Period After almost 5 months on keto

(Marianne) #1

So for about a year before I started keto I had seriously heavy periods. I have had an IUD for 8 years but that last year was insane, like I KNEW something was wrong. I was on my way to becoming prediabetic in my opinion due to fasting / waking glucose being slightly above 100, I had gained a good 20 lb probably? had pains in my uterus after bowel movements which lasted a good 15 minutes, would bleed for about 20 days, just non stop. Huge clots, break through and have to go home or change pants, etc. This was over a year of this happening! Am I dying? Did I have endo? Was I perimenopausal? I had to beg my doctor for an ultrasound and finally she did after a year of my telling her it was still occurring–everything normal, pap normal, blood screens normal. What was wrong with me. SO I went on keto and I feel a thousand times better. I cannot tell you how much better, but you girls know.

But now, no period, where did it go. It has been over a month that I have not had any errant bleeding and trust me, I usually bleed full on or spot constantly. No cramps, no cramping after bowel movements, no craziness or moodiness, no spotting, nothing. Has anyone lost their period on keto? I might be premature and it will show up this month but the last one was very light and even that was surprising. OMG am I menopausal?? I just turned 46 last month.

Anyway, LOVE the results but the period thing is odd.

(karen) #2

Five possibilities out of a thousand:

  1. you’re pregnant.

  2. you expelled your IUD and that is what was causing all the issues, or it was in a bad position and it shifted.

  3. you’re entering menopause.

  4. it’s just a hiccup, possibly having to do with being perimenopausal and your periods getting irregular.

  5. keto has helped you with hormone regulation or some other reproductive issue and gotten you past some hormone derangement that was causing your symptoms.

I’m post-menopausal but still had hot flashes, I found keto to improve them.

(Marianne) #3

You’re such a positive person :wink: I would FREAK OUT if I were pregnant. I chose not to have children so that would be a heckuva a surprise. I think" #5 keto has helped you with hormone regulation or some other reproductive issue and gotten you past some hormone derangement that was causing your symptoms". and possibly #3, who knows. I know I must have been estrogen dominant because I started getting much larger,sore breasts before keto, the fat pad on the back of the dowager’s hump AND the dreaded fupa. And apparently one cannot get rid of that after you get the fupa. I have lost a lot and it is still larger than it should be. I didn’t have one before last year. I just checked my IUD a few months ago, maybe 2 1/2?? When I had the ultrasound and the pelvic xrays (while heavily bleeding). I was about to get a biopsy done the next week but then was irritated by my doctor’s attitude and the fact they were going to charge me a visiting $60 copay / fee again even though it was an hour apart to go talk to her again Then the next cycle was the light period (last month), then the no period this month and then bam, that was it.

(LeeAnn Brooks) #4

Mine was late, and I was definately NOT pregnant and I’ve always been very regular.

I wasn’t complaining though. Wouldn’t care if it disappeared for good, except then I’d have to deal with menopausal issuesz

(karen) #5

Just one other thing that occurred to me, severe calorie deprivation or malnutrition can stop periods. Are you eating your macros? :slight_smile:

(Marianne) #6

Sorry for delay, I’m new and posted too much yesterday and was blocked. I guess I get 7 a day?

Kib, yes. In fact I’m a little above on optimum to lose weight. Well my carbs never go over 22, but my protein and fat may be a bit higher, protein moderate, my fat could be lower. I just can’t do 1024 cal a day, I’m hitting about 1200. There are when I’m spot on on macros.

Couldn’t post yesterday so editing this. Think I posted in wrong place. Getting the hang of the forum, Sorry.

(LeeAnn Brooks) #7

That’s really low calories. whats your height, weight and age?

You are going to slow down your metabolism and stall weight loss if you’re under eating.

(Marianne) #8

46, 5’6", approximately 130?? I don’t weigh myself. Desk job, Im only active on the weekends. I used the calculator on ruledme. And sometimes I hit in the 1400’s (cals) I’m not hungry though. My day is: bulletproof coffee for breakfast, lunch is usually rotisserie thigh/leg quarter, creamed spinach or a half an avocado, then dinner is whatever meat and greens. Possibly a glass of wine and this week an avo chocolate pudding after!

Added (cals)

(LeeAnn Brooks) #9

This is a common problem for newbies. It’s important not to under consume, especially during the adaptation phase. If you need to, sub out things that may be low carb but not high fat. Even though they are okay for Keto, if they are preventing you from reaching the necessary calories you need, then at least for now sub for high fat foods. Fat had 9 calories per gram where carbs and protein have 4, so upping the fat let’s you increase calories without adding bulk.
I would do away with all fruits and vegetables except for avacado until you are adapted. Stick with fatty meats like pork belly and bacon or chicken thighs with skin on. Salmon and tuna are good too. Top with homemade tartar sauce or mayo. Just 2 tablespoons can add 200 calories and 48g of fat.

(LeeAnn Brooks) #10

Sorry, typo there. That’s 28g fat, not 48.

(Marianne) #11

I don’t eat fruit except for maybe three strawberries on ONE weekend breakfast. Or obviously avocado. Also my meals are no different than when I’m not on keto EXCEPT for I would eat a starch or perhaps rice or pasta for a dinner side. Now it’s just meat, lots of fat, and greens. I’m not a big fruit eater to begin with. I can’t handle that type of processed food. It sticks to my thighs. I realize I may be a newbie but everyone is different with their dietary needs. I broke my leg two years ago and gained weight since and am almost finally back to how I was pre break. My glucose is good, thyroid, free and total all good, complete CBC was good. Just wanted to feel better, lose fat and feel healthy again. It worked. But this is a way of life. Will I cheat a little later on? Sure. But for the most part, no. I don’t eat a bunch of dairy (except butter) because I don’t like dairy. Well, except parma. My weight loss or size drop was not instantaneous nor dramatic. I appreciate the concern but the calories are pretty typical for a sedentary 46 year old. But 1024? No way. That’s crazy. But 1200-1400 is what I eat and I’m adding the heck out of fat and chicken skin and never hungry.

(Marianne) #12

Also. I’m eating way over what ruledme calculated. Probably 60-89+ on protein and there are days I go way over 100g on fat. I had gout in the past (20 years ago) so I do not want to go over on protein that much (and have it turn into sugar) . My excel sheet is at work but I’ll post a sample. Last night I had two panfried in butter tilapia fish tacos (in low carb la tortilla flour tortillas) with red pepper, avo, cilantro, and lime crema. Plus a glass of cabernet and an avocado Choco pudding with homemade whipped cream. Was not suffering by any means :wink: typing on iPhone 5S. Bear with me.

(Jay AM) #13

What sticks to your thighs is fat stored due to excess insulin. LeeAnn didn’t mention any processed foods beyond the process of butchering and curing. Parmesan has to be aged, same idea. I’m not saying stuff yourself with bacon if you don’t want but, let’s not make it out to be a villain that it isn’t.

Your calories look alright at the higher level. Going over those calories wouldn’t make you fat either but, the 1024 is a deficit and no, it’s far too low.

Keto does one thing well and that’s mess with hormones. All of them. Some people see skipped periods or periods when they didn’t have them before. It’s a big adjustment for the body and could take a few months to even out. Hopefully it fixed the excess bleeding too. Estrogen imbalance is a usual problem in women.

#14

Marianne, I’m still waiting for mine too. No chance of pregnancy here. I started (re-started rather) keto on May 10 a few days after the last round ended. I’ve also been doing IF, so I’m not sure if that has anything to do with it. At 48, it could be menopause, but that would be a mighty weird coincidence. I had a few days last week of increased water weight, bloating, and wanting to eat everything in sight (my usual pre-period routine) so I really thought it would be showing up soon, but never did. So I’m still waiting to see what happens…

(LeeAnn Brooks) #15

You obviously have RuleMe set to a deficit. And a large one at that. You seam to be a bit defensive about this so I don’t want to upset you, but eating at this level of deficit will most certainly place you into starvation mode and will probably stall weight loss after a few weeks. You can’t do Keto the way you would approach a LF diet. CICO don’t apply with Keto (and they don’t work for LF in the long run either because you have to keep lowering your calorie levels over time to keep losing. And then to try to maintain your calorie levels are too low to sustain long term, so you end up gaining the weight back.)

(Marianne) #16

Well let’s hope no menopause yet :wink: I’m only a little late but have only had ONE light/normal cycle and that was last month. I’m telling you, I was considering Novasure ablation it was so bad. All my life it was fine / light until I was at my heaviest this last year. I don’t want to count my chickens just yet, though. (Typo on menopause, edited)

(Marianne) #17

I just re calculated based upon my desires of goal weight and current weight I think I am based upon my measurements. But honestly I need to bite the bullet and weigh myself. It’s not so much about weight as it is about appearance. I’m getting married in the fall, earliest. My dress, well, you know how it is. I want to look thin in it. It is ruched. It will be in France, frankly my grandmother ate this way. She was thin her whole life. She always put butter in my coffee! Of course, my coffee has a bit more than butter :wink: anyway. I redid the calculator based upon goal of 9% or 11.7 or so lb. Which is what I was a little over two years ago before my injury. I do not know in what type of time frame this is calculating on but I do know this is my average macro with NO effort, I just eat this way now. Is that so bad? Is it bad that this is what I like to eat and do not feel like I am sacrificing? I’m not meaning to be defensive but I’d have to force myself to eat more to have higher macros. I sit at a desk all day, I only get to play on the weekends. I don’t like a lot of dairy which is how a lot of ppl get more fat and calories. My extra fat and calories comes from olive oil, avocados and butter. Dairy kind of disgusts me. I’ve been on starvation diets, fasting, juice cleanses, and the results did not last. I know this. I absolutely feel satisfied on keto. I don’t plan on really straying too far from it in the future. Eventually I’ll incorporate some more carby things. But I make Keto bread, I make keto gnocchi. I’m eating more now than I did when I was heavier.

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Anyway. I’m rambling. Did not mean to ruffle feathers.

(Marianne) #18

Also, when i said I’m eating more now than before, the last two years I was really dieting in sometimes unhealthy ways. But before my injury it was similar to how I eat now but add a starch/carb to that. It was how I was brought up (and I’m sure many others). Meat, green, starch. Every meal. Thats what I changed. That and no fake ass creamer with coffee every day! I also quit smoking about four years ago so I feel pretty amazing now :slight_smile:

(Marianne) #19

Bought a scale. Weighed myself. I’m 10 lb heavier than I thought. I’m 140, which means I was waaaay heavier than I thought five months ago! Grrrrr

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