What happens in women hormonally in the 2-3 days prior to period?

[THeMaCHinE]

I ask because, every month, like clockwork, my wife dumps about 5 lb in the 2-3 days leading up to her period. It comes back on over the course of the period.

Obviously it's fluid weight, but I wonder what causes this phenomenon?

 

[velvett]

I do the very same thing.

..sigh


Edited to add I though you said 2-3 weeks not days...



So I do the same thing 2-3 weeks before...







I've offically lost it.

 

[spatts]

Progesterone drop?

I pack ON the weight at this time, and drop it the week AFTER, though.

 

[MS]

All her sex hormones are plummeting at this stage of her cycle, but progesterone takes the biggest drop which is prolly what causes the fluid drop.

I'm more like spatts...retain fluid like crazy for a few days before menses, then drop it during my period. Neat how we're all a little different

 

[FitFossil]

I don't have much water retention before my period. I barely notice it, other than my urine output suddenly seems higher than normal (ahhh) the first few days of my period. I wouldn't even know my period was coming except for my calendar, and I get this little twinge in my lower back that tells me it'll be starting in a few hours. When I was in my 20's though, I'd get terrible water retention and bad PMS too. Even my breasts would ache from all the water retention (back when I had real breasts)

 

[The Shadow]

I do the very same thing.

..sigh


Edited to add I though you said 2-3 weeks not days...



So I do the same thing 2-3 weeks before...







I've offically lost it.

lol


Vel must have the rare condition know as PPMS....

Pre and Post Menstrual Syndrome.....lol

 

[THeMaCHinE]

So, does less progesterone = less fluid retention?

Hmmm... I wonder if the drop is because at this point, she is inevitably hitting the first day or two of sugar pill week on her bc pills? Certainly the half-life of these things is longer though?

 

[spatts]

Machine...the first day of the period is the first day of the cycle. In most people there's a STRONG peak in progesterone just as the person is ovulating...usually mid month, also being about 2 weeks before the next period. If these levels STAY high, the person is likely pregnant. If they hold high for a week or two and then DROP HARD, that's about when the next period starts. As to why some people hold water before vs during vs after...I'm gonna guess that maybe that has something to do with other chemical changes in the body, in reaction to the progesterone and other chemicals, and the rate at which those actions/reactions happen.

But what the hell do I know?


LOL

I also have to wonder what, if anything, the speed of these changes has to do with cramping and other "PMS" type symptoms.

 

[THeMaCHinE]

So, perhaps the progesterone is holding high right up until a couple days before the start of the next cycle (the period), then crashing, and thus, the sudden fluid loss of 5 lb ...

Perhaps the harder the crash, the more severe the PMS symptoms? Kinda like FitFossil described, she must be on a very gradual cycle (in regards to progesterone fluctuation) and doesn't experience many symptoms ...

 

[spatts]

Exactly...regarding the progesterone. In fact, for me, the day it drops IS the day the cycle starts over. However, I have never had PMS symptoms either, other than bloating. I don't think I've ever had a cramp. Sometimes my nails will get oily and break off easily. That's about it.