Irregular Bleeding

[Whole30KS]

This is one of those TMI posts. After being on birth control for years, and having very regular periods, I've started to have some irregular breakthrough bleeding. I'm on Day 14 of my Whole 30. My first thought was that maybe I wasn't eating enough food, but I'm following the meal templates and don't feel like I'm undernourished. My other guess is that Whole 30 is correcting a hormone balance I didn't know I had and the result is some breakthrough bleeding. Anyone else experience this?

[jmcbn]

Where are you at in your cycle?

[Whole30KS]

I should be starting one week from today.

[jmcbn]

I'm assuming from your post that you're no longer on birth control. Is it possible that's it's a pregnancy breakthrough bleed? It's usually accompanied with period like symptoms - generally low back ache, cramps etc?

Of course there is the possibility that it is your hormones regulating as you say - many people report changes in their period/cycle before it eventually settles down as their hormones balance.



*Please note that as per the forum rules you should not cross post. I have deleted your post in the trouble shooting forum as I felt it sits better here.

[Whole30KS]

Sorry for the confusion. I am still on birth control and have not made any changes regarding that. No possibility of pregnancy either. And thanks for removing! I actually was about to do that after posting here because I didn't realize there was a ladies only section.

[jmcbn]

Ah, okay... this is not uncommon.

Is Whole30 a lot different from how you were eating before?

Have you gone particularly low carb?

Many women find that they fare better (& feel better) when they increase their starchy carb intake in the week or so leading up to their period - even when on birth control, and there's a scientific reason...

From Mark's Daily Apple:
 

During menstruation, a woman’s serotonin levels are at their lowest. And because carbohydrates (via insulin) increase the availability of the premier amino acid precursor to serotonin (tryptophan), craving carbs during your period is totally natural. It probably just means that you are low in serotonin (which, according to the research, you likely are) and your body wants to make more of it.

 

As for whether or not this is problematic, sports science offers another clue: during the mid-luteal phase (the two weeks leading up to menstruation) when estrogen dominates, the potential for glycogen storage is maximized. What that means is that for two weeks before your period rolls around, your muscles are primed to accept and store carbohydrate as energy (rather than as fat). This would be a good time to eat sweet potatoes, white potatoes, yams, squash, and various types of fruit.

Maybe try upping your starchy carb intake over the next day or two & see if that helps things settled down....

 

 

 

 

 

[Whole30KS]

I ate "mostly healthy" before Whole 30, but definitely ate a decent amount of processed food. I've been trying to eat more starchy vegetables, but could definitely increase my intake. I will try that. Thanks!

[praxisproject]

Grains can be disturbing to cycles for some people, so going grain free can change things up a bit.