Question for women who lift heavy...

CassieLeigh86

No, I'm not concerned about bulking up haha.

In January 2012, I started NROL4W, and loved it. Felt stronger, looked better...and also started having spotting and an irregular cycle, despite being on a birth control pill. I stopped the program after I got busy training for a half marathon.

Fast forward to now. I'm on a new pill (stronger, monocyclic), and was doing great with it...until I started lifting heavy again, about 2-4 weeks ago. I'm back to the spotting.

Am I crazy, or is lifting heavy causing my cycle to go all wonky? I'm 5'6" and 155-160 pounds on any given day, so obviously I'm not underweight...but I'm also not so overweight that my cycle should be off.

Anybody else experienced this??

bcf7683

I haven't experienced that, but after I started lifting around a year ago I started getting really white splotches on my skin around my neck and chest (think a *very* mild case of Michael Jackson whiteness). Freaked me out a bit so I talked to my doctor, she said that it had to do with my hormones changing from the intense lifting I was doing. It had something to do with a bacteria that lives on everyone's skin becoming "active" and making my skin stop producing melanin in those areas.

Sounds like it could be a hormone thing with you as well- I would ask you doctor, honestly.

CassieLeigh86

Oh that's weird! That would freak me out a bit too...

I will definitely talk to my doctor, I'm just so curious to know if anyone else has had this problem! Damn hormones...

NJL13500

This is interesting to me. I connected my starting heavy lifting and weight gain, but I never really connected it to my increased PMS symptoms and possible hormonal changes. I have had spotting and more breast tenderness and swelling lately. I though that I might be entering perimenopause early....

I made an appointment with my GYN to have myself checked out, but he couldn't see me until June 6th.

I'm interested to hear responses from others as well. I definitely have the spotting between periods and Intensified PMS symptoms.

Thanks for posting. I know I haven't been helpful. I'm hoping to have some answers after my doctor appointment, but maybe others have some now.

CassieLeigh86

I tried to Google it, and there is pretty much nothing out there. There are a lot of topics on birth control and weight gain (shocker), and a few on birth control possibly inhibiting muscle growth in women, but I wasn't able to find anything that even mentioned weight lifting changing the effectiveness of birth control.

deksgrl

Birth control pills can cause spotting.

I do not think that exercise will change the effectiveness of the pill, but check with your doctor. Spotting is a side effect of excess estrogen, either too much of it, or an imbalance of it if progesterone has dropped causing the estrogen to be too dominant.

TracyJo93

It happens to be too, even though I'm on Yaz. I asked my doc about it, and he said that it shouldn't be a big deal and that once your body gets used to the lifting then everything will even back out. He said that lots of cardio (like running five or more miles everyday) will do it too.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

Interesting. I find that lifting actually helps to regulate my cycle and makes them shorter and less painful. Along with lifting did you change your eating habits, sleeping habits, amount of cardio?

TracyJo93

Oh and the pill is still effective. Lol. First thing I asked about.

EmilyOfTheSun

after I started lifting around a year ago I started getting really white splotches on my skin around my neck and chest (think a *very* mild case of Michael Jackson whiteness).

I almost spit out my lunch. That was hilarious.

OP.....are you working out a LOT? Like every single day a week for an hour or more? When I first started working out, I was an addict! I completely skipped my period for three months in a row. Then it would come off and on. Skip a month, the get it again, skip two months, get it again, etc.

Some of my pals on here told me that it's pretty common for women who workout a LOT to skip their periods. I asked my doc about it, she said it's common too.

I have stopped working out as much (just because personally, I don't think it's necessary to workout for over an hour a day, every day, to achieve my goals), and now my periods have resumed as normal.

TracyJo93

One more thing lol. I spotted, and then I went 3 months without a period. Took multiple at home tests and they were all negative. That's why I decided to talk to my doctor when I went for my annual check up.

keepongoingnmw

I would still see a doctor anyway......

bumblebums

Ok, I cannot comment on the pill issue, and I have not experienced any hormonal upheavals myself. But I do want to comment on the question of irregular periods and exercise/weight loss. My understanding is that it has more to do with intake than with body weight; even women at a normal body weight can have oligo- and amenorrhea. Sorry, can't find the reference right now.

And here's a study on the effects of oral contraceptives on female athletes you might want to look at:

http://jcem.endojournals.org/content/89/9/4364.short

NavyKnightAh13

I would say ask your doctor. The past couple of months mine has been a little messed up but the stress in my life has also been upped a bit so i chalk it up to that.

agent770

Yes - I had something similar happen to me when I started training again with a personal trainer. I would say my workouts were intensive and moderately heavy. I started to spot mid way through my cycle. I went to the doctor had internal ultrasound and the results were nothing conclusive. The spotting has stopped it last about 4months.

CassieLeigh86

I'm definitely not working out at a level that would be called excessive or too much...half an hour to an hour of cardio and/or strength training 3-4 times a week, usually every other day. They are hard workouts, yes, but nothing insane!

I've actually ALWAYS had trouble finding pills that work for me...but the last two times I've had to switch, the trouble coincided with an increase in weight training. The last time I switched pills, the doctor actually did an ultrasound and yes, everything was normal. So I am inclined to say that my hormones are just out of whack...not necessarily due to the weight training ONLY, but it does seem to have some kind of an effect.

Thanks for all the responses ladies! Of course I'll still be talking to the doctor about this, but I appreciate the insight!

bumblebums

I'm definitely not working out at a level that would be called excessive or too much...half an hour to an hour of cardio and/or strength training 3-4 times a week, usually every other day. They are hard workouts, yes, but nothing insane!

I've actually ALWAYS had trouble finding pills that work for me...but the last two times I've had to switch, the trouble coincided with an increase in weight training. The last time I switched pills, the doctor actually did an ultrasound and yes, everything was normal. So I am inclined to say that my hormones are just out of whack...not necessarily due to the weight training ONLY, but it does seem to have some kind of an effect.

Thanks for all the responses ladies! Of course I'll still be talking to the doctor about this, but I appreciate the insight!

Actually, the thing I really wanted to say was this: there are so many factors that could be at play that it's hard to be sure that your problems arise from the pills or from weight training. You probably also changed your diet recently, right? To pin down the cause, you have to think scientifically. Start systematically taking out one variable at a time, give your body enough time to respond to the change (2 months is probably the minimum for anything involving the menstrual cycle), and then adjust as necessary.

jzammetti

It is possible that you are under-eating. Heavy workouts need enough food to fuel them. Not enough fuel can cause all sorts of strange issues with hormones. How much do you eat a day?

EDIT: nvm. I looked at your diary and it seems like enough. Sorry I couldn't help!

tmogs

SInce I started lifting my period has been acting crazy also. Mine went from every 26 days like clockwork lasting 6 to 7 days (not on the pill) to being 4 days late and only 4 days. I believe I read that the diet might be too low for the exercise your doing.

CassieLeigh86

Yea I think I'm definitely eating enough!

Interestingly though, both times I STARTED lifting heavy I did up my caloric intake...this time from 1700 to 1900. However, the reason I changed from 1700 to 1900 this time around was because I'm giving the whole TDEE-20% a try, instead of eating close to my BMR and eating back exercise cals....so actually the change probably isn't that drastic in how many calories I'm netting.

I completely agree that I need to give my body some time to adjust!

jamiek917

and im in the opposite boat! got off the pill in June, didnt get my period until november (happened to me before, the only other time i got off the pill). got my period regularly for 3 months, happened to increase my weight training around that last month- and havent had my period since (which sucks since im trying to get pregnant). i never thought to link it to lifting until now... but maybe?

lcvaughn520

Oh this is so interesting! I had had some "hormonal" seeming symptoms and this makes a lot of sense. I was really nervous that I was pregnant or something! I am so glad I came across this...

hdsqrl

Add me to the list of people who are glad this is happening to others as well.

In my case, I'd have a week or more of super-light spotting (what I call a "warning that it's coming") and THEN it would finally start, and last for about 5 days. This all started up around the same time I began the 5x5. I mentioned it to my doctor in March, and he sent me for an ultrasound (that came back totally normal) and now has me scheduled for a hysteroscopy and biopsy. I called the nurse today and explained that I feel this is a bit like going after a housefly with a hand grenade, and could we please postpone any further testing until a few more months go by, as this most recent cycle seemed to be back to normal. Still waiting for her to call back with what the doctor recommends. Here's hoping he agrees with me.

Editing to add: Just heard back from the doc's office. He said it's fine to postpone the appointment, and to keep a menstrual diary for the next 3 months, then check back in with him to report how things are going. Of course, if something alarming happens sooner, contact him immediately. So, for anyone else also experiencing menstrual disruptions of any kind - it may be a smart move to start tracking everything in a paper journal.

Glampinupdoll

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Glampinupdoll

I haven't experienced that, but after I started lifting around a year ago I started getting really white splotches on my skin around my neck and chest (think a *very* mild case of Michael Jackson whiteness). Freaked me out a bit so I talked to my doctor, she said that it had to do with my hormones changing from the intense lifting I was doing. It had something to do with a bacteria that lives on everyone's skin becoming "active" and making my skin stop producing melanin in those areas.

Sounds like it could be a hormone thing with you as well- I would ask you doctor, honestly.

I get those spots sometimes as well. It is a fungus on your skin that becomes active . U can actually dab athletes foot cream on them for 2-3 days and they will disappear

CaffeinatedConfectionist

I've had a similar experience. I've been doing moderate lifting at home for like a year with dumbbells, but recently finally obtained a barbell set and rack, so I was able to increase my weights quite a bit over the past month (although I'm currently capped out again on stuff like deadlifts until I get more weights :grumble:) and I entirely skipped my period in April. It freaked me out completely, because I've never missed a period in my life, and the only birth control I'm currently using is condoms. I even took several pregnancy tests just to double-check. I really only increased my weights by maybe 50lb, but maybe that was enough to do it. We'll see what happens in May....

CassieLeigh86

I think the idea of keeping a "menstrual diary" sounds beneficial...albeit slightly funny.

When this happened to me last year, the pill I was on was triphasic, so I'm interested to see if the spotting follows a similar pattern now that I am on a monophasic pill.

Anybody else wish they'd hurry up with the male bc pill already?!?!

Justkeepswimmin

Okay so I yes after heavy lifting started to have a few interesting side effects. yes the spotting. Yes the little fungus uprising on the skin (had to get medicine) and lastly, I turned into a teenager with acne. Apparently this is all related to hormonal adjustments. Bleh.