Amenorrhea? How to re-gain period back.

alechua

My doctor told me that the body will stop ovulating and/or stop having periods if there is too much stress on the body to support a healthy pregnancy. Could be anything from lack of enough calories, protein, healthy fats, and/or iron. I did ballet and a lot of the really skinny girls who ate very little and did a lot of exercise tended to go for months without periods. See a doctor but in the meantime eat more, especially protein and iron containing foods. If your hair isn't falling out it may be iron not protein, but a doctor will have to do a blood test, and tell her what you eat each day and how much exercise etc.

Also have them check your B12 levels. If you are not getting enough animal products or B12 vitamin, you could have "pernicious anemia" which looks like low iron, has low iron symptoms like amenorrhea, but is really low B12. Just in case.

I actually notice a significant increased in my hair falling out. I have no idea if this has something to do with my period stopping.

alechua

I had Provera to treat my amenorrhea in what's known as a "progesterone challenge", which is used as both a diagnostic tool and to induce periods in patients with amenorrhea. I have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) which has led to difficulties with my periods from the very first one, and in people with sufficient estradiol (a form of estrogen) giving patients Provera for I think seven days, and then withdrawing it, should induce bleeding withing 2-7 days. If there's something more complicated going on, after 7 days there will still not be bleeding. I don't know if this fits the dosage instructions your doctor gave you, but this is my experience!

In my personal case, I experienced no real problem with taking the Provera beyond a slight increase in the hair on my upper lip, which I will admit was embarrassing, but was easily waxed off. After completing the week long course of Provera, it took the full 7 days for me to get a period. It made no difference to the long-term regularity of my cycle, because of the PCOS - I still need to be on some form of hormone therapy, be it the pill (which I can't take) or Provera, to force periods to occur at the right time.

Really, though, don't sweat about amenorrhea too much. You only need a good bleed every 3-4 months to keep things properly healthy, and I've gone up to 10 months without a period and everything is still in working order. You just learn to roll with it.

Thanks! But I'm really worried since this is the first time i skipped period ever, and worst is, this is already my 2nd month skipping my period.

alechua

Recent Update: Has anyone missed their periods, but occasionally having some discharge? Could it still be amenorrhea? I'm really confused now.

AlsDonkBoxSquat

1) See your doctor
in the mean time:
2) when did you start working out
3) how are you estimating your caloric burn?
4) at what rate have you been losing weight?
5) how active were you before this happened?
6) what is your current bf%?

alechua

1) See your doctor
in the mean time:
2) when did you start working out
3) how are you estimating your caloric burn?
4) at what rate have you been losing weight?
5) how active were you before this happened?
6) what is your current bf%?

2.) I started end of May 2013, enrolling in a zumba class. It lasted for 2 months. Then August - Jillian Michaels Workout. September-Mid October Fitness Blender workout. Last 2 weeks of October-up to present turbofire and blogilates.
3.) Present: I just do research on the calories burned in turbofire. I don't count calories burned in blogilates, since I'm only doing like 2 short video workouts. When I was still doing Fitnessblender workout, they provide their estimated caloric burn. When I was still doing Jillian Michael's workout, I am not actually tracking my caloric burn.
4.) I don't actually weigh myself too much like weekly. When I weigh last mid-august, I am 130lbs, and when I weigh last week I'm down to 120lbs.
5.) Mid-august, my last period. I was doing HIIT workout everyday! Wrong move I guess. so in september i missed my period
6.) Haven't measured my body fat %.

alechua

Seriously you NEED to see a Dr. It could be something basic it could be something that requires medical intervention. If you wish to have kids some day why risk it? My sister had this and it turned out to be hormonal issues, she now needs to take medication for it. So please go see a professional. All the best! And congrats on your amazing achievements! =D

I definitely do want to have kids in the future. However, I'm currently afraid to gain back lbs. I still want to build muscles and lose some fats.

momRN2B

i would not go by BMI since its inaccurate. Body fat % is a better way of measuring. I am 5' 2 and i maintained at 120-125 lbs and wore a size 2. I dont think you need to lose a lb. more. Continue with your exercise and make sure you are getting in enough calories. And definitely go see a Dr. You also might want to invest in a HRM so you can accurately account for your workout burns.

susannamarie

When you add in that your hair is falling out, I would definitely talk to your doctor.

alechua

When you add in that your hair is falling out, I would definitely talk to your doctor.

Oh no.. This made me nervous.

alechua

i would not go by BMI since its inaccurate. Body fat % is a better way of measuring. I am 5' 2 and i maintained at 120-125 lbs and wore a size 2. I dont think you need to lose a lb. more. Continue with your exercise and make sure you are getting in enough calories. And definitely go see a Dr. You also might want to invest in a HRM so you can accurately account for your workout burns.

Thanks for the advice!

alechua

According to this website, http://www.healthyforms.com/helpful-tools/body-fat-percentage.php
my calculated body fat percentage is 25% and within normal range.

roxylola

Surely all the more reason to go to the doctor for what is a health problem not a fitness related one.

Also regards the negative pg tests, you can have what is known as false negatives. The discharge could easily indicate pregnancy or an STI either of which you need to know about asap. Or it could be related to the pill you are now taking. If you have been sexually active since your last period you need to go back to the doctor and get everything checked.

Finally, have you done a cycle on the pill yet if you have and have not had a period then this again indicates something could be amiss beyond exercise and diet and I would want to get this checked before I worried about whether I needed to eat more or exercise less.

FitCanuckChick

This happened to me after a huge 100+ weightloss - stopped in my last 20 lbs to my goal - however I was in my mid 30s and done having kids and was training for a half marathon at the time. I did go and see my GP (but I had seen him a few times during my weightloss). He ran some tests to ensure it wasn't anything else, but told me me, it was likely a combination of the weightloss and my hormones readjusting and the fact that I was training for a half. I was told if it didn't start up in 6 months to come back.

alechua

Surely all the more reason to go to the doctor for what is a health problem not a fitness related one.

Also regards the negative pg tests, you can have what is known as false negatives. The discharge could easily indicate pregnancy or an STI either of which you need to know about asap. Or it could be related to the pill you are now taking. If you have been sexually active since your last period you need to go back to the doctor and get everything checked.

Finally, have you done a cycle on the pill yet if you have and have not had a period then this again indicates something could be amiss beyond exercise and diet and I would want to get this checked before I worried about whether I needed to eat more or exercise less.

Actually, I've never had sex, so I'm 100% sure I'm not pregnant. and I didn't take any pill, like birth control pills, still didn't take what my doctor prescribed which is provera. Maybe I really need to go to a doctor. The doctor who prescribed the provera is actually a friend of my mom, and my mom just consulted the doctor regarding my situation thru phone call.

alechua

This happened to me after a huge 100+ weightloss - stopped in my last 20 lbs to my goal - however I was in my mid 30s and done having kids and was training for a half marathon at the time. I did go and see my GP (but I had seen him a few times during my weightloss). He ran some tests to ensure it wasn't anything else, but told me me, it was likely a combination of the weightloss and my hormones readjusting and the fact that I was training for a half. I was told if it didn't start up in 6 months to come back.

I hope we'd regain our periods back...

SoDamnHungry

Seriously you NEED to see a Dr. It could be something basic it could be something that requires medical intervention. If you wish to have kids some day why risk it? My sister had this and it turned out to be hormonal issues, she now needs to take medication for it. So please go see a professional. All the best! And congrats on your amazing achievements! =D

I definitely do want to have kids in the future. However, I'm currently afraid to gain back lbs. I still want to build muscles and lose some fats.

Why do you think you'd gain weight? As long as you're burning as much as you eat, it will be fine.

You said you're netting 1500-1700 a day, right? So you're eating back all of your exercise calories? The hair loss thing made me think I should double-check this just to be sure. Hair falling out can happen when you're not eating enough or not getting enough nutrients.

musiqueange

I did not have a period for two years (I have PCOS plus I was quite overweight for my height) but now it's been a year on birth control (plus weight loss) and I have regular periods. If I was okay after two years without a period, I think you will be fine. But you should still see your doctor. (I do NOT recommend waiting as long as I did, haha - I just never had normal periods/I was in college at the time.)

ETA: A side effect of provera is hair loss.

SueInAz

If you've only missed a month or so I really wouldn't stress out about it. It happens from time to time. Stress itself can also cause missed periods so take a deep breath and try to relax.

I'm not taking the pill and I'm usually pretty regular, myself, averaging about 29 days between cycles. However, this summer I was under a LOT of stress (just thinking about it raises my blood pressure a bit!) and I went 74 days between cycles. That certainly didn't help my stress levels because I don't need another baby at age 47! My stressful situation improved and my period returned on its own in September and has been regular since.

So I'd suggest not worrying about it for now. If you're not having sex, then you know you're not pregnant. If it goes another few months without returning THEN I'd go see a GYN about it.

alechua

Seriously you NEED to see a Dr. It could be something basic it could be something that requires medical intervention. If you wish to have kids some day why risk it? My sister had this and it turned out to be hormonal issues, she now needs to take medication for it. So please go see a professional. All the best! And congrats on your amazing achievements! =D

I definitely do want to have kids in the future. However, I'm currently afraid to gain back lbs. I still want to build muscles and lose some fats.

Why do you think you'd gain weight? As long as you're burning as much as you eat, it will be fine.

You said you're netting 1500-1700 a day, right? So you're eating back all of your exercise calories? The hair loss thing made me think I should double-check this just to be sure. Hair falling out can happen when you're not eating enough or not getting enough nutrients.

I just recently increased my intake to 1500-1700 this month, before I was really cutting and limiting my daily intake to 1500 or less (gross) since I really wanted to lose the weight fast. I thought my hair loss is due to my shampoo, but then I've tried changing my shampoo for the past 2 months, still no improvement, maybe it is caused by some serious health issue though...

alechua

If you've only missed a month or so I really wouldn't stress out about it. It happens from time to time. Stress itself can also cause missed periods so take a deep breath and try to relax.

I'm not taking the pill and I'm usually pretty regular, myself, averaging about 29 days between cycles. However, this summer I was under a LOT of stress (just thinking about it raises my blood pressure a bit!) and I went 74 days between cycles. That certainly didn't help my stress levels because I don't need another baby at age 47! It returned on its own in September and has been regular since.

So I'd suggest not worrying about it for now. If you're not having sex, then you know you're not pregnant. If it goes another few months without returning THEN I'd go see a GYN about it.

Thanks! I hope it'll come back soon!