I have done keto diet for two years, and paleo diet two years prior to that. I’ve had very regular periods. I stopped breastfeeding my 3rd child on October 1, 2017 and have had 3 periods since that lasted the appropriate 6-7 days with very healthy red blood. I’m due for my period in a few days, but the last 3-4 days I’ve had off and on brownish blood spotting in creamy discharge. I went strict keto like Stephanie person recommends for the new year( no dairy which i didn’t do anyway, no nuts or seeds except macadamias once every couple weeks, and only IF once a week, no carb ups or refeeds)… does anyone know if this is normal and how to fix if it’s from keto? I’ve never used birth control in my lifetime and I’m 38 1/2 years old and i want a fourth child soon so i need regular menstrual cycle. Thank you 
How eating Keto affects a woman's hormones and her monthly visitor
i get water retention in my breasts and they hurt so bad for days, i’ve never had that prio to keto and i still didn’t get my period.
When I first started keto, shark week was ALL over the place - it was late, it was early, it was totally erratic. Then, it normalized…then I started extended fasting and went totally whackadoodle again. I even had two shark weeks just two weeks apart.
Before keto, it was 5 days long and was exactly 28 days apart every single month. Now, every month is a guess. It’s generally between 4.5 and 6 weeks apart now, and generally 5 days long, but sometimes it disappears and then magically shows back up a day later!
I know that keto is supposed to balance your hormones, so maybe it will normalize eventually.
Hey @KetoLikeaLady, can I ask how long you’ve been doing keto? i.e. how long Shark Weeks have been irregular.
Thanks for sharing!
how long does it take to get your period after the sore boobs? a week before or just before? It happened to me last month 2 days before and went away immediately with the period but I think I am going on 3 or 4 days now and I still got nothing. i think that was my only symptom too, it came as a surprise because no cramps.
Sadly I am all over the map with that one. Some times it is only a day or two. Last month it was over a week and half (plus my period ended up being like 5 days early!). Today they started getting sore but my period isn’t due for another week. So who knows. But I don’t get cramps and I rarely get bitchy!
Well guess what - 3 days from sore boobs to my visitor who was again 4 days early. That’s twice in a row my cycle is less than 26 days in length. Its pissing me off! I am done my child bearing years so I would prefer is the length between them increased not decreased!
Positive - other than slightly sore boobs, again no other symptoms until bam it was there!
I’m going on 7 or 8 days now with sore boobs and still no period. I usually get it around the 3rd or 4th of the month and I don’t have any symptoms other than extreme hunger.
I thought I’d reply here instead of starting a whole new topic. I’m on day 29 of my keto journey and day 27 of my cycle. I should be getting my period any time between tomorrow and Thursday (cycles range from 28-31 days) and today I’m suffering from EXTREME hunger. I almost think I’m hungrier and having more intense cravings than my pre-keto PMS days, which seems odd to me. And this is all happening just as I was starting to think “wow, I’m extra full after meals, and can go a long time without food, and I have practically zero cravings” aka thought I was becoming fat adapted LOL can anybody else sympathize?? I know every person is different, and hormones vary, but it’s taking all of my willpower not to eat every low carb food in my house at the moment and I’m feeling crazy!!
I get the same cravings. 4 months in to Keto and it happens every month. I usually just indulge the cravings and eat any Keto food I want for a whole day. Tons of cheese and Keto desserts and pork rinds. I feel pretty gross the next day and don’t repeat it. Put on a pound or two that comes right back off. I feel like it’s easier than struggling against the urges. Especially on the weekends.
I got this before Keto and I still do, 11 months in. I call it “bottomless pit syndrome”. I just eat all the Keto foods until it abates, I figure my body knows what it needs. The day my period starts my appetite vanishes so it all evens out.
I figure this is a natural way to “mix it up” as Megan Ramos suggests, to keep the body guessing and keep from falling into homeostasis where your body gets used to the same amounts of calories coming in and so gets in a weight loss rut.
Thank you both @LizinLowell and @heatherdaggett ! I’m following the same game plan, not straying from my keto foods but eating according to my hunger and satiety signals. It’s interesting, when I really thought about what sounded good (instead of just mindlessly going into my fridge) I realized that what I really wanted was red meat! So, I had a big portion of flank steak last night that really hit the spot. I can’t help but wonder if it’s my body’s way of telling me that I’ll be losing some iron soon so I better store up?? Anyways, thanks again for the input, at the very least I’m not going to fret over it and KCKO! 
Don’t know either, but it would certainly make sense. We need a lot more women scientists, so that these sorts of issues can get investigated. I hate to disparage my own sex, but the guy scientists just don’t seem to think of it. 
OMG…My breasts got so sore and then I skipped a period. My husband was convinced that I was pregnant…Took 3 pregnancy test in the space of a week! LOL. Have a 17 year old daughter who I love…Not sure I need to start over with a little baby though!
Q, I’m on bc for contraceptive reasons and am 2 1/2 weeks into Keto, I am not looking to lose much, if any weight, but I saw previously mentioned that fat burning releases eostragen and I don’t know if it’s going to mess with my pill. My first Keto period was last week and it was a day earlier than normal and painful cramps for the first day which is unusual.
Should probably speak to my dr?
OH MY GOODNESS! Thank you for posting this. I have been in menopause for 6 months. My last period was a year and a half ago. I’ve been on Keto for 5 weeks. MY PERIOD CAME BACK YESTERDAY!!! I AM NOT HAPPY ABOUT THAT! I had an easy menopause. I was worried that it came back. It was good to read this. I feel less anxious about the return of my period. I just hope it doesn’t last long. I’m 58 years old! Enough already! LOL