Has anybody experienced now weight lose during the week of their pms? I haven't lost this week and I should be going through the emotions this week. Just wondering if anyone has noticed? Thanks alot. Lacey

My first cycle on Atkins is coming up, so I haven't been thru it yet, but it makes sense that you would be retaining water. You are probabley losing fat but the water retention is making the scale stay the same. I bet once your period is over, the scale will go down again. Let me know if that happens..

I think tamiorr is right once you have finished your cycle you will probably see a weight loss hang on in there!!

Good luck

I have predictable water fluctuations involving my cycle.

I gain 2 lbs of water at ovulation, which goes away within 3 days.

I have bad PMS symptoms, breast swelling and pain, mood swings, carbo and salt cravings (and alcohol cravings I must admit), constant hunger..it's a misery, but surprisingly only 2 lbs worth of water gain if I stick to my WOE religiously. It goes away just before my period comes.

When I get my period, I immediately gain at least 2 but more likely 3 lbs, which tend to fall off all at once on the last day. Usually, I get an additional 2-pound whoosh two or three days after the whole period thing is over.

During all of this, my reference clothes show continual, if slow, weight loss.

All that said, this WOE has screwed up my cycle. I had three solid weeks of fairly heavy spotting last month but no real period. Then it went away as suddenly as it had come. A week went by, then I started suffering with horrible PMS which makes me feel as if I've developed ADD, bipolar disorder and road rage all at once. I have always had pretty severe PMS but this was one of the worst ever. My period came yesterday and it has been extremely light so far, with minimal cramping. It surprised me because I was still waiting for the PMS 2-lb water gain and it never happened. Well, actually, I think it probably did but I have lost some fat, so the scale didn't go up. That's my theory anyhow.

There are lots of threads on this--TOM weirdness is quite common on LC, and there are many women who don't lose during the latter half of their cycle. Try searching the archives on "TOM" or "period" for more info.

Emily

TOM has been visiting me this week also. I didn't lose any, but I didn't gain either. I am hoping I have lost by next weeks weigh in. I hope TOM was the reason.

thanks for all the advice. today I am supposed to start, and when I weighed this morning 2 pounds gone. So, I guess all hell is about to break loose. So, thanks i figured tom has to mess with something.

You know, I have a friend who's a physician, and she says that body fat secretes testosterone.

Yeah, weird, I know.

Anyway, she says that excess fat can alter your hormonal makeup so much that you become infertile.

Anyway, if that's true (and she would know), then it would follow that as you lose body fat, your hormonal makeup would change. Your body's production of etrogen and progersterone would likely be affected by the drop in testosterone levels -- though I don't know exactly what would happen. (But I know, for example, that men who use steroids -- which are very similar to testosterone -- to build muscle also have wind up having increased levels of estrogen such that they sometimes grow breasts. If one hormone is out of whack, the others will be too.)

But then, I think the effect of fat on hormones typicaly occurs only in people who are quite obese. If you're only moderately overweight, you probably can't blame altered hormones on fat loss (or gain).

That's interesting; I've been looking into this for a couple of months, because of my own sudden TOM problems, and I've never seen it mentioned that fat cells secrete testosterone. I have seen it mentioned that they secrete estrogen, though, and that excess estrogen causes all manner of things including early periods, heavy periods, midcycle bleeding etc.

Hm...

Emily

tholian8, looking at your numbers, I honestly don't think you have ever had enough stored body fat to experience any hormonal effects. I got the impression from my friend the physician that it takes a LOT of extra fat to alter your hormonal makeup -- but you should ask your own doctor about this.

I know that I, as well as a friend of mine, have had TOM problems associated with weight loss. Both my friend and I started having nonstop periods. And I do mean nonstop. Like, for six weeks at a time. I don't think she asked her doctor about it (she hates pelvic exams) but I did go to my doctor to ask about it, and she said nothing about "fat cells secreting hormones." (And my numbers were roughly comparable to yours when I was the amazing bleeding woman.)

Rather, my doctor said, "Stress can make your period stop or it can make it go into overdrive. Losing weight is hard on your body. When your weight stabilizes your period will go back to normal." (I always thought that stress just makes your period stop, but I guess not.)

But anyway, all I can offer your is my experience and that of people I know. Your TOM problems sound worse than anything I've encountered. You are getting medical attention for this, right?

Rapid weight loss often will lighten or stop your period. It had a opposite effect on me, I started a week earlier than usual, even though I am on the pill. That was really unexpected!! Fortunately, your body levels out and gets used to what is happening. Thankfully so, because I was worried that I was going to spot forever!

I have still not got my TOM yet, and it has been 32 days since the last, there is no way I'm pregnant, and I'm still not losing weight. It has been almost two weeks since my last loss. I'm getting so discouraged, you guys,cause I was doing so well. I have lost 17-18 pounds since June 16th. I'm eating the same. So, what is going on? PLEASE HELP ME.

There is another thread going on about this at http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...04&page=1&pp=10

This WOE can cause changes in your cycle, and it is very common. Take a look at that thread and see if it rings any bells for you. Also, you can search the archives for "TOM" or "period" and you should see a lot of threads come up.

Emily