WOMANLY QUESTION

Mine have gotten lighter and shorter....went to the Dr. today (unrelated, but it came up)..she's having bloodwork drawn (everything except what my surgeon just tested since I had those results!) to see if there's an issue with my hormones. She thinks it's just my stress though and that once things calm down other "things" will return to normal. 

My cycle did change a little, and my doctor said it was because hormones are made largely of sterol, which is a fatty substance, and therefore are stored in fatty tissue in our bodies. When rapid weight loss occurs, those stored hormones are released in addition to what your pituitary is normally ordering to be released and can play havoc on your cycle. Especially for me...I am now nearly six months out and have lost 100 pounds, so that is a lot of fatty tssue being liberated! That is what has happened with me...I have always been on the Pill due to PCOS and had regular, light, pain-free periods, but after surgery things changed a little. I had to stop my pill a month prior to surgery and could not resume it until I had a period postop, which took nearly two months to reoccur on its own. I am having more cramping and irritability, which I never had before, but it is not bad. And I have to take my pill at exactly the same time every day or I have breakthrough bleeding, which never happened before. My doctor said once my weight stabilizes, the hormonal overload will cease and things should return to normal. Hope ths helps!

I too started mine right before surgery, because of stress. I have always had issues with my monthly visits, but since surgery they have been better. In the 7.5 months post op I have only had one missed period, which was due to my increase in exercise. I think weight loss helped my cycles. ~M

Well I am jealous now because I don't have the nice happy story that everyone else has.  Before surgery I was on the pill which regulated me so my periods were regular, not very heavy, and not very long.  After surgery, still on pill (didn't want to get pregnant early out) and I had some major issues with multiple periods in a month, sometimes 25 days out of the month, etc.  I did some research figured that with the weight loss, my pills were not the right combination of hormones for me.  At that point I had changed relationships and the pregnancy issue was no longer a factor so I just stopped taking the pill all together.  Now I am the lucky (please note my sarcasm) one with heavy, crampy, moody periods that come right on schedule every month for 5 days.  Tylenol & Tylenol PM are my best friend those days.

Court - that's me now... I feel your pain! I had sever moodiness and was diagnosed with PMDD and now take I guess what is technically an anti depressent and Im so happy all month long, my period isn't crampy has gone from radiating downt he legs to a slight ache in the tummy area... so MUCH better there....    Thanks everyone for sharing!

Who diagnosed your PMDD? GYN or PCP? and do you mind I ask which med he prescribed? I believe my family and I suffer from that but dont liek taking meds butmore and more I think I should seek help. Also what were your steps to get diagnosed? thanks in advance andrea