Ongoing cycle issues since diet change

[ktjalrCO]

Hi all--

 

I completed my whole30 in mid September 2014. Since then, I have stayed mostly whole30 compliant.. other than adding in grains and sugar occassionally. I eat zero dairy and soy.  

 

Since September, my cycles have been unusual. I've always had a really regular cycle (been off birth control for about 2.5 years) and no real issues. I am 28. Additionally, my exercise routine hasn't changed and stress level has been relatively low.

 

Since September, I've had 3 months where my period started for 1-2 days, then stopped for 1-2 days, then started again. I've also had a lot more brown bleeding than before. My cycle lengths have begun to vary (between 25 and 33 days).  I have also had 2 yeast infections (never had any before). 

 

My husband and I started trying to conceive and were able to the first month of tryinng, but unfortunately had a miscarriage at about 5 weeks. I know miscarriages happen and likely has nothing to do with anything in my control.

However, between the strange cycles and the miscarriage, I am just trying to look into it and see if it is possible that my diet change has created these cycle changes, or has impacted my hormones.

 

Has anyone experienced ongoing changes in their cycle after changing their diet? Any ideas on what could be going on? I have no desire to bring dairy/soy back into my diet, but I would have thought that after 5-6 months of my diet change, my body would be adjusted.

 

Any thoughts/ideas/resources?

 

Thanks!

[Karen]

What does your carb and your fat consumption look like? How long is your luteal phase, do you know?

[ktjalrCO]

Hi Karen-- thanks for the response.

 

I feel like I get plenty of carbs (mostly through veggies) and fats. I try to make sure to get carbs at at least 2 of my meals. We eat lots of avocados and nuts and use oils/fats with most meals as well.

 

I haven't charted before, so i'm not sure how long my luteal phase is. I may start paying more attention to that once my cycle is regular again after the miscarriage.

 

Thank you!

[Karen]

I'm sorry about the miscarriage.    

 

I have somewhat irregular cycle issues that have gotten better with diet, but the first month or two after a Whole30, my cycles are all messed up.  I find lots of carb consumption, particularly during the second half of my cycle, helps.  The body needs more energy during the luteal phase to support a potential pregnancy, which is why we have cravings prior to our period - the body is looking for energy.  Keep an eye on your carb consumption and try upping your fat.

 

Another question is are you eating enough?  It might be helpful to post a few days of your meals for others to chime in on.

 

Since you don't chart, it's hard to say if you're just ovulating earlier or later, or your luteal phase is getting shorter.  Might be something worth looking into.  Taking Charge of Your Fertility was a lifesaver for me in understanding my cycles.  

 

The more brown bleeding makes me think you either have a shorter luteal phase (have you had your progesterone levels checked during your luteal phase?) or something going on with your thyroid.  Have you had a full thyroid panel lately, including TSH, free T3, free T4, and antibodies, among other things?  Although there are lots of reasons for miscarriages, even a slightly underworking thyroid can be responsible for miscarriages, and getting on the right type/level of thyroid hormone meds can make a huge impact.  Low progesterone / short luteal phase can do the same.

 

I'm not ttc until this fall, but I've been through years of abnormal cycles due to endometriosis and secondary hypothyroid issues, so I've run the gamut of weird things happening with my cycles.  I'm sure others may chime in with their words of wisdom, but my gut says what you have going on is more than just food stuff.

[ktjalrCO]

Hi Karen--

thanks for much for the response and ideas. Yes, the miscarriage is just really sad and it sucks and while I know doctors typically won't try to "diagnose" anything until after 3... I still want to do anything I can to prevent this from happening again. I do know that it was a "missed miscarriage"- which does make me wonder if it was more about chromosomal issues than hormone issues- since my body still thought it was pregnant for 4 weeks after the fetus stopped growing. (but i really have no idea and am just using a little logic there). But since my cycles were so weird before, it does make me concerned.

 

I can definitely focus on carbs and fat. That is interesting about the body wanting more energy during the luteal phase, I did not know that. I'll look into that book you suggested- thank you!

 

I am definitely not a food-restricter and have always been at a healthy weight (I lost maybe 5-6 pounds during whole30). Here's what a few of my days look like for meals--

Breakfast: 2 eggs, 1/2-3/4 of a sweet potato cooked in coconut oil, spinach, and bacon

lunch: steak, brussel spouts with bacon, spaghetti squash

dinner: burgers with mushrooms, avocado, pineapple. sweet potato fries.

 

Breakfast: oatmeal with almond butter, coconut or almond milk, fruit, and nuts

Lunch: grilled chicken salad with olive oil and veggies

Dinner: beef short ribs, mashed cauliflower, and green beans

 

hm, maybe i'm not getting enough fats?

 

I haven't had my progesterone levels checked before- I had read something about brown bleeding and progesterone and so it did make me wonder. Right before we ttc, i did get my bloodwork checked, but the only report I got from the doctors office was that "everything looked great"- so I'm not really sure what all they checked. I will call them and see if I can get a print out of my results so i can see what tests they ran and see if I need others tested.

I may look more into charting once I get my period back so I can see what my luteal phase looks like.

 

Thanks so much for your help, and good luck this fall when you are ttc!

[ladyshanny]

Breakfast: 2 eggs, 1/2-3/4 of a sweet potato cooked in coconut oil, spinach, and bacon

lunch: steak, brussel spouts with bacon, spaghetti squash

dinner: burgers with mushrooms, avocado, pineapple. sweet potato fries.

 

Breakfast: oatmeal with almond butter, coconut or almond milk, fruit, and nuts

Lunch: grilled chicken salad with olive oil and veggies

Dinner: beef short ribs, mashed cauliflower, and green beans

 

Sorry to pull this a bit off topic, but oatmeal is not permitted while on Whole30.  The breakfast you note on the second day there is actually lacking in protein and veggies.  Check out the meal template (linked in my signature below) and try to hit that on each meal.

[RuthintheDesert]

I am so sorry about your miscarriage. I lost 2 babies and it was really tough. Miscarriage can goof up your hormones for awhile and even cause post partum depression. I second the recommendation for the book Taking Charge of Your Fertility. Thanks to that book and progesterone supplements, I have three living daughters.

[ktjalrCO]

Thanks ladyshanny --I'm not actually on whole30 currently. I did it in September and figured out what bothered me, so I do eat oats occassionally. But I will try to make sure I increase my protein and veggies for breakfast.

 

Thanks RuthintheDesert-- I will definitely look into the book. My hormones are definitely all over the place right now . Thanks for your kind words.

[mandini31]

Sorry to hear about the miscarriage.   Good to see you taking charge of your health before baby though... it will only make the little tike stronger and healthier.  That has to be a great thing!!

 

I am finding that my SUPER normal period is off too.  It's weird, I haven't been off of BC for over 2 1/2 years now and I was having the most regular periods, 27-28 days every month, 4-5 days max.  I'm 38.  I am currently on day 23 and my period came 4 1/2 days early after the first week on the diet.  It lasted almost 7 days!  It wasn't different than before just early and longer.  Now I'm 10 days past my period and things are definitely weirder.  I feel like I'm on the verge of a yeast infection as well, don't really have one, but feel like it ya know?  And I've only have 2 in my life and both were after a dose of antibiotics.  I did read that if you have a candida overgrowth (which I did) this diet can cause it to die-off and that the die-off trying to get out of your body can mimic an infection.  Maybe that's what is going on with yours too?  My hormones were pretty level before this diet and now they seem to be all over the place.   I'm not saying that this may not be fixing residual problems, it's just seems like I have had MORE issues with my body now that I ever did before this diet.   I'm hanging in there and seeing what happens this month.