With estrogen being stored in fat, and this woe burns fat, throwing all the fat and estrogens and who knows what all into the blood stream, logic says that as long as our periods are royally messed up, we're losing fat!

Add me to the list of "doing the woe correct!"

Glad to see so many people have answered that some strange things are happening.

I believe that the first 2 months may have some changes because of the estrogen release from cells as fat is lost.

Many people skip a period if they are not on any BC pills. It comes back after the second month. I suppose it might make a difference when in one's cycle one started to do LC.

Break through bleeding - either heavy or light - is frequently reported on a number of boards.

If the cycle is not restored by the 3rd month, then a Dr. visit is probably warranted.

By the way, look in the PCOS forum. LC is used as a treatment for people who don't get regular periods and it helps in that kind of infertility.

BarB

I was so happy to find this thread. I was having a panic attack about all this break through bleeding. I hadn't finished two weeks of my pills and bam, here I am bleeding again. The weird thing is that the same thing happened last month BEFORE I started Atkins. I was blaming it on bad BC pills but now I am not sure. Regardless I am off to the Dr. next week (hopefully will be done by then) to get my BC changed. The brand I am using makes me more crampy anyway.

I wanted to ask... if anyone is still following this thread... what types of BC are/were being used when the break through bleeding occured? I read in a different thread that certain brands seem more prone. I am using Alesse. I don't believe that that my WOE will be detered by this though (my DH may have something to say about that though!). Honestly bleeding every two weeks is an inconvenience but nothing compared to the problems my weight has caused.

Bansshee, I was on ortho-tricycline when I had the mid cycle bleeding, just after I started Atkins in late jan, about 2 weeks.
I knew I was getting my tubes tied soon so I just quit takin them about 2 weeks into Feb. I just now got my period. The pills stalled my weight loss dramatically. Now I'm starting to loose again. I guess a stall can also be assocatied with the type of pill you are using. i'm just glad 15 years of pill use is over...

LAPROSCOPY HERE I COME.......APRIL 1, 9:00am

WOW! My first post and this is the place I chose to make it! I just had the same problem. I thought maybe it was because they changed my pills to the orthotricyclin, but maybe it is a combo of LC'ing and the pill. So relieved to find others are in the same boat!

I don't take the pill, but I have noticed that my periods have gotten somwhat less than regular (usually a few days to a week early) where before I was on a 29 day cycle like clockwork. Since I'm 40, I've been writing it off to beginning to go through "the change", but maybe it's the way I'm eating. Either way, it's not a big enough problem for me to go back to high carb.

Ok, wasn't going to post because I didn't want to gross anyone out but here goes:

I am on the pill and not scheduled to get my period until Tuesday. Around a week ago I started noticing that when I urinated and wiped myself there was this brown stuff on the paper. Looked like when I get the end of my period. I didn't wear a tampon for like a week b/c it never got on my underwear just kind of appeared on the paper! Then yesterday, it got on the underwear a little bit and so I put in a tampon. Now I have my period, fullout! I am sorry for being so gross but I am wondering if others have experienced this?!?!!?

fern,
That wasn't too graphic! LOL Just wanted to say that is exactly what happened with me.

news2me

Glad you responded news2me!
I was beginning to get a little worried! It is just weird to me that it happened all of a sudden...

Thanks for letting me know I am not the only one!
Linda

I wish mine were as simple as "brown paper". I have been using tampons now for about 10 days now and getting REALLY sick of it. I am now in my "official" period time according to my pill schedule. I have a Dr's appointment Friday. I made it before I found out that this was happening to others. I guess it can't hurt to go though. I was thinking about changing the type of BC I am using anyway. I used to use ortho... now I use Alesse. I think the ortho was better.

Does anyone have any idea how long this bleeding every two weeks will last? I don't want to leave my BC. I don't want to get pregnant and the alternative BC methods are not great.

H

Well, I just got my period again too. I thought I was finally getting back to normal and then I was tortured with terrible cravings starting last Thursday. Then bam. On Saturday I got it again. I'm supposed to be tri-cycling (taking 3 packs of BC - monophasic, and then having my period for a week) and I'm not "scheduled" to get my period until 4/24. Well, obviously, my body doesn't care about the schedule! This period isn't as heavy as my first 3 from LC were but it's still a period.

Yesterday, I had the worst cravings I have yet to experience on this diet. The bad thing was that I didn't want to stop eating. I wasn't really craving a specific food but I just want to EAT! I didn't eat anything I wasn't supposed to and I believe I actually stayed within my carb limit but my fat and protien intake were through the roof. I am better today. I used to have really bad binges right before or on the day I got my period (even with taking BC). I guess that hasn't gone away. I can at least minimize the damage now. I won't eat things I am not supposed to but I hope it is okay to go a bit nuts with the protien.

Fortunately today is better. Oh, almost forgot, yesterday was my day off from working out. I wonder if that had anything to do with it.

As always, I am glad to know that I am not alone.

H

Um, yes, my cravings were just for FOOD!!! And lots of it. I had a big steak dinner on Thursday (with veggies) and by the time I got home, I felt like I never even ate! I tried to limit myself to just LC snacks and foods but I did eat some chow mein on Sat. Then the Easter bunny made me a beautiful basket (thanks Grandma like I'm not on a LC WOE or anything). And of course, Periods = Chocolate for me so scarf-scarf some's missing

So for me, it's back to 20-30 grams carbs/day.

I started a new pill (Mircette) about a month before Atkins and I had no problems the first month but then for the past month every other week I have had my period or spotting. I stopped the pill when I was finished with the pack and I still havn't gotten my period since I'm almost two weeks late now. I know I'm not pregnant but my mind was playing head games so I went out and bought the oops pills and took them right after I had intercourse just in case my body decided to ovulate instead of menstrate.

I am 30 and I have one 10 yr old daughter, I never plan on having another child so last week I scheduled to have my tubes tied on May 7 th so this will not be an issue again.

I do enjoy this WOE though so I'm not going to let estrogen stop me from losing!

I believe you have just encountered some of the many joys of being a woman losing weight. Three years ago, when I started losing weight (I had surgery... if I new then) my period stopped completely so I got on BC to regulate it. Now I am on BC and losing weight and my period doesn't seem to want to stop. This time around I don't have a choice about not using BC though. I am married (one year anniversary in June) and pregnancy is not on my agenda. The alternative BC methods aren't suitable so I guess I am stuck. The big comfort I have in this is knowing I am not the only one. I refuse to let my estrogen get in the way of my body shrinking. DH will just have to deal until everything straightens itself out.

H