Female question? (worried)

[michigander]

Re: Female question? (worried)

No, no, no. I had the EXACT same thing, and was living misearably always on my TOM. I would go a week on, 4 days off, and start again, it was REDICULOUS.

The DAY I started taking my vitamins, it stopped. TALK ABOUT RESULTS. Your body is obviously letting you know something, and I tried to tollerate it too long before fixing it.

Since then, I watch that I'm getting enough nutrients in the low carb foods I choose. Also, I notice that if I take a generic one-a-day vitamin, it doesn't sufficiently supplement a low-carb specific diet. So you may still be missing things you need.

I know the atkins book describes in detail which supplements & vitamins you need to replace certain foods (for example, what you're missing from fruits).

So, I would HIGHLY suggest starting a low carb vitamin asap and see how it works for you. Besides - you can't go wrong with vitamins.

[mom23kgirls]

Re: Female question? (worried)

Mine have stopped :<(, I seem to have the opposite reaction..which is not good for TTC...

[chinadoll]

Re: Female question? (worried)

You might also be at one of those times in age when everything shifts too, and the WOE may be amplifying it. I had a major shift in my periods around forty, and now, at 47 I am having a slower shift that I am reading as perimenopause. The shift at forty did result in longer heavier periods and some slight cramping and digestive changes--all new to me since, like you, I had always had easy menses. Hopefully things will settle down for you in a couple months. But your weight loss is great so at least you can celebrate your success there.

[jenniferlynne76]

Re: Female question? (worried)

I think the short answer is that it affects nearly all of us at some point in the low carb journey. The first month of low carbing, I had no problems (I should also mention that I'm on the pill). The second month, I started spotting about 2 weeks into my new pack of pills and spotted all the way through until I got my period. Then, this month, I'm right back on track again.

Rapid fat loss and dietary changes do some strange things to our hormones. I would say with almost certainty that things will straighten out for you in a month or two. If they don't, you might want to make an appointment with your doc to discuss options (such as adjusting your birth control) to get things back on track. But, overall, I would tell you not to worry. This is a very, very common side effect. Hang in there!

Jen

218/194/140
Female, 32 years, 5'7"

[Fayeza]

Re: Female question? (worried)

I would like to mention a few things:

"A study published in March 2006 confirmed that a low-carb diet improves the symptoms of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). The authors stated “a reduction in dietary carbohydrate reduced insulin concentrations among women with PCOS, which, over time, may improve reproductive/endocrine outcomes.”
what does this all mean? a low-carb diet can help to improve your body’s response to insulin. With Insulin Resistance (main finding in PCOS), the body becomes insensitive to the insulin it produces, leading to elevated circulating levels of insulin. This, in turn, causes hormonal imbalances, such as increased testosterone and other androgens (masculinizing hormones), associated with PCOS."

Since you had regular periods, this may not apply to you, but what I am trying to say is that when you start a low carb diet, your body's hormones start going back to their normal levels & function and that can lead to some irregularity in your cycles initially. But: if you notice that your periods remain irregular after 3 months, it is better if you see your doctor. There are other conditions that may cause heavy bleeding like an underactive thyroid, uterine fibroids, or perimenopausal changes (these changes may start years before the actual menopause).

[mistydawn73]

Re: Female question? (worried)

My TOM's were totally out of wack for the first 2 months that I was on Atkins before. They were heavier and more painful. Almost like I was at the beginning of labor!! But, the third month, it subsided and became normal. It will pass, just needs a few months to adjust to your new healthy way of living.