Question for the ladies...
Not that I ever keep quiet about anything, but here's my story - and it AIN'T pretty!!!
I had been on Depo Provera for several years prior to wls and consequently, didn't get a period, which was awesome, because it had ALWAYS been heavy, painful, ICK!! Anyway, a week after wls, I got it and bled for the next 3 months. I had to go on massive doses of oral hormones and increase the Depo shots from every 3 months to every 2 just to get the bleeding to stop. By Thanksgiving of that year, 3 months post-op, I was severely anemic and had to have a D&C and a blood transfusion the day before Thanksgiving. It didn't help, and in January, I had to have an iron infusion. My hematocrit had dropped to 17 and I was REALLY pale, weak, dizzy, short of breath, you name it!!!
My problems continued off and on until this past April, when I had another D&C and then finally, a uterine ablation, which, thankfully, has stopped my periods. Hopefully, for good.
I was told that estrogen is stored in fat cells and the rapid weight loss caused the hormones to flood my bloodstream (and my brain - can you say Sybil????!!!).
Your body's undergoing some major adjustments and it make take a while to get with the program. In the meantime, if you're able to get pregnant, but don't want to be, be extra careful and use some extra precaution. In case you think you can't get pregnant this soon out, take a look at Cira's beautiful Gia, conceived at 3 months post-op!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HTH,
Tia
I had been on Depo Provera for several years prior to wls and consequently, didn't get a period, which was awesome, because it had ALWAYS been heavy, painful, ICK!! Anyway, a week after wls, I got it and bled for the next 3 months. I had to go on massive doses of oral hormones and increase the Depo shots from every 3 months to every 2 just to get the bleeding to stop. By Thanksgiving of that year, 3 months post-op, I was severely anemic and had to have a D&C and a blood transfusion the day before Thanksgiving. It didn't help, and in January, I had to have an iron infusion. My hematocrit had dropped to 17 and I was REALLY pale, weak, dizzy, short of breath, you name it!!!
My problems continued off and on until this past April, when I had another D&C and then finally, a uterine ablation, which, thankfully, has stopped my periods. Hopefully, for good.
I was told that estrogen is stored in fat cells and the rapid weight loss caused the hormones to flood my bloodstream (and my brain - can you say Sybil????!!!).
Your body's undergoing some major adjustments and it make take a while to get with the program. In the meantime, if you're able to get pregnant, but don't want to be, be extra careful and use some extra precaution. In case you think you can't get pregnant this soon out, take a look at Cira's beautiful Gia, conceived at 3 months post-op!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HTH,
Tia
Oh MAN...that so sucks!!! I certainly hope that I'm not headed down that road!
On the other hand, my brain is definitely feeling the effects of SOMETHING...be it hormonal changes or Effexor dosage issues. It's definitely NOT pretty right now...just ask Mike!!
Maybe TMI...but he's been "snipped" as we do not want kids (he has 3 daughters) but you know that nothing is 100%!
On the other hand, my brain is definitely feeling the effects of SOMETHING...be it hormonal changes or Effexor dosage issues. It's definitely NOT pretty right now...just ask Mike!!
Maybe TMI...but he's been "snipped" as we do not want kids (he has 3 daughters) but you know that nothing is 100%!
Well, I have PCOS, and pre-surgery I rarely got my period (between 1-4 times a year, but it totally varied). I had the surgery in April. In July I had a stomach perf and had emergency surgery. About 2 weeks or so after that, I went to the bathroom and when I wiped, I noticed the TP was BLACK. I was like "WTF??" I freaked out and called the GYN. I saw her and she assured me that nothing was wrong and that a period can vary from red to black and it was fine. I was still weirded out. It was not the consistency of blood either. It was kind of pasty (I don't know how else to describe it). Just gross.
Well, the same thing happened when I was on vacation in August in SC visiting my parents. I was there for 2 weeks and had it the entire time. The day before I was due to leave, I went to the bathroom and when I pulled down my pants, they were totally covered in bright red blood. I had a pad on, but there was so much blood that the pad was saturated and overflowing. The next morning I woke up and the pad was saturated again. I took a shower and went to the store with my stepmom. As we're standing in the checkout line, I feel something weird on my knee. I look down and blood is seeping through my jeans at my knee. I was like "Uh, I'm going to wait in the car." So I got the keys and found an old blanket in the trunk and sat on that. We got home and same story, saturated pad, saturated jeans. I had to get on a flight in a few hours and didn't know how I was going to manage this. Well my grandma had left some of her Depends underwear thing when she had stayed, so I took another shower and put on a Depends. It worked. My flight was delayed and I didn't get home until after 9PM, and I put the Depends on around noon. No leakage. So I bought some when I got home to wear until my period stopped flowing so freely.
So all I can think is that the black stuff was like old blood and sort of acting as a barrier to the new stuff, and once all of the black stuff got out, the dam broke. Hopefully the next time I have it, it will be normal. Oh, and this period also came with killer cramps that made my back and abdomen hurt so bad. That was also new for me (as I'd only occasionally get very mild cramps). I was miserable on the plane.
Being a woman sure sucks sometimes.
Well, the same thing happened when I was on vacation in August in SC visiting my parents. I was there for 2 weeks and had it the entire time. The day before I was due to leave, I went to the bathroom and when I pulled down my pants, they were totally covered in bright red blood. I had a pad on, but there was so much blood that the pad was saturated and overflowing. The next morning I woke up and the pad was saturated again. I took a shower and went to the store with my stepmom. As we're standing in the checkout line, I feel something weird on my knee. I look down and blood is seeping through my jeans at my knee. I was like "Uh, I'm going to wait in the car." So I got the keys and found an old blanket in the trunk and sat on that. We got home and same story, saturated pad, saturated jeans. I had to get on a flight in a few hours and didn't know how I was going to manage this. Well my grandma had left some of her Depends underwear thing when she had stayed, so I took another shower and put on a Depends. It worked. My flight was delayed and I didn't get home until after 9PM, and I put the Depends on around noon. No leakage. So I bought some when I got home to wear until my period stopped flowing so freely.
So all I can think is that the black stuff was like old blood and sort of acting as a barrier to the new stuff, and once all of the black stuff got out, the dam broke. Hopefully the next time I have it, it will be normal. Oh, and this period also came with killer cramps that made my back and abdomen hurt so bad. That was also new for me (as I'd only occasionally get very mild cramps). I was miserable on the plane.
Being a woman sure sucks sometimes.
Hey girlie, mine only got BETTER. Before my banding I was a bit irregular (PCOS), but it got down to every 28 days like clockwork. I also got pregnant after surgery while using the Mirena IUD. If you came off BCPs in May I assume you are using something because you are ABSOLUTELY MORE fertile as you lose post op...said the girl having a baby in just FIVE WEEKS!!!
Revised to VSG (6/11/09) weighing 253...
YIKES! I have the Mirena (love it)- had it since March of 2008 - and I'm getting banded in December (the Sweet 16th)- I'd love to get pregnant but giving myself time to finish my MBA, find a house to grow old in.....congratulations on your blessings! I hope to have one in 2010. Hopefully it won't be like Fertile Myrtle until then LOL
The timing was never exact for me unless on BCPs. One thing that I have had to adjust to is putting hygiene protection in place as soon as I get out of the shower. Prior to WLS I had lots more extra skin and fat on inner thighs etc so I could walk from shower to bedroom to get pad/tampon. But now, doing so might risk an accident on the floor as the flow doesn't stay easily contained any longer.
I have been off BCPs for about a year now due to hormonal changes that mainly affected my mood after WLS. When I first went off BCPs (after at least 5 years of use) I didn't get a period for 3-4 months. The BCPs were apparently making my hormones at a menopausal level. At first I thought I'd have to go from using BCPs to hormone replacement therapy. I did get some blood lab tests repeated as it was looking like early menopause at age 40 but retest since off BCPs confirm I am still fertile. I was hoping to be menopausal (ie., no period) but my menopausal symptoms were more anxiety and depression. The Rx Lexapro has been helpful for the mood symptoms (Wellbutrin was Ok too) but I am thinking to wean off of it and see how my mood is without the rx. My period eventually became more regular but the flow is a bit heavier since off of BCPs. I was unable to use tampons prior to WLS as my flow was so minimal it was a toxic shock risk. Now I can use them at least 2 of the 4-5 days of the cycle.
I have been off BCPs for about a year now due to hormonal changes that mainly affected my mood after WLS. When I first went off BCPs (after at least 5 years of use) I didn't get a period for 3-4 months. The BCPs were apparently making my hormones at a menopausal level. At first I thought I'd have to go from using BCPs to hormone replacement therapy. I did get some blood lab tests repeated as it was looking like early menopause at age 40 but retest since off BCPs confirm I am still fertile. I was hoping to be menopausal (ie., no period) but my menopausal symptoms were more anxiety and depression. The Rx Lexapro has been helpful for the mood symptoms (Wellbutrin was Ok too) but I am thinking to wean off of it and see how my mood is without the rx. My period eventually became more regular but the flow is a bit heavier since off of BCPs. I was unable to use tampons prior to WLS as my flow was so minimal it was a toxic shock risk. Now I can use them at least 2 of the 4-5 days of the cycle.
Karen 
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