  I texted back, 'there is no evidence of that at all.'  No response.

Last night after work she called me and asked me if I thought they should get it.  I said yes without hesitation.  She said, 'so you don't think it is going to make them infertile?'  I said, 'look, the fact is there is no evidence that it will.  It is true we do not yet know all the possible long term effects of the vaccine, but we do know that  Covid is killing people and that many people end up with long term damage from Covid.'  She said that made sense and that she was realizing this is probably just like all the childhood vaccines we have given our kids.  So yah!  She is having them get the vaccine.  

I asked her about RN daughter who is 26 or so.  She said she still hasn't got it over concerns about fertility.  But her close friends her age having been urging her to get it and sending her articles and such to educate her on it.....so I am hopeful she will go ahead and get it.  Pretty scary that a nurse working along side the surgeon could be unvaccinated.  Not sure why that is allowed.  But apparently she isn't even working right now because all elective surgeries have been cancelled and that is the  bulk of the cases she works on.  

Are you guys seeing other vaccine hesitant relatives and friends finally get on board?

[Roadrunner]

I am seeing lots of people ask about fertility. It’s puzzling. 
I only know few vaccine hesitant people, and more they get pushed, more stubborn they become. So sadly, no, but my sample is tiny. 

[Scarlett]

4 minutes ago, Roadrunner said:

I am seeing lots of people ask about fertility. It’s puzzling. 
I only know few vaccine hesitant people, and more they get pushed, more stubborn they become. So sadly, no, but my sample is tiny. 

Same here--I don't know many people personally who haven't already got the vaccine.  I found this article this morning which explains the infertility fear I think.  It isn't true, but I think this is where the fear came from.  https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/covid-19-vaccine/news/20210112/why-covid-vaccines-are-falsely-linked-to-infertility

[Katy]

Tell her to check Mama Doctor Jones on Instagram.  She had thousands of women who struggled with fertility get pregnant immediately after getting vaccinated.  

I’m not saying the vaccine makes you more fertile. But anything that decreases inflammation can improve fertility. 

[Danae]

9 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

 

Are you guys seeing other vaccine hesitant relatives and friends finally get on board?

Yes.  One older relative whose daughter (my age) had talked him out of it changed his mind when none of his friends would socialize with him.  He decided coddling his daughter's essential oils woo wasn't worth losing all his other social outlets.

[teachermom2834]

Well dh, my 3 adult sons, and I were vaccinated as soon as we could be as were all the adults in our extended family and older folks we visit with. However, I was hesitant for my 13 yo dd. I’m not anti-vax by any definition but I just didn’t feel great about it for her. It was a combination of things including not knowing long term effects, as well as thinking that the two shot regimen was a lot for a young healthy kid. The regular side effects are unpleasant enough and the findings of myocarditis interested me. I kept thinking about just getting her the first shot and waiting on the second. When all these considerations were being made cases were low, kids were just not getting very sick, and all the vulnerable folks we are around regularly were vaccinated so it just didn’t seem like she was at much risk for illness or spreading it. 

But Delta and surging cases pushed me over the edge when all of a sudden the risk increased dramatically both to her and to the vaccinated folks that we now know are having breakthrough infections. When we had days with zero cases locally it was a different calculation than it is now. 
 

I do think some hesitant folks are coming off the fence during this current surge. 

Edited August 10, 2021 by teachermom2834

[MEmama]

I don’t know anyone who isn’t already vaccinated, but YAY to Scarlett's sister for coming around!

Someone on one of the big Covid threads wondered if all the personal stories about unvaxxed Covid patients on their literal deathbeds begging people to get vaccinated are really warranted. I’d guess when they choose to scream that message out there with their dying breaths, it’s people like Scarlett's sister they are trying to reach. People who are listening and can still be convinced, people who aren’t clinging blindly to faux ideological ideals but who are willing to listen to reason and have empathy. 
 

Nice to read a positive story this morning. Thanks for sharing, Scarlett (and way to go continuing to give her the facts).

[Scarlett]

1 minute ago, teachermom2834 said:

Well dh, my 3 adult sons, and myself were vaccinated as soon as we could be as were all the adults in our extended family and older folks we visit with. However, I was hesitant for my 13 yo dd. I’m not anti-vax by any definition but I just didn’t feel great about it for her. It was a combination of things including not knowing long term effects, as well as thinking that the two shot regimen was a lot for a young healthy kid. The regular side effects are unpleasant enough and the findings of myocarditis interested me. I kept thinking about just getting her the first shot and waiting on the second. When all these considerations were being made cases were low, kids were just not getting very sick, and all the vulnerable folks we are around regularly were vaccinated so it just didn’t seem like she was at much risk for illness or spreading it. 

But Delta and surging cases pushed me over the edge when all of a sudden the risk increased dramatically both to her and to the vaccinated folks that we now know are having breakthrough infections. When we had days with zero cases locally it was a different calculation than it is now. 
 

I do think some hesitant folks are coming off the fence during this current surge. 

Exactly.  Our local hospitals are full of kids with Covid right now.  Very scary.

[SKL]

I don't know anyone IRL who is holding off based on future fertility fears.  The people I know who are vax-hesitant are past the season of procreating, and don't have teen daughters.

[TravelingChris]

My state has had a huge surge in vaccinations.  I think people are reconsidering and yes, I think those death bed messages and in our state, the message of the MEDVAC pilot who got it way, way back in Jan before being able to get fully vaccinated and stayed in that hospital for over 6 months and there is a great liklihood that he will never be able to fly again since he is not anywhere in the shape he was, are resonating.

Plus, more schools are ordering masking, hospitals are cancelling anything except emergency type surgeries, hospitals are getting full, and while I don't know people who are vaccine resistant changing their minds- I don\t know many vaccine resistant people.

Way back when, my dd1 and dsil were vaccine hesistant back in early April or so but they have been fully vacced now for a number of months- they were hesistant because of fertility fears and newness fears but this was still when the vaccine wasn\t fully available.  They got it for two reasons- my other children were insisting they wouldn't be spending time with them and they want to travel.

 

And yeah, for Scarlett's sister and brother in law.  

[Scarlett]

My very unstable brother also got it the same week my sister did.  This after he screamed and cursed at me back in March that I was a moran for putting dna altering crap in my body.  And trusting the government.  Apparently the family friend who lives a mile from my brother being in the hospital from Covid finally convinced my brother.  The friend died btw.  

[Farrar]

The fertility thing is annoyingly persistent among the vaccine hesitant. I think it didn't help that a lot of people had truly memorable periods post-vaccine, which I assume is part of what's stoking the rumors. I had a very strange period post-vaccine. I was crazy, crazy late - much more so than my typical slightly off mid-40's sort of entering perimenopause range and then I had a period that was wildly heavy.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/08/09/1024190379/covid-vaccine-period-menstrual-cycle-research

That's a really good article about what people are reporting and why it's so difficult to study. It's a tricky line. There is no sign that it's actually doing anything to fertility, lots of women have gotten pregnant post-vaccine, some have given birth who have had it with zero issues at this point. But also, the original studies didn't work in much about menstrual cycles. Because studies rarely do. And because we already lack great baseline studies about menstrual cycles anyway. And all of that sows mistrust with the system.

[TheReader]

I do have some friends/relatives who were vaccine reluctant, for whatever reason, who have now chosen to get vaccinated b/c of the surge with Delta, etc. I'm so grateful, and I wish more would. 

I know several folks sick at the moment, who hopefully will decide on vaccinating once they are healthy and able. Or who are hopefully talking to their vaccine hesitant friends/family and will be able to persuade those folks.

[mommyoffive]

I don't know anyone that isn't vaccinated in my small circle of parents and family.    Good for you for talking them into it.   I sure wish people wouldn't have waited until we are in horrible spot to do this.  

[Scarlett]

6 minutes ago, mommyoffive said:

I don't know anyone that isn't vaccinated in my small circle of parents and family.    Good for you for talking them into it.   I sure wish people wouldn't have waited until we are in horrible spot to do this.  

Me too. I saw the mayor of Tulsa on the news this morning explaining that there would not be a new mask mandate...because the hospitals are not full of vaccinated people who aren't wearing masks.  They are full of the unvaccinated.  And there is a solution to that  problem. Get the vaccine.

[kokotg]

Not personally, but the two I can think of hearing about in the past few days are my SIL's Dad and my friend's next door neighbor (she was a needle-phobia case. I have to admit I have a hard time understanding being that scared of needles AND making it so far into life (I think she's in her 50s) being able to avoid needles. I say as someone who's been pregnant 4 times and now has to get bloodwork twice a year for thyroid testing).

[theelfqueen]

1 hour ago, Farrar said:

The fertility thing is annoyingly persistent among the vaccine hesitant. I think it didn't help that a lot of people had truly memorable periods post-vaccine, which I assume is part of what's stoking the rumors. I had a very strange period post-vaccine. I was crazy, crazy late - much more so than my typical slightly off mid-40's sort of entering perimenopause range and then I had a period that was wildly heavy.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/08/09/1024190379/covid-vaccine-period-menstrual-cycle-research

That's a really good article about what people are reporting and why it's so difficult to study. It's a tricky line. There is no sign that it's actually doing anything to fertility, lots of women have gotten pregnant post-vaccine, some have given birth who have had it with zero issues at this point. But also, the original studies didn't work in much about menstrual cycles. Because studies rarely do. And because we already lack great baseline studies about menstrual cycles anyway. And all of that sows mistrust with the system.

I had a weird cycle or two post vaccine and did not associate it with the vaccine til just this moment. Holy moly. 

[Amy in NH]

https://www.uab.edu/news/health/item/12143-three-things-to-know-about-the-long-term-side-effects-of-covid-vaccines?fbclid=IwAR1nLK8QhHlXMUKd_5QDJwzznK0Y5gsIp8Bdx7YA9isEV_vKNeDs75F6ncs#.YRJ0aq-uscu.facebook

[Kanin]

Yay Scarlett!

Some of DH's family members are unvaccinated. I don't really know why because we're afraid to talk about it lest they go off the deep end as they have too many times before. It's too bad because maybe if we talked to them, we could convince them....or at least give them examples of people who took the vaccine and are fine... but DH isn't willing to open that can of worms. 

I probably would but I don't mind a little conflict 😄

[Selkie]

If the surgical nurse dd lived here, she would have to get vaccinated or be out of a job. Hospitals here are requiring it.

[rebcoola]

I know 1 person who was just planning to wait because it was a new Vax, that were planning to just keep being cautious.   Just decided to get vaxxed due to delta. 

I

[Carrie12345]

The reason I discovered two people I assumed were vaccinated weren’t is because they posted their first jab on Facebook after I was with them.

I do not know their reasoning, but I’m glad they did it.

[Amy in NH]

The immune system affects inflammation in the body.  The immune system is also tied to the menstrual cycle via inflammation.  It makes sense that an individual would have menstrual changes due to disruption of that inflammatory/immune response caused by the vaccine based on where in their cycle they are when they are vaccinated.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/health/what-covid-vaccine-side-effects-can-and-cant-tell-you-about-your-bodys-immune-response
https://helloclue.com/articles/cycle-a-z/the-immune-system-and-the-menstrual-cycle

 

Edited August 10, 2021 by Amy in NH

[Scarlett]

1 hour ago, Selkie said:

If the surgical nurse dd lived here, she would have to get vaccinated or be out of a job. Hospitals here are requiring it.

She lives in Houston.

[Tree Frog]

Talked to my mom yesterday. She has had the first jab. I was very surprised when she told me about it, as she had been adamant about not wanting the vaccine and being ok to "go home". I thing at the time she was depressed. There have been some personal changes in her life and she now feels that having the vaccine would make life easier. I'm glad she got it.

[Tree Frog]

42 minutes ago, Scarlett said:

She lives in Houston.

I know one of the major hospitals in Houston required all the (medical staff? employees?) to be vaccinated. It wouldn't surprise me if she is required to have it in the near future.

[Kanin]

2 hours ago, theelfqueen said:

I had a weird cycle or two post vaccine and did not associate it with the vaccine til just this moment. Holy moly. 

Me too! I was 12 days late which has never ever happened.

[Faith-manor]

Okay so this is weird. I have been perimenopausal for 13 years. Got my second shot in April, no periods since then. If the vaccine pushed me into menopause and out of the increasing unpredictability of the monthly monster, then not only is it my favorite vaccine, I want a booster just to be sure, like every month for a year!

[Scarlett]

19 minutes ago, wilrunner said:

I know one of the major hospitals in Houston required all the (medical staff? employees?) to be vaccinated. It wouldn't surprise me if she is required to have it in the near future.

Well, I am hoping she gets it soon for whatever reason.  I think all medical staff should be required to get it.  

[Scarlett]

1 minute ago, Faith-manor said:

Okay so this is weird. I have been perimenopausal for 13 years. Got my second shot in April, no periods since then. If the vaccine pushed me into menopause and out of the increasing unpredictability of the monthly monster, then not only is it my favorite vaccine, I want a booster just to be sure, like every month for a year!

Interesting.  I am almost certain my horrific divorce pushed me all the way into menopause.  

[theelfqueen]

1 hour ago, Scarlett said:

Interesting.  I am almost certain my horrific divorce pushed me all the way into menopause.  

Well let's not look for a booster for that. Lol

[Forget-Me-Not]

12 hours ago, Scarlett said:

Are you guys seeing other vaccine hesitant relatives and friends finally get on board?

Yes. In the case of one of my relatives, they are realizing that it could impact their ability to travel out of the US, so they are saying they’ll probably do it. But insists that if it weren’t for that, they wouldn’t do it.