Hey all,

Just wanted to get a heads up out to those who are perimenopausal. I’m 54 yo and I’ve lost almost 70 lbs since I started WLS inquiry. At 3 month check up I was in the middle of a very heavy and unexpected period, feeling lightheaded and sluggish though alert. But 3 weeks of heavy period landed me in ER with very low BP and diagnosis of severe anemia. I’m on the slow boat to regaining healthy blood pressure/volume by taking it easy and iron supplements - though no transfusion. The doctor thought the very quick drop in estrogen (stored in fat cells) may have contributed to the heavy period, resulting in blood loss. If anyone has experienced strange periods (I was basically almost at 1 yr mark for not having period) I’d be interested in your story. Thanks much!

I haven't heard of anything that extreme, but yes, screwed up menstrual cycles are pretty common for the first few weeks or months after surgery. Sorry you went through that!

I'm 40, and my mother went through menopause very young so I assume that I probably will as well. I guess that qualifies me as "perimenopausal".

I already had heavy periods because of uterine fibroids, but it seems like menstruating REALLY depletes me now, mostly because I am anemic (and have had to do iron infusions because of it). I also miss my period pretty regularly; I'm fairly sure my body wants me to weigh 100 pounds before I get my period at all, and I fluctuate between 95 and 100. Considering that 94 is the threshold for "underweight" for my height and I am most definitely carrying around at least a few pounds of extra skin, I need to weigh 100 or so. I don't know how much of it is early-stage menopause and how much of it is my weight being borderline-too-low, but my period doesn't come every month.

I have to go out of my way to get enough iron during that time, when I do get my period. I eat a lot of shellfish and pumpkin seeds that week, both of which are CRAZY HIGH in iron...Kroger has a frozen package of mussels in white wine garlic sauce and I will make half a package, 25% of your iron in one sitting! Within reason, it's actually helpful to indulge a little during those days, have a couple squares of dark chocolate or some oysters. Your body is working hard to replace the blood you're losing.

Yes, I was like this. I was 53 when I had RNY. I had been period free since age 49 so yippee, then 4 months after surgery I got a “fake” period. I was concerned about the normal concerns, but the Gyn and surgical doctors told me it happens sometimes due to the estrogens being released from fat during weight loss. I was reexperiencing hot flashes and more brain fog. I was experiencing peri menopause all over again for a whole year until my weight mostly settled. I used to get anemic from periods and fibroids, now it’s malabsorption.

Weird fact, if you leave the fibroids alone, they eventually calcify. You can see them when you get scanned at the airport for a flight. They make it look like I’m packing bombs and I get flagged for a very thorough search. At least if you can tell the person they are fibroids they don’t freak out over your stomach so much. The women “get it.”

On 8/8/2023 at 2:13 PM, learn2cook said:

Yes, I was like this. I was 53 when I had RNY. I had been period free since age 49 so yippee, then 4 months after surgery I got a “fake” period. I was concerned about the normal concerns, but the Gyn and surgical doctors told me it happens sometimes due to the estrogens being released from fat during weight loss. I was reexperiencing hot flashes and more brain fog. I was experiencing peri menopause all over again for a whole year until my weight mostly settled. I used to get anemic from periods and fibroids, now it’s malabsorption.

Weird fact, if you leave the fibroids alone, they eventually calcify. You can see them when you get scanned at the airport for a flight. They make it look like I’m packing bombs and I get flagged for a very thorough search. At least if you can tell the person they are fibroids they don’t freak out over your stomach so much. The women “get it.”

I'm 46 and through menopause and an IUD, I haven't had a period in 3 years. I had some light spotting 2-3 weeks after my surgery for like a day, and was like hell no! Now, I don't know if it is because I went off the estradiol for surgery (I'm 9 weeks post op) due to it potentially causing blood clots, or the estrogens being released as you described, but holy hot flases and brain fog. Before my surgery I was ALWAYS cold. Now, I'm rarely cold. Yes, it is summer in AL, but I normally froze in the office and had my heat on, but not now.