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fykeylicious

Any women on a low-carb diet?

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Hey all -- I have been eating low carb since January of this year. I'm not NO carb -- I eat lots of veggies and get my daily intake of fiber each day -- but I've eliminated most grains and starches (except for the occasional cheat).

 

In all, I feel great! No bloating, no gas, no IBS symptoms, lots of energy. In 6 months I lost about 30 lbs (since January 1st, when I officially started diet) and have reached my goal weight.

 

HOWEVER ... I'm having one teeeeeny issue and I'd like to hear from other women on a similar diet to see if anyone has had a similar experience.

 

Thanks :)

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I mentioned in the weight loss thread that in 2012-2013, I lost 60lbs on medifast, which is low carb, low fat, low calorie (80-100 carbs, 800-1000 calories) I still limit my carbs - I rarely eat processed grains but do eat whole grains on occasion, and legumes which I adore.

 

Constipation issues? Most people on medifast have that at some point :monkey: (couldn't resist) Smooth Move tea from Traditional Medicinals is nice.....

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Nope, no constipation issues - I get lots of fiber AND take a probiotic. Having IBS, I really have to stay on top of those issues :D

 

I would say my diet is very similar to yours - I rarely eat grains (every once in awhile I indulge) and love legumes. I'll occasionally have rice. However, there are some days my carbs are just from veggies. And my Quest bar - God, I love them! (Too bad they are so effing expensive!)

 

Anyway, my problem is that my periods have stopped. I'm 35 and too young to be pre-menoposal. My bloodwork has come back fine. I'm not underweight by any means. And I do workout, but my inherent laziness keeps me from overdoing it. (And, obviously I'm not pregnant LOL). My doc prescribed me two rounds of progesterone to bring a cycle on, and neither round worked. I don't want to do that again because they made me feel AWFUL.

 

My internet research has led me to believe that the low-carb (esp. the low-starch) diet is to blame. So my options are go back to eating carbs/starches (which might correct the problem...in a few months or even a year or more) and feel like crap OR continue eating this way and feel great without a period.

 

Technically I couldn't care less if I ever see my old friend again, but apparently if I go too long without one I could go into early menopause :shocked: . So now I don't know what to do!

 

Just wondering if any other women had similar issues.

 

FYI - In case anyone is interested, this article in particular was very informative. I don't do Paleo but a lot of the info was the same:

http://www.paleoforwomen.com/how-extremity-can-make-even-the-best-diet-fail/

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Ah, on medifast my issue was the opposite - I assume from so much soy in the diet - I was spotting and early every month, despite having been on the Pill for 20+ years.....

 

Did your doctor have other advice or information about long term risk of skipping menstruation? (I understand your mixed emotions, by the way - would be lovely not to deal with, BUT the health risks, hormones are such odd things anyway - with their "hands" in so many bodily functions, hate to mess their natural cycles too much.....)

 

(re: constipation, I have 2-3 cups spinach almost every day, drink over a gallon of water - still had constipation - I'll blame the food again, as it worked out - no pun intended - as I transitioned back to real food)

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Anyway, my problem is that my periods have stopped. I'm 35 and too young to be pre-menoposal.

 

My friend is 38 and after a year of doctor visits, testing and research they have decided she is pre-menoposal, so it is possible. However in your case, I think you're right - I think it's diet. I've heard that eating pineapple and papayas can get you going again, but I have no how true that is. I'm interested to know what you come up with.

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Thanks, ladies. I'm putting a call into my doctor's office on Monday. I'm hoping the problem can be solved by my going back on birth control, which I'd rather not do (but it's the least-awful solution, esp. since diet may or may not clear it up in the foreseeable future). I'm also going to add some starches back in, but I'm not going crazy because then my IBS will flare up.

 

Speaking of going back on birth control - my husband had a vasectomy in January so that I didn't have to go back on the pill ... won't he be happy if I have to go back on for medical reasons. HAHAHAHAHA oh my

 

Hoya, have you tried drinking Metamucil? I have a glass every night, in addition to my morning probiotic and spinach salad at lunch. The Metamucil in particular is very helpful - I drink it before bed. When did I turn into a senior citizen?

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My problem with my intestines is that I seem to have two speeds (esp when I'm traveling) - stop, or go. So taking ANY sort of laxative product, even something gentle like metamucil, scares the crap quite literally out of me.

 

Being a member of medifast message boards and hearing what others were going through, my issues were not severe at all, so I just kept eating my spinach and other roughage, drinking water, and an extra cup of coffee on days it was really bad, and it all came out ok in the end.

 

I could not resist the puns. So sorry. :P

 

Hope the doctor has some good advice for you! My husband doesn't want a vasectomy because he knows I won't want to give up being on the Pill....So unless something happens in the next couple years, he's just waiting for me to hit menopause :tantrum: (no clue when that will be, since my mom had an early hysterectomy at age 32 and I don't know how old my grandmothers were....)

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scares the crap quite literally out of me.

 

and it all came out ok in the end.

 

I could not resist the puns. So sorry. :P

 

:banana:

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