No period for 3 years- calorie deficits

meghanner

After the sudden tragic loss of my husband 3 years ago my periods stopped. Part of it I believe was stress of losing him, part of it was the stress of a busy medical residency and the final piece of the puzzle is that my training dramatically increased to help me cope with all the stress. My calorie consumption declined putting me into a constant deficit.

3 years later I still have a consistent deficit of 300-800 calories/day during active days (5/days a week). I am 5'5" 111lbs 13.5% bf. I generally eat around 1500 calories a day, a bit more if I'm in the mountains. I don't eat gluten, sugar, fruit (fructose allergy) or any processed food. Some would qualify my diet as modified paleo/primal (I enjoy toast for breakfast..which I won't give up). Although I'm my lowest weight since an adolescent I'm finally happy with my body and don't want to put on any weight.

I've seen a number of physicians (I'm in the reproductive health field but am not my own best patient) who have diagnosed me with luteal failure. My estrogen, progesterone, testosterone are all low. I struggle with fatigue and occasional depression. Thyroid and iron are all apparently ok. I always thought that periods could stop due to stress. Although I live a pretty high stress life, I now live a lovely life with a new partner and am managing stress much better. I recently did some reading about ammenhorea caused by chronic calorie deficits. Anyone else heard of this?

Any suggestions?

TheNewJessieMae

Do you really want a period? I would be in heaven!!!! I can't seem to get mine to stop!!!

I'm so sorry for your loss, but very glad you found a healthy coping mechanism and that you are moving on!! I know a couple of people who could learn something from you!!!!

Inspiration. Period or not.

Genie30

Hi,

Yes, I've heard of it. It's quite common in eating disorder patients who have a BMI of under 17.5 (not sure what that is in percentage as we don't tend to use that in the UK). Basically their body isn't getting enough calories to support non-essential functions so it shuts down.

Genie

kjensen15

Hi,

Yes, I've heard of it. It's quite common in eating disorder patients who have a BMI of under 17.5 (not sure what that is in percentage as we don't tend to use that in the UK). Basically their body isn't getting enough calories to support non-essential functions so it shuts down.

Genie

Agreeed... Its not neccesarily the calorie deficit but what that calorie deficit is doing to your body.

downtome

I'm quite the opposite. I didn't have a period for almost 4 years, I think I had a total of 2 in that time! Now that I have lost 40 pounds, I am having one every month again like clock work. I believe thay my weight, being heavy and stress of divorce and separation had caused that. My doctor was concerned and sent me for numorous test, She also told me that if I didn't have a period or periods, that it could cause some type of female cancer. As much as I hate my periods, I'm glad they are finally back! It's amazing what stress and weight can cause your body to do or not do! You may not be eating enough and coupled with the stress could be causing your body to react as mine did. I'm not sure what else to say but just wanted to let you know that I had a similiar problem. Good luck hun, glad things are better for you now. Take care.

Denise

JoyfullySimpleFit

I have not heard of this. But thanks for posting. I was reluctant to post something like this. But since I have started working out, eating alot better, and drinking Shakeology (only changes that were made) I have not had a period since October? I was concerned about this and still am a little. However I have not medical coverage so I have not seen a doctor about it. I feel fine other wise and have not noticed anything abnormal or "funny" going on. Is that how you are/were feeling too? I will difinately look that one up and start a little research. I am not complaining about not having a period but it is our bodys way of telling us all is well.
Thanks again for posting and if you have anyother information feel free to send it my way!

Awineburg

Ive heard that athletes can get this, not sure why though. I currently suffer from it, but only because I weight too much lol.

DeeDeeLHF

First, I am very sorry about your husband and happy to see that you are in a new relationship. What a huge loss especially while in the midst of a residency.

My thoughts are sensitive...if it is too much, please just disregard.

As you already well know, all of those sex hormones are fat soluble. Without the fat, they just cannot do their job, thus your anovulatory cycles and lack of menstruation. (OR with too much fat, they can "get lost")

I have a dear friend and she too is very happy with her lower weight, in fact, her stats are very close to yours. Some say she is too thin but she feels really comfortable at that weight. She has little breast tissue and struggles with excess facial hair but none of that is enough for her to change what she is doing. She is extremely active and eats really healthy. She too has had more years of amenorrhea than years where she experienced a menses. After years of marriage, she was able to conceive and had a healthy child.

As for me, I have a very short luteal phase (10 days) and when I desired a baby found staying pregnant difficult. I am almost 5 ft 2 and weighed 102#. Each time, I focused on gaining 10# and bingo, each time I hit 112, I conceived.


There is a psychological aspect that affects our cycles and losing your husband could suppress normal cycles. I had a serious accident in that I was run over by my own van when a man hijacked my vehicle with my children inside. I tried holding onto the van as it was driving away (I was loading stuff in on the passenger side and since it was a very cold winter day I had the van running, he jumped in the drivers seat and took off, I tried to hold onto the van door and was dragged and then run over)...anyway...it really messed up my thinking of my motherhood. "What kind of mother am I?" illogical given the circumstances that I was a victim of a crime but my menses where totally messed up for awhile. (tmi here but my menses were a thick black tarry substance for months). After some treatment (homeopathic) and spiritual direction, it straightened out but my luteal phase has never returned to normal.

All choices come with consequences. Personally, I think you might want to try gaining a bit. See if that helps. Low hormones can influence other body systems that can alter your health in undesirable ways. If you are happy though, then accept it as part of your choice but I don't think you are entirely happy with it or you know enough to know that this might not be a healthy weight for you.

D

DeeDeeLHF

I have not heard of this. But thanks for posting. I was reluctant to post something like this. But since I have started working out, eating alot better, and drinking Shakeology (only changes that were made) I have not had a period since October? I was concerned about this and still am a little. However I have not medical coverage so I have not seen a doctor about it. I feel fine other wise and have not noticed anything abnormal or "funny" going on. Is that how you are/were feeling too? I will difinately look that one up and start a little research. I am not complaining about not having a period but it is our bodys way of telling us all is well.
Thanks again for posting and if you have anyother information feel free to send it my way!

My CNM once told me that for every 10 pounds we lose, our bodies need to re-adjust, and that includes the endocrine system. I have never researched this personally, but admittedly it is what I experienced.

D

SHBoss1673

personally, it sounds like you know the answer to your question, but the personal nature of the issue is clouding your judgement. Please know that anything I write here is simply observational statement, nothing is intended as inflammatory or caustic to you on a personal level. This topic is sensitive in nature and short of giving you a virtual pat on the back, anything said will probably sting a little. Please don't take it as any kind of personal attack, I am striving to simply be honest and help.

Couple of Stand out triggers I see that point to psychological issues are:

1) that you are 5'5" and 111 lbs and are worried about gaining weight (at this body fat % your focus should be health and how you look and feel, not what your weight is) As a medical professional you should know (and I'm sure you do on non-personal levels) that weight is pretty much arbitrary and it's far more about body fat % and muscle mass than how much you weigh. That you can't separate this knowledge from your own situation tells me that there's some underlying psychological issue that you haven't resolved yet.

2) Hormone levels are low, yet you continue to eat at an alarmingly low rate for someone who is already at the bottom of the healthy body fat scale. This tells me you have reasons that aren't physical that are causing you to harm your body (and this is what you are doing).

3) The fatigue symptoms alone should be enough to prompt you to make a change. Yet they haven't.

Now for the good news.
Posting on here means on some level you're ready to cope with the problems. Make no mistake, I'd bet my house that these are at least partially psychological (as I'm sure you've guessed) but just knowing a problem exists doesn't resolve it in many cases. I would first and foremost contact a mental health professional and try to talk about your problems. Maybe these are related to your prior issues, maybe they're related to something deeper and your husband's death only exacerbated the issue, I don't know, but there's obviously something there that's still causing you enough stress to force you to cope by using food.

that's my thoughts at least, take them for what they are worth.

-Banks

♥Faerie♥

Its more known in the ED world, I know of numerous girls that have lost their periods due to starving themselves. The sad thing is, that sometimes, they see it as an accomplishment.... Basically if you starve your body, it will in turn cease things that use energy in a attempt to conserve, ie your period. I have lost mine once, but that was when I was VERY underweight, and I am at 104 right now, and have a period. I am only one inch shorter than you, so I would think that your situation may be due more to the stress, as it doesn't seem that you suffer from an ED. Best of luck to you♥

TheMaidOfAstolat

Its more known in the ED world, I know of numerous girls that have lost their periods due to starving themselves. The sad thing is, that sometimes, they see it as an accomplishment.... Basically if you starve your body, it will in turn cease things that use energy in a attempt to conserve, ie your period. I have lost mine once, but that was when I was VERY underweight, and I am at 104 right now, and have a period. I am only one inch shorter than you, so I would think that your situation may be due more to the stress, as it doesn't seem that you suffer from an ED. Best of luck to you♥

Yep. I lost mine for 2 years due to an ED. See a doctor, start increasing your cals slowly, and realize that stress is a factor but it can be over come. *hugs*

FearAnLoathing

mine are like freaking clockwork.except for the whole year after I stopped depro vera then I didnt have them for a year and when they started again they were horribal.now i have cramps when I never did before.but I have heard that stress can mess them up,ive just never heard of it happening for this long.i hope everything works out for you

meghanner

Thanks you guys. I appreciate your honest and thoughtful replies. Yes, I do believe there are some underlying emotional/psychological issues that are at the root of this for me. I'm a firm believer that the mind and body are so interconnected and inseparable. I am going to see a psychologist to help me cope with grief and stress management. It's true, I do use food as a way of maintaining some control over a life that sometimes seems out of my control. Apparently this is quite common after the loss of a loved one. I've been reflecting quite a bit on this in the past few months and sometimes I think that keeping my intake low is a way of punishing myself for feeling so sad about the loss of my loved one and the life we planned together. It is very hard to process loss, grief and deep rooted issues when you live a busy work life and are on call 300+ days a year. It's also hard to let go of old habits and admittedly I'm a bit afraid to get a period back. This is something that perhaps I need to delve into further.
Healing your mind and body is a long journey...perhaps life long but I do want to have a family one day (I'm 31) and need to look forward instead of always looking behind and too far into myself.
Cheers

SHBoss1673

Thanks you guys. I appreciate your honest and thoughtful replies. Yes, I do believe there are some underlying emotional/psychological issues that are at the root of this for me. I'm a firm believer that the mind and body are so interconnected and inseparable. I am going to see a psychologist to help me cope with grief and stress management. It's true, I do use food as a way of maintaining some control over a life that sometimes seems out of my control. Apparently this is quite common after the loss of a loved one. I've been reflecting quite a bit on this in the past few months and sometimes I think that keeping my intake low is a way of punishing myself for feeling so sad about the loss of my loved one and the life we planned together. It is very hard to process loss, grief and deep rooted issues when you live a busy work life and are on call 300+ days a year. It's also hard to let go of old habits and admittedly I'm a bit afraid to get a period back. This is something that perhaps I need to delve into further.
Healing your mind and body is a long journey...perhaps life long but I do want to have a family one day (I'm 31) and need to look forward instead of always looking behind and too far into myself.
Cheers

it's good that you recognize it though. Good luck, I'm actually writing a book that goes into this somewhat. I.E. the relationship between physical weight gain (or loss as the case may be) and emotional issues. The book deals with men and healthy weight loss, but personally I feel that this is a bigger issue for guys than women, I don't mean dealing with weight, but rather recognizing weight as a symptom of disassociative psychological trauma.