TOM, will it ever stop?

[TiredFedUP]

Hi, nobody has responded to marisant's and I's posts in other sections, so I'm going to try here.

Our problem is that our periods are out of control. I have had 3 periods in 2008. If you think about that for a while, it really s**ks.

Are there any low-carber pros out there who have had this kind of problem? Please share. :help:

Thanks, TiredFedUP

[moggsy]

I just posted a reply in the other subforum, but yes, since re-starting low carb, I've had issues with it. When I was lcing last year, I did notice changes, but not like this. I don't have answers to when and if things will return to normal for you, but I hope the news the two of you aren't alone helps.

While annoying and a bit concerning (I have felt absolutely drained), I figure that there must have been something going on with my hormones if I needed to have a period that's lasted almost 3 weeks. I am just going to give it time to sort itself out.

[TiredFedUP]

Thank you for responding!!!! Yes it does help to know that we are not alone. I figure that reorganizing your metabolism is probably going to reorganize hormone function as well. I'm wondering how long the process takes to stabilize.

[rdy2rde]

I think you should check with your doctor.

Lisa

[Rachel1]

I've been reading this board for years, and while some "newbie" low carbers report period problems when they first start out, this doesn't seem to be a long-lasting concern. I think you should check with your doctor. It may be low-carbing that's causing it, but it may be something else. I assume you're not in perimenopause?

Rachel

[moggsy]

If I am peri-menopausal, it'd be really early for it. I restarted low carb in January, hence the reason I think it's diet related.

I am headed to the doctor if it becomes a long standing issue. So far, at least for me, it's been this first period after being on low carb after being off for over 3 months.

[KvonM]

were your periods normal while you were on low-carb before and while you were off for that 3 months? if so, that would lead me to think it's a coincidence, and not diet related.

mine went a little haywire last year, deciding to be anywhere from 5 days early to a week late, and i'm usually a dead-on textbook 28 day cycle.

i would go see your doctor... it sounds like something else far more serious is going on.

[moggsy]

I will go to the doctor if it becomes long standing. I am not saying the other two women who started low carb in January shouldn't go to the doctor. I don't think it's a coincidence. It's not unheard of when losing weight, and it's definitely not unheard of in the low-carb world.

ETA: My first post wasn't an "I need advice" sort of thing. Just responding to the other poster asking if anyone else has had this (there's a more detailed post by her and another user in the PCOS subforum).

[Brandy23]

A while back there was a girl on here who was having the same problem. She had just started the lc and her TOM was going crazy. She said she had 2 in 1 month and then skipped a month.
I was talking to her and she told me about how it was just going crazy. The last time I talked to her she said that she went for about 2 months without a period. Now everything is back to normal. I guess I wouldn't complain if it stopped,lol.
Anyway, I can understand what you are saying, it can be fraustrating, but I do believe it will all straighten up before to much longer. Good Luck
Thanks Brandy

[TiredFedUP]

Hello all, I am not perimenopausal and this is my first irregular period(s). I went to see a doctor today and he put me on the pill to straighten things out. Everything checks out fine otherwise as far doc is concerned. He says its the horrible diet I'm doing. LOL. I don't know what to think about this doctor. I'm not convinced, and past doctors took me off the pill to avoid breast lumps, which I am prone to. I'm going to wait a few days, because my period is starting to really slow down, and then I will go see a different doc if things haven't returned to normal.

I went snooping on the net. It seems that insulin, estrogen and progesterone (sp?) are all tired up in complex interactions, especially for metabolic syndrome type women. I think I'll try and find a doc with more experience in this direction.

[Mrs. Skip]

My cycles always get crazy too, if I have been off of low carb and then start up again. It straightens itself out after a few months. The first time it happened, I went to my doctor, and he found nothing wrong and told me not to worry, women's menstrual cycles are greatly influenced by many things, change of diet being one of the biggies.

[BluePants]

okay female hormones 101

First, if you were insulin resistant you were not converting as much of the estrogen precursor molecules of androgen to estrogen before you started Atkins so now you get more estrogen from there.

Next our bodied make and store estrogen in our fat cells and when we use those fats stored in them some of the estrogen in there is released too so you get more estrogen from that too. Soooooo we got more estrogen flying around in our bodies and if we were below average we are doing the happy dance cause we are now normal.

If we were normal we are getting upset cause our periods are messed up. It will all self regulate as you continue your atkins if you are able to self regulate. If not this will tell your doctor you got some problems and they can assist you with some meds to control it.

There are some female medical problems that can cause excessive bleeding too but you are not likely to have suddenly grown fibroids at the same time you started Atkins, but if it continues or it bothers you call your OBGYN and ask them about it or schedule your annual check up eariler

[TiredFedUP]

Thanks BluePants, that helps demystify what I'm going through.

[rdy2rde]

ETA: My first post wasn't an "I need advice" sort of thing. Just responding to the other poster asking if anyone else has had this (there's a more detailed post by her and another user in the PCOS subforum).


Sorry. I misunderstood your post.

Lisa

[moggsy]

Sorry. I misunderstood your post.

Lisa

You didn't do anything wrong. No harm, no foul. That advice is generally good advice anyway.

As much as I get nervous that people will take threads like this as "oh you shouldn't go on a low carb diet! Your periods will get wonky", I think understanding that this does happen with women on any diet (whether or not it's more frequent on low carb) is more important. But a woman knows when something isn't right and definitely should see a doctor if she is concerned or if it doesn't straighten itself out.

[emily30]

From my own experience taken from my nearly 3 years on LC, I can tell you that LC, specifically carb level does affect my TOM.

I am in maintanence and generally eat 25 - 35g of carbs daily. I have, however, left the LC path many times, sometimes for a day and several (about 6 times) times for a week during a carb blowout. When I do go off plan for more than a few days (going out of ketosis) and then get back on plan at induction levels to cut cravings, I am guaranteed to have an early TOM that month. Usually spotting for 4 or 5 days before TOM is due, then regular TOM starts making for a 10 - 12 day long TOM. If I continue to stay on track, the next TOM is always normal and PMS symptoms are greatly reduced. I am 33, not peri-menopause, all paps and b/w normal. It's definitely diet related for me.