Does Gluten Exposure Start Your Period? Help!

[larissav]

Howdy - Does anyone else (gals, of course) have this?  I *think* when I get exposed to gluten, then my period starts within a day, or my bleeding gets much heavier and my period is prolonged.  Am I imagining things?
 

I was diagnosed gluten intolerant in 7/07.  Have been eating gluten-free since then.  I'm caseinand lactose intolerant, have been on and off dairy since '92.  Six weeks ago I got much stricter about sticking with DF.  I'm pretty good about gluten-free- never cheat - but have not been careful with cross contamination.  I've had these crazy long periods (14 days? 21 days? a month?) for 9 months.  Three months ago I switched oral contraceptives - less spotting, but my last three periods have lasted 10 days.  Could it be that I've become far more gluten intolerant in the past year?

 

Help!

[cyclinglady]

You didn't say how old you were.  Sounds like perimenopause to me.  Be sure to have your doctor check for iron deficiency anemia.  The additional hormones (like those you are taking) can help.

[1desperateladysaved]

You aren't by chance using soy.  One friend had heavy long flows while drinking soy milk.  If I have heavy flows depending on what I eat, I couldn't be sure of it yet.

[kareng]

  Three months ago I switched oral contraceptives - less spotting, but my last three periods have lasted 10 days.  Could it be that I've become far more gluten intolerant in the past year?

 

Help!

 

 

I think we always want to jump to a problem being caused by gluten but it just isn't always gluten's fault.

 

3 months on new Oral Contraceptives - 3 months of longer periods  .... I wouldn't jump to that being a gluten issue.  

[cyclinglady]

You aren't by chance using soy.  One friend had heavy long flows while drinking soy milk.  If I have heavy flows depending on what I eat, I couldn't be sure of it yet.

Heavy flows are one of the many perimenopausal symptoms that women can develop from a drop in estrogen and progestrone hormones.   

 

I've been using soy milk for 15 years after I was diagnosed with a milk allergy.  I only had long periods the year leading up to menopause.  Soy contains natural phytoestrogens that can actually help women reduce the symptoms of perimenopause.   It is not advised for those with a history of breast cancer and it can interfere with your thyroid med absorption (like iron) so it's best to use it hours after your thyroid meds.   Of course, everything in moderation.

[notme]

my body mimics a gluten reaction when i have pms - i'm sure the extra soy in hershey bars adds to this lolz i usually limit my soy intake but around 'salt & chocolate time' my willpower is weak!  i am fatigued, cranky, achy and bloated/nothing digests 'right'' - lolz after almost 3  years i'm finally checking my calendar instead of jumping to the conclusion that i have gotten glutenenated.  

[larissav]

Thanks so much!  Yep - I'm 42...sounds like it could be perimenopause.  Hmmm...that's not really something I can control, but at least there's an end in sight.  It feels better to kind of understand what's going on. 

 

No soy sauce.  Although I did sneak a piece of hershey bar last week.

[pricklypear1971]

Thanks so much! Yep - I'm 42...sounds like it could be perimenopause. Hmmm...that's not really something I can control, but at least there's an end in sight. It feels better to kind of understand what's going on.

No soy sauce. Although I did sneak a piece of hershey bar last week.

If you aren't being careful about cc you are probably exposed to gluten.

And I would spot of my progesterone was too low. Gluten and thyroid messes with hormones, regardless of age.

[larissav]

Thanks again.  I've got an appt with my OBGYN.  And, it wouldn't hurt me to pay attention to CC - anything to stop the bleeding!