I am weighing in at about 382lbs. I have always had very heavy periods. The kind where you wear tampon & pads & still have issues. Bad enough that I get anemia from my body trying to keep up with the nutrients (I always get weak & feel like I am bleeding actual blood instead of uterus lining). I am normally borderline anemic & during my periods & up to two weeks after I am full blown anemic. Yes, I have gotten all the tests & exams that are needed to make sure that there is nothing wrong. I can't go on birth control (even the weakest ones cause uncontrollable side effects, i.e. worse bleeding even on the non-bleeding days) so I suffer through my periods. When I had my gallbladder removed I was a week out from finishing my last cycle. I woke up from surgery & had to make a mad dash to the bathroom & started my cycle all over again. I expect that when I get my sleeve surgery also.

Now that the back story is completed, here is my question. Will my cycles lighten up once I lose the weight, or will they remain heavy as they are now? If they remain heavy then I don't know if I will be able to get enough nutrients in me to handle the weakness & anemia. I do not want to go into the hospital every month & I don't want the bleeding from taking birth control.

I am sorry for bringing this up, but this is something I would like to have addressed.

Goodness! What did your Dr say about that?

As someone who has worked in ob/gyn for over 16 years I can tell you that dramatic weight loss usually benefits periods since your hormones are more under control. However I can't, nor can anyone, tell you that for sure. I have personally seen periods change for the better after weight loss. But I'm not a doctor and your doc may be better suited to answer that question. Best of luck to you!

I think it will really depend from person to person. When I started my weight loss journey I was 450 pounds and I rarely ever had a period. I might have maybe 2 a year and they were never a "full period" like when I weighed less. My doctor said that like anorexics, my body was so messed up I didn't have periods anymore.

Now I'm down 145 pounds (allllmost below 300) my periods are back with a vengeance. I have one almost every month and every other one is HARSH. I am literally changing my super tampon every hour on the hour. It's awful.

I hope yours get better!

In reply to everyone:

Ok, thanks.

My doctor knows all this & says that it could go either way, just like my fibro. It could get better, stay the same, or get worse. Maybe if I am lucky I will get the bloody uterus yanked. I have no kids & 35yrs old so he doesn't want me to even consider yanking it.

Have you considered endometrial ablation?

In reply to everyone:

Ok, thanks.

My doctor knows all this & says that it could go either way, just like my fibro. It could get better, stay the same, or get worse. Maybe if I am lucky I will get the bloody uterus yanked. I have no kids & 35yrs old so he doesn't want me to even consider yanking it.

I use to get really bad periods..I use to wear a tampon and a pad.. I hand the mirena iud .. it lightens your period alot.. maybe is something u can look Into

If you are within childbearing years, maybe consider depo? I know you mention you've had issues in the past, but completely stopping the bleeding seems to be an optimal solution at the moment.

It completely stops your periods and you can stop taking it a year or so after your sleeve when you don't have as many bleeding concerns. I've been on depo for most of my adult life and I never have a time of the month- which is good since I have to take both B12 and an Iron supplement to avoid anemia as it is.

Just something to consider...

I'll talk to my dr about depo. Maybe worth looking into. Thanks AvaFern.

Swampdoggie & Aspring424, I'll look into both of these things.

Thanks so much for the suggestions.

I asked my surgeon this because I thought as the weight came off my period would be lighter but she flat out told me it may get heavier.

I was hoping it wouldn't. (Because who wants that...) But alas,

It did get heavier. I went from regular and occasionally super pads with regular tampons pre op to overnights with super plus tampons post op.

My surgeon also said it could become irregular but so far its only been 2-3 days late one month and then 2-3 early the next month. Nothing to crazy.

I started at 270 (Day of surgery) but remember all of our bodies are different. You may be one of the lucky ones!