Still bleeding, thinking of quitting

You're on Page 1 of 2
Go to
  • I am in my fourth week on Medifast, and have been bleeding (not just spotting, full-on heavy period) since Friday the 31st. It is making my life miserable. I feel bloated, crappy, and not even losing weight anymore. I clearly have some sort of soy intolerance as I have never in my life had an irregular period, on or off BCP, and I really don't think I can do this anymore. To me, it's not healthy to bleed like this. I have headaches and am still really hungry a lot of the time.

    Over the weekend I got so frustrated, I cheated. I had a few of my fiance's french fries at lunch, with my grilled chicken salad. The scale went up 3.5 lbs because of this. If a few fries are going to cause me to fluctuate THAT much, then this diet will never be sustainable long-term. My health coach told me to order the foods without soy, but I don't like any of them. Plus this whole thing really worries me about what this food is doing to my body.

    Unfortunately, in the midst of all this, my next order was processed for a month's worth of food. I do like the food actually (I find myself craving the shakes and mac and cheese) but I can't bleed forever.. I have a vacation this weekend with my fiance and this is SERIOUSLY putting a damper on some much needed romantic time with him, sorry to be so graphic, but it's true.

    I'm also considering calling my doctor to see what she says. Any advice?
  • I have always been an advocate for getting a doctor's advice prior to any diet or exercise regimine. If you are not known for irregular periods, then something is most certainly up.

    If you think it is soy related, but want to continue on the plan, look up some alternative products, like those of Diet Direct that offer products not derived from soy.

    Carbs, when you are in ketosis WILL cause a flucuation of a few pounds, that is why it is critical to go through the transition phases when coming off these low carb diets. If you skip that step, you gain the weight back. If you don't skip that step, you are a lot less likely to gain it. The transition phase slowly reintroduces carbs back into your diet, ounce by ounce.

    that being side, the 3.5 pounds is most likely water weight. Fries are coated in sodium. And grease. And fat. It probably isn't the carbs as much as you want to think, unless you had more than just a few
  • I would go see a doctor, this could be more than just too much soy. My friend had something like this happen to her, I forgot what it was exactly, but she had to go on the pill to make it stop!
  • Thanks guys. I am currently on the pill, have been for years, with a cycle I can predict down to the hour. That's why I'm so freaked out. I just don't want to have to give up before I really start seeing results
  • I've been doing a lot of reading....increased bleeding while on a low carb diet is not unheard of, but it is VERY rare. Usually, the culprit is something other than the new diet. Are you spotting? Are you bleeding heavy? Have you changed prescriptions?

    I have found the reoccuring theme: Bleeding mid-cycle is not unusual during the first few months of low carbing. It has to do with the fact that estrogen is stored in fat cells, so when we burn fat we release stored estrogen, thus tricking the body into delivering the monthly periodicals. It should stabalize within 2-3 months if it is diet induced.

    Also worth pointing out that it is more common with women who have PCOS.

    The important thing here is to make sure you are compensating for it. If you are bleeding a lot, make sure your diet is iron rich. I read several sources that stressed the importance of nutrition for hormonal regulation, in particular magnesium, vitamin B6 and omega3 fatty acids.

    But most importantly....get with your doctor...make sure it isn't something more severe....especially if it is heavy bleeding. We don't want you hemoraging.

    And if irregular bleeding is your only concern on a low carb diet, count your blessings. Most of us have the acetone breath and hair loss (by the way, biotin helps with that!!!!)
  • Thanks @zoesmom! I have been bleeding pretty heavily, heavier than any period I usually have, for 11 days now. And I've been on my current BCP for several years, take it every single day at the same time. My gut instinct is that this is definitely related to the Medifast.

    I did read about the fat cells thing, but I've only lost 7lbs, so could that really be causing it? Other people on here are losing 20, 30 lbs in very quick amounts of time. My weight loss is minimal compared to that.
  • Soy contains plant estrogens. I'm very sensitive to it, as well :/
  • Definitely make sure you are taking some sort of iron or something right now, and call the doctor TODAY. You could become anemic and ill, a heavy flow for 11 days is not good.
  • Quote: Definitely make sure you are taking some sort of iron or something right now, and call the doctor TODAY. You could become anemic and ill, a heavy flow for 11 days is not good.
    Heartily second this. I'm 51 and had a total hysterectomy at 46 - had Polycystic Ovary Syndrome was why, but being in perimenopause every monthly visit by "Aunt Flo" was a torment. And the last 2 times before the surgery I was really hemhorraging and did become anemic. Weak as a kitten, all I wanted to do was lie on the couch.

    Soy can do weird things to a person - I have digestive issues with it when I get more than a certain amount.
  • Quote: I am in my fourth week on Medifast, and have been bleeding (not just spotting, full-on heavy period) since Friday the 31st. It is making my life miserable. I feel bloated, crappy, and not even losing weight anymore. I clearly have some sort of soy intolerance as I have never in my life had an irregular period, on or off BCP, and I really don't think I can do this anymore. To me, it's not healthy to bleed like this. I have headaches and am still really hungry a lot of the time.

    Over the weekend I got so frustrated, I cheated. I had a few of my fiance's french fries at lunch, with my grilled chicken salad. The scale went up 3.5 lbs because of this. If a few fries are going to cause me to fluctuate THAT much, then this diet will never be sustainable long-term. My health coach told me to order the foods without soy, but I don't like any of them. Plus this whole thing really worries me about what this food is doing to my body.

    Unfortunately, in the midst of all this, my next order was processed for a month's worth of food. I do like the food actually (I find myself craving the shakes and mac and cheese) but I can't bleed forever.. I have a vacation this weekend with my fiance and this is SERIOUSLY putting a damper on some much needed romantic time with him, sorry to be so graphic, but it's true.

    I'm also considering calling my doctor to see what she says. Any advice?
    Whoa there! Before you just up and say that its the Medifast check with a doctor first, because it could be thyroid or a hormone imbalance and it(the irregular periods) might be there to stay.

    I suffer from menorrhagia from time to time too. It started happening to me at about the same age its happening to you that is assuming the 89 at the end of your username is your birth year.

    Anyway it started off harmless enough to seem like it was the result of the party lifestyle I was living at the time. I thought I'll just stop drinking. I've quit partying and grown up, but my periods are still irregular and I still have heavy bleeding from time to time.

    Just my 2 cents.
  • Quote: Heartily second this. I'm 51 and had a total hysterectomy at 46 - had Polycystic Ovary Syndrome was why, but being in perimenopause every monthly visit by "Aunt Flo" was a torment. And the last 2 times before the surgery I was really hemhorraging and did become anemic. Weak as a kitten, all I wanted to do was lie on the couch.

    Soy can do weird things to a person - I have digestive issues with it when I get more than a certain amount.
    WHA?

    I have POS too, but I don't want a hysto I'm only 28. Got to have kids first. Do you think its really necessary?
  • Hi citygirl, I'm sorry to see you're having a difficult time. I had a super-heavy, super-long period the first month on Medifast (9 days of HEAVY bleeding. normal for me has always been 2-3 days of light flow so i was freaked out). I think the combo of quick drop in weight and massive amounts of soy messed with my system. Month two was much better, still a bit longer than normal, but not nearly as heavy.

    I think my body is slowly regulating and I hope by month 3 (next week) I'll be nearly normal. It's a tough call. If I were in your shoes I'd wait until your next cycle to see if it gets better before quitting. As far as the weight loss goes - you should see a big drop as soon as your period stops and it should stick if you stay on plan.

    Eating off-plan foods will always cause a big jump on the scale. Unfortunately MF isn't a good plan if you're someone who needs a "cheat" every now and then. It is absolutely sustainable long term though if you follow through with the transition phase.

    Best of luck to you! I hope this is just a one-month blip.
  • Thank you all so much for taking the time to respond. The bleeding seems to be subsiding and now is barely even noticeable, so I'm hoping by the end of the day it will be gone completely.. just in time for my ACTUAL period to come! Yay!

    I will keep on keepin' on with Medifast and hope this was just a fluke. I made an appt with my doctor anyway for next week so I can tell her what has been going on. Thank you all for your help!
  • I would seek your doctors advice, for sure. I don't know much about soy or what it does to your system, but the other answers seem to explain it. As far as your "actual" period...my guess Is that you've just had it. I'm glad it seems to be going away! Hopefully now you can get that WHOOSH!

    As far as the weight gain, I can weigh up to 6 pounds heavier at night then in the morning. I don't cheat often...but I did have a piece of pie last week and that night I was up 10 pounds from the morning, but by the next morning I had only gained a pound from the previous day, and was down a pound the next day...so it didn't affect me much. I WAS out of ketosis for a day, but I still lost weight. I'm not recommending that you cheat, but if you do do it wisely. Don't just snack to cheat, I chose to eat a piece of pie at a party after a hard workout that morning, and another one the next. And a very careful day as far as my L&G and snack choices.

    I would give it another month...especially since you just bought all that food...and with your doctor's blessing of course. I really hope it starts going smoother for yoU!
  • Thanks @Andi24! In fact I weighed in this morning and was down 2 lb! So that's always a good motivator

    Yeah unfortunately I know this weekend I will be off-plan at least for some of the time. I have a wedding to go to and I will try to stick to vodka/diet soda and eating things that are L&G but it's a lot harder when you can't order yourself and don't know what's in the food. But I will make the most valiant effort to stay on track!