TOM question
 

I've noticed a trend that my pre-TOM bloat is like clockwork -- I'm always noticing at least a 3-4, maybe even 5lb gain that comes around exactly a week before my period's supposed to start and doesn't go away until my period comes. Is this how it works for y'all?

A little different for me, but not by much. My normal gain is 6-8 lbs. About 5-6 days before I'm due, I start gaining (and craving). Assuming I don't let the cravings become bingeing, the weight gain peaks somewhere between day 1 and day 3, and then is back to normal before the period is over (day 6-8).

Sometimes the weight will come on all in one day, and sometimes it will be gradual (though it usually leaves the same way it came on).

If I eat very low-carb during pms week, I can often prevent much of the gain, but I haven't found any real advantage in doing so (in fact, eating too low or too high carb at this time, tends to drive my emotions haywire).

My cycle is patterned is such a way that for the first two weeks I lose weight, then the last two weeks before my period starts I stall out and there's no loss to speak of. Thankfully there's yet to be a gain though (knock on wood!).

Mine worked like clockwork too. Every 26-27 days, biggest losses the week before TOM. 4 to 7 lb water gain 2 days before that leaves 2 days after it ends. Cue whoosh back down to where I was on the scale. A few weeks of maintenance, rinse and repeat. You could set your watch by it. This is my first month on BC, so everything's behaving differently, in fact I actually feel better! No side effects :) I'm sure after a 3-6 month adjustment everything will fall into a different pattern. Certainly beats the 9 month TOM I had after the Depo shot! Took me over a year to go back to normal after that. But when things are normal, it completely goes by a pattern, and the water weight affects the scale measurements very predictably.

Yeah, I'm on BC and each new BC week starts on Thursday, and according to my weight app on my phone, I've been steadily going up a half pound every two days since this past Tuesday. Freaking cycle.

I think it is important to know this. My cycle is about 24-26 days. Like clockwork, on day 11-14 I gain weight. Day 17-23 I lose weight. On day 23-25 (when I get TOM) I gain weight. It rarely happens differently.

Yes, exactly. And it is very frustrating. Along with that, I get extremely snacky during that entire week.

I feel bloated a couple days before and during, but I haven't noticed a huge weight jump...I just feel huge. Maybe I'll notice it more when I'm thinner.

I do get some really odd cravings though.

I gain, hold steady, gain during the week before and during.... Then woosh it's gone