Body image in a time of plague

[sonia]

Tangentially to someone's locked post about body image, I noticed a lot of edema/swelling after I (probably) had Covid, and I'm noticing it again after the vaccine. Swelling feels even more awkward and uncomfortable than other kinds of unwanted weight gain.

I'm guessing it's a sign of inflammation and/or lymph node activity, which are both signs of the immune system doing its job. Go immune system! My doctor said something about venous insufficiency and didn't seem concerned. I hope it resolves eventually.

The Covid vaccines can cause swollen lymph nodes for 4-6 weeks after the second dose, which can show up on mammograms. One reference. Guess I'll wait a while longer to try to schedule that!

I'm also seeing anecdotal info that the vaccine might cause heavier menstrual periods. I haven't noticed that with the vaccine, but I did bleed every 3 weeks for quite a while at the beginning of lockdown which is also right after I (probably) had Covid. At the time I figured it was my body's response to not being around anyone else with a cycle, but maybe it was more than that.

Comments

[tshuma]

That's precisely what to expect after the vaccine and after the disease, according to my nurse friend. She also says to not wait for your mammogram, but be sure to mention to the intake team that you've had the jab or the disease and it's affecting your lymph nodes.

[sonia]

Thanks to you and your nurse friend for confirmation!

I am going to wait until my body feels overall less irritated before scheduling a medical procedure, for the sake of my nervous system if nothing else. I've been avoiding mammograms thus far, and only agreed to get one as a baseline at my doctor's suggestion, so it can wait a few more weeks or months.