Well, like all of you, I'm glad to find I'm not alone but sorry for all your flow troubles too. I guess I'll get through this like the rest of you. I'm 43 and have been on Mircette for almost a year. Has always set things exactly on time (monthly cycle with hormones in ALL the pills, just less of them in one week). I've only been on induction for 2 weeks now (lost 5.5 lbs.) and started it the very last day of my period. So now (2 weeks later) I get it again! With cramps. You'd think dear Doctor Atkins would have some information on this "situation" since obviously it affects women both on and off the pill, and not just a few women either. Intuition tells me that once you get to the point where you are maintaining a weight, the periods would become normal again. Hopefully I'll be able to see if that's true someday.
On the plus side, I haven't had ANY sinus trouble (pain and pressure which I used to get most of the time) since I eliminated all things bread, pasta, rice and sugar. I'm really impressed by that since I had been to the doctor's about it (I'm not a doctor-goer) and went through lots of migraine tricks and should own stock in all makers of Sinus Pain and Pressure medication.
Thanks for taking the time to read this "way longer than I meant to" post.

Love this thread. I just wanted to add my 2 cents. I've been on Atkins for 10 days, and I'm mid-cycle and start full blown like you guys have posted. I'm taking tri-cyclen too, have been for about 2 years. Never had a problem , just like most of you. Seems like after reading most of the posts on this that tri-cyclen is the main one that this happens to. Wonder if its just because it is one of the more popular pills and just a coinidence. I dunno. But ya...if it wasn't for this forum I would have been very worried last night when I started. But I remembered some of the posts mentioning this, did some more searching today at this site and I am not worried. It will pass. Just have to buy a small army of tampons to get me through whatever my body wants to bring on me. But thanks for everyone sharing. It's very helpful to find out exactly how this diet is affecting other women.

Kirsten

I am happy to report (if any cares) that my cycle is back to normal again. After over two months of on every two weeks, it seems I am back to normal. I did change my pill from Alesse to the Ortho-tri (I had wanted to do this before my cycle went haywire). This is my first month back on Ortho. No mid cycle break-throughs just smooth sailing. I also think I have settled better into this WOE. To anybody who reads this freaking out like I was, it does get better. Granted your significant other may not like it but they will deal.

Heather

I'm wondering if anyone reading this thread is not on the pill and experiencing odd TOM symptoms.
I've been having terrible "clotty" periods. They are very crampy and very heavy. Not 'breakthrough" bleeding. It only happens at my regularly scheduled period. Does Atkins talk about this?

5th day of mid-cycle bleeding. Am I having fun yet? =)

same symptons here. into my 3rd week of LCing and been in mid-cycle bleeding on my 6th day now..longer than my usual time lasts..ugh. bad cramps too. I'm on ortho-tri as well. Have been for years... I hope this more than once a month thing doesnt last for too long....

You might have endure for a month or two but it will even out. Hang in there. If you weren't taking BC, then you would be without your monthly friend for a month or two. Bodies are such delicate systems and always seem to lodge some sort of protest at change.

H

My daughter that has PCOS and hadn't had a period in over a year is beginning to have them again. This is her third month on Atkins and the first month she spotted, then skipped a month and now she is having a normal period. So, it is not all bad gals! I think that maybe our bodies have to get "cleaned out" before we return to normal.

Hi girls.

With my homoeopath's hat on, as well as my Atikins-er hat on, here's what I think.

I have had this cycle disturbance too, and I've not been on the pill for decades. It might have been the first sign of the change, in my case, but equally it might be the hormones as I know my system is heavy on estrogen naturally and that (as has been said), it is stored in fat. It coincided with my losing 5 lbs in one week. So that fits too.

There is loads of estrogen in the water, in fish etc because of the estrogen we pee out of our systems and the fish get it, we eat it etc. Cattle etc also have hormone supplements as a matter of routine. We are awash with estrogen and it is considered to be the main factor in male infertility in the western world.

In terms of clots, heaviness of periods etc, periods are a way of flushing out the system. Some homeoopaths say that this is one of the reasons why women live longer than men - we have a discharge mechanism that they don't have. If your system is under strain, the bleeding will be longer, or more clotted, to cope with it and this strain includes any emotional strain as well as any physical one (like dettoxing, which is what we are all doing as we release toxins from the fat). Also, (still with me?), people on a heavy meat diet tend to have heavier periods than vegetarians.

The important thing here is to make sure you are compensating for it. If you are bleeding a lot, make sure your diet is iron rich. If you are craving loads of protein etc it's cos your body needs it to make up the blood it is losing and don't forget the muscles which are used to make the period happen etc. We need to feed those too. Obviously, chocolate is not needed by the body to rebuild itself (well, not physically, anyway!) also, you need to drink your water even more than before as you will be losing lots. However, constant heavy bleeding is not right and you should visit your doctor - though a homoeopath can fix it for you pretty easily, without giving you even more hormones, which will only cause you more problems. If you can get to a homoeopathic pharmacy, ask for agnus castus mother tincture and have 4 drops in half a glass of water 4 x a day. That should fix it pretty fast.

Hope you all even out pretty fast

Sara

I was very interested to read all this stuff about mid-cycle bleeding, because I now have a bleed 11 days after my period. This is like clockwork and has been going on for the last four months or so (I started low carbing in February). However, the bleed is definitely getting more. It lasts a day or so, and then I have my period 14 days later. When I phoned NHS Direct they recommended going to the Doctor, but now I have read everyones comments, I think I will just wait and see. Does anyone know if exercise makes any difference? I put my weight on during pregnancy - my youngest is now 20 months and I am at last starting to lose it. I used to exercise a lot, but have been too tired recently and I wondered if that affected hormones aswell. I am not on the pill.

Susan - the disruptions in cycles caused by starting LC generally settle back into regularity after the second cycle. (if you missed one, or if you got one early, the next one is on time.) But your's has been going on for 4 months. So I would take the advice you got from NHS Direct and make an appointment to see your doctor. It is better to check it out and have it be a nothing than the neglect a something. LC is not responsible for everything that happens in our bodies.

Thanks Tofi. I'll wait and see what happens this mid cycle, and if I get another bleed, then I'll visit the doc!!

I am so happy to read this thread
I am on orthotricyclen for a long time-never any probs--on ATkins LCing for 3 weeks and got my period one full week early!
It bothered me until I read all these posts.
This forum rocks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hopefully this will work itself out soon
Vicki

Well I'm not on the pill - but a progesterone only injection - 6 days into Atkins and heavy bleeding started (and Im not used to having any periods at ALL on the depo!) - continued for 17 days - heavy heavy clotting - then had to get drugs from Dr to stop the bleeding. Stopped taking the tablets and the bleeding started again!! I hope this is not going to go on for ever or I'll have to ome off the Atkins plan..... Anyone else have the same experience?
Thanks

If things are going normally, we bleed when our estrogen levels drop. Body fat produces estrogen too. Also carbs cause an increase in estrogen.

When you're on the pill, your ovaries are put outta business (while you're on the pill) since the pill is supplying progesterone and estrogen.

So, the amouont of hormone you are receiving doesn't go up like it would or should if your ovaries were the source of estrogen - the pill dishes out a set amount.

Now, if you're not on the pill....? I guess your body is adjusting. I recently went off the pill and am curious about what's in store for me...we'll see.

Good luck, ladies.