and this is when i go nuts

[letsride89]

my period.

i bonk.
i cry.
i eat.
a lot.
i cry.
i ride.
i bonk.
i eat.
alot.
i cry.

thats my cycle.

please tell me you can relate.
i feel horrible about my eating habits when aunt flow comes. for some reason my hormones for crazy and i still eat healthy, i just eat like 300 more calories a day than usual. bad?

[Aquila]

I totally relate, except you'd have to add in something about lying in a fetal position with cramps, wishing I were somewhere else.

/comfort

I finally went on the pill for continuous use, and it's been life-changingly good for me (though it's not great for everyone, of course).

[letsride89]

wanna know a secret?

my doctor put me on the pill recently for problems with my hormones causing my hair to fall out, crazy moodswings, insomnia, being cold constantly, etc. i'm scared this pill is increasing my appetite and will cause me to gain weight when i'm trying to maintain.

[indysteel]

Which pill did he put you on? And have you had you thyroid checked?

I gained water weight the first time I went on Trifasil. The second time not so much. Then I went on Loestrin 24 and beyond feeling REALLY angry and moody for a few months, I didn't gain any weight

The Pill has eliminated my cramps and my period is very light, but I still get moody and bloated. I get weepy if I'm down about other things. It's all manageable,
but, yeah, I can relate.

[Ana]

Many commonly known pills on the market are progesterone/estrogen mix. I know some of my girlfriends who cannot take traditional pills are able to tolerate progesterone-only pills (i.e. mini pill).

Perhaps something like this would work for you too

[Miranda]

Oh, honey, you are SO not alone! (((hugs))) I'm 39 and holding atm. I just had my gyno check up yesterday actually, and this is common. For me, it's the long haul of peri-menapause to the full blown menapause. Even before some of the other things started, post having babies things just kicked in (like about age 30).

One of my GFs had all your symptoms, and the bleeding all the time deal. She went on the pill and got much better. Unfortunately, some fm hx developed regarding blood clots (her early 30-something sis had a stroke & they carry some marker etc.) So she went off the pill. All that stuff is back.

I'm going to give you a tip to try for the hair falling out. Go buy yourself some Nioxin brand shampoo and conditioner.

OK, I am TOTALLY lil miss cynical here on marketing scams, but fwiw, this stuff helps. When I have tried to stop using it, the hair falls out more again. I used to get my hair highlighted that's growing out, but I buy the kind for chemically treated hair...

The bottle is white with gold letters/cap. The shampoo reads: Nioxin cleanser for fine hair "3" chemically enhanced hair normal to thin looking. The conditioner will be worded the same, but they call it "scalp therapy" vs conditioner.

My most expensive/best hairdressers I have ever had used it. Their salons did not carry it though. The company requires you to carry the entire line, and they didn't have the shelf space. I buy it at cheap hair chain places like the hair cut place in Walmart, etc.

It's expensive IMO (but WORTH IT). Like $50 a bottle. But sometimes you can get a smaller bottle, or the have combo sale packs all the time. A big bottle lasts a long time too. It smells like peppermint. I think this (vs. flowers/vanilla) is to make it have a uniseix appeal. I believe how it works is that is contains some of the same ingredients as the hair loss product Rogaine.

It takes a while to work (not omg, I have hair on try #1). But, what will happen is, just when you think it's not doing anything for you... you'll notice what I call "baby hairs" coming out of your part, at the base of your scalp on your forehead, etc. If you work it in the scalp and leave it sit (like the conditioner) say while you shave you legs in the shower, lay in the tub, etc.... the scalp will actually begin to tingle like a light pins and needles massage (not painful). I think this is the stimulation of new hair growth. I find also, that there stopped being a brush full of hair from fallout, or on the bathroom floor. It helps to keep what you have too.

I had a major disaster fall out with my hairdresser that was excellent (NORMALLY) a year ago. As a result, I'm ditching any chemicals tx too. As the hormones change, our hair loses the fatty shiny properties on the shaft that can make it dull. Chemicals (even the best brands by pros) strip some of that. I would rather be natural and gray, vs what I call the "straw head ladies". Their hair is dry like straw, thin, years of color treated out damage, split, brittle etc.

Also, some say not shampooing daily (like every other) is to help that too. And, to ME, if you are thin or fine hair headed, having a stylist "point cut", "texturize", "slither or razor" cut your hair shaft will only make it look thinner, rougher, aka... just plain ole nasty if you have this hormonal hair issue. I just use Nioxin, a smoother cream when wet, blow dry w/a vent brush (simple, blunt cut, kept up w/regular trims type cut)... that's it. Hair looks, moves, feels, shines like flowy silk.

If you can't tell, I'm a total freak about my hair. I've been a natural red head my entire life. Hairstylist abroad have saved scraps of my hair post cut to try and match it for clients that wanted it. It's my one thing that make me "ME". So, hun... that's how I'm trying to keep my crown and glory... despite the nasty hormone changing mess.

[Miranda]

Can you actually BELIEVE I have something else to say about hair??? LOL ...

One time when my hair starting falling out the worst, it was at a very stressful time in my life, and post being on some heavy duty steriods from a hospitalization (drug side effect of steriods potentially = hair loss).

Besides my fm doc, I went to two dermatologist that did test on my hair and bloodwork, etc. to check for other causes. Things like alopesia (sp?), lupus, thyroid check, a fungus on the scalp (they actually RIP a chunk of hair out of your scalp to get the root... oh boy, that was some fun let me tell ya... but desperate, I did it).

It was SO bad, I had to have my bridal seamstress make my wedding veil THICKER with material to cover my parting baldness. Not how a bride wants to remember her wedding beauty.

Nioxin began then. No more perms (a different hair chemical & stylist disaster). Things got better. I ditched it to use DH's cheap Sauve that was already in the shower and save $. Hair starting falling out all over again. So, back to Nioxin I went. All better again.

I know my asthma doc thinks I'm crazy when I get really bad and I won't take the steriods (which made me gain weight too). Yes, doc, I want to breath, but I don't want to be bald and fat either... let's try something else, and pray, OK???

FWIW... on a medical note, vs just product tips.

[Becky]

It took me 3 tries to find the right pill. Give it a few months but, if one brand or formula isn't working, ask the doc for something else.

Oh, and yes, I can totally relate. I eat like a pig before my period and anytime I'm stressed out.

[NoNo]

That used to be me. Started on Yaz this spring, and my life is, well.....I have a life again. It's no longer "Oh God, IT'S coming next week!" followed by several days of carefully planning when I took my advil and if I'd be near water when the next dose would be needed. I went from debilitating cramps (either making me late to work, or forcing me to leave early) to almost none at all. From 8-12 advil a day for 3 days to maybe one for the duration. No more random eating, no more wild mood swings. MUCH lighter periods. Still a little bloating, but I'm willing to live with that. Keep trying things until you find something that works for you. I never would have believed it was possible to improve my quality of life this much.

[letsride89]

loestrin24 is what she put me on!

so far it has increased my appetite, made me bloated, and my period is a lot heavier. hmmmmmmmmm

oh yes, when i went to the doctor they checked my blood...and all is good. its suprising because thyroid problems run in my family...but doc says i'm good...

great idea about that shampoo! i'm going to have to go search for it!! thanks so much for the advice, its so sweet of you!!

ahh i dont wanna gain weight!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

[indysteel]

It takes about 3 months to adjust to Loestrin. If your periods don't get any lighter and/or you have breakthrough bleeding that doesn't stop after the third month, I'd talk to your doctor again. Ideally, your periods should become extremely light. I used to have pretty bad cramps and they're a thing of the past, too.

You didn't mention if he's checked your thyroid. The symptoms you've indicated are all related to thyroid related issues, so that's why I'm curious. If you haven't gotten it checked, I would definitely recommend it.

If your periods remains heavy, you might also talk to your doctor about fibroids. I had a friend who complained to her OB/GYN about heavy periods for over a year. Her doctor put her on Loestrin and the periods got worse, not better. I kept urging her to be more aggressive with her doctor and she finally did ask for an ultrasound, which revealed fibroids.

[indigoiis]

Aunt flo is visiting me this week.
All I can say is I haven't ridden since Saturday.

I think it is perfectly reasonable to be easy on yourself for one week out of the month.

[letsride89]

wow, i'm with you. missy flow is here and like you, i did the breast cancer ride on saturday and haven't since. i tried running two miles everyday and it has helped my cramps....and i'm actually enjoying a little exercise mix up!


yes i had my thyroid checked when i went to the doctor....it runs in my family and so i am really suprised that i came back fine??

three months!!!!!!!!! ahhhhhh

its ok. God made me a woman for a reason....i hope =)

[emily_in_nc]

Do we all cycle together now?

I'm on my period now too....the cramps suck for 2 days or so, and I have couple of nights of fitful sleep, a couple days of headaches, but thankfully, it's not nearly as bad as what some of you go through, you poor things!

Miranda, I'm 47 and getting more than usual scalp hair loss lately (past 3 months) too. I'm not on any medications/hormones. Didn't even think to mention it to my dr. or dermatologist, both of whom I saw in the last 2 months for regular checkups. I'm going to look up the Nioxin. I was just doing a web search on female hair loss this morning, so your information is very timely! Mine isn't noticeable to anyone else (yet anyway), but I sure get a lot in the shower and bathroom sink and floor. A lot more than I used to, so something is definitely off. My mom has thin hair, and so did my grandmothers, so it may just run in the family as we age. Sigh...I had such thick hair when I was younger!

[Tuckervill]

Do we all cycle together now?

Only on Saturdays...

Karen