Skipped Periods?

MaggieFit622

Now, I know this may sound weird to ask, but some months I have skipped periods. It has become that I have my period every other month. I exercise about 6 days per week, not to vigorous... But, I have had skipped periods ever since I went off the pill in April. Anyone else have problems with their period? I eat around 1,400 calories per day, if that. Should I increase? B/C I am beginning strength training and I definitely want to gain some muscle....

How was everyone's hols btw?

MattieJean21

I went about 6 months without a period last spring. I was on the depo shot... It helped me gain about 40 unwanted pounds... when I didn't go back to get the second shot, my periods were out of wack!! I went to my doctor and he said that the birth control makes the ... Idk exactly but something thin to were it's hard to release eggs... so he said that the reason I hadn't had my period in 6 months is because the birth control hadn't worn away completed or something like that ... if that made ANY sense!!! lol SO that may be why you haven't had your period often.. I spotted a LOT during those 6 months too btw. Now I am on the pill and have a regular but quite short TOM. lol I freak out when I skip, miss, or am late!!! So that is great to have one every month.

fiberartist219

Mine more or less stopped. I went a full two months without one and then this week I spotted just a teeny bit and that's it.

I went to my doctor to see if I should be concerned. He said as long as I feel good and I'm not trying to get pregnant, I am doing just fine.

If I felt tired or weak, he'd probably test my thyroid again. He knows I'm losing weight, but it's about a pound a week at best, and that didn't seem to raise any red flags. I work out 5 days a week for about a half hour, sometimes more, sometimes less.

I also stopped taking the pill in October. I am going to get a copper IUD in January if my insurance approves it.

My doctor said he could test me for PCOS, but since I don't plan on having kids, I really could care less if I'm fertile, since infertility is actually my goal with the IUD.

If you have low body fat, I'd be worried, but if you aren't having any other issues, and you are a healthy weight or over weight, I wouldn't worry.

Demwitted

I had the same issue during and a few months after taking POPs/Mini-pills (the kind with progesterone and no estrogen).... they totally screwed up my cycle. I don't recommend them.

Also, it happens if you are over/under weight. It can also happen if you have PCOS and some other medical conditions. If you are worried about it, you should talk to you gyn. If they want to put you on meds immediately, you should probably get a 2nd opinion. (I had a doctor tell me that I wouldn't be able to have children without fertility meds b/c I skipped. Two months later, I'm now pregnant without having taken any fertility meds.) Skipping isn't usually a big deal. It just happens to some women.

fiberartist219

I agree that it's not a big deal. It just makes "natural family planning" more difficult because you don't know when you are ovulating, but I wasn't going to ever rely on that method anyway.

Yanicka1

Go see your doctor just in case

Lleldiranne

The pill tends to make your period really regular. Without that, it can revert back to its old ways, or even get more irregular. (I always had irregular periods when not on the pill until recently). There's a good chance it is that.
By "skipped", do you mean really late (like 6 weeks from one to the next) or truly skipping one or more (more than 2 months in between). Again, it may just be your body - the 28 day cycle is just the average, and many women don't follow that. But it may be worth getting checked, just in case. Could be a symptom of an underlying issue.
Good luck (and have fun with your strength training!)

swinginchandra

after losing about 50 lbs, I lost my period... haven't found it yet, 6 mos later. every once and a while I get really crabby, or bloated, and I think "Wooop! I get my period back!!" then it doesn't happen... Not that I really miss it or anything, it's just strange not having it.

I did go to the doctor to have my blood tested and all that (for thyroid issues), and they said everything was fine... just normal, takes some time for your body to readjust.

Sidesteal

Go see your doctor just in case

This.

Specify that you are averaging 1400 calories per day and your dietary fat intake is often below 30g. I suspect this is reducing your hormone levels and effecting your cycle, but since I'm not your doctor I have no expectation that you'd take my word for it. Worth mentioning to him/her though.

TrainingWithTonya

It's called amenorrhea and it is a part of the female athlete triad. You are either over training or under eating or both. If you plan to have children in the future, you need to up your calories and cut back your training until you find the balance that works for you to keep your normal cycle, otherwise you could cause permanent fertility problems.

fteale

It's called amenorrhea and it is a part of the female athlete triad. You are either over training or under eating or both. If you plan to have children in the future, you need to up your calories and cut back your training until you find the balance that works for you to keep your normal cycle, otherwise you could cause permanent fertility problems.

This. I get it when I drop under 18% BF, or 112 lbs.

VeggieKelli

I went about 6 months without a period last spring. I was on the depo shot... It helped me gain about 40 unwanted pounds... when I didn't go back to get the second shot, my periods were out of wack!! I went to my doctor and he said that the birth control makes the ... Idk exactly but something thin to were it's hard to release eggs... so he said that the reason I hadn't had my period in 6 months is because the birth control hadn't worn away completed or something like that ... if that made ANY sense!!! lol SO that may be why you haven't had your period often.. I spotted a LOT during those 6 months too btw. Now I am on the pill and have a regular but quite short TOM. lol I freak out when I skip, miss, or am late!!! So that is great to have one every month.

I was on Depo a few years back for about a year, in which it didn't actually eliminate my period, instead I had constant spotting at least 20 days a month and still had the crazy horrible cramping I get which is why I was on it in the first place. When I went off of it I didn't have a period for 10 months!! Depo is pretty crazy stuff, glad to hear someone else out there can commiserate!

That being said, OP, I second everyone who says go see a doctor. To me it sounds like you aren't putting enough calories into your body being that you eat "1400, if that" calories and are working out that much. It could be a lot of things really especially since you are coming off the b.c. but it is best to figure it out now, and like others said be straight about your calorie/exercise/weight loss.

supertracylynn

What's your body fat percentage?

MattieJean21

I really don't recommend the Depo shot for girls at all! It messed my up completely... I haven't been on it for OVER a year and still TRYING to get the weight off! So frustrating :ohwell: ..... It makes me feel better that other people experienced simular things aswell because I thought that there was something wrong with me and I was very worried about my health!

FitForLife81

Yup this just recently started happening to me as well. I am 5'3" and 112lbs and probably 19% bodyfat. I skipped 2 months then took some meds to jump start and then this month only spotted for a day!

blink1021

I went 3 months without mine and I went to the doctor and she first made sure I wasn't pregnant and then she forced me into one she said it wasn't healthy not to have one, everyone is different so I would check with your doctor.

skatermom503

If you've ruled out all the birth control possibilities, it could well be because your calories are too low. Yours sound okay but they may drop a lot if you factor in your exercise calories too. When you take in too few calories, your body starts to shut down what it considers non-vital systems like the hormones that control your periods. They should resume normally when your calorie consumption gets to the correct level. Sometimes, if you go too long without a period, your doctor may suggest inducing one to kick start your hormones. Hope this helps.

MaggieFit622

To answer a few questions:
My body fat, according to several different calculators, is 18%. I am in my bmi range ( 100 pounds at 5' 2''). And, I am first going to up my calories and then see if next month I get my period. I have periods at an every other month schedule. So, I may just have had not had enough calories to level out my increased amount in exercise. I really think it was the pill that screwed up my schedule. I began taking it for acne and then when it began to improve my acne to the point that I didn't need it, I stopped. But, now my periods are a little wacked....

NitaCB

It's called amenorrhea and it is a part of the female athlete triad. You are either over training or under eating or both. If you plan to have children in the future, you need to up your calories and cut back your training until you find the balance that works for you to keep your normal cycle, otherwise you could cause permanent fertility problems.

Yes it's called amenorrhea but it doesn't necessarily mean it's because of the female athlete triad. I didn't have a regular period for over 2 years and I wasn't over training or under eating, nor was my body fat too low. My doctor wasn't too concerned, because he says that everybody has a different level of exercise (and probably food balance) at which the body may shut off periods. I agree, go and see your doctor. But I wouldn't be stressing out over it too much either. I have mine back now, somewhat sporadically, but it does return.

TrainingWithTonya

It's called amenorrhea and it is a part of the female athlete triad. You are either over training or under eating or both. If you plan to have children in the future, you need to up your calories and cut back your training until you find the balance that works for you to keep your normal cycle, otherwise you could cause permanent fertility problems.

Yes it's called amenorrhea but it doesn't necessarily mean it's because of the female athlete triad. I didn't have a regular period for over 2 years and I wasn't over training or under eating, nor was my body fat too low. My doctor wasn't too concerned, because he says that everybody has a different level of exercise (and probably food balance) at which the body may shut off periods. I agree, go and see your doctor. But I wouldn't be stressing out over it too much either. I have mine back now, somewhat sporadically, but it does return.

If you look at the OP's profile, you'll see that she is in recovery from an eating disorder, so yes, it probably is a part of the triad. Over exercising can be a form of eating disorder too, so she needs to cut back on exercise because she could be setting herself up for a relapse. So, my original professional opinion stands. Add more calories and cut back on exercise until everything is normal.

meagalayne

Like many here, I haven't had mine in over a year. I eat a *lot* of food, exercise moderately - although I sporadically train for longer races - and my BMI is around 19. No clue on my body fat % but I'm sure it's around 20-22%... I've still got plenty. I'm 5'7" and hover between 122 and 125lbs lately.

My doctor is not overly concerned, although she does think I should try to gain some weight she understands that I want to do so through lean muscle gain instead of just gaining unsightly fat again. I'm not family planning at all, so it's not really an issue.

Good luck with everything and keep your health as the #1 priority. I agree that seeing a physician is a good idea, but don't fret too much. It is likely not a *huge* deal.

Best of luck :flowerforyou:

MaggieFit622

Thanks everyone! It really means a lot that you all responded And to know that others also have the same issues that I have makes a lot of my anxiety lessen. And I definitely know that a relapse isn't going to happen--that time during my life was during a real rough patch with other familial issues that occured that caused me to feel out of wack. I am, in both my and professional opnion, fully cured of my ED. Thank god for that

meagalayne

Thanks everyone! It really means a lot that you all responded And to know that others also have the same issues that I have makes a lot of my anxiety lessen. And I definitely know that a relapse isn't going to happen--that time during my life was during a real rough patch with other familial issues that occured that caused me to feel out of wack. I am, in both my and professional opnion, fully cured of my ED. Thank god for that

Very happy to hear it! :bigsmile:

busterbluth

I am more willing to guess that stopping the pill is the culprit more than anything else: I'm betting (assuming you don't lose more weight) it will work itself out after you've been off the pill for a while.

redheadmommy

Skipping period while you are on the pill or other hormonal birth control is totally normal and nothing to worry about . The "period" women experience while they are on the pill is not real period anyway. When the very first pills were introduced they made women stop having periods. As it was so new and strange, women didn't like this. Then manufacturers developed pills that made this fake periods, so women do not feel less as a women. After one or two generation grew up with this concept and pill is not new anymore, there started to be a demand for pills without periods for convenience. Anyway having or not having period on hormonal BC doesn't matter.

However, skipping your periods while you are NOT using any hormonal birth control is a big red flag.
It can have many many reasons, but it definitely means your fertility is declined for some reason. Go to a doctor, even if you do not want to get pregnant right now. If there is an underlying problem that left unsolved , it can cause you huge problem later. Since your profile says you love working with children, I assume one day you want children on your own. Do not neglect this problem right now! It comes from a women who are battling infertility for 6 years.

As others mentioned too low body fat can cause you to stop menstruation altogether called primary amenorrhoea. Since we have fertility issues, I have read a lot about body fat and fertility over the years. As too much body fat can interfere with your fertility, too little can be just as bad.

As a PP mentioned earlier female athletes with low body fat often stop having periods. First you are just start to skipping periods and after a certain BF level , your body just stops ovulating altogether because it doesn't have enough storage for baby.

There are studies that suggest that women fertility requirement is somewhere around 22% BF, and ovulation completely stops around 17%, and teenager girls will lower then 17% BF do not even experience menarche. (source: "Body fat, menarche, fitness and fertility"Hum Reprod. 1987 Aug;2(6):521-33., or here an other source"Fatness, menarche, and female fertility.",Perspect Biol Med. 1985 Summer;28(4):611-33. You can look them up on PUBMED)

Since people are different, there are women who may experience this fertility decrease a bit lower or higher BF% , but generally that what science says. BF lower then 22% may look good, but actually start to interfere with the normal female hormonal cycle. Luckily, in most cases it is not a permanent damage, and easily can be corrected by gaining a few pounds.

meagalayne

A few comments for the above poster from someone who has been through this and is currently dealing with it... I'm not getting defensive, just want to highlight that it's a little more complicated than you are making it out to be

However, skipping your periods while you are NOT using any hormonal birth control is a big red flag.
It can have many many reasons, but it definitely means your fertility is declined for some reason. Go to a doctor, even if you do not want to get pregnant right now. If there is an underlying problem that left unsolved , it can cause you huge problem later. Since your profile says you love working with children, I assume one day you want children on your own. Do not neglect this problem right now! It comes from a women who are battling infertility for 6 years.

I understand that you are coming from a place very different from mine, but most doctors do not see this as a "huge problem" or 'a big red flag". It's actually fairly common and if you are eating healthy, training hard, and you're not underweight, there's no reason to feel anxious or obsess about it. Yes - speak to your doctor, but no, don't freak out and think it's a major medical emergency.

Since people are different, there are women who may experience this fertility decrease a bit lower or higher BF% , but generally that what science says. BF lower then 22% may look good, but actually start to interfere with the normal female hormonal cycle. Luckily, in most cases it is not a permanent damage, and easily can be corrected by gaining a few pounds.

This is much easier to preach than to practice, especially for those of us that have lost a lot of weight and continue to battle with food and health issues. Many of us are happy with how hard we've worked to get to where we are and it can be construed as a bit insensitive to suggest that we just "gain a few pounds" to correct what you perceive to be a problem. I'd really rather *not* gain weight back to start menstruating again. I am a healthy weight and I am fairly happy with how I look and feel. It's dismissive of all my hard work for a total stranger to flippantly tell me "gosh, just eat something!"

Just a thought

stylistchik

I've never had a body fat above 22% and I've never had problems with my cycle, even as a teenager. I read a long time ago that you only need 17% bf to carry a child safely, and that somewhere around 14-15% you might lose your cycle. When I was cheering I was 15% bf and I never missed, but I was on BC too, so that wasn't a "real" period anyway. I don't know if that's true but can you have your hormones checked? A more recent article I was reading said that missed menstrual cycles are an indication of a hormone imbalance. If you have lost (or gained) a lot of weight quickly, your body hasn't adjusted its hormone levels for your size yet. You mentioned you not-so-long-ago came off the pill... your body could be trying to adjust your natural hormones. I came off during one of my hubby's deployments and it took the entire 6 months for me to get a period, and by then I went back on the pill because he was coming home! :grumble: Your hormones could also be affected by stress or diet or hormone production like a thyroid problem. If I can find the article I'll post it for you.

redheadmommy

I understand that you are coming from a place very different from mine, but most doctors do not see this as a "huge problem" or 'a big red flag". It's actually fairly common and if you are eating healthy, training hard, and you're not underweight, there's no reason to feel anxious or obsess about it. Yes - speak to your doctor, but no, don't freak out and think it's a major medical emergency.

I did not said it is a major medical emergency.However it is definitely a warning sign that needs a doctor attention now and not years down the road. The whole issue may or may NOT even related to low weight/ bodyfat. There are many other hormonal problem can cause women to skip period.
If it is related to low body weight, it also need to be checked by a doctor. Professional athletes have low BF and often stop menstruation without any problem or any effect on their fertility later. However they are under constant medical attention that ensures that.