Menstrual question

Ok, now that Ive got your attention - LOL - this is a question that I need to put out there to all the female WLS post ops. Is it natural to experience an interruption of the monthly cycle post-op? Some post-op friends have said yes, while others have had no experience with this. Our bodies go through such an incredible hormonal change right at the beginning of the post-op phase, so I would think its normal, but I was just wondering what others have gone through.

I'm only a little more than 2 months out and my answer thus far is a responding YES!! What I was told is that our body fat holds hormones both male/female and as we are losing body fat those extra hormones are released into our bodies; which can cause our cycles to go crazy. So for me my periods have been longer in duration and heavier. My pms has been more emotional/moody and longer in duration as well....I have been told that it will even out with time.

I had strictures and was literally starving the first few months out for lack of being able to get enough calories down and my periods stopped (my body thought it was turning into a balerina!). They're back now, but not as regular as they used to be, and sometimes very heavy and sometimes very light. Many of us have the surgery in our mid to late fourties when periomenopause often begins too, so parsing out what's surgery related and what's a normal levelling off of the egg production system is hard to do. On top of that, I really do have a low body fat content almost equivalent to a balerina now, so wouldn't be surprised if that also affected the old monthly....- Stephanie

Yep, it's VERY common for our cycles and hormones to be out of whack for a while post-op. I know for me my hormones and emotions were all over the map for a while. For me though, my cycles have become more regular since the day after my WLS, and shorter. They only last for 2-3 days at most. But my PMS is around for about 7-10 days BEFORE hand. This past cycle was a doozey. LOL I was an emotional wreck (cried easily at the stupidest stuff) plus I had MAJOR intense chocolate cravings. It's like I couldn't get enough chocolate. Hmm.. But now I'm back to "normal" and life continues. But yeah, it's VERY normal for our female organs/hormones to be out of whack a bit for a while after surgery. For some it's longer for some it's shorter, for some it's more painful for some it's less painful. I've heard all variations. You aren't alone. Trisha PhoenixWLS Support Group Leader http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/PhoenixWLS/ "You must begin to think of yourself as becoming the person you want to be."