Women only (Irregular Periods)

KrystalAmbro

Hi, I am a 25 year old runner who hasn't had a period on my own since last March. I have seen my doctor and I have been put on Provera a few times for a withdrawal bleed, but he doesn't seem to be too worried as all tests have came back normal. I have been irregular since becoming a more dedicated runner usually logging 30-45 miles a week and recently did my first marathon. I am 5'5" and about 119 pounds, with eating between 1,800-2,100 calories a day.
I am looking for advice in active women who have lost their periods but got them back as I am worrying about having fertility issues down the road.
I am not looking to run less as I have a goal for qualifying for the Boston Marathon next year

Francl27

I lost my period for a couple months when I got to my lowest weight, and had a deficit too high, but it came back once I started eating more. My guess is that you're not eating enough - your maintenance is probably closer to 2300 calories.

clyn90

I never lost mine completely but it faded to only spotting for 1 day once a month and that is obviously not normal. I was actively trying for a baby at the time so I turned to a website called baby center for advice. On top of upping calories a bit I would add a cup of red raspberry leaf tea once a day. If you can't handle the taste they make a pill form too. Pomegranate juice is said to increase the lining as well. Now I was told to only do that the first half of my cycle because I was actually trying to get pregnant and red raspberry leaf tea is a no no until the last trimester. I'm assuming it would be fine to do every day since you are not currently trying. Also it wouldn't hurt to download the app fertility friend and temp track ovulation just to see what your body is up to. I find it odd your doctor didn't seem to care. It is definitely not normal for a 25 year old to not get a period for that long. One more thing, I heard going on birth control for a few months can jump start things but I have no experience with that.

macgurlnet

I'm shorter and lighter than you are (5 feet tall, 116 lbs) and maintain on an average of 2k calories if I'm getting in a decent amount of activity (3-5 miles of running 2-3 times per week, plus 8k or so steps per day).

Up your calories a bit, especially increasing fat, and see how things go.

~Lyssa

estherdragonbat

I tend to go irregular in times of high stress. This has been a thing since I was in my late 20s. It hasn't happened often, but there've been a maybe two or three times in ten years where they've stopped. Now that I'm also in my mid-forties, I'm starting to wonder about whether I'm in the early stages of menopause. When I've talked to my doctor about it, he does a pregnancy test to rule that out and tells me it's likely stress. And very often, getting that diagnosis seems to start the period again in a week or so. (I suspect that, on top of my pre-existing stress, I get stressed about not having the period and wondering if it's not something more serious. Getting told by a professional that it's not serious helps me relax.)

demorelli

Some women become irregular or stop having periods when restricting calories or burning significantly more than they eat. Throughout history it has served to prevent pregnancy when food supply is low to avoid the risks caused by a malnourished pregnancy. You could try upping your calories for a couple months to see if they return or otherwise just wait until you're considering wanting to get pregnant and reduce your running a few months in advance.

x_Vicky_x_86

Hi, it's really strange how I came across this post, I don't really come into this community section, I just use mfp to log my food & run my Fitbit alongside, but having been having fertility problems for over a year & a half now I decided to just type in 'fertility' in the search bar & came across your post, and was pleasantly surprised it was quite recent too so still valid.
Although I am not a runner, and I don't do any major exercise at the moment other than walking the dog 3 days a week I think I do have a similar problem of burning more calories than I eat as I have been restricting mine for a long time now (1200-1400 & I'm 31 5ft 2 & currently 117lbs) i have a very physically active job, according to my Fitbit charge HR I walk around 10-12k a day on average & burn 1500-2000 a day.
I've been having various tests done to try to figure out why I have not had a period since coming off contraception 2 years ago, as we are trying for a baby, well I say trying, no ovulation gives little hope, anyway they haven't found much other than a thin uterine lining which I'm on meds for to help thicken now, but I've only recently learnt that not eating enough can cause periods to stop even if you aren't really underweight, I've not once been asked about my diet at the hospital but they had said to not get any leaner & did ask if I done any regular strenuous exercise.
Sorry this is turning into a bit of a waffle! Anyway short of it is, if your periods have become irregular it could well be down to your body not getting enough calories to keep itself running smoothly, I agree you should up them & see how you get on, i am this week doing the same, hard because I'm scared of gaining too much weight but at the same time i know my body needs it, you need to look after yourself.

livingleanlivingclean

I lost mine about 6 years ago, after I'd been training/dieting for a few months. I wasn't particularly lean, or being overly restrictive with my diet.

After losing lots of weight, I got in to bodybuilding and competed quite a few times which isn't conducive to getting it back. I've eaten in a surplus for prolonged periods though, and gained fat/weight (past the point of me being comfortable with how I look). My progesterone is very low, but everything else is normal.

My period came back last year 3 times, in the space of 6-8 weeks - after not training for about 3 months. This was the only significant training break I'd had since starting. I was trying to lose weight at the time. As soon as I started training again it disappeared. I'm competing in may, so continuing to train, but will reduce training dramatically after that to see what happens...

bbell1985

I lost my period last year for only a month while I was in a steep deficit and got it back right when I started eating again.

This year, since July, I have only had 2 periods. One in October and one in January. I really can't tell if I will get another this month or not. I have NOT been in a deficit. I am training hard though. I don't know...I'm a little nervous too.

Famof72015

I've lost mine. But mine was never regular. Isn't uncommon for mine to come very 40 days or so... although when I was losing it left for a few months and now is very scant but I still have PMS and worse as I'm getting older, 35 next month.

Is everyone else still experiencing PMS with a irregular or absent period?

bbell1985

Famof72015 wrote: »

I've lost mine. But mine was never regular. Isn't uncommon for mine to come very 40 days or so... although when I was losing it left for a few months and now is very scant but I still have PMS and worse as I'm getting older, 35 next month.

Is everyone else still experiencing PMS with a irregular or absent period?

Yeah I think I am. I still get hungry around that time, and I've always gotten moody around the time I ovulate.

This is a stupid question but...if I'm not getting my period, does that mean I'm not ovulating at all? Or can I ovulate and not get my period? I probably should have googled that or known it. I just assumed I wasn't ovulating.

lilolilo920

I lost my period for over a year while underweight, got it back once I was weight restored, and since starting an exercise routine and going to college, have not seen it!! Been eating in a surplus and nothing yet!

However, super interesting about the ovulating without a period!