Question:
Does anyone still have menstrual munchies towards the end of

their period??? I seem to have cravings off and on a week or two before my period, during my period and even towards the end? My period is just starting to go off but I'm now craving chocolate? Also does it take anyone else a long time for the "bloat weight" to disappear and what is the average bloat gain for most?    — TotallyTori (posted on August 24, 2004)

August 24, 2004
Oh, heck yeah I get the munchies. I always want Cheetos and other garbage. I found some PMS symptom relief pills at Super Wal-Mart and they seemed to help me. Either they actually helped me or I BELIEVE they are helping me, either way, they are helping me. LOL Anyway, to get around my cravings I up my excercise and sometimes allow myself an extra fruit. I still gain about 3-5 lbs of water weight each month, but it falls off within 24 hours of the "arrival." Too bad WLS doesn't cure PMS, huh? LOL Traci
   — TraciB

August 25, 2004
the week before my weight goes from my normal 130 - 133 up to maybe 135. I can actually tell a difference... amazing because before I wouldn't have noticed a 20 pound gain. Munchies- heck yes, thank God my pouch limits me. and I do dump if I "cheat" so I try really hard to stay on the straight and narrow. sugar free fudgecicles are my personal life saver, and smart pop mini popcorn bags. (microwavable popcon, low transfatty acids) With my pouch I cannot finish a whole mini bag. I am 2 years out and have maintained this weight since last Feb. I pray daily that it lasts.
   — **willow**

August 27, 2004
I was so relieved to see Jolynne's response to this question! All this time I thought I was a freak of bariatric surgery! The week prior to "Aunt Flo" visiting, I swear I could eat almost my at my pre-op levels. How could that be with the pouch, even two years down? It's the weirdest thing! As far as water weight, my stubbornly fat, porch-pillar legs can retain from 5-8 lbs. at a time. No place else for the fluid to go, post abdominoplasty/TT so it heads right for the reservoir of my lumpy legs. But it goes away that first day. My menstrual munchy of choice is a low-carb, hi-protein dry cereal called Hi-Lo that I get from Trader Joe's. Very low cal high fiber as well. Just nibble it, straight from the box. Surprisingly, I've lost my almost pathological need for chocolate at "that time of the month" that I used to have. Now an Atkins bar or some chocolate sy milk (Carb-Safe, again from Trader Joe's) satisfies. Strange how we change! I hope you find what works good for you with taking you too far off your course! Anna open RNY 6/10/92 from 475-213 and still working at it :-)
   — Anna S.