I promised that I’d be open and honest on my blog. And though this is not a topic I’d typically discuss with a large majority of people I don’t know, I want to be honest about every piece of this journey. So, here it goes….
In my early teens, my period was what I believed to be normal. The first couple of days were very heavy and then it’d slowly taper off. A normal period for me could last anywhere between 5 to 8 days. It was never consistent.
During my adult life I have been putting on weight slowly to reach my high of 387 lbs. And remember, I come from a place of being heavy… all of my life.
Now that I have lost 88 lbs, my periods have really changed.
Last year I went to the OB/GYN to learn more about uterine ablation (no judgment, please). My periods had become really irregular. Lasting anywhere between a couple of days to a couple of months. And I would have them sometimes once a month and sometimes I’d have no period for more than 6 months. And because I have ZERO desire to ever have a baby or be pregnant (my daughter is adopted), uterine ablation was my answer to solving the problem with my period.
Then, I went into the hospital for all of November 2009 (that’s another long story) and I was unable to proceed with uterine ablation. And by the time I could, it was time for my Lap-Band surgery and I have not picked my visits back up with my OB/GYN yet to continue the process.
And here we are today, at 88 lbs lost.
For the last 3 months my periods have been more “normal” than they ever have.
I have a period, every month. I know EXACTLY when it’s coming (that’s the first). They are not at all as heavy as they used to be. As in, I’m not afraid to leave my house the first 2 days of my period. It lasts for 5 to 7 days and I’m done. Moving on.
Now, I’m still very much interested in uterine ablation as a period is just something I’d rather not have at all. Yes, at just 29 I’m done with having a period that I have no medical necessity to have. However in the mean time, I’m dealing with something that’s actually manageable. Something that doesn’t stop my life for a few days while it gets lighter.
It’s a relief! It’s comforting to know that I will have no embarrassing public moments.
So, there you have it. It’ll be interesting to know at this point if my periods will change again as I get closer to my goal weight. But for now, if I must have them, at least it’s something within the realm of normal and tolerable.
Hi!
Call me a chicken, I just like less invasive procedures, which is why I got Lap band at 340 VS getting the Roux-N-Y bypass.
I get you on not wanting a period! At 28, I had 2 children and had no interest whatsoever on having any more children. However, June 28th 2010, I lost my 4 month old to SIDS, and I thank God that I did not get fixed. You’re probably asking yourself, what does this have to do with me?! Well, I opted for an IUD so that over the course of my own lap band journey I could lose weight before becoming pregnant again, and I have to tell you, I don’t regret it. I have NOT had a period since a month after getting it. I know that you’re in a same sex relationship and that being on birth control may seem a bit redundant, but there are other benefits to the IUD too, such as being less moody and an increase in female hormones as opposed to the surge of male hormones from weight gain. They are painless and seem to work great
Hi Jennifer,
I can certainly appreciate your take on it. But for me, uterine ablation isn’t something that I’d want to reverse. Should we decide to have another child my partner would be the one to carry the child OR (and more preferably) we’d adopt again. We also strongly take the stance that we’re D.O.N.E. I have no desire for another child (my daughter is 5). And lastly and much more selfishly I’m not losing all of this weight to gain even a pound back… even for pregnancy. Nope, will not do it. So it’s not the fact that something else could work as well. It’s the fact that something else would be an alternative with hassles that simply are not needed. Again, I don’t want to discredit what you have said. And I can only imagine how thankful you feel to have chosen to get an IUD. And as a Mom, I can only imagine how you feel and am so sorry for your loss. I certainly do not want my stance to take away from what you have gone through.
Congratulations on your surgery!! And thanks for visiting!
Katy