TOM

_jayciemarie_
_jayciemarie_ Posts: 574 Member
edited November 2024 in Social Groups
This is a question for women, unless you are a brave man and want to respond with factual scientific info. Lol

I'm not on BCP and my cycles have been fairly regular as I keep track with an app. My average days between cycles is 32 days. Well, I started LCHF May 4th. I have lost 20lbs in that time, but my cycle just started today--which was 13 days late and 47 days between cycles. Is this a side effect of the diet due to the insulin messing with hormones?

Replies

  • SlimBride2Be
    SlimBride2Be Posts: 315 Member
    Yeah mine comes earlier now. People do mention it!
  • sweetteadrinker2
    sweetteadrinker2 Posts: 1,026 Member
    Yes. So many hormones are stored in fat. Mine can't make up it's mind right now, but fat loss (20 lbs sounds right) is a major change in hormone levels.
  • minties82
    minties82 Posts: 907 Member
    Mine is the same in frequency (aka random as hell) but it's a lot heavier now. I think that is a good thing. It was very light before. I suppose my body is making a more appropriate amount of cushioning for a potential baby.
  • fitter_happier94
    fitter_happier94 Posts: 63 Member
    I also have an app that tracks my cycle. I'm on day 10 of keto and I've been "on" for 6 days now. I'm usually on for 4 days max. I just attributed it to such a huge change in my diet (former carb fiend). It's freaked me out a little though, hoping it doesn't stay this way
  • AngInCanada
    AngInCanada Posts: 947 Member
    I think there's a lot of estrogen stored in fat so when we lose fat, that estrogen needs to go somewhere else in the body so it's normal for your cycle to be off for a bit till the body regulates itself.
  • auntstephie321
    auntstephie321 Posts: 3,586 Member
    Mine fluctuated at first and was heavier but seems to have normalized now
  • _jayciemarie_
    _jayciemarie_ Posts: 574 Member
    Thank you everyone!
  • BookAngel_a
    BookAngel_a Posts: 143 Member
    Mine came early my first month but seems to have normalized now, although it is heavier than it used to be, which I think is a good sign of improvement in my health compared to where I was before.
  • mlinton_mesapark
    mlinton_mesapark Posts: 517 Member
    I think there's a lot of estrogen stored in fat so when we lose fat, that estrogen needs to go somewhere else in the body so it's normal for your cycle to be off for a bit till the body regulates itself.

    Holy moly, that explains so much about the past few days for me. Thanks for the insight!

  • tlflag1620
    tlflag1620 Posts: 1,358 Member
    My first cycle after starting low carb was about ten days "late". The only other times I had been that late resulted in children, lol. The next cycle was right on time, and they have been ever since (well, I'm currently pregnant, but you get the idea). I think between the stress of a major change in diet and as someone else mentioned, the increased estrogen in your system associated with fat loss temporarily messes things up.
  • lauraesh0384
    lauraesh0384 Posts: 463 Member
    edited June 2015
    I can honestly say that being on a keto diet hasn't effected my cycle. My period comes every 28 days like clock work and lasts for 5 days. I generally have heavy periods for the first 3 days, but taking a combination Magnesium, Calcium and Zinc has really helped with that. In fact, the first month I took the combo I didn't gain any weight at all. The second month I ran out and completely forgot to get more, I was up 2 lbs. I took it for 5 days before and also during. I use an app to track my start date and it's always spot on.
  • GSD_Mama
    GSD_Mama Posts: 629 Member
    I was late as well when I first started, it mole less regulated now and for some reason lasts longer, I don't know if I like the longer part lol
  • AngInCanada
    AngInCanada Posts: 947 Member
    "Estrogen likes to store itself in fat tissues so there is a problem for some people when the fat breaks down (through nutrition, exercise or other methods) it releases the estrogen back into the system. If the estrogen doesn’t have a pathway to use to be excreted from the system the estrogen floats around until it is soaked up again somewhere else in the body, all the while causing an estrogen imbalance. This applies to both males and females."

    http://robbwolf.com/2011/12/29/hormones-disrupted-decadent-depraved/
  • DianaElena76
    DianaElena76 Posts: 1,241 Member
    Fascinating. I *think* I'm back to normal now, whatever that is, but when I started this WOE and the baby weaned from breastfeeding (pretty much happened simultaneously), I started getting TOM every two weeks like clockwork and it was heavy. It's been 3 (I think) weeks since the last time, so we'll see where I end up on the continuum of "normal" cycles. I used to be around 45 days but have never really been regular. I've also always eaten mostly carbs.
  • _jayciemarie_
    _jayciemarie_ Posts: 574 Member
    Well...this WOE has probably had an impact on me. Or, I'm getting to that midlife time (just turned 39). It was almost 2 weeks late and was somewhat heavy for 2 days and then spotting for the rest. Just plain weird.
  • Sugarbeat
    Sugarbeat Posts: 824 Member
    TOM is just weird all the way around. I've recently noticed it's heavier and either sooner or a little more frequent. Nothing horrible, just weird.
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    I'm just glad with after my Inositol adventure (it fixes and balances hormones, but I am on continuous birth control to NOT have a bleeding cycle - and let's just say it saw that not having a cycle as broken and unbalanced and tried to fix it - ugh - bad planning on my part!) that I'm back on track with fewer mood swings and all of that. It's shocking what we all put up with on this front, isn't it?
  • _jayciemarie_
    _jayciemarie_ Posts: 574 Member
    Can you imagine if guys had mood swings?
  • Twibbly
    Twibbly Posts: 1,065 Member
    Can you imagine if guys had mood swings?

    Some of them do.
  • CoffeeNBooze
    CoffeeNBooze Posts: 966 Member
    edited June 2015
    Can you imagine if guys had mood swings?

    Mine does. Luckily I know how to work with them and around them (and use them X-D )

  • auntstephie321
    auntstephie321 Posts: 3,586 Member
    Thought mine was back on track but must be thrown off from coming out of keto, 4 days late, negative test too, bummer.
  • Metruis
    Metruis Posts: 60 Member
    My cycle used to be so much like clockwork I could call it down to pretty much the time of day it would start. It was so regular I knew the two points during my actual period that I could remove my cup and keep it out for a half a day-day because I wasn't actually bleeding at that point. Yes, it was that regular.

    Then I started working out. I never actually considered the low carb as a reason too.

    I skipped a month. It trickled in but kind of oddly heavy. Next month it definitely wasn't back on track. Oddly light, oddly painful. I don't have it right now even though I'm sure I should've started last week. I mean, it's only been 3 months, but it sure hasn't gotten back to normal.
  • danidanibobani
    danidanibobani Posts: 125 Member
    I am joining the club! A little over one month, with one normal cycle at the beginning, and today I'm early and things are just weird. Normally everything is pretty normal, unless I'm pregnant, and since that is impossible, things are weird.
  • CoconuttyMummy
    CoconuttyMummy Posts: 685 Member
    This is my first TOM since going keto and its a week earlier and wayyyy heavier than before. Nice to know this is 'normal' until the body adjusts.

    Another thing, does anyone notice their appetite increases during TOM? Im leaning towards blaming my period for over-eating today but im probably making excuses for just being a piglet!
  • danidanibobani
    danidanibobani Posts: 125 Member
    I've been starving for the last few days. My stomach is rumbling even though I had two eggs and FIVE sausages two hours ago. Sheesh!
  • KnitOrMiss
    KnitOrMiss Posts: 10,103 Member
    Hormone shifts definitely make me jump my calories during TOM, and after it fizzle off and balances out.
  • KarlaYP
    KarlaYP Posts: 4,436 Member
    I had a total hysterectomy (removed my ovaries too) in 2013. My GYN told me that I had severe endometriosis all over the inside of my pelvic cavity, and with it being that bad there was no way to remove it all. I'm 47 now, but still too young to go without estrogen. Since I take the estrogen the endometriosis has remained "alive" (it lives off of estrogen), giving me the tom menstrual cramps every month. I have noticed a decrease in the severity of the pain since being ZC. Will continue to monitor these results!
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