Ovulation can come with a lot of fabulous side effects like a boosted sex drive, abundant energy, heightened senses, and an overall feeling of optimism and well-being. However, for some women, the ovulatory phase can also bring unwanted and uncomfortable symptoms like bloating, cramping or pain in one side, spotting, breast tenderness and uneven moods. The good news is you can treat the symptoms of ovulation naturally!
And, if you have symptoms during ovulation, then chances are excellent that you also experience symptoms during your premenstrual week as well as difficulty with menstruation. This has to do with the fact that the root causes that cause symptomatic Ovulation will also cause problems throughout your cycle. If you get these symptoms around ovulation or if they start then, only to stay with you until your period arrives, then you are experiencing a hormonal imbalance. And, just as I believe all women deserve the perfect period, I believe all women should feel wonderful when they’re ovulating and get to bask in all of the benefits this time of your cycle can and wants to give.
In my years of experience, I have found that it is very rare for a woman to experience unwanted ovulation symptoms without also experiencing problematic PMS and a crampy period. So, looking at your cycle as a whole and shifting your eating patterns and lifestyle choices to live more in harmony with your hormonal Flo during every cycle stage is vitally important. Each phase is connected to the others and there’s really no such thing as spot-treating an individual phase, however, there are effective natural treatments that specifically target the sorts of issues that can arise in the ovulatory phase.
If you feel bad during ovulation, something is wrong – this is when you should be at your shiny, bright, happy and optimal best. Listen to your body and give her what she needs.
(If you are worried that you might not be ovulating or you’re having trouble tracking your cycle, go straight to my simple guide for knowing where you’re at)
How to treat your ovulation symptoms naturally
The source of your symptoms can be found in estrogen dominance – your body has too much estrogen swimming around your blood stream and you are not processing the excess efficiently. This leaves you with too high levels of this one hormone, which causes an imbalance in your progesterone production, leaving you with low progesterone levels. Solving your ovulation symptoms, therefore, is all about supporting your body in generating, processing, and eliminating estrogen.
Bloating
The Flo-facts – Magnesium deficiency causes your body to retain water and salt, leading to that bloated feeling. Another culprit might be stress, as heightened cortisol has the same impact.
The Flo-fix – I recommend you dose yourself with a daily supply of good dark chocolate (you’ll want 70% dark and organic). A 100 gram serving has half of your day’s need of magnesium. Drink coconut water to help with the water retention. Then, whizz up my “Anti-Bloat-ini” juice of 1 beet, 4 celery stalks, ½ a cucumber, 2 stalks of kale, ½ bunch cilantro, and 1 lemon. It’s full of natural diuretics, tissue salts, and liver detoxifiers.
Spotting
The Flo-facts – Spotting is always something you should pay serious attention to.
A little blood in your cervical fluid around the day of ovulation is not anything to be too concerned about (it’s actually the result of the egg breaking free), however if the spotting continues it could indicate a cervical polyp. You want to have any non menstrual week bleeding assessed by your gynecologist immediately.
The Flo-fix – Roll back your exposure to synthetic estrogens in cosmetics and beauty products which can lead to excess estrogen levels in your body. Supporting your liver will redress the balance between your estrogen and progesterone levels – you can do this with a weekly “Liver Lover” smoothie of ½ cup mango, ½ a green apple, 1/2 cup frozen pineapple, 1/2 cup coconut water and 1 cup of cilantro.
Pain/cramping
The FLO – facts: Pain during ovulation has an actual name – it’s called Mittelschmerz – german for ‘pain in the middle’.
Cramps are caused by improper balance of prostaglandins and excess estrogen.
Often times, it can be indicative of other conditions. For example, if the pain is severe you may be dealing with endometriosis or ovarian cysts either on their own or due to PCOS.
The FLO- fix As with period cramps, reducing the amount of caffeine, alcohol, and dairy you take in throughout your cycle is going to make a significant and positive difference to ovulation pain. But getting more omega 3 fatty acids in your diet is key to ridding yourself of the midcycle pain.
Always remember, that once you have the right information about how your body really works, you can start making health choices that finally start to work for you! You can do this – the science of your body is on your side!
to your FLO,
Alisa
Good things come in threes:
I want to hear from you!
First, do you experience any of these ovulation symptoms?
Second, do you also suffer with pre-menstrual symptoms?
Third, everyone you know is hormonal – spread a little good ovary karma and share this article on social 😉
Need more Hormone Help?
If you’re needing some health upgrading, it’s time you started you looking into what’s going on with your hormones.
I’ve designed a 4 day hormone detox and evaluation to help you understand exactly what’s out of whack and how you can start getting back to balance so that your hormones no longer have to suffer.
Click here to get your FREE detox and evaluation!
This came at perfect timing & was so helpful. I have been experiencing painful ovulation that is unbearable & it disrupts my sleep. Those recipes will help you shared will help. I don’t own a juicing machine for your anti bloat-ini juice recipe. Is there an alternative I can use?
I also do not have a juicer, & not much time for one… I have been trying Naked Juice’s Bright Beets for Ovulatory phase; it doesn’t include the kale, celery, or cilantro: http://www.nakedjuice.com/our-products/veggies/bright-beets.
Also their green machine has a few of the ingredients for the liver juice as well.
Also my body still thinks it’s on the menstral cycle after 8/9 days and I’m in so much pain I’m just wondering if this could be endometriosis
Hi I have cysts in my right ovarie and when I’m due on my period I have full blown period pain which makes me vomit and my cysts start to play up also on my left side I have a blocked fallopian tube and it’s really painful when I’m on my period sometimes I clot really bad any information would b appreciated just wondering if this could b endometriosis tissue
Thank you so much! It’s so hard to find helpful information on painful ovulation (other than it’s called “mittelschmerz”, and most sources always not to worry about it. Ovulation is usually more uncomfortable for me than the actual week of menstraution. The discomfort has helped me to know when I’m ovulating – thus has helped me to time getting pregnant easily. But now that we are finished having children, it’s just pain and makes me worry about something deeper every month. I’ve gone in for a pelvic exam, which found a cyst, but nothing “big enough to worry about”….so I’m looking forward to trying your method and hoping to alleviate my mid-cycle discomfort! Thank you for bringing mittleschmerz to attention and with a remedy that can help.
What confounds me is that I take Epsom salt baths every day, and yet, without fail, I get bloated and very upset during the week leading up to my period. I try to stick to a mostly raw diet, I juice, I exercise, but I can’t beat the bloat. It’s truly infuriating. It takes me a long time to recover from eating cooked foods or having alcohol even if it’s only for a special occasion. And I don’t know if melatonin helps or hinders my sleep; I seem to wake up during the night after taking it, which seems opposite of what it’s intended for. I’m going to be 42 in August, and I don’t want to dismiss it as what to expect, you know? I try to do everything ‘right’, but it’s discouraging to not get results.
Try Phytonutrients from Pure Formulas, it provides micro nutrients were usually missing which help regulate the hormones, I took it and also saw a better response in my allergies as well over 3 months. Now I realize the allergis are also a side effect to out of whack hormones. I stopped taking it and noticed the difference so I restarted it.
Finally I find someone with the same exact issues! It’s very beyond irritating what we’re going through. A bloat stomach after doing all that you can makes you feel just yucky especially going through ovulation because it’s just as worse as after eating. I hope you find a way to better it and please share if you do
You need to take a probiotic every single day. This will help tremendously with bloating!! Also, make sure you’re getting fiber. Fiber is like a sponge in your stomach that soaks up all the toxins which causes us to bloat. If you want any information on what I take, contact me. I’d love to help you!
I’m right after ovulation. I feel like my intestines stopped digesting foods. My stomach is significantly bigger and I feel like I’m fat and putting on weight. I can’t look at myself in the mirror. I’m eating for my flow, but I doubt it whether the foods for this particular phase do me well or maybe it’s because whenever the luteal phase comes and I’m eating cabbage, chickpeas and dates I feel horrible! Is it possible that I can’t eat this type of foods or is it solely due to hormones? I felt terrific before ovulation, which, excluding the ovulation, luteal phase and menstruation gives me about 7 days in a month of feeling well. Please help…!
Hi Alice, switch the food options to other ones for luteal phase and see if that helps. Also, support yourself with a magnesium supplement like Natural Calm – bloating can be a results of magnesium deficiency. Also try probiotics and digestive enzymes.
Alisa
I too am like Alice. I feel GREAT before ovulation but I suffer pain, mood swings, fatigue and feel awful during ovulation and on my period. Please help. Im 45 years old and I’ve suffered with this for about 5 years and the doctors act like they don’t know what to do with me. They all tell me to take birth control, which still doesn’t help. Can you please email me any ideas you could provide to help me. It has taken 2 weeks a month from my life every single month for 5 years. Help please.
Hi Wendy,
Let’s get you in to speak with one of my counselors for a free intitial consult! Please go to this link: http://bit.ly/12Xruvm
Alisa
Don’t rely of doctors, they have just taken my money and what really helped was to get back to the basics: magnesium, potassium, high quality multi-vitamins & minerals (such as Nutrient 950 from Pure Formulas), micronutrients like Phytonutrients, and eating a high fat diet (good fats: 1 avocado a day, vitamin E, salmon fried in olive oil) and lots of veggies on the 2 weeks prior to the period have made a significant improvement to my health. I eliminated All Grains, Starches (rice, potatoes) and no sugars. I promise you will not miss sugars once you realize how good your body feels on a high good fat foods. Best of luck to you.
Plaese remember that all bodies are different and that your diet should be based on your body’s needs and symptoms. Removing all carbs can be damaging for health in general and certainly hormonal health.
Alisa
I m also suffering with same problem since last 4 years. Kindly help me with this because i m unable to do my daily routine.
Is so good to hear I’m not on my own, I’m the same, I feel so fat, put weight on everywhere, really gets me down. My tummy is huge, I look 6 months pregnant. Is so tough and same as you I have a week of feeling good a month!:(
Hi I am havin the exact same issue where literally I have only 5-7 days a month where I feel normal I am gettin really worried now. I also look and feel like I’ve gained so much weight but the scales only change slightly which is strange. I eat to take the nausia away I find too. I had a baby 16 months ago and hav seen 3 dr who just put it down to having a c section and hav each told me the things I’m experiencing cannot relate to each other. Such as ovary pain, stomachs pain nausia and pain in stomachs when I need to wee. What happens is I get pain when I ovulate which I can cope with, if alone as I had it after my first child too and an ultrasound said all looked ok even though the pain is bad but I also get nausea and bloat badly from the top of my stomach to the bottom. I become really uncomfortable and need to wee more when I need to go my stomach hurts more, especially when I wake in the morning. After I ovulate I get more period pains and hav notice slight brown/pink blood at this stage a couple of times. I just rarely feel well apart from the week before I ovulate. I’m goin to book a private GP appointment tomorrow as I’m so worried it’s something a lot worse that’s been left for a while now.
I have regained control of my cycle and overall, it is near perfect…(length, colour/consistency of blood, cervical mucus etc) BUT, every now and again, I will get sore nipples around ovulation, as well as this heavy feeling, almost like aching pelvic bones (is this what you refer to as pain/cramping?). It used to be regular but now is occurring less and less. I eat a great diet but am not sure why I have these symptoms every now and again and what I can do to fix them. (I never have spotting or bloating). I have your book but I haven’t finished reading it yet…I’m sure the answer is in there but any additional guidance or info would be great!
My last period came on 26 Nov. Today i am having spotting which is brown in colour. is this ovulation or period i am confused ???? Pls suggest what to do ?? I have fibroid also from last 6-7 months.
Hi Alka,
Brown spotting is a sign of low progesterone – which makes sense if you have a fibroid. You want to look into reducing estrogen and balancing out your hormone ratios. Please let my team know if you need more info!
Alisa
I do have cramping & I’ve read this before from other health experts but it doesn’t work for me. Although I drink milk I don’t drink much & I have removed it during ovulation and while my cycle is on. I don’t drink any alcohol. I drink tea caffeinated and non-caffeinated tea. Even when I have removed that from my diet during that time I still have cramps. Not horrendous cramps where I am vomiting & have headaches but enough that I need to take tylenol.
Hi Michelle,
You will want to remove caffeine for at least 1 month to see full effects!
Alisa
Hi Alisa,
It’s funny that I should run into this today of all days. I have terrible, HORRENDOUS menstrual cycles and have difficulty with ovulation as well. Last night and today I’m in so much pain I can barely move and when I do I’m reduced to tears. I’ve been checked for everything under the sun from PCOS to ovarian cysts to endometriosis and scarring and nobody can find anything. I do have ovarian cysts but they’re sporadic. I’ve made several trips to the ER because of my time of the month. I’ve tried so many different things natural and non-natural and nothing has helped. I’m seriously at a loss as to what to do. Any help would be appreciated more than you can know!
Hi Kayla,
Please get in touch with us and set up a free initial consults to discuss options!
Alisa
Get a hair mineral lab run throught anylitical labs. If your minerals are severly low you will be in pain. I now have a masters in functional medicine and I was also in the ER many times. A mineral protocol with analytical labs took my pain away in 3 weeks. I now treat others and the results are unbelievable. People go from severe pain to no pain. If for some reason this does not work then seeing a functional medicine doctor who can put you on bio identical hormones will often do the trick. Usually progesterone.
I have detoxed my liver, stopped drinking, no diary, no wheat. I eat so clean and healthy. Nothing has helped with the periods every two weeks for 9 months. The bloating is so distressing now. I don’t know what to do!
Hi Emily,
Frequent periods are a sign of thyroid disruption, likely due to adrenal fatigue! Look at ways to support your adrenals. This will take a little time to heal, but it works!
Alisa
Hi Alisa,
First I want to say that ever since I’ve tried the 4-day detox plan 9 months ago, almost 90% of my hormonal symptoms are over and I can’t thank you enough for it! Keep doing awesome!
However, this month I’ve started to experience cramping well before my period which I never had until now. The last time I experienced cramping was -during- my period and that too was ages ago. Like 5-6 years. This time it went on for two weeks or so up until my period and then it was gone. Sometimes on the left side, others on the right, along with the blues and mood swings. Cramping during ovulation is new to me and it stressed me out real bad. Is there something I’m doing wrong? I use the detox diet plan most of the month, interchanging the meals and adding other safe ingredients mentioned in the plan and on this website.
I’m very curious; Why the cramps now after using the plan, instead of before? Any ideas?
I have always had very painful and heavy periods and recently had extreme pain during ovulation, with ovarian cysts diagnosed not long ago but a lot of it is still unexplained to my doctor. Most of the women in my family have had the same thing as well as endometriosis, benign ovarian tumours and everything that goes along with it. I recently came across your book and was discussing it with my mum who experienced all of these things and her main trouble with it was that if it is a hormone imbalance how come it has always been the same? Is it just the way we are and we have to put up with it or have our hormones always been out of whack?
Hi Rachel,
We all have our genetic predispositions, and the environment we are all living in now is conducive to creating/encouraging imbalance in the body. I don’t believe the symptoms you are experiencing is something you have to put up with at all!
Alisa
Im 45 years old and have dealt with this for 5 years. It’s like im a different person during ovulation and my period. Nobody wants to be around me because of mood swings and i have fatigue, want to seclude myself, pain, bloating. i feel great the week right before ovulation and the week right after ovulation. The other 2 weeks a month are a disaster for me. I have horrible pms. Not cramping, but bad BRAIN FOG, moodiness, severe fatigue, unsociable, gastro problems, I feel really sick. The BRAIN FOG is so hard to deal with. I cry because it gets so bad. Doctors don’t know what to do with me. They all tell me to take birth control pills. Help please! Any advice?
I also really struggle for those two weeks of the cycle! High anxiety leading into menstruation and ovulation
To any ladies reading this and wanting help with mood swings during ovulation, I’ve been trying to figure this out for a LONG time (nearly two years of holistic and natural trial and error), and I finally found something that is actually helping me with this. For reference, I would always seem to be really depressed and moody around the tenth day of my cycle (I have lots of diary entries dating two years back documenting this). It was like every little thing bothered me, and I kept getting trapped in the ‘oh woe is me’ cycle, and didn’t feel like myself. I couldn’t find help anywhere. Everyone told me it was all in my head. Then I realized that estrogen peaks and drops before your period AND your ovulation, and that drop was causing my PMS mood swings before my period and my ovulation. I coupled that information is Alisa’s top tip for depression-style PMS (as opposed to anxiety-style, which I don’t have), which is to take sublingual B12 and B6 vitamins. Before you say ‘but my bloodwork says I have plenty of B12’, I have always had B12 numbers over 550, and typically over 700, but just because B12 is in your blood doesn’t mean your body is absorbing it properly! I got a bottle on Amazon of Nature’s Bounty Sublingual B-Complex (no joke, $5 for a bottle that should last you well over a month), and gave myself two doses on day 9 and day 10 of my cycle. What I found was that I could handle the little things SO MUCH BETTER! Like water off the back of a duck! I’m not saying I didn’t get mad at all, but when I did, it was totally justified and blew over like a quick summer storm 😀 I wanted to wait to post this until I finished out the cycle, and today is the day I would normally enter my moody day. Last night, I drank some wine for the first time in months, and went to bed a little late, which was something that would normally make me ‘ugggghhhhhhh’ all day. But I feel fine! A little tired, but no uncontrollable mood swings. If you have mood swings with ovulation, give this a try!
Thank you!
Please help! I suffer from extreme bloating (my stomach is so tight, it feels as if it could pop and I look about 5 months pregnant). I’m not even able to breathe properly anymore, as I’m constantly trying to suck in my gut! I also have had really irregular periods 26 days, 35, and most recently 24 days!? I take Synthroid and have been on vitex for 6 months. I just completed a bone broth fast to help with possible leaky gut for the bloating and it was better on the last day, but when I added solids it was back to super distension again. I have low iron and low b12, is this most likely a gut issue and not hormonal???
Hi Jessica,
I suffered from the same problem. Have you taken the Flo course? Alisa and her counsellors are very knowledgeable and the information you learn during the course is helpful. I learned that everything in intertwined – it’s not a matter of just being a hormonal or non-hormonal issue, because one thing impacts the other. I don’t get the bloating the way I once did – and I would be very uncomfortable at work, my clothes would suddenly became tight and I would look pregnant. I don’t know what it is that has changed, but I am now eating in the Flo and am noticing huge differences. I also just got off the pill, which apparently can cause bloating. Sure, I have a cheat moment here and there, but I find because I rarely eat certain foods, on the rare occasion I do have a piece of bread, my body handles it better. I also know myself well-enough now to know when my body won’t handle that piece of bread.
Regards to your period, I’m no expert, but that looks to be hormonal. Take a look at Alisa’s other blogposts, read her book “Woman Code” and check out the Flo course. After the course, I was confident to manage my endometriosis on my own, without the pill, which was a huge deal for me. Good luck with it all. 🙂
Hi
Please help me . Ever since I came off the combined pill I cannot bear to even sit down for 10 days during ovulation as its so painful . I am not bloated but it feel like I’m carrying a bowling ball in my uterus . Plus I feel I need to go for a pee every 10 mins . Nothing showed up on the laparoscopy I’ve just had . Am now in despair as to what’s causing this
In have had the mittleshwertz all of my life when I ovulate. Sometimes I would get the pain on both ovaries in the same
Cycle! I have PCOS and am currently in the process of getting my cycles back after 5 years and no period. The pain and nausea of ovulation was so bad on one day I almost didn’t go to work. Now my weight is surging up in a matter of days. I am so bloated and tired! Thank you for the juicing suggestion, I will try that and the natural calm to deflate. Is two servings in a day safe for the calm?
Hi Cassie,
Start with 1 serving per day, and build up to 2. If your bowels become to loose, then reduce your intake.
Alisa
I’m so happy I found this website! I For the first time in my life I’ve experienced ovulation pain and I 100% with a poster that this is worse then period pain 🙁
I was just wondering if this will be an ongoing thing from now on? Or can these be one off occurrences?
Hi Shirley,
You certainly want to make the adjustments to make sure that it doesn’t continue. If we don’t listen to symptoms and don’t make changes, then they can remain.
Alisa
I have suffered with painful ovulation with mood swings and severe PMT and 2 week long periods (5 days red blood 8 days brown – sorry if tmi!) since being sterilised after 3rd baby 7 1/2 years ago. The only thing that is right is my cycle is always 28 days whereas before sterilised could be up to 40 days.
I am now 42 and haven’t been to doctors about it, just learnt to live with it!
Could this be hormonal as always suffered with hormone problems as contraception never agreed with me, hence being sterilised?!
magnesium has been a huge help to my cycle. This is the first month i have struggled during ovulation. I need to do a better job with my magnesium. Going to try the beets. Mainly the fatigue is frustrating me…
What an amazing website and explanation of the other ‘time of the month’! As a nutritionist who has been doing everything right to support my cycle for the last 5 years I don’t understand why it’s always my right ovary! I take fish oil, magnesium, adrenal supports as well as B6 and I am still in pain. Have been working with a functional medicine doctor and naturopath and have made great progress with IBS but little with ovulation. What is your take on bioidentidal progesterone? Also have suffered ovulation pain since I was a teenager. I’m so interested in this topic that has so very, very little information. Again, love your work!
Hi Alisa,
Thank you so much for this article. I have PCOS, but with your protocol I’m having my period every month now! But even if I’m so happy for this, I know that it’s not perfect yet my cycle… my period comes every 35 days and I still have the acne and hair in the wrong places… I didn’t know that feeling the overies was a bad thing… for me feeling ovulation was always a good feeling…( it didn’t hurt). This month I felt my right ovarie exactly one day after full moon at my 14th day of my cycle, I’m happy because (in principle) means my cycle this month is going to be closer to the 28th day one hopefully, but there is always a but… acne is bad… I’m making sure I eat leafy greens everyday…
One question, trying to get to know more about this “ovulation cramps” I realized that ovulation is actually 24 hours, so why is there a ovulation week?
xxx
Great question – so ovulation is the actual release of the egg. But the period right before is fertile since the sperm and live for a some, and after is fertile as well. And during the entire week, the hormones are shifting within ovulation levels.
Alisa
I feel like I’m ovulating from the end of my period to the beginning of my next period. I’m bloated and in pain. Had ovarian cancer blood test a few years ago (thankfully was negative) because I was that bad. But now I get worried there’s something v wrong.
Just wondering if you hear of people experiencing feelings similar to morning sickness with ovulation. I’ve been experiencing that along with bloating and COMPLETE exhaustion the last few months, this month especially bad. (To the point I had to take gravol last night just to feel somewhat human!!!)
Hi,
When hormones shift, yes, you can experience nausea. You could try getting your hormones checked to see how they are. Make sure to check for progesterone. To know more precisely what you may be experiencing it may be helpful for you to speak with one of my counselors – you can set this up easily.
Alisa
I’ve had surgery for Endometriosis September 2016. Been trying to get pregnant to no availability. Now I experience bloating right after ovulation. It’s very uncomfortable should I be concerned. I was also diagnosed with fibroids before the surgery and I’m not sure If they were removed.
Hi Juanulete,
I recommend that you schedule a visit with your doctor to have a closer look.
Alisa
Thank you for this precious advice, it is so clear and your solutions simple and affordable. I have a question for you: could all these symptoms be linked to pre-menopausal transition period so to speak? I am almost 45 and have experienced worsening symptoms the last few years: irregular and shorter cycles, important mood swings getting to the point of a complete sense of “doom and gloom” before ovulation then again before menstrations, which are horrible. The tiredness is huge, feeling of hopelessness too. The bloating, especially lately, has become incredible, and the pain is quite strong especially when i sit down. I have started today, before i read your article, to take a magnesium and B6 supplement, and can’t wait to see what it will do. So could all this be hormones mess-up in the lead to menopause? Thank you. Bénédicte
Hi Benedicte,
These symptoms certainly like up with perimenopausal hormone fluctuations, but they are still not “normal”, as in they shouldn’t be happening. I look to supporting your blood sugar overall, and supporting your adrenals! The supplements should help as well!
Alisa
I wonder, how can menstruation affect the small intestine. I follow the diet; i don’t drink coffee or caffeinated tea that often, maybe once a week; i eat brasilian nuts, leafy greens in every meal; i take probiotics; i eliminated dairy; I don’t eat red meat; i drink 4-5 glasses of warm water a day. Still i bloat. And bloating starts during the ovulation phase. Without constipation or gas. I just feel tension in my gut, somewhere in small intestine, and the whole area under the navel looks like a balloon. And when The Menstruation comes, i feel pain in small intestine. Can that be some kind of irritated bowel syndrom?
Menstruation produces hormones that cause contractions. These hormones can cause contractions in other muscles close to the uterus, such as the intestines. I have IBS and my IBS acts up during my period not just because I tend to eat unhealthy during menstruation but also because of the hormones activating them. That’s what I was told when I went to the doctor with the issue you are talking about.
How do you tackle this?? Thank you
Nice info! Thank you!
Hello Alisa,
I’m wondering if you have any info on why I’m getting terribly painful headaches right behind my eyes, usually my left eye leading up to ovulation. I thought at first it was a blood sugar issue, but I’ve experimented eating different foods at different times and nothing seems to help. I’m thinking it’s some sort of hormonal something happening, just not sure what. I recently read WomanCode and have been slowly going through the protocol. I’m 25, never been on the pill. Thanks for all your help!!
I’ve been experiencing severe ovulation pain for a couple of years. It is worse than any pain I’ve experienced, even period cramps. I have Never had issues like this before and while I’m perimenopausal I’m not sure if that’s why. I do have a fibroid and a cyst, but my doctor doesn’t seem too concerned and have done numerous ultrasounds and a biopsy on my uterus. Been seeing a naturopath and Accupuncturist trying to balance hormones, but still experiencing the pain, this month 4 days in a row. I can’t find anything to relieve it, its brutal.Any suggestions, I am at a loss and really frustrated. Thanks
Hi there Lynn,
I have been scrolling through this forum and when I found your post I had to get in touch! I’m wondering if you have any updates? My issue sounds like yours…I am 49 and last week I had 3-4 days of recurring, agonizing “attacks” of what I think is ovulation pain. Worst pain I’ve had, and as bad as being in labour- but at least labour pains lasted only a minute or so at at time! These “attacks” are in my lower right side, but spread from there up around hip, into back, and really that whole side of abdomen. They came on about 3 times per 24 hours, and lasted about 30-40 minutes. The pain is so bad that it made me feel pretty frantic, just writhing around moaning and not able to help it! Heating pad was a saving grace. Once the pain subsided, I would be fine – until the next one. I can’t imagine how simply ovulating could cause such agony! I have had the more common stabby/twingy low-grade ovulation “pain” plenty of times in my life, then I started getting these horrible attacks now and then (but very rarely) in my 40’s, but it would just be one attack maybe 3 times a year, and usually in the night. Suddenly having 8 attacks in 3 days is a huge problem! I have a doctor’s appointment this week. Anyway, I would love to hear from you.
Thank you thank you all for more insight to this bloating I’ve been having while ovulating. It’s so frustrating. I had a uterine ablasion about 8 yrs now, so thankfully no periods since I had it. I highly recommend it actually. I do feel my ovulation, I try to take Motrin as soon as I feel it. Thanks again for all the input. I’m going to look into many ideas given to help me with the Awful bloat
Hi, I’m 32. I have 1 daughter. Natural birth. I’ve been to the gynaecologist twice since November with unexplained bleeding during sex. I also started bleeding when squeezing when going to the bathroom. The first time the gynaecologist cauterised some cells on my cervix and I had a transvaginal ultrasound and the next time they did a similar thing with a vein near my cervix. Recently I have started passing blood clots when I have sex or squeeze when I go to the toilet. The gynoclogist said they didn’t need to see me again and if the bleeding persisted they recommend me going on the pill. My periods are a lot lighter off the pill and my hair is a little thicker so I don’t want to. However my bloating is absolutely terrible when I ovulate (I actually triple in size) and I feel so heavy & lethargic. Also during ovulation my bladder is irritated and I wake 2-3 times a night to pee. Do you think magnesium would help me? Any other thoughts? Thanks you
Hello and help! ? I am 35 and the month I turned 35 everything changed. I eat so healthy! I’ve now given up coffee and wine too desperate to change things! I exercise regularly and I don’t have a ton of stress but all of a sudden ovulation is the worst! Pain, horrible mood from now until period. (Just ovulated that’s why I was looking this up ?) my stomach sticks out like I’m pregnant for the time from ovulation to period…I take a bunch of natural supplements… And I’ve gained a couple pounds… And I’ve never gained weight in 15 years since college besides pregnancies. I don’t love this feeling ? Im going to try the detox and I just bought the medicine book. My Dr said to take birth control to fix it ? which means I could be a little crazy every day vs right now feeling crazy for 2 weeks. So I didn’t do it. But I’m getting desperate
I would ask to get a trans vaginal ultrasound to rule out any cysts.
Alisa
Hi I have bloating and leg cramps. I am on day 12/13 of a cycle which is usually 28 days like clockwork. My question is, did I already ovulate or are these symptoms likely a day or two BEFORE I ovulate? My tracker says that I ovulate tomorrow but I’d like to know for when I TTC.
Thank you, but how do rid the body of the excess estrogen? From juicing? It does not seem clear. But I do agree from my own experience and research it’s from excess estrogen….I use a progesterone cream, yet still experiencing mid cycle discomfort..feels like bloating and inflammation. I know I need to cut coffee out at this time and alcohol, but will that be enough?
After doing sex my period has lost.why??I want to get my period back what I can do
Hello. Wondering if anyone can help. Every month 2 weeks after period I get light bleeding cramps and become very hormonal and tired. What is this should I be conceded?
Hi Mary,
This could be ovulation spotting, if the cramp is located on one side of your pelvic area only. When the egg is released it can release a little blood and cause some twinges. However, it is important to have this checked out, to rule out cysts or other issues.
XO Alisa
Hi I was wondering if it’s okay to sprinkle a small amount of salt in the detox soups? Also I use oatmilk for smoothies often, is that still okay or should I just use water instead?
Thanks!
Hello,
I just recently went off birth control and had my first full cycle off the pill. My first “real” period was normal however I wasn’t sure what to except when it came to ovulating. I took the LH tests each day but didn’t get a positive until day 18 (and I wasn’t 100% sure it looked positive). Around that time and the days following I experienced awful cramps (both sides) and severe bloating; way worse than period. It lasted about 3-4 days and then went away. Is this due to ovulation or is it something more serious? Again, first cycle so not sure what to expect or if this may be normal when coming off the pill at first.
I also get terrible migraines before ovulation that often begin behind one eye. I am interested in hearing the response!
Hi Laura,
If you start eating cyclically, this will support your hormone balance throughout your cycle. The headaches are caused by hormone fluctuations, and when they occur during key times this can cause headaches. The usual culprit is estrogen, so using the foods to keep estrogen levels regular will help you!
Alisa
Hello,
I’ve been having ovulation spotting for the past year and a half after my period returned from my first child. The spotting typically lasts 2-3 days and is cervical mucus tinged dark red and enough to need a panty liner. My MD tried to brush is off saying “ovulation spotting happens sometimes”. I pushed for some testing and received a pelvic and transvaginal ultrasound which apparently had no abnormalities. I also get anxiety and migraine before ovulation. Should I be pushing the MD for more?
Laura
I have been following the cycle syncing method and taking the balance supplements for 2 months now and my cycle is SO close to perfect! I line up exactly with lunar cycles and have all the “normal” signs, EXCEPT for horrible breakouts and mood swings during ovulation. Strangely my menstrual week is great now, and its just during ovulation where I get really irritable/depressed and cystic acne on my chin. Is there anything else I can do to support my body before/during ovulation? What do you think the root cause could be?
Thank you!!
Hi Marina,
There are so many hormones at play! Testosterone is high, estrogen is hanging around, and progesterone starts to increase at the end of ovulation – you can see how this may cause some issues. Try adding in a green juice or smoothie: liver support foods like cilantro, celery, green apple, lemon (including rind), etc. Make sure you are staying hydrated… try this for starters.
XO, Christina – FLO Coach
I generally feel pretty good around ovulation. Slight cramping when I know I’m ovulating. But by the week before my period I’m exhausted and I’m usually having brown discharge, not heavy (some days it’s more the color of period blood) maybe you’d call it spotting for about 5 days before my period starts. It’s almost like I have a 2 week period because the week before there is some blood every day and then the period hits after about 5 days of that. My period is very regular and I’ve never been on hormonal birth control. What could this be from?