TMI post: What to do about time of the month weight gain?

kaesha

Okay, I'm watching the scale creep up this week and I'm pretty sure it's because my period is going to start in a few days... but then I realized that my wedding days is 4 weeks today and the exact same thing is going is going to happen then too! This never used to happen to me, but since I started taking Yaz, I put on 2-5lbs right before. =(Anybody else have this problem? Any suggestions as to how to keep the water weight to a minimum?

jujubee96

there are water pills they sell at drug stores, I've never tried it myself, but they are supposed to make you lose the water weight.  I think they're called water pills. Is the weight enough to make things fit differently?  I went to the doctor's 2 times in 2 weeks, and the 2nd time, my weight was 4 lbs more.  I asked her if I should be concerned, and she said 3-5 lb weight fluctuations are normal. I thought it was 1-3 lb weight fluctuations being normal!

kaesha

I don't know - I mean, I don't feel any different. My boobs usually get bigger (and sorer), but I don't know where the weight gain is going to. I don't have my dress back yet, so I won't know if that changes the way it fits at all! Meep!

jujubee96

try trying on a pair of pants that are sort of snug - that you know how they felt when you didn't have the water gain.  See how they feel with the weight gain. Then you have to remember - does your dress have a built in corset or anything.  If it does, you don't have to worry at all.  Or even something like spanx is perfect for only 4 lbs.  It helped me, and I was trying to mask a good 10-15 lbs (well, it helped some).  And is it as tight against your skin as the waistband of those pants.  If its not as tight against your skin as waistband of your pants, I really don't think you have to worry. Think of the countless women who have gotten married in their dresses that were fitted weeks/months before their wedding.  Like my doctor said, I think the lb fluctuations you are talking about are normal, plenty of women have been even 4 lbs heavier than they were when they had the dress fitted and it fit fine. I know you'll look amazing - don't worry!  And if you really want, try looking for those water pills. such as but maybe google side effects/effectiveness of these pills, and definitely try it once before the actual time!

mdjs

Okay, this might sound a little crazy.  But, try drinking 100% pure unsweetened cranberry juice.  You usually have to buy this at health food stores or Trader Joe's (but you probably don't have Trader Joe's in Canada?).It has a really strong, sour taste.  I mix about 1/4 cup of the juice in a 32 oz. bottle with water and drink 2 bottles per day when I have a lot of water weight gain.  You will drop 2-5 pounds of water weight in a hot second.  But beware, you will have to pee a lot!  Maybe don't do it on the day-of!   And you should still make sure to drink a lot of non-cran water when you are drinking this stuff so you don't get dehydrated.

kaesha

Really? Cranberry water, huh? We don't have Trader Joe's, but I can definitely get my hands on some unsweetened cranberry juice.

MrsNicole&Brian808

Hey Alyson!  Have you tried talking to your OB/GYN?  I'm not exactly sure how Yaz works, but I faced the same problem as you when I got married.  My doctor suggested I skip my "period week" by taking my first three weeks of pills, skipping the last week (when I would normally get my period) and starting a new pack of pills.  So, I never got a period the month of my wedding.  No cramps, no weight gain, no mood swings, etc. 

fia214

I gain water weight during my time about 5 lbs, so about 3 years ago I started researching ways to rid the bloat.Well first you can eliminate water retention with exercise walking, stretching, go for a run. This helps me sweat it out and I usually feel much better.Stay away from foods that contain high amounts of sodium.There are lots of foods that are natural diuretics oppose to those water pills which are DANGEROUS! Natural Diuretic:Green Tea (lots of it)Cranberry juice (100%) Apple Cider VinegarDandelion ( I get this at natural grocery and make tea)ChamomileNatural food diuretic:AsparagusOatsTomatoesLettuce & carrots oh an GARLIC.

mdjs

I swear by the cranberry juice, and it makes me feel like I am actually doing something healthy, since cranberry is good for you all the way around.  I always keep a bottle of the 100% in the refrigerator.

kaesha

That's a good idea too, Nicole! I'm going to see my doctor this week, so I'll ask about that too.

leah+dan

Talk to your doctor about doing two pill packs back to back, skipping the period week. This is fine to do occasionally (with doc's okay, of course!) and will make you skip that period. Or, you can stop taking the pill early in the pack to get your period early, then start a new pack early, too.

emptybee83

I do the whole cranberry juice thing too!! It totally works! Ughh....i hate that weight gain crap! I'm not on Yaz...i'm on Yazmin...and it sucks! Yes, talk to your OB about starting a pack back to back...because if you're gonna be on it on your wedding night...well that would not be very good! Let us know how it goes!

kaesha

I won't be on my period for the wedding night (YAY), but I will be on the PMS weight gain train. I didn't realize there's a pill called Yaz as well as Yazmin! I'm taking Yazmin then.I don't think I really like it though - I used to be on ortho-tricyclen, and I think it just worked better for me.

jujubee96

nosy - why did you change from ortho-tricyclen?  If you'd rather not say, just ignore me. I used to be on ortho-tri, but now I'm on NuvaRing.  I like it.  you know - you insert it down there for 3 weeks, then 1 week off.  I don't notice weight gain in particular.

kaesha

Uhm, my prescription ran out and I decided that after more than a decade on the pill, I wanted to see what my body was like without all the drugs in it. When I got a new prescription, I wanted something that would reduce the length of my period (which was at 7 days), so my doctor suggested Yasmin. I've just completed 3 months on it, and I don't think I'm a big fan, but I can't really place why.

~BFF~

I was going to suggest the same thing as Nicole.  I am on Yaz, not Yasmin - I switched a few years back b/c the Yasmin made me grouchy =/ My Dr said you can take packs back to back to miss your period with no problems.  Let us know how the cranberry juice works - sounds like an easy fix.

SanHawaii08

i did the back-to-back thing too, and it worked like a charm!  it was really important to me to not be anywhere that time of the month for the week before, during, and the two weeks after the wedding.