Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Weird Menstrual Cycles?

hannahm

Recommended Posts

hannahm Newbie
hannahm
Posted

Ever since going gluten free, and even a couple months before I got diagnosed (more when my Celiac was becoming severe), my periods have been all out of whack. I've had them for about 3 years now, but the past year or so has been really strange. My periods have been different than others in the past, and they're always a week plus later every month. Does anyone else experience weird period problems?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


rosetapper23 Explorer
rosetapper23
Posted

Back when I used to menstruate (chemo put a halt to that four years ago) and before I knew I had celiac, I had the weirdest periods ever! I used to get them every other month for a few years, even though I was on the pill. When I lived in Europe, they came nightly from 9:00 p.m. to 9:00 a.m. and disappeared during the day for three months until I returned to the U.S., and then I bled 24/7 until I took medications to stop the bleeding. When I went to live in Brazil, they completely vanished until I returned to the U.S. Finally, two years before I found out I had celiac (I had become very anemic), my periods returned 24/7 and stayed that way for the entire two years until I was diagnosed with celiac. Apparently, because our damaged intestinal lining can block absorption of hormones, our periods can get out of whack. That's why a lot of us have/had trouble getting pregnant and with miscarriages. I had to take fertility pills to get pregnant, and I had three miscarriages.

Sometimes it takes a while for the intestinal lining to heal itself--your periods may even out soon.

dancingacl Newbie
dancingacl
Posted

I too have weird cycles. It's pretty variable for me- every 3-6 weeks. Also, just before I went gluten free I lost them all together for about 4 months, but this could have been related to having two stress-fractures (vit. D and calcium malabsorption). Now that I have been gluten-free (and healed for 6 months), everything is back to it's random schedule.

brittanymaine Newbie
brittanymaine
Posted

Mine are weird too, before celiac I used to have really heavy periods. Now they are hardly anything and sometimes I don't get mine for 2 months. They aren't regular which is really annoying haha

  • 2 weeks later...
MichaelJacksons#1Fan Newbie
MichaelJacksons#1Fan
Posted

Yes! I had a completly normal menstrual cycle for about 1 year, 1 1/2 years, after that my period went away. I am 21 now and I think that I have only had maybe 5 or 6 periods since I was 13. :blink: I have been on a gluten-free diet for about 9 months, and it seems as if finally my period is beginning to come again. Luckily, although a bit sporadic (sometimes heavy sometimes light) it comes roughly every 20 to 30 days so good. Strangely though, I had PMS without having a period, not very fun. <_< With time your periods will get back to normal. If you are concerned with the irregularity I know that spearmint tea does help to regulate androgens (testosterone) which causes menstrual irregularities. Hope this Helps!

MichaelJacksons#1Fan =D

domesticactivist Collaborator
domesticactivist
Posted

My cycle was regular but strange (starting and stopping for over a week, neverending pms) until going gluten free. I thought I was cured! But then after a few months, I had a really awful period. I started taking mineral supplements (ConcenTrace drops) and things are back to being good.

123bree7797 Newbie
123bree7797
Posted

mine are some what normal maby you guys need more vitamins

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ElseB Contributor
ElseB
Posted

When I was a teenager, I had no cycle. I'd get my period two months in a row and then nothing for 3 - 4 months. When it did come, I had horrible cramps. I started on birth control at 22 and thought I'd died and gone to heaven! No cramps and ridiculously consistent periods - I knew the hour when it would start each month! Then i was diagnosed with celiac at 28 and looking back assumed those irregular periods were the result of the undiagnosed celiac (I had no other symptoms). Last November I stopped the pill because I got a blood clot and....still irregular periods! And I'm very strict with the gluten free diet. The doctor assures me there's nothing wrong - I've had internal ultrasounds and they can't find anything wrong.

LauraCo Newbie
LauraCo
Posted

Maybe you should ask your doctor to do an ultrasound of your ovaries to check for PCOS. It's not as scary as it sounds! I've known I have PCOS for over a year, but I just realized my gluten sensitivity a few months ago. I was taking medication for the PCOS, but my period still didn't come monthly... Since going gluten free, it's been more reliable. I'm wondering if the PCOS was caused in part by eating gluten when I didn't know I shouldn't?

  • 3 weeks later...
shadowicewolf Proficient
shadowicewolf
Posted

i must be lucky then, my period is somewhat normal, tho it comes like every 21-25 days :( but my doctor isn't too concerned about it. Its always been like that for me. Heck before i got diagnosed my doctor joked that while the rest of me was going to pot, my period was normal and that was very good.

beatthewheat Newbie
beatthewheat
Posted

Ever since going gluten free, and even a couple months before I got diagnosed (more when my Celiac was becoming severe), my periods have been all out of whack. I've had them for about 3 years now, but the past year or so has been really strange. My periods have been different than others in the past, and they're always a week plus later every month. Does anyone else experience weird period problems?

yes...I have the same thing, ever since i have been gluten free (5 months) my period has been late every month, last time I was 10 days late. Before I went gluten free I had regular periods but they were always really heavy and now I just have random scheduling but light periods. I thought that maybe my cycle was just reconfiguring itself since I haven't been on the diet for very long. let me know if you find out why being gluten-free changes it..

  • 4 weeks later...
jordanfowl Newbie
jordanfowl
Posted

yes! i am having the same problem! i have always had a regular period but i got diagnosed last month with celiacs and started my gluten free diet right after that but have not gotten my period this month and i know stressing out wont help bring it sooner but i can help but worry... Any advice or similar stories

Jenniferxgfx Contributor
Jenniferxgfx
Posted

Are you anemic? My iron gets really low and my periods get all irregular. I didn't make the connection till I had IV iron and they Became what other people called normal/regular, and then when my iron went back down, they became normal for me again. I've been taking iron pills and got my iron back up and theyve been more regular again. My doctors have done this all backwards, treating the anemia and not caring why I'm anemic. Now that Im working on gluten testing, I realized how sensitive our hormones are when we're malnourished. :/

mybellemichelle Newbie
mybellemichelle
Posted

My periods have always been irregular. I could seriously go up to 6 months without having a single one. When I was put on thyroid medication, they became more regulated, but they still weren't on a monthly cycle. I haven't tried a gluten free diet, so I don't know what will happen when I go gluten free.

jordanfowl Newbie
jordanfowl
Posted

Are you anemic? My iron gets really low and my periods get all irregular. I didn't make the connection till I had IV iron and they Became what other people called normal/regular, and then when my iron went back down, they became normal for me again. I've been taking iron pills and got my iron back up and theyve been more regular again. My doctors have done this all backwards, treating the anemia and not caring why I'm anemic. Now that Im working on gluten testing, I realized how sensitive our hormones are when we're malnourished. :/

Very anemic! I've been anemic all the way through high school up until now (my junior year of college) and they are just figuring out that the anemia is related to celiacs! So frustrating! But even through highschool and the anemia I had regular periods. But now I haven't had one since the diagnosis of celiacs... I was just wondering if it was the gluten free diet doing something to me bc I've taken 2 pregnancy tests and they are both negative. I hope that they get things straightened out with you and your anemia! Trust me I know it's no fun!

  • 2 weeks later...
Taylor Darby Coben Newbie
Taylor Darby Coben
Posted

My periods are super off! Ever since I got them, they have never been regular. I keep a "log" of how many days in between, and it ranges from 23 to 32. Super strange. I don't know if it has to do with Celiac's or just because we are young so our periods aren't regular. Talk to your mom and see what her's were like, that should give you a pretty good idea of what your's will be like. Genetics play a big role in a lot of these things.

  • 1 month later...
L.O.C.T. Rookie
L.O.C.T.
Posted

At 15, I still hadn't started yet, although I was perfectly normal in every other way (my mother and sister did by age 12 or 13).

Shortly afterward, however, I developed anorexia and didn't weigh enough for it to occur anyway. At 17, I finally started (I was 5'4 and 107 pounds); from there it was regular for a few months (I got to about 120 pounds) but then just disappeared again. The doctor made me take progesterone to get it back :angry: , and though she said most women started up after 2 or 3 pills, it took 7 for me. I got a period once and then it was gone again for a few months (FINE by me! -ha!). So I had to take more progesterone- and I cleared out all 10 pills and got nothing. I'm 19 now and I'll have to take them again at the end of this month, but quite frankly I would rather just enjoy the glorious amenorrhea.

  • 1 month later...
Coolclimates Collaborator
Coolclimates
Posted

these last few months have been strange for me. My periods are almost always very regular but a couple of months ago, I got one and kept bleeding for well over 2 weeks. I wasn't bleeding very hard but it went on and on. My gyn seemed to think that it was due to not ovulating. Then my last period came early but other than that, there was no problem. This period came very late and I had a good 2 weeks of PMS and cramps before it even started. Well it finally started last week but it's been 7 days and I'm still going very heavy. Usually my periods are over in 5-6 days. The cramps have died down but I'm concerned about the heavy bleeding. I've been under a lot of stress lately, but not more than I am usually under. I have also been much more tired than usual. Don't know if it has to do with the fact that I'm losing a lot of blood or what. Periods tend to tire me out anyway. I've been on the gluten-free diet for over a year now. I have diagnosed Celiac Disease and it's been really slow to improve.

pricklypear1971 Community Regular
pricklypear1971
Posted

Mine went wacko right before dx. I chalked it up to all the corticosteroids, antihistamines since they can cause irregularity. I started using natural progesterone cream on day 14-28 of my cycle and it straightened it out. Took about 3 months. It was obvious it was working because if I'd forget the cream I'd have immediate breakthrough bleeding.

If you want to know more about progesterone cream get one of Dr. Lee's books.

  • 1 month later...
AMom2010 Explorer
AMom2010
Posted

I have always had a perfect 28 day cycle. The last two periods have been out of whack!! I have been gluten-free since July 15 of this year. My last period came two days early and I am currently two days late (still waiting). why would going gluten-free cause this?

Eta: I am 32, didn't realize this was on the teenagers forum :)

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,549
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Blough
    Newest Member
    Blough
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Taken Seriously

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Your post demonstrates the profound frustration and isolation that so many in the Celiac community feel, and I want to thank you for channeling that experience into advocacy. The medical gaslighting you endured for decades is an unacceptable and, sadly, a common story, and the fact that you now have to "school" your own GI specialist speaks volumes about the critical lack of consistent and updated education. Your idea to make Celiac Disease a reportable condition to public health authorities is a compelling and strategic one. This single action would force the system to formally acknowledge the prevalence and seriousness of the disease, creating a concrete dataset that could drive better research funding, shape medical school curricula, and validate the patient experience in a way that individual stories alone often cannot. It is an uphill battle, but contacting representatives, as you have done with Adam Gray, is exactly how change begins. By framing it as a public health necessity—a matter of patient safety and protection from misdiagnosis and neglect—you are building a powerful case. Your voice and your perseverance, forged through thirty years of struggle, are exactly what this community needs to ensure that no one else has to fight so hard just to be believed and properly cared for.
    • Scott Adams
      Looking for a gluten-free roomie in Denver CO

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I had no idea there is a "Louisville" in Colorado!😉 I thought it was a typo because I always think of the Kentucky city--but good luck!
    • Scott Adams
      Allergy medication: cetirizine by the HealthA2Z is it gluten free?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Navigating medication safety with Celiac disease can be incredibly stressful, especially when dealing with asthma and severe allergies on top of it. While I don't have personal experience with the HealthA2Z brand of cetirizine, your caution is absolutely warranted. The inactive ingredients in pills, known as excipients, are often where gluten can be hidden, and since the FDA does not require gluten-free labeling for prescription or over-the-counter drugs, the manufacturer's word is essential. The fact that you cannot get a clear answer from Allegiant Health is a significant red flag; a company that is confident its product is gluten-free will typically have a customer service protocol to answer that exact question. In situations like this, the safest course of action is to consider this product "guilty until proven innocent" and avoid it. A better alternative would be to ask your pharmacist or doctor to help you identify a major national brand of cetirizine (like Zyrtec) whose manufacturer has a verified, publicly stated gluten-free policy for that specific medication. It's not worth the risk to your health when reliable, verifiable options are almost certainly available to you. You can search this site for USA prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
    • Scott Adams
      Protein or fat?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      What you're describing is indeed familiar to many in the Celiac community, especially in the early stages of healing. When the intestinal villi are damaged from Celiac disease, they struggle to properly digest and absorb fats, a condition known as bile acid malabsorption. This can cause exactly the kind of cramping and spasms you're seeing, as undigested fats can irritate the sensitive gut lining. It is highly plausible that her reactions to dairy and eggs are linked to their higher fat content rather than the proteins, especially since she tolerates lean chicken breast. The great news is that for many, this does improve with time. As her gut continues to heal on a strict gluten-free diet, her ability to produce the necessary enzymes and bile to break down fats should gradually return, allowing her to slowly tolerate a wider variety of foods. It's a slow process of healing, but your careful approach of focusing on low-fat, nutrient-dense foods like seeds and avocado is providing her system the best possible environment to recover. Many people with celiac disease, especially those who are in the 0-2 year range of their recovery, have additional food intolerance issues which could be temporary. To figure this out you may need to keep a food diary and do an elimination diet over a few months. Some common food intolerance issues are dairy/casein, eggs, corn, oats, and soy. The good news is that after your gut heals (for most people who are 100% gluten-free this will take several months to two years) you may be able to slowly add some these items back into your diet after the damaged villi heal. This article may be helpful: Thank you for sharing your story—it's a valuable insight for other parents navigating similar challenges.
    • Beverage
      Diagnosed celiac for 1-2 months ago and everything makes me bloated.

      By Beverage · Posted

      I had a very rough month after diagnosis. No exaggeration, lost so much inflammatory weight, I looked like a bag of bones, underneath i had been literally starving to death. I did start feeling noticeably better after a month of very strict control of my kitchen and home. What are you eating for breakfast and lunch? I ignored my doc and ate oats, yes they were gluten free, but some brands are at the higher end of gluten free. Lots of celics can eat Bob's Red Mill gluten-free oats, but not me. I can now eat them, but they have to be grown and processed according to the "purity protocol" methods. I mail order them, Montana Gluten-Free brand. A food and symptoms and activities log can be helpful in tracking down issues. You might be totally aware, but I have to mention about the risk of airborne gluten. As the doc that diagnosed me warned . . Remember eyes, ears, nose, and mouth all lead to your stomach and intestines.  Are you getting any cross contamination? Airborne gluten? Any pets eating gluten (they eat it, lick themselves, you pet them...)? Any house remodeling? We live in an older home, always fixing something. I've gotten glutened from the dust from cutting into plaster walls, possibly also plywood (glues). The suggestions by many here on vitamin supplements also really helped me. I had some lingering allergies and asthma, which are now 99% gone. I was taking Albuterol inhaler every hour just to breathe, but thiamine in form of benfotiamine kicked that down to 1-2 times a day within a few days of starting it. Also, since cutting out inflammatory seed oils (canola, sunflower, grapeseed, etc) and cooking with real olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and coconut oil, I have noticed even greater improvement overall and haven't used the inhaler in months! It takes time to weed out everything in your life that contains gluten, and it takes awhile to heal and rebuild your health. At first it's mentally exhausting, overwhelming, even obsessive, but it gets better and second nature.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.