MRC and your cycle
 

Hi Everyone! This is my 23rd day on MRC and what is supposed to be the first day of my cycle. I have been spotting off and on for a week and have had significant cramps. When I weighed in yesterday they told me that this was common, although I haven't heard anyone else talk of it. Has this happened to anyone else?

Yeah!! I could count on my monthly being on time but when I was doing MRC I totally stopped having one all together. For a while I would spot for a week or longer, then I'd start. It was weird but then I realized that it was the lack of calories I was giving my body. My friend (who is a nurse) told me when you don't eat enough your body goes into starvation mode and it wants to hold on to EVERYTHING it can, so your body doesn't or tries not to release any eggs because it barely has enough to keep you alive, let alone to try and grow a fetus. Hope this helps!!

I've had the opposite effect - mine is coming early! It used to be a very typical 28 day cycle, but this past month it turned into a 21 day cycle - I'm around day 46 or so.

I average 26-28 days per cycle which is completely normal for me.

I have noticed a change in my cycle as well. Because I have an IUD I don't have periods, but when I lost like 20 pounds or so I started to have an actual period with the wonderful cramps even!!!! That sucked. So I'm not sure if it is going to continue like that or not.

interesting... I have lost 22 lbs and for the first time (in my life!) my normal 3 day period lasted 10, yes TEN days.... ugh.... was easy, but LONG.. and that is exensive when you pee every 30 min! lol

I totally hear ya dmscrap!!! Having to pee all the time & going through that does suck. Mine lasted for what seems like forever & I had the most painful cramps. I hope that it doesn't continue like that.

I mean I had little to NO cycle at all. (I even went out and bought a pregnancy test). My OB seconded what learning2Bhealthy said, but MRC assured me that 1 should have nothing to do with the other. I just found it to coincidental that I lost 11 pounds in a month and all of a sudden my period is gone?!? It is just TOTALLY different than anything I am used to!

Stephanie-- the center lied to you..Learning2BHealthy got it right --- HOWEVER extreme Low Cal/low carb diets affect everyone DIFFERENTLY--- disruptions of ANY kind to a womans menstrual cycle is very very normal.... we as women dont realize how incredibly sensitive that part of our physiology is to our environment. I always had very very normal periods. Started MRC, and within a couple months strted getting frequent periods, that lasted a lot longer..... like every 14 days id get a period, then id have lots of spotting in between, untill eventually i STOPPED getting a period altogether. Its not ABNORMAL on such a low cal diet. but that doesnt mean its ok. It is a sure sign that your body is stressed out. You arent taking in enough calories to support your own body, let alone the growth of another. Its your metabolism ADAPTING to what you are giving it. Reproduction is non-essential. Hair growth is non-essential. If you get minor wounds/cuts/scrapes that wont heal....because its non-essential. Your body can go for a little while without a period with little repercussions, but longer than 3-6 months is a big no-no....early onset osteo-related stuff.... i havnet had a period in exactly one year now, and my doctor cant get it started again.
i eat enogh now. Now it is a symptom of how hard i train, thats causing my body to be so stressed.

Bump!!

Glad you bumped this. I didn't have a period for 7 months last time. However, I went off the pill when my husband went to Iraq (the same time I started MRC), and I always attributed it to that. I never even thought it could be the diet. I re-started my period when he returned, but that was also when I started cheating all the time, so my calories/fat were definitely increased. My weight loss slowed way down, but my period restarted.

I have continued to have periods this time for two months, although they've been far apart. However, I'm irregular anyhow, so there's no telling if that's my diet or just me.

I had been on Depo for several years and then switched to Implanon. So I haven't had a period in about 14 years. I was about a month into program and noticed spotting. I thought to myself, Oh just wonderful! Now I have to deal with a period and spend money on pads/tampons!? I asked the center about it and they said my body was going through changes and it's normal for this kind of thing to happen. I never had a full period but the spotting lasted for about a week every month. And now I'm back to, what I consider, "normal" - no period or spotting! :D

I would have to agree with on this one my period is typically 3-4 days I had a full 8 days on my period with the worst cramps and bloating ever. The heating pad was my friend!!! lol

I actually talked to the center about all those issues and they said I should feel much less PMS symptoms with the B6 and Omega 9 I take, but honestly I think it depends on woman.

I was thinking about joining this program because I wanted to lose the weight before I have another baby.
After reading these comments, it scares me because I don't want to lose my cycle.
If I am thinking about conceiving in the next 6 months (lets say), this program is probaby not a good idea, right?

for what it's worth, my cycle hasn't stopped, and I began this at the end of June. I would ask your doctor about it, but in my non-medical opinion, I don't think it would do any harm. Getting pregnant is easier if you're at a healthy weight, and you'll be getting plenty of calories on stabilization/maintenance anyhow, so you should restart anyhow, even if it were to stop.

In my experience, I went off the pill when my husband went to Iraq, and it took 7 months for my period to restart. However, I didn't stop the diet until I actually got pregnant, which was 5 months after my period restarted. So, I restarted while still dieting, and obviously, got pregnant. My mother and grandmother had both had fertility issues, so I was expecting the same. I kind of think I had such an easy time getting pregnant because I was finally at a healthy weight. Still, I would talk to your doctor before you decide anything.