Signs of perimenopause started right after first whole 30

[LisaLulu]

Up until this April my cycles have been around 31 days, tons of EWCM, middleshmertz around day 19, 12 day luteal phase, easy periods. Both my children (age 2 and 5) were conceived the first month of trying.

 

During (or right after?) my first whole 30 in April I started getting night sweats for a night or two before my period and have been getting them every month. My cycles also got shorter, and my middleshmertz have been happening a lot earlier (I noticed around day 14 last month, day 12 this month). I've also had hardly any EWCM.

 

I wasn't an overweight person. Do you think losing 7 pounds in a month was enough to mess with my hormones or am I just at 'that age' and it was coincidence that it started with the whole 30? I'm 37 next month... I thought whole 30 was supposed to make you more fertile, not less!

 

(my mother went through menopause late. I was kind of hoping for the same...)

[Guest Andria]

I am sorry to see that no one has responded to your post.  I read several days ago and refrained from replying, thinking that someone more knowledgable might respond to your questions.

 

My thoughts: you mention that you lost 7# and really didn't need to lose weight - I think that could be an issue. Do you know what your body fat percentage is after the weight loss? Many women can experience problems with their cycle and fertility at or below 18% body fat. I have definitely read of other women's negative experiences with menstrual changes with low carb diets and/or low body fat. I am sure you were not intentionally trying to eat low carb but it can be easy to drop carbs too low on the Whole30.  I find I need to eat starchy carbs at every meal, or at least 2, to feel well, sleep well and have a good normal length cycle. I was diagnosed perimenopausal (42 yo) earlier this year and since eating mostly W30 I can report I have a lot of EWCM!

 

Maybe take inventory and be honest with yourself. Could you benefit from gaining some of that weight back? Also, try adding in more starchy carbs if your diet seems low.

[AmyS]

Women often report changes in their menstrual cycles as they start on a Whole30 eating pattern.  After a few cycles the body finds its way again.  I'd continue to chart as usual, but I wouldn't think there is any connection between Whole30 and perimenopause.

 

Also 7 pounds is a fair amount to lose in one month, though much of it may be inflammation and not fat (I, too, was not overweight and still lost an easy 6 lbs during my first Whole30 - most of it swelling around my ankles and waistline).  Again, these changes can affect your hormonal balance, but not permanently.

 

I know I'm being vague, but everyone is very individual so I just want to be specific about two things: Whole30 won't bring on perimenopause (and I know you didn't say that it had done so, just confirming this for other readers who may wonder); and Whole30 can cause temporary changes in a woman's cycle, changes which sort themselves out over a cycle or three more.

 

If you would like some more specific feedback about your Whole30, you could post a few days' worth of meals, activity, sleep, and stress levels (um, you have two children five and under so I'm chuckling at that last one) and get some feedback.  Also, Andria makes a good point about making sure you get in enough starchy carbs.

 

Good luck and let us know how you get on.

[LisaLulu]

Thanks. I saw all the threads on here talking about cycle changes and feel a bit better. 

 

It could be water weight. I noticed both whole 30's that I hardly ever feel thirsty anymore but have been peeing a lot. I lost almost all the weight in the first half of it too.

 

I haven't been logging my food but I can recall today

 

Breakfast- grilled chicken breast, mixed greens, tomato, 1/2 avocado, vinegar, avocado oil, 2 peaches

 

Lunch- stir fry with onion, celery, carrot, cabbage, broccoli made with avocado oil and coconut aminos. (no meat, we didn't have any left and the kids were acting feral). Peach.

 

Dinner- spaghetti squash with tomato sauce with ground beef, garlic and peppers. Plantain chips. Pear.

 

Activity- Long bike ride

 

Stress level- through the roof (2 year old and 5 year old home getting into everything while we tried to assemble a bed from Ikea and swap the kids rooms).

 

Sleep- full night's sleep.

 

Everything about today was totally typical except for the no meat at lunch part. I generally try to have some at every meal but there was just no way it was happening today with the circus going on here and I thought I should eat SOMETHING so I just ate the leftover veggies from the other night. I didn't have any potatoes today either but often do.

[LisaLulu]

I should also add that I'm still breastfeeding my 2 year old 4 times in 24 hours every day. I have been breastfeeding for over 5 years continuously (overlapping during my second pregnancy and until my second born was 6 months old) and it never interfered with my cycles (they would return 9 months post partum and be the same).

[LisaLulu]

Oh and one more thing- pre whole 30 (and sometimes in between the 2) I would eat pretty much the same during the day- lots of healthy food and proper meals full of meat, fruit and veggies. Then after dinner when the kids were in bed I would be starving and eat something terrible and chock full of calories to fill me up- a pizza or chocolate generally. I actually felt quite good doing this, but I worried about putting that junk into my body. Now I just go to bed slightly hungry. 

[AmyS]

You probably need to eat an additional meal every day.  I nursed my twins still when they were two, and I remember being pretty ravenous.  Going to bed hungry + breastfeeding = no bueno.  Since you're wrangling kid bedtimes and nursing this may be tricky.  Some nursing moms sip on compliant coconut milk throughout the day.  And don't be afraid to toss down a hard boiled egg or two, and maybe a sweet potato chunk or three, while you're chasing the two year old around the house.  Small bites, chew thoroughly, keep running.  Hehe

 

Congrats on the nursing.  It's a central part of your life while you're doing it.  Make sure to eat enough, which is almost always going to be more than you think you need. 

 

Happy Whole30ing, and hope the feral children, new beds, and bedtime associated with same didn't wear you out too much.

 

Eat up!

[LisaLulu]

Thanks. I think part of the problem is that I'm severely intolerant of eggs, and I don't handle nuts or coconut (or dried fruit even) either so all the quick options are gone. I love the idea of the well fed girl's 'snack packs' with veggie sticks, olives and grilled chicken. I think I need to make myself some whole 30 lunchables to eat while chasing children. School starts for my oldest on Thursday so things should calm down and I'll be packing lunches anyway, I might just pack one for myself too.