Hunger+Capacity+Menstral cycle?

[snowkitten 371]

I was wondering if anyone else has noticed a trend with their menstrual cycles or if its just my own special weirdness.

Ive noticed that in the PMS stage of my monthly cycle (ie, 1-2weeks before my period) I am extra hungry & i can eat MORE volume. For example, for that 1-2 weeks I can eat 3/4-1 cup of soft food & 80+ oz of Water, or about 2oz of chicken. BUT during my period to the week after i have a hard time getting 1/4 a cup of soft food or 1 oz of chicken & i struggle to get all my fluids.

I've have found research connecting the menstrual cycle with hunger, but i haven't been able to find anything regarding capacity. Not sure if its because woman without wls don't think about it and/or because the sleeve is still fairly new so no studyies have been performed.

Anywho, i was wondering if any other sleeve patients had noticed this.

[Aleena 59]

Unfurtunetly we are on the same boat, 2 weeks before my menstrual I eat and eat non stop I get hungrier and seem not to fill myself up which I do because the pouch can only take so much I get hungry fast . After my period same thing as you I could only eat a certain amount and I go back to normal, its very stressing I feel like I'm gonna explode or damage my pouch but thank God my periods are normal now, because the first 7 months after surgery I use to menstruate 2x a month which cause me to become anemic and needed Iron infusions.

[Lulah 18]

Hi! I'm not sure how long ago you were sleeved, I'm 12 months out and I can tell you when I'm pms'ing I feel like a bottomless pit! It's terrible and really takes every ounce of strength not to over do it for me.

Not really helpful, but you are not alone!

[snowkitten 371]

Oh thank god, its very nice to know im not alone. This has been driving me nuts and i hadn't seen anyone else mention it so thought i would put it out there.

Lulah: Im 5 months out. I listen to my sleeve when its full so thats why i've been able to find a trend.

Aleena: Oh wow, i've had crazy irregular periods too. Some times every other week, some times every 3 weeks or once a month. The past 2 month have been pretty normal. I'm hoping it stays that way. How long did it take for you to normalize?

Did either of you find that you lost less or slower because of this?

[Countrygrrl 450]

Ugh. I had to put period in the search bar. I quit having my period. For years. Now I just went through pms and a period. I was a EMO mess. And I gained a pound. I ate chocolate. Chocolate!

[Aleena 59]

Oh my poor you,...Mines took about 7 months to normalized I hated it but yours is worst, I pray it stays normal snowkitten

[Aleena 59]

I haven't gained a pound so far

they say after a year people stop loosing? I don't know I'm a year and 3 months an still loosing

[shizwiz 197]

I am reading this with a feeling of (slight) dread. I am only 3 weeks post-op, but prior to surgery, the week or so before my period, I was always starving and could put away a good amount of food. It was my 'tell'. I would get a voracious appetite and the amount of witty retorts increased... and then I knew...I was about to purge some good ol' hormones.

Right now I am about one week ahead of my monthly 'Time of Darkness' and I am feeling hungry and was scouring BP to see if anyone else felt this after the ol' snip snip of the stomach. I am not super hungry, but more than I have been since my surgery date. Which was surprising as I was thinking I would not feel hunger for at least a few months.

Please pray for my boyfriend. It's going to be a rough few weeks.

[snowkitten 371]

Countrygrrl: I know what u mean. I had chocolate too. I was totally beating myself up about it untill my mom figuratively smacked me upside the head & reminded me that I've always had a ravenous craving for chocolate when pmsing. Just because I got a surgery didn't mean I stopped being a woman. So I forgave myself.

Aleena: thanks, I hope it stays normal too!

I heard that people keep losing up to 18mo to 2 years.

If you dont mind me asking, how much did you lose a month? Was there a certain month that the weight loss seriously slowed or did you pretty much stay consistant? How many calories do u eat?

Shizwiz- oh I so hope you don't end up having to deal with this. It's really tough. I went batty at first not sure if it was my hormones, or gastritis, my surgery failed or what. Turned out it was both hormones and gastritis. Talk about a double whammy lol.

Try warning your bf that the next couple weeks you will be very hormonal. It helps to let them know that u understand that your gonna be wacko. My hubby was really good about it.

[Aleena 59]

Snowkitten I've lost 135 pds so far, I remember loosing 25 pds the first month it scared me but I felt great then it slowed down to about 15 pds a month for abput 4 months now I loose either nothing to 6 pds a months it varies, I'm close to reaching my goal 20 pds to go,....there have been a few stalls the longest one lasted 3 months I was loosing nothing but was loosing inches.

To be honest I don't count or keep track of what I eat since I been on the Atkins for about 8 months now I started it with my last stall a 2 weeks after I started it I started to loose weight again, I'm too lazzy to keep track on what I eat how many calo, carbs etc so I made it easy on myself I buy the frozen atkins food and one fills me up, I eat a snack also atkins and 2 atkins Protein Shakes a day. I have 2 meals a day and a light salad or Soup for dinner, ...sometimes I cheat we are humans but I get back on track the next day. Atkins has many great snack and chocolate yummm delicious.

[Lulah 18]

My cycle regulated about 2 months after surgery you can set a clock to it now! Before surgery I would go months with no period at all! I don't think the appetite has caused issues with weight loss, I find I gain maybe 2-3lbs around that time of the month but then I lose it right after so I believe it's just bloating/water weight.

I lost 43lbs in the first 9wks after surgery it was crazy and alarming! It has slowed since then. I have 10 more to go before I hit my goal weight and they seem to be the hardest to lose.

[snowkitten 371]

Aleena: wow 135lbs is awesome! Did you do much exercising?

[snowkitten 371]

Lulah: yeah I gain alot of Water weight during my time too. So annoying. Woah! 43 lbs in 2 months?! We're u extremely strict with the diet and exercise? Congrats for being close to goal

[Aleena 59]

Aleena: wow 135lbs is awesome! Did you do much exercising?

Yes I excersice 5x a week I do zumba and bodycombat you should try it its fun,...plus I jog every now and then

[Lulah 18]

I was unable to do any exercise besides walking in the early days, I got a cold the week after surgery and the coughing made me so sore I thought I was going to bust my staples! As for diet I was really too scared to eat anything that was not on the approved list for that phase. If it was not on the list I didn't dare try it!