Paleo Diet and Paleolithic Diet Questions & Answers

Question

1

I've looked through all these posts on bc, and see...rarely anything positive at all. I am nervous though because I started paleo in May and...haven't had my period since.

BUT when I DO get it, it's very manageable, I have approximately 0 PMS symptoms and usually forget I'm even on it..but, it's extremely irregular but usually I'll get it twice a month rather than..not at all.

More bg: I went from yo yo dieting (lost my period during this time, but it returned), to going vegan which made me gain a lot of weight, went paleo and virtually lost all the weight in 2 months. I am a heavy athlete (run, bike, swim) and pretty shamefully sexually active.

TMI? Maybe. Help!

flag	asked Jun 26 at 0:52 SansPizza 265●2●6

16

It keeps you from being constantly pregnant and stuck with bare feet in a kitchen. – Karen Jun 26 at 1:30

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I was going to say, there is the factor of not having a child when you're not prepared to deal with it... – gydle Jun 26 at 4:59

Lyndsay · Accepted Answer · 2012-06-26 00:56:43Z UTC

2

This is still June, right? Any chance you're preggers? No? Well, I can tell you, confidently, that changing your diet and exercising more ceratinly can change your cycle- it does for me and my friends, many of whom are in Kung-Fu. When they stop Kung-Fu, the cycle changes and when they re-start Kung-Fu, it changes again. No worries!

answered Jun 26 at 0:56

Lyndsay
6,227●5●33

Ya it's still June, but it's like beginning of May vs. almost July. I could just be stressin' it/making it worse. – SansPizza Jun 26 at 0:58

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Go to the store now, buy a digital pregnancy test, just to ease your mind :) – Lyndsay Jun 26 at 1:07

Paleo has definitely changed my cycle. Between that change and the ups and downs of your weight that could certainly account for it. – karmapolicia Jul 2 at 14:32

Sarita · Answer 2 · 2012-07-02 03:32:54Z UTC

There are TONS of different birth control methods, and there's definitely going to be one that fits your particular lifestyle and needs. I would check out Planned Parenthood's website. They have exhaustive details about all of the different methods as well as a questionnaire that may be able to suggest the best options for you. You could also make an appointment with them for cheap/free and a doctor could give you their personal advice for your particular situation.

I personally have been on Ocella/Yaz for ~ 7 years (since I was 17 and I'm 24 now) and have nothing but good things to say. However, that's just one of the many pills that you could try, not to mention all of the other non-pill options there are out there. There are definitely risks, but to me those risks are nothing given the benefit of avoiding pregnancy (and when I compare the risks to those of other common medications). I don't plan on having children ever, but I want to avoid tubal ligation (or a less-invasive permanent procedure like Essure) til I am in my 30's, just to be sure. Even if I were sure now, it'd be really hard to find a doctor willing to perform a sterilization on a woman who's less than 30 and who's never had a kid.

In closing, I'd like to add a few more things: a) There's NOTHING wrong/shameful about being sexually active. b) Everything everyone tels you here is based on their own experience. It says nothing about how you'd react to the same birth control method and what you should do. c) "Is it paleo?" is not the question to be asking. That would certainly simplify things but it's not going to lead you to the best answer for you! The question to ask is "Is it a choice that maximizes the benefits/minimizes the costs for me personally as I work towards my particular life goal?"

aoife · Answer 3 · 2012-06-26 19:51:12Z UTC

I only get my period for at most half as long as I used to now and it's lighter, I hardly even notice it which is pretty cool. I went on it for my skin but it didn't help (solved that through diet a few months later) but no way am I coming off it! Also it lowers the risk of some types of cancer but it also raises the risk of other types slightly but the risk goes back to normal when you stop taking it (according to cancer research UK, don't know how reputable they are).

HRHMom · Answer 4 · 2012-06-26 03:35:21Z UTC

3

I tried that shot thing they had going in the early 90s. Ooh, that messed me up.

People discount condoms too much. It's not that I never used the pill, but I got to a point where didn't like the idea of it. After my babies, I was in my early 30's. Thought that it would be better for me to know if something wasn't right with my cycles.

answered Jun 26 at 3:35

HRHMom
258●5

Condoms are fine with us. Tried several different BC pills early in my 20s and they all make me miserable in a different way (depressed, manic, headaches, debilitating cramps...). Hubby-then-boyfriend said "please stop taking those things!" – staceychev Jun 26 at 12:55

Dragonfly · Answer 5 · 2012-06-26 01:58:39Z UTC

2

NOPE. I wouldn't recommend the Pill, knowing what I know now (I was on it for 23 years.)

Read this: http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/how-the-pill-can-harm-your-future-childs-health/

If you don't plan on having children, then I'd suggest tubal ligation.

IUDs can occasionally cause mild uterine scarring that may interfere with egg implantation, so I don't recommend those anymore to women who want to get pregnant in the future.

Taking Charge of your Fertility is a great book & it may be very helpful once your periods are back on track.

answered Jun 26 at 1:58

Dragonfly
31.2k●1●8●41

1

I don't recommend the pill, either. Three miscarriages, cystic acne, and constant bleeding were courtesy of the pill. I got a decent femnale OB/GYN who explained who the pill messed me up, and got me off of it. I've been married 5 years, used condoms, charted my cycles, and am hoping to get pregnant in the next few years (I'm 31). – Lyndsay Jun 26 at 2:13

Dragonfly, you seem like a real pro on this stuff- have you heard any differences between the pill and the nuvaring? I was off the pill for a few years, but after too many pregnancy scares causing stress I recently started the nuvaring and so far haven't experiences any side effects (3 months on now). Does how you take the hormones matter, or do they all the the same damage? – JeJ Jun 26 at 20:08

Hi JennyJ~ Thanks, but I really just know a little bit about natural Progesterone. I don't know anything about the Nuvaring. My main concern is that ANY BC that contains synthetic progestins (anything that stops ovulation, essentially) is going to down-regulate your body's Progesterone production and screw up your hormonal profile, which can have long-term effects. This wiki entry has some good links:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Estrogen – Dragonfly Jun 26 at 22:52

And I don't think the delivery method matters, except that transdermal delivery methods require less hormone than oral delivery, simply because they aren't going to be processed by the liver. If you are stopping ovulation long-term, you are screwing up your system, whether you use BCP, nuvaring or have ammenorrhea due to insufficient body fat. – Dragonfly Jun 26 at 22:57

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Jenny J, I'd agree with Dragonfly. If you're going to use BC, skip the hormonal kind. It'll mess up your body's natural system. I used NuvaRing for ~9 years and didn't realize how much the symptoms changed me until I stopped using it. Avoid it if you can. – Ali Jul 2 at 19:15

Mel · Answer 6 · 2012-06-26 01:56:31Z UTC

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If you know you don't want kids for awhile- look into Paraguard. They do also still make diaphragms as well for another non-hormonal option.

As far as hormonal options I know people have great success with Mirena and Nuva Ring which are both low hormone options.

If you're sexually active- get on some kind birth control. This should be a no-brainer.

answered Jun 26 at 1:56

Mel
41●1

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I tried Nuva Ring a few years ago. I lasted about three months. While on it, I gained almost 15 lbs. and was severely depressed and had zero sex drive. That said, based on my experience, it's not something I'd recommend. – Joyous Jun 26 at 2:21

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I had Mirena for a year-- I felt like absolute crap (I was also eating SAD at the time), I felt better within a week of having my IUD removed. I don't recommend it at all-- plus, from what I understand, Mirena works best if you've already had children. – LiveFabuLESS Jun 26 at 3:49

Interesting, Joyous, I found I had all those symptoms on the pill, but nothing on the Nuvaring (so far, I guess). I wonder what the difference is... – JeJ Jun 26 at 20:23

I went from the Depo shot (horrid) to NuvaRing for 9ish years (the symptoms crept up), and now I have a paraguard. The cramps are a bit worse with the IUD, but my mood/hormone levels seem to have returned to normal so I'm happy with that. – Ali Jul 2 at 19:13

MyDogRick · Answer 7 · 2012-06-26 01:19:38Z UTC

5

yep, zero babies over here. They also toned my cramps way down (they were debilitating before, now just a minor nuisance from time to time), and I've had few PMS symptoms.

answered Jun 26 at 1:19

MyDogRick
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Nuvaring did this for me... relieved me of LONG periods, cramps, moodiness, etc. I HIGHLY recommend Nuvaring to anybody 1. looking to get PMS relief or 2. who sucks at taking pills or thinks it's lame to do everyday. – Sleepyhouse22 Jul 2 at 12:11

Marcy · Answer 8 · 2012-06-26 01:13:44Z UTC

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It maintained my un-pregnant levels adequately for the entire time I was on it.

answered Jun 26 at 1:13

Marcy
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Ladies, is there anything positive to say about birth control?

8 Answers