Well my coach really had no answers for me so here I am asking the experts!
My week 6 WI was not great by any means +0.2lbs, stayed true to 100% OP, got my salt, oil, veggies etc in all week. Now here is where it gets interesting after my normal TOM 5 days later it came back for another 12 days! My coach said my weight gain was due to water retention and my hormones are out of whack. I’m on birth control and have never had issues with my TOM until now. I have read a great deal of the blogs around this and have noticed that most women’s Tom gets a little crazy OP but most of them are much older than me. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions as to what the heck is going on???? And I also took a urine keystone test and it came back negative, not sure at al why that is! Coach said that the sticks don’t work most of the time and I shouldn’t worry, BUT when you’re spending so much money and things stop working you get worried!!!! I need some help or some answers! Thanks!

I'm 35 and haven't been on BC for several years. I'm doing a modified version of IP, using alternative products. I began on Jan. 3rd and lost 12 lbs. the first month. On Feb. 1st, the scale inexplicably bounced back up +3.5 lbs. and it wouldn't budge, no matter what I did. A week later, I started spotting, which continued for 15 days, including the 5 days of my period. When that finally subsided, I slowly began to lose again, and have continued to steadily lose since. I've lost 26 lbs. so far, so I'm averaging 2.5 lbs/week, plateaus included.

I talked to my aunt, who is an RN, about this, and she said that the body stores estrogen and other chemicals in our fat cells. As we burn the fat cells, those hormones/chemicals are released and can cause unpleasant, but hopefully short-term, side effects.

I weigh myself every morning immediately after getting up and my morning constitutional. I've been tracking my daily weight on a spreadsheet, and after 2 months, I can now see how my body slowly begins to retain water and it appears I'm gaining weight shortly before my period and during my period. It takes a couple of days after the end of my period for my weight to adjust back to its prior number and then start seeing weight loss again.

I know it's tough, mentally, when it looks like you're stuck and won't lose anymore, which is why I weigh and track every day. If I only weighed once/week, I wouldn't have known I had lost 12 lbs. the first month and would have thought the food protocol was no longer working for me and given up in defeat.

I started using ketostix in the middle of my plateau and registered "negative" or "trace" for 2 weeks. It wasn't until a few days after the spotting ceased that I started to fluctuate between "trace" and "small." I now consistently register "small."

As long as you continue to do what you should, your weight loss will resume again and you will see results.

Thank you BBWMuse, at least I know I'm not the only one out there!

I'm in menopause, so I'm not in your shoes anymore, but when I saw my doctor yesterday, I asked him about getting my hormones checked to see if getting hormone replacement therapy might be an option, and he said not to test them yet, as they were very much in flux with the weight loss. So, they do tie in with fat and how our body operates. Water retention is a biggy.

Over the 14 months that I was in Phase 1, some weeks were great, some weeks I didn't loose. It just happens. As long as I kept the faith and stuck with the program, I still lost, over time. So don't give up. I know it's hard, but try not to be too fixated on the week-to-week numbers. I didn't even own a scale for years because of that. Just bought one, as I figure I won't be going into the clinic as much in Phase 4. But, I don't weigh in everyday.

Hang in there and don't give up !

I was so happy to read your thread!! Right now I am going thru the same thing as you Billster! I had my period 14 days ago and I just got it again yesterday! My moody is all over the place today as well. I am just starting week9 and down 18 lbs. I know my coach said your period may change but I didn't expect to get it every two weeks with real bad mood swings. I live in Ottawa too bad we weren't closer we could console echother with some pudding!! Thanks again I feel more comfortable I am not alone

For some reason mine only had 19 days between my last one before I started again on Saturday so I dont feel bad now.

I'm 27, and I kid you not, the last two weeks I've been spotting, and I'm actually DUE for TOM in about 9 days, joy...all them hormones had to come out eventually though right

Well, I have you all beat!!! My TOMS have lasted 2 weeks with only a week in between them since I started IP in Feb. Last TOM was 28 days long, week in between and started again Monday. Fun Fun Fun!!! I hope this one doesn't last another 28 days. I felt awful every day. I have other things going on with me as well, so I can't blame it all on losing fat, but I am sure it has a major part in it all.

I learned that our fat cells hold estrogen. When you start to lose weight it can cause your TOM to change. I have been on the depo for 4 years and rarely have a period. When I started the South Beach Diet I spotted for 3 weeks had 1 week off and then had a heavy period for a week and a half. Right at the end of it I found I lost 6 lbs. I find right before I started I didn't lose much at all...I'm hoping now that I've gone through this craziness things will start to even out. Only time will tell.

I am so thankful for this thread. Last week(Friday) when I went in for WI # 2 I was crabby and thinking I didn't lose any weight. I did lose 2 pounds but man I was crabby and really disappointed. Seriously that afternoon I got my TOM. My TOM usually lasts 3 days, quick and light... Well not this one. I am still having my TOM and its pretty heavy! On top of that I am craving everything sweet and tons of chocolate. I haven't cheated but I really want too! So glad I am not the only one with the crazy TOM

The chocolate soy balls have helped me through this week let me tell you. Boy without them I dont know what I would have done.

Funny how everyone can be so different, eh?

I have PCOS and haven't had a period in two years. The week I crossed 10% weight loss it came back. Started with lots of spotting, then a normal, five ish day presence.

31 days later I got it again. I think the last time had two natural cycles (we spent seven years doing fertility treatments - I've had lots of medicated cycles) I was a teenager. Needless to say I was floored that it's come back.

Who knows what'll happen from here!

OH SWEET DEAR!! I hope your coach told you that your BC may not be effective and you need to use a different form of protection. This could also be the reason why your TOM is off since your body is not recognizing that you are on the BC.

I know all about being out of wack during that time and starting this diet. I was not on any BC and I still had two periods my first month.

Good luck and be safe!

I just wanted to say you look so awesome!

Aw, thanks!!!