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Ovulation!


ladyshanny

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For the last 5 years (since I went off BC pills) I've been having brutal periods.  Super heavy flow, crazy cramping, menstrual migraines, erratic mid cycle bleeding etc.

 

Since my first Whole30 in September 2014, I've dropped the migraines, the flow has regulated somewhat, cramping is moderate instead of debilitating and my mid cycle bleeding this month was nearly non existent.

 

And then this morning? I ovulated!  For the first time in 5 years!! I'm not trying to conceive so it never really mattered to me.  But this morning's middleschmertz was such an awesome sign that my hormones really are getting back to where they should be!  SO EXCITED!  That's a sign to me that my body is approaching optimal health overall and I couldn't be more thrilled about it!  

 

Thanks, Whole30!  :wub:

 

 

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did you ever have blood tinged cervical mucus at ovulation?  So glad there is a ladies section.  I am halfway done whole30 and for the first time in my life had blood tinged cervical mucus.  It seems to be changing my cycle all over the place, and is not a full 28 days and more like 26?

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did you ever have blood tinged cervical mucus at ovulation?  So glad there is a ladies section.  I am halfway done whole30 and for the first time in my life had blood tinged cervical mucus.  It seems to be changing my cycle all over the place, and is not a full 28 days and more like 26?

Nope, although that is not uncommon.  Your hormones are in overdrive trying to rebalance, give them time.  As in my case it's taken nearly 8 months of fairly consistent Whole30 eating to slowly start to get things back to where they should be.  Slooooowly.

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HOORAY!! That's so exciting!!

 

Years ago, I did some cycle charting via the Fertility Awareness Method. The first month I did it, I had a beautiful, textbook cycle and then the next was complete crap. And the one after that... and the one after that... I was heartbroken even though I had no interest in getting pregnant. That was right before I was diagnosed as insulin resistance and my endo said he was about 90% sure I had PCOS. I haven't had the courage to chart again for fear that I'll find I'm still having issues with ovulation.

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It WAS exciting!  I was dancing around the kitchen this morning and my hubby thought I was NUTS!

 

Crazy what food can do for us, hey? Were you on Whole30s at the time you charted last? Could have changed, no?

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It WAS exciting!  I was dancing around the kitchen this morning and my hubby thought I was NUTS!

 

Crazy what food can do for us, hey? Were you on Whole30s at the time you charted last? Could have changed, no?

 

I hadn't discovered paleo or Whole30 yet when I was charting. (That was about 7 years ago.) I think that the one month that I did ovulate was a minor miracle and it was just coincidence that I caught it with my tracking. In the subsequent months, I tried to tell myself that the charts were weird because I wasn't as diligent about taking my temp at the same time every day, but there were issues with my other signs too so I was probably just kidding myself.

 

I started seeing an endocrinologist for my thryoid around that time and he addressed some other metabolic issues with me and encouraged a lower glycemic diet, specifically South Beach. So I gave it a try, actually lost weight, and that started my personal reading/research that eventually led me down the rabbit hole to Whole30. :) I've maintained a 30lb weight loss (and yo-yo'd on an addl 20lb loss... oops) and I'm sure that's helped too.

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  • 1 month later...

mitemcmc yes for the first time this month i have...tha5s how i founf this post searching for info on that...i have never in my life had that until now...it freaked me out i had to look at my calander because the first thing i thought was implant bleeding and then i saw i was right at my ovulation time.

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I love this! Ladyshanny, I'd be dancing around my kitchen too. That's super exciting.

 

Among the numerous reasons I've jumped back into Whole 30 is because I want regular cycles, damnit! I haven't had them basically ever. I was put on BC at 18 to "regulate my cycle" (what BS) and took myself off it at 26. Now I am turning 34 and t's only been since I 1) got put on a low dose of thyroid meds and 2) started my first Whole 30 in 2012 that I actually ovulate now. I think prior to that I was getting maybe 3 - 4 periods per year and who knows if they were ovulatory cycles (I only started charting a couple years ago). I'm guessing most if not all were not.

 

But, even though I do ovulate now, my cycles were never consistently regular and last year I had multiple long and anovulatory cycles. Then, bam, a perfect cycle in September and I got pregnant. Then I had a miscarriage right at the very end of the first trimester. I've had four cycles since and the last three have actually been pretty regular. I'm hoping now that if I really work toward optimizing my health, I can continue to regulate and feel more confident if/when I do get pregnant again, that my body's hormones are doing what they need to do to support the pregnancy.

 

I honestly think that before my first Whole 30 (nearly 3 years ago) I was malnourished. Whole 30 changed that forever. It's such a great tool for improving health.

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Ladyshanny - so does that mean you had a period each month but didn't actually ovulate?  Hubs and I are TTC and are having no luck.  I get a period every 26-28 days like clock work and have for years.  I haven't been on BC in over 5 years.  All lab tests have come back fine and I do actually make follicles each month (per ultrasound) but part of me is wondering if somehow I'm not actually ovulating.  From what I've googled this is very rare (to bleed, but not actually be ovulating) so I'm wondering how you knew for sure.

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Littleg - do you take your basal temperature every morning? Once you ovulate until your period, your morning temperature will be higher than before ovulation. It's a really easy at home experiment.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, get Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Wexler. It's a must, particularly if you're ttc!

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Ladyshanny - so does that mean you had a period each month but didn't actually ovulate?  Hubs and I are TTC and are having no luck.  I get a period every 26-28 days like clock work and have for years.  I haven't been on BC in over 5 years.  All lab tests have come back fine and I do actually make follicles each month (per ultrasound) but part of me is wondering if somehow I'm not actually ovulating.  From what I've googled this is very rare (to bleed, but not actually be ovulating) so I'm wondering how you knew for sure.

Yes, personally for me I bled every month on a perfect schedule but I don't believe that I ovulated. Secretions were wrong, no middleschmertz and no ovulation pain for about 5 years after discontinuing the pill.

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I was doing basal temps for 3 months.  I'm a nurse and work evening shift though so I think my eating/sleeping schedule messed things up.  If I ate before bed (especially carbs) my temp would be up, if I didn't eat it would be down, if I slept 4 hours it would be low, 10 hours up... The month looked like a saw :)

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Following as we are TTC

I'm only on Day6 but am so hopeful that making these changes will help my fertility. I'm also seeing an acupuncturist, but I'd been wanting to make some dietary and habit changes so I'm optimistic it'll be a win win on all fronts!

Anyone here ever experienced being able to conceive after/during Whole30?

Many TIA,

Bean

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  • 2 weeks later...

Ovulation the other day which was day 22 of of my Whole30 was painful, bloaty and I had some blood. Not my usual ovulation (tho it was right on schedule). My period is really regular and ovulation is a tinge of pain for a day or two, but never this bad.  Bleh.  I'm glad to hear others experienced this.  

 

For the past 1.5 years I have been taking supplements to balance my hormones according to Dr. Gottfried's Hormone Cure. I went off all supplements for my Whole30 and a lot of my symptoms started to come back especially the moodiness and night sweats. I'm wondering if my weird ovulation is from stopping the supplements or from eating better on Whole30. Probably a combo of the two. It will be interesting to see how it goes after Whole30 and if I will need to reintro the supplements.

 

BTW I have been using this great app called Clue for tracking my cycle.  It's really easy to use and tracks a lot of factors: period, pain, mucous, sex, ovulation, discharge, mood, etc.  Plus it's graphically really nice!

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I'm almost certain I'm ovulating. I'm definitely doing a happy hormone dance over here!

As in my case it's taken nearly 8 months of fairly consistent Whole30 eating to slowly start to get things back to where they should be. Slooooowly.

What does "fairly consistent" look like for you? Did you go through the reintroduction schedule, or just experiment with off-plan foods here and there?

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I caused my hormonal disruption myself, with stress, starvation (i.e. more stress), and binge-restrict cycles (so much stress). Plus breastfeeding an active toddler! My body (and my mind) is responding really well to this Whole30—surprisingly well, considering all the BS I put it through in the last year.

I had my first normal-seeming period right at the beginning of my Whole30. If everything were to snap back to normal, my next period would be due the first or second week in July. I'm certainly commuted to full, on-plan Whole30 eating through July.

All that to say: I'm glad to hear that Whole30 has helped with your cycle, ladyshanny—it's very encouraging to read—and I'm happy for your ovaries!

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My cycle continues to improve as I go along, actually and I've noticed improvement in the period I'm having right now.  I'm nearly a year from my first Whole30 and it still is making a difference.  

 

"Fairly consistent" for me means template meals three times a day, no snacking.  It means no sugar, some alcohol on some weekends, potato chips from time to time.  Never any grains, dairy, legumes etc.  The amounts that I will eat of non-Whole30 approved foods have gotten less and less...and yet they still seem like the huge splurges I used to have a year ago or so.  I also don't worry about cooking fat at restaurants or the sugars in ketchup etc.

 

I firmly believe that the three template meals a day are where the magic lies.  That's what allows your hormones to rebalance.  

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Ladyshanny, thanks for sharing how you eat long after your Whole30; that is SO useful to me with a week to go.

 

Do you have some insight to share on why the three template meals are so key in life after Whole30?  

Scientifically I have no real concrete message to share. But eating three times a day per the template will give your body so many nutrients and micronutrients as well as stabilize blood sugar and balance hormones.  It's the way we are biologically designed to eat and I would suspect that given enough time that your body starts to trust that it doesn't have to worry about food or about manufacturing its own micronutrients in the absence of them in the diet, it can concentrate on other things like the sex hormones.

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 I would suspect that given enough time that your body starts to trust that it doesn't have to worry about food or about manufacturing its own micronutrients in the absence of them in the diet, it can concentrate on other things like the sex hormones.

Ah perfect, that is exactly the kind of insight I was asking for. That clarifies a lot.  Thanks!

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I'm nearly a year from my first Whole30 and it still is making a difference.

That's fantastic! And so encouraging to read!

I love your approach to off-plan eating. I'm always fascinated to see what post-Whole30 balance looks like for other people. I've been down this road before—my first Whole30 was 2-1/2 years ago—but I've crashed my bike every time. I think I'm finally, finally getting a sense of my balance. It's Day 25, and I'm surprised to realize there are so many foods I just don't miss! They don't seem "worth it" even in the slightest. Maybe it's because I'm finally getting out of my head and trying to get on my body's side for a change.

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