I forgot to mention that it seems as though the number of days that I'm actually bleeding has decreased. Before it averaged 5 days, now it's down to 3, with the last (fourth) day being mostly brownish cervical mucus (sorry for the TMI).

Quote from: Shikra on April 18, 2011, 05:42:00 AM

Quote from: celticcavegirl on April 17, 2011, 08:52:03 AM

Cramps vanished as soon as I went on paleo 

(so did periods after 2 months but that's another story!)

Wait--does this mean congratulations are in order?!

ahahaha...no, I'm not incubating a little paleo parasite!  I lost about 10 pounds in the first 2-3 month of paleo and I think my body is a little sensitive to weight loss, so my periods stopped about 6 months ago.  I tried eating more in general, which just main me gain, then I tried eating more fat, which didn't solve the issue.  When I move in 2 weeks I'm going to the doctors to get my hormones checked out!

Good idea--I know women can stop menstruating if their body fat gets too low.  Definitely something to check out!

Quote from: Shikra on April 18, 2011, 12:16:09 PM

Good idea--I know women can stop menstruating if their body fat gets too low.  Definitely something to check out!

I know, it happened to me once before, when I was 17 - but I weighed about 95 pounds at the time.  Now I weigh 115 so it's not really low weight that's the issue (I'm 5'1'').  It's weird!

It may be - and this is just personal observation, not based on any science that I've read - that your body got used to being at a higher weight, and when you lost a certain percentage quickly, figured you were now below 'normal' and somehow the hormones that regulate the cycle aren't being properly stimulated (i.e you're not getting the right peaks and troughs of things to cause a laying down of tissue and then shedding of it?).  I suggest that only because once in the past I dieted down to what was still a very solid weight for most people (possibly obese for some - 83 kgs), but was quite muscular, and lost my period for about six months until I put on some more weight. 

Damn female cycle - it can be so unfathomable!

Anyway, I hope you get it sorted out - hopefully you will only have to make some minor adjustments and things will work well again.

L

I guess I never really noticed the cramp thing... but it is much less now. I usually get my period every 2-3 months and for the first time in... well ever (without birth control), my period came a month after the last. I have been on paleo for 4 months and hope this continues

I mean so bad with the cramps and pain now that I cant sleep and Im lucky its happened on weekends because I would never be able to work with the pain Ive been in.

As soon as I got to this, I thought "magnesium."

Im wondering if its the same thing with the cramps in the legs and magnesium is the cure for this pain also. Its not fun

And then this really makes me think magnesium.

Magnesium citrate, enough to at least get the RDA, took care of both menstrual and nightly foot/leg cramps for me.  It's one of the few minerals that I don't get in excess on paleo.

In the days right before my period I increase the doses that I take of both fish oil and magnesium.  Track your food in fitday or cron-o-meter for a few days to get an idea of how much Mg you're already getting from diet, and remember to increase magnesium intake slowly if you're using supplements - it can be a powerful laxative if you take too much at once.

I notice increased cramping if I eat non-paleo foods, or if I eat more nuts and/or fruit than usual during the week before my period.