Weight loss and periods?

[rosesinmygarden]

Hi everyone.

I'm a yoyo serial dieter. Have been overweight since I was around 20, bow early 40s. I need to lose at least 3 stone.

My periods are a nightmare and despite surgery and a mirena they aren't improving.

I'm seriously considering a VLCD like wanted for a couple of months as I cannot continue like this.

Has anyone lost weight and noticed it helped their periods at all?

Iron affects mine more than weight. I had awful periods even when slim. Benefit of being slim though is I'm ok to take contraceptive. Gp said until I am 50 if blood pressure ok. Not judging, I've been fat and slim but when my periods were most horrific my bmi was 23.

I've actually been offered the pill but said no as I didn't get on with it in the past. Lots of spotting etc. My blood pressure is healthy and ive been told there is no reason other than personal choice that I can't be on the pill. I think you have to be very overweight for that to be the case. Or maybe my GP is lax...

I guess at least with a VLCD I might see results quite quickly and know whether it was going to help or not.

I'm no longer anaemic but was about 6 months ago as the bleeding got so bad.

With the weight and pill thing, my gp said it was often more effective at stopping periods on slimmer women. Mini pill didnt work so I'm on combined. She also said the low iron makes bleeding worse, so all compounds to more bleeding, less iron, more bleeding. It took a year or so on pill for me to stop bleeding every month, but that's starting to be every 3 months now which is wonderful. I'm also taking masses of iron too. Hope you get some improvement. My mum had an ablation and said it changed her life. She was slim, so her periods not weight related either.

I have endometriosis and PCOS. I definitely find my period are more regular, lighter and less painful when I am at a lower weight.

"I think you have to be very overweight for that to be the case" i assumed you were sorry, based on what you wrote and consideration of fairly extreme diet.

Have you ever been overweight @CottonSock?

I'm feeling very I'll and possibly over sensitive at the moment but your posts are not coming across as very kind. I'm sure that wasn't the intention.

I've been offered the pill by 3 different doctors who know my weight and medical history. They wouldn't have done that if it was a risk and none of them have mentioned my weight.

@Froggie456

I have endometriosis and PCOS. I definitely find my period are more regular, lighter and less painful when I am at a lower weight.

Thank you. I think I have to make a concerted effort, despite how hard it may be.

Yes! I said that above. You are misreading my posts. I'm saying my periods were not worse when I was overweight. Also, that I'd assumed you were very overweight due to what you posted. Then you say you are not. I'm a bit confused to be honest.

Sorry, I missed the bit where you specified 3 stone. My advice still stands though, from what my gp told me about iron and the effectiveness of pill and weight. But weight has not been the biggest factor for awful periods for myself or my mum. Perhaps genetic.

@rosesinmygarden it’s really hard. Have you looked into Saxenda? I was prescribed it by my endocrinologist and it’s really helped.

@CottonSock I think we both misinterpreted each other's posts.

I'm considering something drastic because I'm absolutely desperate, in a lot of pain and cannot see a light at the end of the tunnel. I cannot go on like this and my doctors are telling me I have to put up with it to see if the mirena settles. In other words, they aren't willing to help in the short term.

It is awful what we have to put up with for periods. Keep pushing them.

Have you ever given up sugar OP? Eaten low carb for a couple of months? I first did about 5 years ago. My periods changed from the usual uncomfortable dull aches and pains to zero. Just blood which took me by surprise. Try it. Lots of people on the low-carb MN threads report the same. If you need inspiration for eating low carb, check Diet Doctor website. Fish, veg, salad, eggs, seeds, avocado, cheese, Greek yoghurt... all very good.
I honestly think giving it will make the biggest improvement. Plus you'll lose weight. Check the info on low-carb bootcamp.

They won't do anything. I have to just keep waiting. I'm left just dreading each month. My cycle has shortened and I get possibly 7 days clear each cycle with no pain/bleeding.

Which is why I asked for people's experience with losing weight and the effects on periods. It's the only thing I have control over.

Thanks everyone.

No quick fix I guess. Just everlasting pain, bleeding and misery .

I may try a VLCD purely because it might just have results fast enough that next month I can function. These periods are leaving me unable to work properly and I am miserable.

The GP just trots out the same fucking line every time about letting the Mirena settle. They won't give me any more tranexamic acid or decent pain relief and I am getting around 4 hours sleep a night if I am lucky because of the pain. I am absolutely exhausted and do not feel the surgery has worked and have very little faith for the mirena. Sitting here with tears pouring down my face and honestly have never felt so down since I had PND.

My surgeon just suggests a hysterectomy. I can't afford that privately as I have already spent thousands on the first surgery. I don't have savings left and am angry that I have nothing to show for it.

What does a typical day's food look like for you? Do you take vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, B vitamins and iron supplements? If not, I'd suggest getting a women's menopace supplement and starting asap.

Have you ever tried mefanamic acid? That's often used to help heavy bleeding?
Regarding weightloss it may help, possibly not. You've mentioned you are in your 40s; do you have any symptoms of perimenopause?

@meecrowahvay

Have you ever tried mefanamic acid? That's often used to help heavy bleeding? Regarding weightloss it may help, possibly not. You've mentioned you are in your 40s; do you have any symptoms of perimenopause?

The GP is refusing to prescribe anything else because they want to see if the Mirena settles. I've had enough of no one giving a toss and just being told to wait and see while in pain to be honest.

When did you have the mirena fitted?

The mirena was put in wjen I had the ablation, at the beginning of November. So approx 3 and a bit months ago.

Losing a lot of weight in a short time can send your periods absolutely haywire. Oestrogen gets stored in your fat cells and when you deplete the fat the oestrogen gets released in large amounts.

I did the keto diet and had a 3 week long heavy period, when mine are usually really regular and quite light.

Yo yo dieting can mean you're often repeating this cycle.

Getting to a steady weight might mean your periods go a bit nuts on the way down, but might settle once you're at a steady weight.

I've not successfully lost any weight while suffering from the heavy periods. So, no real change in weight in the last 3 ish years.

I'm currently on a LC diet and it affects my periods straight away. I have an implant and on a standard diet would have frequent spotting and my period would go on for 7 days +. On low carb my period is heavier but shorter and more predictable. I think it's worth trying, different people will get different results but you may see some change quickly.

@LostaraYil

I'm currently on a LC diet and it affects my periods straight away. I have an implant and on a standard diet would have frequent spotting and my period would go on for 7 days +. On low carb my period is heavier but shorter and more predictable. I think it's worth trying, different people will get different results but you may see some change quickly.

Thank you, low carb has worked well for me in the past. I wish I could remember whether it helped the periods.

According to my own experience LCarb helps with periods. Ask on the LC Bootcamp thread.