Hello all,
Just as stress/illness can affect BS readings, can the monthly menstrual cycle have any effect?
I’m 51 and a half and my monthly cycle has gone erratic and turned into a constant cycle! Mother nature gave me a few days off whilst on holiday but now back to every day. It’s the lead up to the menopause as I’m of that age group.
Today 2hrs after my normal breakfast I’ve had the highest reading in ages – 9.3.
It’s all very complex!!

Hi Leeanne, I’m not sure! I do know that last week (TTOTM) I didn’t lose any weight, and actually put on almost 1 kg. I’m not diabetic so not testing my BS however I felt normal energy levels. Definitely felt the bloating though and I’m similar age group to you. Will wait until weigh in Friday to see if it’s dropped off again. Not much help sorry 😕

Hi wishbone, you’re right in that it plays havoc with the scales!!

I’m not sure about impact on BS, but my heavy bleeding may be the reason I quit this diet. I am only on Day 10, but I have had the WORST bleeding for the last 8 days (I am on the mini pill and don’t normally have any period at all).

Hi LizB, I agree with you. It’s hard trying to manage with heavy blood loss. I’m prone to anaemia too so as well as being on iron tablets I need to ensure my diet is iron rich too as a lot of it is just lost.

Hi Ladies, try eating as much iron rich food as you can, parsley was mentioned yesterday, put some on your savoury foods each day, rhubarb is coming into season in the Uk, it’s rich in vitamin C and iron, important as the body needs vit C to absorb iron. Watercress is also good 🙂
I’m trying to think of foods which are low calorie and fit into the diet, otherwise I would be saying a glass of prune juice every day 🙁

I’m going to try the BSD 5:2 I think, see if increasing my calories will help things settle down a bit. I was pretty strict on the carbs, so I’m going to add more of those too, oats and hummus probably, although there is some suggestion chick peas may effect oestrogen levels. There is so much conflicting advice.

Anyway, I really don’t want another night as messy as last night. *shivers*

I used to see a TV ad that showed a woman tossing and turning all night, worried about something, until her helpful neighbour gave her a particular brand of feminine hygiene product and she was able to sleep easy. I never really understood it until now. I’ve never before had periods that were so heavy I had to change pads at night, and worry I was staining my pjs and the sheets. And a three week long period? It is certainly inconvenient. Apparently it’s quite common with rapid fat loss as there is a lot of stored oestrogen being released back into the body. I guess I’m prepared to put up with it to lose that fat!

I remember being told back when I was pregnant not to lose much weight because of the extra oestrogen going to the baby. Pretty sure Michael specifically says not to do the diet if you’re pregnant. Could be an issue if you were breastfeeding too.

I’m feeling a bit better today. Still having a heavy period, but even after just one day at 1200cal I feel it easing off. I’m going to relax the calorie count for a few days, and give myself a chance to process the hormone soup I seem to have in my body.

Hi there.. I have been doing the BSD for two weeks ( into my third) and my period is a week early for the first time in however long. I was wondering the same thing !

Well I’m still having painful heavy periods that go for three weeks even though I haven’t been sticking to the diet – and it turns out it has nothing to do with the diet. I have uterine fibroids (quite common but not everyone has symptoms) which I will need treatment for. Anything from hormones to surgical fibroid removal to a hysterectomy (don’t know yet). So if your problems persist, don’t just assume it’s your rapid weight loss.

Best wishes with that Natalie, I sympathise.
I had similar problems about five years ago – initially my GP just prescribed drugs to decrease the blood flow – worked wonderfully in clotting the blood and giving me DVT & on to warfarin – at least you’ve got as far as the fibroids diagnosis!

I did find that a moon cup (with back up towels) worked better for me with the heavy periods – contains a lot more, and gives you the advantage of being able to give a good estimate of the amount of blood loss if medical professionals aren’t taking the problem seriously.
I ended up going to A&E with a particularly heavy period one weekend, thinking that A&E wasn’t appropriate, but being admitted to a ward immediately and kept in for three days. Thankfully all resolved for me – without a hysterectomy, although I did put on about 10kg with the hormone treatment.

I’m glad it’s resolved for you – though a 10 kg weight gain would be frustrating. I put on 10 kg one year when I tried depi-provera as a contraceptive. Damn those hormones!

Is it a coincidence that I started the diet Thursday morning and have been bleeding since Thursday night?
I have a mirena coil so don’t have regular periods and it’s usually just spotting. This is full blown pre mirena bleed 😟
I really don’t want to stop after 4 days as I’m doing it with my hubby.

Em x

Hiya,
The menstrual irregularities are not related to reduced calories – it’s to do with fat burning (ketosis) and carb intake. The hormone oestrogen is stored in fat. Loose significant amounts of fat fairly quickly and the oestrogen is released into your system. Increased oestrogen results in a bleed. Because the amount of fat being burnt each day varies and so too does the carbs we eat this leads to variations in when and how much we bleed.

I’m in ketosis and keep my carb intake below 40g a day. I have found that I bleed more at night than during the day – I eat carbs during the day so it makes sense that the low carb/full ketosis at night results in more bleeding. On the days I fall off the wagon and have more carbs I don’t bleed. I make sure that my diet includes good levels of fresh food which include good iron sources, vitamins and minerals. As I am not bleeding heavily as some of you I am not worried about it, knowing that once I reach my goal weight and start adding a few more carbs things will settle back down to ‘normal’ again. (On a side note I too would recommend a menstrual cup, they’re brilliant!)

If your bleeding is a problem I suggest you slowly increase your carb intake (but keep calories the same) until you see an improvement. We are all different and our ‘ideal’ carb intake that balances weight loss and acceptable menstrual patterns will be very individual.

Weirdly, I’m having, so far, the complete opposite situation.

Normally when I start losing weight on a diet, I can guarantee that I will have a period, (which is something of a rarity for me as for years I’ve only ever had about one or two a year), so this time I stocked up on sanitary products expecting the usual pattern but nothing. I’m even taking Agnus Castus every day, and was doing so for about a month I started the diet but still nothing.

I’ve lost a lot of weight since I started the diet, (yay 🙂 ) and inches as well, so I know the fat is going, but so far, no period.

I do have huge sympathy for those who are having heavy bleeds though, I know how horrible it is. For those people worrying about bedding at night, I used to put a doubled over towel under the sheet I was lying on, and also made sure I didn’t have my ‘best’ bedding on the bed. Both of those things always helped me feel a little bit more relaxed about leakage.

Found this on another site while looking for answers about this:

The Fact is that many women DO experience some interesting hormonal side effects when first starting low carb. Heavy bleeding is one of the most common and it usually stabalizes after some time on the diet.
It is thought that this effect is caused by an estrogen dominant situation– fat on the body does store and make estrogen, so most women who need to low carb i.e.have more fat than they need or want– have an excess of estrogen stored in their adipose tissue. This in itself can cause a lot of mentrual problems–PMS, heavy bleeding, bloating–etc. When you start to lose fat, then a lot MORE estrogen gets dumped into the system and can cause some real havoc for a while. Eventually it all evens out as the PP diet helps normalize all the homonal systems–mostly by a better balance of eicosonoids.–( take your fish oil ladies!)

Hi ladies. This is my first post! I was looking on the forums when I first started and this post definitely helped ease my mind. I am now on week 5 of the fast 800, I have lost 5kg (google tells me that’s about 11 lb) in that time but it’s felt so slow to come off. The first week I was due for my period (I’m on the pill) and so had that as normal, then since then I have been spotting on and off. I’m now due again so we’ll see what happens…. I’m not sure whether it was related but I found the spotting did stop when I had a teaspoon of cacao in the evening – maybe it’s extra iron as hasimoto suggested? Either way it’s a relief to know this is fairly normal on the diet, if annoying, so thanks!

This thread has been really useful. Like the OP I am peri-menopausal and very erratic, but for the past two days I haven’t lost weight, bloated a lot, spotted a bit, and feel as though I am about to start TOTM… I’d be happy to put up with it if it’s because my fat is disappearing!

I looked for this thread to post a question – but the posts have already given lots of answers.

I have been on the progesterone only pill for about 2 years (switched from microgynon when my BP was too high and put on BP meds). For me that has meant no bleeding at all, lovely considering I am on them because of painful heavy periods rather than contraception.

I started BSD on 1 Aug and had a day of bleeding/spotting. Then last couple of days I am having a full heavy bleed period. The info about oestrogen in fat being released into the blood stream makes sense to me. I have lost about 9kgs.

I was trying to google forums about the meds, but should just have come straight here!

Just spotted your post Avila – read through the thread, thought ‘that’s exactly what happened to me’ – then realised it was my own post from three months ago!
I’ve had a similar experience in that I’ve not had a period since I had a mirena coil fitted about four years ago – then I had one about two weeks ago. I’d kind of assumed that I’d gone thru the menopause by now and not noticed it because of the lack of periods anyway – clearly not!

Yuk to fish oil – where’s the smoked salmon?

Thanks for this info – really helpful. I have an implanon implant and haven’t had a period for years and am in my ears 40’s. Am in the second week of the diet (doing it because of high blood sugar readings) and had suddenly stopped losing weight although still losing inches quite rapidly. Suddenly have a period trying to start and stomach cramps. This all makes sense and at least it means I’m losing fat. Thanks for the clarity and common sense – was worrying!