Skipping your period and weight gain

skinnygirlboxes
skinnygirlboxes Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hello!

I'm a 24 year old female, and I was seven lbs away from my goal weight three weeks ago. I tried skipping my period on the pill (Yasmin) for the first time, via my Dr's reccemendation. My weight has been fluctuating like crazy ever since then, which I'm not sure is related. Bloating, retaining water, etc. 5lb weight differences up and down or even more day to day. I've gained 7 lbs!!!!! I haven't changed how I've been eating, though I've been very stressed. Has anyone experienced this? I'm feeling so discouraged!

Replies

  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Messing with hormones will reek havoc on your body, often in unpredictable ways.

    Although the pill means that you didn't bleed, it may not have controlled the hormones that lead to bloating.

    Deal with your stress, continue to eat properly and maintain your activity level: everything will even out eventually.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    Why would you purposely want to skip your period? That can screw with your hormones which can cause water weight fluctuations like crazy.
  • aprice20
    aprice20 Posts: 12 Member
    I don't thin this will be good idea to skip your period now.
  • sunnysunny88
    sunnysunny88 Posts: 64 Member
    Hi! I can only speak from my own experience but Is this your first time on this brand of pill? In my experience and as far as I know there is nothing harmful with skipping your period (skipping the sugar pills on the pack) as your 'period' is not really a period but a withdrawal bleed anyway. Ive had skipped my period for a number of reasons before with no problem. Again this is just my experience. The pill does make you retain more water so it could possibly be that but if you have been on it for a while there shouldn't be a major difference if you skip it or not. If you have recently just started on the pill then it may be because your body is adjusting to the hormones, keep doing what you're doing and it should go back to normal, if you find that you're constantly bloating and retaining a lot of water, maybe ask your doctor if you can switch to a different pill? The first time I went on the pill I had to switch twice till I get one that is right for me. And I've lost 12 kg while being on the pill.

    Another thing is have you been eating a lot of salt lately? I find that my weight fluctuates like crazy when my salt intake increases. Try to keep it low and drink lots of water.

    If you're really concerned, you should talk to your doctor :) all the best.


  • Timberla82
    Timberla82 Posts: 16 Member
    I have the same problem if I try to skip a period: my body doesn't like being told what to do and settles down once I've had a withdrawal bleed. (The pill otherwise works brilliantly for me.) I asked my doctor about it and she said that everybody's body reacts differently to the pill and my body may just be stubborn and likes to do what it wants Your body might be the same :smile:
  • Tania_181
    Tania_181 Posts: 100 Member
    I'm only a few weeks into my weight loss efforts but I didn't experience any gains during the time that I should have had a break from the pill. I regularly skip the withdrawal week to avoid headaches/migraines and worsened anxiety. I've been told by doctors and nurses many times that it is fine to do so
  • federicafezza4271
    federicafezza4271 Posts: 69 Member
    It's good that you asked your doctor's advice and it's perfectly safe to skip a period in that way once in a while. (I have been on the pill for almost 10 years now)
    I'd say your bloating is affected by the unusual period skip and by the stress.
    I usually experience bloating and water weight before and during my period, and it diminishes after I have my period, so maybe after your next period you will be back to your balance.
    Good luck!
  • ajoseph5
    ajoseph5 Posts: 25 Member
    Absolutely, even though you have skipped your cycle with the use of medication, you will still have the bloatness and water retention as others have mentioned. Our bodies are use to something's coming regularly. When we trick our bodies in to thinking it's not time for the time of the month, harmonies will get out if wack because your body is use to having its monthly regulation. So while it's great to have a little freedom, we pay for it in other ways. Keep striving for your weight loss goal
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    skinnygirlboxes wrote: »
    Hello!

    I'm a 24 year old female, and I was seven lbs away from my goal weight three weeks ago. I tried skipping my period on the pill (Yasmin) for the first time, via my Dr's reccemendation. My weight has been fluctuating like crazy ever since then, which I'm not sure is related. Bloating, retaining water, etc. 5lb weight differences up and down or even more day to day. I've gained 7 lbs!!!!! I haven't changed how I've been eating, though I've been very stressed. Has anyone experienced this? I'm feeling so discouraged!

    yes its related, just carry on with the deficit and your weight will settle down when your hormones do.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    CattOfTheGarage wrote: »
    Why would you want to skip a period? Because periods suck and sometimes it's just a really bad time to have one. I went away over New Year and did not want to have to deal with that nonsense, so I skipped it. It's no big deal if you're not doing it often.

    I'm not enough of a mother earth type to believe that all the hormonal chaos in my body is divinely ordained by the universe for my spiritual benefit and should not be altered. It's an organic, untidy, fairly brutal system designed to make babies. Since I'm not trying to do that, it's largely a non-functional nuisance, and if I can adjust the timing to suit my life, I will.

    But obviously skipping periods will affect your hormones and therefore water retention. Since none of us is counting calories in order to lose water, it doesn't seem like a big deal to me. It will settle out in time.

    The effect of it that I don't like is that I still get PMS at the same time and it doesn't stop, it kind of rumbles on at a low level until I do get a period. So like I said, I don't do it often.

    i skip mine if it coincides with being on holiday, so maybe once or twice a year... i sometimes feel like when i do then get my period after the skipped one its more painful!

  • jenmek
    jenmek Posts: 61 Member
    I think you're trying to control your weight using illogical means. Focus on eating healthy, non-manufactured foods and move your body. Using ANY fabricated means won't be authentic and will only cause you frustration.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    CattOfTheGarage wrote: »
    Why would you want to skip a period? Because periods suck and sometimes it's just a really bad time to have one. I went away over New Year and did not want to have to deal with that nonsense, so I skipped it. It's no big deal if you're not doing it often.

    I'm not enough of a mother earth type to believe that all the hormonal chaos in my body is divinely ordained by the universe for my spiritual benefit and should not be altered. It's an organic, untidy, fairly brutal system designed to make babies. Since I'm not trying to do that, it's largely a non-functional nuisance, and if I can adjust the timing to suit my life, I will.

    But obviously skipping periods will affect your hormones and therefore water retention. Since none of us is counting calories in order to lose water, it doesn't seem like a big deal to me. It will settle out in time.

    The effect of it that I don't like is that I still get PMS at the same time and it doesn't stop, it kind of rumbles on at a low level until I do get a period. So like I said, I don't do it often.

    i skip mine if it coincides with being on holiday, so maybe once or twice a year... i sometimes feel like when i do then get my period after the skipped one its more painful!

    I don't get more painful but definitely heavier
  • msbritbrat22
    msbritbrat22 Posts: 1 Member
    edited September 2017
    .
  • MsValerie562
    MsValerie562 Posts: 1 Member
    edited September 2017
    I can relate. I've been on the pill for several years and my doctor recently asked me to skip my sugar pills and continue on with a new pack to skip my period to help control PMS. I've skipped 3 periods so far & I've noticed water weight around my lower stomach and it sucks! Why? Because I eat well, track my calories/macros & workout five times a week & have been doing so for 2 years. I'm not sure if it's linked to me skipping periods. But that's the only change in my body so far. So! I'm going to reduce my calorie intake & see what happens!
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 28,053 Member
    MsValerie562 wrote: »
    I can relate. I've been on the pill for several years and my doctor recently asked me to skip my sugar pills and continue on with a new pack to skip my period to help control PMS. I've skipped 3 periods so far & I've noticed water weight around my lower stomach and it sucks! Why? Because I eat well, track my calories/macros & workout five times a week & have been doing so for 2 years. I'm not sure if it's linked to me skipping periods. But that's the only change in my body so far. So! I'm going to reduce my calorie intake & see what happens!

    I'm confused. Since the P in PMS stands for Pre, why would skipping your period help with symptoms that happen before your period?
  • counting_kilojoules
    counting_kilojoules Posts: 170 Member
    Everything I've read in the last few years says that you can skip periods for as long as you want perfectly safely. This article says that the only side effect is break through bleeding or spotting. http://www.arhp.org/Publications-and-Resources/Patient-Resources/fact-sheets/Understanding-Menstrual-Suppression
    This article says that bloating might be an issue http://www.cosmopolitan.com/uk/body/health/news/a49222/effects-body-double-back-pill-skip-period/ (It's Cosmo so not what I would consider the most reliable source but, if correct, might explain your issue.)

    If I were you, I'd stick to my diet and see how it goes for a couple of weeks. If it's just water weight it should come off.

Categories