Low Carb and Early Periods
 

Hi! I started a low carb diet 20 days ago, and I was smack in the middle of my period (weird time to start a diet, I know...). Today, my period came back. Usually I have a pretty long cycle - 35, I think... and I've NEVER had two in one month.

Has anyone else experienced this? What could be the cause - all those hormones they inject into meat? the lowered insulin or increased iron? estrogen released by burning fat? Okay... I've been googling this, too.

Are there any other surprises I should look forward to?

Hi there,

I don't have an answer for you, but I'm actually going through the same thing - I have and IUD, and have not had a period in about 3.5 years. But two days ago (after about 3 weeks low carb) I got my period.

Maybe there is something to it...

How incredibly odd! I have not had period in many years, I take the Depo Provera shot. One way I can ALWAYS tell that I am actually losing weight: I start to have spotting! The first few times it happened, I thought it was just an odd coincidence. But it happens EVERY SINGLE TIME I get going on the weight loss.

I've been doing low carb since right before Christmas, and have lost about 17.5 lbs; and sure enough, I am spotting like mad.

Off to do some Googling of my own now...I am very intrigued by this.

Phoenix

Someone else said this same thing not long ago (maybe a week). But I think the timing is very interesting, as for both of you, the second "period" was pretty close to the midpoint between the last period and the due date.

To me, that sounds more like mid-month spotting due to ovulation, rather than a second period, which is fairly common (which is the same thing I posted in her thread). It happens to some women regularly, and to some women occasionally. Usually it's much lighter and shorter than your normal period (unless you always have very, very light periods).

If it's as heavy as a full period, or happens regularly, you probably should see your doctor, but if it's light and happens mid-month, it could just be normal ovulation spotting.

I've had it happen to me on ly a few times, maybe four in 35 years of menstruation (and it wasn't during low-carb eating). People tend to see patterns though when something unusual happened. The first time it happened to me, I was convinced that exercise had caused it, because it happened right after doing the national fitness test in P.E. in junior high. My doctor told me it was probably just ovulation and wasn 't anything to worry about unless it happened other times of the month (than period or the halfway point between periods) or if the bleeding got heavier or longer-lasting than a day or two (it was really light. A panty liner for the entire day was more than enough protection).

I didn't experience it again for many years and it wasn't after exercise, but I don't remember linking it to anything else. It wouldn't have been low-carb dieting, though (because I was very opposed to low-carb dieting, and would have noticed).

Interesting, I currently have a light period Im on a monophasic oral contraception called Levora, I expect my placebo pills next week which means im due for my period not til next week. I have been low carbing since Jan 3rd. I too have had this in the past, dont know if its just one's body adjusting to new weight/hormone surge. Kinda annoying!

About 2 weeks into my diet I experienced spotting, much like the first day of my period. I did some research and found that a increase in exercise and decrease in fatty foods can jump start your period, or completely throw it out of wack until your body adjusts.

I take this as a sign as were doing something right. Our body is noticing the change and is working to catch up with us. As the next couple TOM progress it should level out.. and the weight loss should continue :)

Good Luck!!

Here's the thing with me though: I don't get my period, at all. Have not had one since my daughter was born over 10 years ago! I started the shot at 6 weeks post partum, while nursing, so my period just never returned. I was supposed to look into stopping the shot this year, since I have been on it so long.

But sure enough, now that I am dropping weight, here comes the spotting. It's just so annoying...I feel so lost in that aisle in the store, lol.

Phoenix

I'm on the Ideal Protein diet and my period started a week early after only 2 weeks on the diet. My diet coach said extra spotting is to be expected. Also, fat stores estrogen and maybe as we metabolize the fat, more is being released into our bloodstream and affecting our cycles.