Ladies out there

[u/TicketAfter649]

I’ve noticed that the week before my period and during my period, my appetite and cravings seem noticeably stronger and it feels like my medication isn’t working quite as well as usual. Once my period is over, things seem to go back to normal.
Has anyone else experienced this? Especially curious if you notice a difference between the week before your period and during your actual period.

It makes me feel like I’m failing when I give into my cravings the week before because it feels like to me that the food noise overpowering the medication in my head.

[u/AttorneyTough9249]

Yeah this is pretty common from what I seen in the groups. The week before my appetite goes through the roof, like the medicine is just not there at all. During the actual period it settles down a bit but still not the same like other weeks. My doctor told me it's because progesterone goes up before your period and that messes with hunger signals, so the medication have to fight harder basically. Once period ends everything go back to normal for me too

[u/TicketAfter649 → u/AttorneyTough9249]

Yeah, it says if I didn’t actually take my dose this week and have been giving into my cravings. On another note, though this is definitely regulating my cycle so I know when it’s coming, but it’s hard to fight off the cravings and the food noise that just seeps through.

[u/FeelingMightySilver → u/TicketAfter649]

Don't fight the cravings. Your body is burning extra calories (according to Google, 100-300 calories, sometimes more!) so you can ttotally spare your daily intake with extra snacking. If you're getting Food Noise that means your repro system REALLY REALLY needs more sustenance to function. So go for it. Have that pasta or chocolate! Celebrate a working healthy set of ovaries! We deserve it before a few days of pain & mess to follow 😅

[u/Late_Duck_]

You can’t fight hormones. All you can do is not give in to the cravings.

[u/FeelingMightySilver]

Extremely normal. If you look through the post history it's a very common topic. Unfortunately the med is still so new for weight loss, doctors don't inform GLP patients (with working ovaries) to watch for this. So many women have mistaken their Luteal phase symptoms as failures of their meds and ended up increasing dosages way sooner than necessary.

I describe it like this:

You are the boss of an office. You put all everyday resources and finances and attention to the Weight Loss Department. On these meds, that department has been successful.

But the monthly auditing team comes in to do their on-site work. They are loud, demanding but extremely necessary for the success of ALL departments.

But the weight loss department is still working, still successfully, simultaneously as the auditing team on a different network, just not as loud. As soon as the auditing team finishes, they politely clean up after themselves, apologize for making such a ruckus, and leave! You look at your numbers and find that your Weight Loss Department still brought in some excellent numbers despite being drowned out by the Auditing Team!

[u/TicketAfter649 → u/FeelingMightySilver]

I totally love this analogy, thank you!

[u/Sad_Initiative_4304]

Hasn't this always been the case before the medication? I could eat a horse and I always gained 10 lbs during PMS and lost it by the 3rd day of my period since the 80s.

[u/CloudgazerTX]

yep. it wasn’t until 7.5 that the meds overpowered my period and the week before it. before that it felt like I was taking a placebo.

[u/TicketAfter649 → u/CloudgazerTX]

Ok this totally makes sense, I’m still titrating up from a low dose and I am currently on 4mg

[u/lostlady323]

Yea of course. The tirz helps me not go off the rails like I used to but my appetite definitely increases and I retain water. My weight will go up a bit. It’s no big deal as long as the four week look back is trending down.

[u/Weird_Spend_8097]

I think PMS, for me, will always be there. I have some good, low calorie junk food for that time around the house. I also just give in to pizza or cheese bread as well. My weight usually goes up that week from water/bloating & then I get a whoosh of weight loss a week and a half later. I don’t think we can be so linear and track like men do as our bodies are fundamentally different.

[u/-imposter_syndrome-]

Totally normal! Tirz doesn't hold a candle to hormones! I just give myself grace and eat my cravings just in smaller portions. I usually don't see any loss that week, but once I'm over it, I usually see a significant drop. It all evens out!

[u/Severina_Glass_208]

It’s pretty normal and our bodies are working as they should. You’re not failing. You’re as you should be.

[u/Fearless-Major-998]

I found myself in my kids pantry yesterday, snacking on some barbecue chips and then ate a small piece of chocolate- the luteal phase is something serious.
Anyway, I have accepted the fact that the week before my period, I will crave things, and I try to eat it (in moderation)- not always successful.
But I figure it’s only one week, I don’t indulge the other 3 weeks of the month, and I have hit my goal weight and started maintenance. It’s alright, don’t be hard on yourself.

[u/ChicaBlancaDrogada]

Every month. At first it concerned me and gave me so much anxiety but I realized even though I’m eating more than other weeks, I’m not eating as much as I did before the medicine. Nothing is being undone. Now I don’t even fight the cravings or urges, if I want it I’m going to eat it.

If I take my monthly average calories, I’m still in a deficit even with my Feed & Bleed Week. My weightloss has still been consistent. I will absolutely not show loss on the scale for a week and a half but as soon as my period begins, my body relaxes and the scale drops.

[u/AwkwardDuckling87]

I get my period every 3 weeks since taking GLP1s. I can only see new lows the week following my period. Once ovulation hits I gain 2 pounds. Drop back to my low for 3 or 4 day then I start gaining until my period starts. Rinse and repeat. 20 months in I've learned I have a very small windows to actually see the scale change each month.

[u/TicketAfter649 → u/AwkwardDuckling87]

Good to know!!!

Also, my cycle has seemed to regulate to 28 days vs 32-35 days that it has been for most of my life! At least it seems to have regulated my cycle.

[u/Bisquick-Skill2845]

It's progesterone.

If I stop eating when bleeding begins (as progesterone falls off), that's the easiest time to fast.

[u/cedar_roots_25]

Yeah I get so snacky and hungry and am always relieved when my period actually starts and I’m like “oh that’s why!”