Ladies:

Ok I was down 23 lbs in 10 days and I was flying on air. Of couse I knew it would slow down and I knew it would get harder but then.....then I got that monthly friend and it was like my body went into hibernation.

First of all it was a week of hell, I mean I have not had cramps like that in years. It was longer than normal and I had NO motivation. I literally layed on the couch all week. Its only in the past two days that I feel normal again.

My question is did you all see changes in your cycle and mood/feeling during your period since you eating habits changed.

And anyone that gets this sit on the couch, deep down depression and lack of motivation like I did this past week......what do you do to go on? How do you motivate yourself to continue drinking water and exercising and not going back to bed with a book or a movie???

I ate right and thought I would get a whoosh sorta effect afterward and I still might over the next few days. I weighed in today and I am only a lb up from where I was at...at one point I was up 5lbs. I had no want for water and could not physically get it down either. I kept saying get off the couch but the funk was so heavy I could not.

I just want some advice because I can not afford to have a week like this monthly....not physically or emotionally!!!

Ah, TOM. What a PITA. Anyway, when I first started Atkins, my cycle got all out of whack for a month - it came 2 weeks early, etc. Then I got right back on track. I have ALWAYS "stalled" or at least gained a couple of lbs of water during TOM, since the very beginning. I usually get a woosh a few days after I've stopped bleeding, although it rarely results in any actual weight loss, just a loss of the water I gained.

My mood in the first few months of Atkins was extremely foul during TOM until I finally adjusted to not calming the PMS monsters with sugar. Don't give up yet - the first TOM on Atkins is by far the worst. They get better - and if they don't, ask your gyno to put you on a low dose BC pill. I was on one for a while with no weight gain side effects and it made my periods a breeze.

Have you added coconut oil to your diet. This seems to give me a push. I don't even weigh myself around my TOM just bc I know I am heavier and seeing the numbers go up depresses me.

No coconut oil but think I will research it a bit. A push as in mood or weightloss???

CO does both, it seems to make me hungrier also but I thing that is bc it revs up your metabolism.

LC....I had the exact same experience during induction the first and second time, and my cycle leveled out quickly and is in fact better than ever. It is a hormone adjustment. If you are suddenly not releasing massive amounts of insulin then it stands to reason your cortisol, progesterone levels would be too much all of the sudden. I would take it as a sign of progress.

When I was a teenager I would get menstrual cramps so painful that I could cry. I had to constantly take pain killers during each period.

I started taking 150mg of magnesium citrate each day a couple of years ago, and I have NEVER had a menstrual cramp since. My periods are painless. In my case it was just a magnesium deficiency!

Also when I was a teenager I would eat a lot of dairy and not a lot of magnesium containing foods so I think that contributed to it. My diet is much better now.

Just to chime in...

I am on my third week of Atkin's, and my first TOM. I found that the plan has actually helped my period issues I once had.

My cycle has been majorly out of whack for a number of months. Last month, I was over a week and a half late. I usually get breast tenderness, and insane cramps as well that last for the first day. This time, none. Period was exactly 28 days and I had no pms symptoms. Also, weighed myself (I do everyday just for tracking purposes) and had gained one pound. Today, I was down two pounds and it is only the second day of TOM.

Now, hopefully this WOE can keep me on a normal schedule that is not all over the place, because hubby and I want to start a family, and need all the help we can get. :P

My TOM is due this coming week and today is day 14 on Atkins...I'm dreading how I will feel....I'm really tired today and quite depressed....I'm hoping that I will be in a better mood tomorrow. I'll let you guys know what happens after my TOM.

I've been eating low carb since June 1st and I have found that I really have to fight cravings during my TOM, but my cramps have been much improved! I used to get horrible cramps for the first 24-36 hours plus tummy troubles. I've had 3 cycles since starting and I've had just a tiny hint of cramping, but not enough to slow me down, and the tummy troubles are greatly improved as well. What I hate however, is that the scale goes up 2.5-3 pounds, and it takes a week or so for that to go away.

Not much has changed with Auntie Flo since I cut carbs down. I do notice that I tend to gain a pound or two.

I went through major depression a few years back and found that 5HTP really helped. It's available in the drug store in the supplement section. You might want to read up on it. Just a thought.

I just started LCing it and within a week literally of the diet I had a period that was literally 2 1/2 weeks early. It wasn't bad but it did take me by surprise, I'm due for my regular one soon so we'll see if I get it or not? Maybe just a change in cycle? I'm pretty irregular anyway...

as far as the depression goes, i suffer with that regardless, you may try taking St John's Wart, its a natural supplement that is a mood stabilizer and has really helped for me. No weight gain effects and not too expensive, maybe 10 bucks for a months supply? You can buy it pretty much anywhere. The magnesium is a good idea too, and it also has kind of a laxitive effect so it will also help to... clean out your system...

Good luck to you, I hope this gets better!

My experience losing weight (not even low carb) was that my flow got much lighter and cramps were less. When I did low carb recently, TOM was late, and perhaps even lighter.

I started a low carb diet because I suspect that I'm in pre-menopause and I believe the change in hormones has affected my metabolism. I never had a problem shedding pounds fifteen years ago. Now, every pound I take off is a chore.

When I first started my low carb diet, I became disheartened when my period came around. I would gain anywhere from two to four pounds. Thankfully it would come back off again a week later. So, after I recognized the pattern I stopped obsessing over it.

As for depression and lethargy, what I am going to iterate next is going to go against the grain (no pun intended) of what some believe on this site. One of the main reasons I refused to try a low carb diet is because I suffered depression for a good amount of my adult life, but my depression became way worse in 2001 to the point where I had constant suicidal ideation. I sought counseling, but also read as much as I could on the subject of severe despression.

One of the books I read described the brain blood barrier, and indicated that certain food items affect the ability of tryptophan to cross from our bodies to our brain, which is then converted to serotonin. Proteins inhibit this ability, while carbs... particularly grains... enhance the ability. This is part of the reason that pasta and bread make great comfort food. Trytophan gets through, serotonin levels increase, all is well with the world.

During menstruation, fluctuating estrogen levels also affect the brain's ability to maintain serotonin levels, so between that and the low carb diet, it is almost like a double whammy.

One thing you might do as you approach your menstrual cycle is to choose foods that are higher in tryptophan. There is a ton of info available out on the net in that regard, but here is a link: Foods High in Tryptophan

You might also consider taking a supplement such as 5HTP (5-Hydroxytryptophan). 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) is an amino acid that is the intermediate step between tryptophan and the important brain chemical serotonin. This is link to the book I read several years back that explained the importance of trytophan in regard to serotonin levels: 5HTP

Please recognize that these are just suggestions, and if you are experiencing excessive painful cramping and depression, you might want to talk to your M.D. After a year of horrible, painful periods, I finally discussed the issue with my doctor. Through an ultrasound, I discovered that I have fibroids.

Good luck and God speed.

I never connected the change in my cycle (started 1-2 wks early) to the low carb. Amazing!