My period came TWO weeks early...and I take birth control!

[accio_jencat]

I was shocked this morning to see that I was spotting/ had started my period only 14 days after the START of my last one. Especially since I have been taking birth control for seven years and have never had this issue! I thought since I was taking the BC that THOSE hormones were regulated for me. Should I be concerned??

[Guest]

It happened to me when i did my first whole30. I talked to my doctor about it and she told me not to worry as I'm getting older (40) that can happen, but if you are concerned definitely talk to your doctor.

[accio_jencat]

I have no idea if I should be concerned or not, lol. I'm 25, and nothing like this has happened since I started BC 7 years ago. I don't have a regular OBGYN, but I happen to have an appointment in two weeks... I guess I'll bring it up then?

[ShannonM816]

If you browse the forum, you'll find a lot of women notice changes to their period after starting whole30, whether they're on birth control or not. Most of the time it regulates back out over time, and many women who continue eating close to whole30 style to find that over time they get other benefits,  like fewer or less noticeable pms symptoms or reduced cramps.

Obviously no one here is a doctor, so if you're concerned, definitely talk to your doctor, but for most women this isn't something to be concerned about. 

[angiej936]

16 hours ago, accio_jencat said:

I was shocked this morning to see that I was spotting/ had started my period only 14 days after the START of my last one. Especially since I have been taking birth control for seven years and have never had this issue! I thought since I was taking the BC that THOSE hormones were regulated for me. Should I be concerned??

I was searching for something else in the forum and came across your post.  This same thing happened to me yesterday and I'm like WTF?!  I'm only half way through my BC pack!  I've been on BC forever and have been super regular for years.  I thought it was really weird but since I'm seeing these others posts I'll go with it.

[realfoodwithdana]

This has happened to me too (I'm 27), both when I was on and off the pill and doing a Whole30. Your body is going through so many changes, that this isn't too surprising! 

[angiej936]

I do find it interesting that this happens.  I wonder what is it that we were eating before versus what we're eating now that would completely throw off our cycle.

[jmcbn]

9 minutes ago, angiej936 said:

I do find it interesting that this happens.  I wonder what is it that we were eating before versus what we're eating now that would completely throw off our cycle.

Soy, too much sugar, too may refined carbs, lack of healthy fats, lack of certain vitamins, minerals & micronutrients, not eating to a schedule, poor sleep..... any combination of these things & more can impact your cycle.

 

[angiej936]

@jmcbn In that list I'm guilty of too many refined carbs and lack of healthy fats.  But the fact that my cycle was just fine before is why it's weird.  I knew to the day when my period would start, when it would end, what days I would be moody, etc.  Hopefully it gets back on track.

[jmcbn]

Just now, angiej936 said:

@jmcbn In that list I'm guilty of too many refined carbs and lack of healthy fats.  But the fact that my cycle was just fine before is why it's weird.  I knew to the day when my period would start, when it would end, what days I would be moody, etc.  Hopefully it gets back on track.

If you're taking birth control tablets your body isn't really going through a normal cycle as the hormones are synthetic, and since a part of the process is re-balancing the hormones then it stands to reason that your cycle will be effected even in some small way, and even whilst continuing to take the pill. It's also fairly common for there to be a hormonal shift even when switching to a paleo diet - it's fairly well documented on the web.

[angiej936]

13 minutes ago, jmcbn said:

If you're taking birth control tablets your body isn't really going through a normal cycle as the hormones are synthetic, and since a part of the process is re-balancing the hormones then it stands to reason that your cycle will be effected even in some small way, and even whilst continuing to take the pill. It's also fairly common for there to be a hormonal shift even when switching to a paleo diet - it's fairly well documented on the web.

I'm not really that concerned about it.  I'm taking BC to manage my cycle and any PMS I encounter, which I've been doing for 20+ years.  I'd like to stop taking them, but my husband is really to blame for why I haven't, if you know what I mean!!  Thanks for the info!

[CourtneyDC]

This is fascinating! I actually had my tubes tied after my last baby, but take BC because I get rage-y pms. I take it all the time, skipping the placebo pills. But I just got spotting for the first time in 10 months, and I'm on day 9. I hadn't attributed it to a change in diet. Perhaps I can go off the pill eventually by making permanent changes to my diet? 

[Katrina413]

I too was two weeks early and mid pack and I concluded that depleting soy and extra estrogen in my diet made me start my period again. Pretty alarming to think of all the hormones I have been consuming before Whole30. Feels good to be eating hormone free. 

[kateebee]

Should have read this before starting as I only use a barrier method of birth control around my ovulation time based on my reliable cycle tracking. I guess if I get pregnant from a change in my cycle, I'll be naming the baby Melissa or Dallas, haha. EEEEK. 

[songbirdtree]

I completed my first round in July 2017 and had spotting almost the entire month, even though I'm on the pill. Now I'm on Round 2 Day 5 and it's happening all over again. I've been focused on proper plating, incorporating a mix of veggies (potatoes, spinach, etc). I wish I could figure out a way to make the spotting stop, because it's definitely become the dark cloud over an otherwise pleasant Whole 30 experience.

[maisie]

I'm on R1 D9. I take hormonal birth control to skip my period & I'm mid cycle on the pill right now. On Sunday (it's wed night now) I started my period and it's still going strong. I start school next week and am really hoping this stops before I start school. Does anyone know how long it takes fir your body to get used to the diet? Worst case scenario, if i eat cheese will my period stop?

[Samantha Whelan]

This has just started happening to me...I'm currently on the BCP, and my last period ended on 1/30.  Day 7 of the Whole30 (R1), I started to spot and have pretty nasty cramps, and from there it's just turned into a full blown period with no end in sight.  So am I just going to keep bleeding for the rest of the month now? Does this ever go away? Am I going to have to wait months for this to go back to normal? I've been like clockwork the last couple of years.  I am already slightly anemic, and take an iron supplement everyday anyway...this is just wearing on me and kinda upsetting.  I don't think I can deal with this every month.

[SugarcubeOD]

It won't be every month... when our hormones change it can affect breakthrough bleeding to the point of actually getting a period.  Ride it out this month - you shouldn't have a month long period but it may be a couple days longer.  If this continues to happen you may need to change your BCP cycle to match to your natural cycle so your hormones aren't in conflict with the added hormones in the pill but more working together.  You can also consider going to your prescribing doctor and letting them know that you're doing the Whole30 and that one of the effects of it is that your hormones can change as you change the food on your plate (removing processed, packaged additive laden foods).