Irregular periods related to being overweight?

seltzermint555

Irregular periods can absolutely be from being overweight; actually, it's quite dangerous. A few people have mentioned PCOS on here, but that doesn't need to be the case to have irregular periods. As someone mentioned, fat cells produce estrogen. A steep fall in estrogen every month is what triggers your period. If you don't get this steep fall (ie because your fat cells are producing estrogen outside of your ovaries), you won't get your period. The dangerous part is that without the 'break' from estrogen, the lining in your uterus will keep growing and can eventually become atypical, which can lead to uterine cancer. You should definitely go to your OB/gyn, who may want to biopsy your uterine lining (an office procedure like a pap smear). Happily, this risk can be reversed by losing weight and regaining your period again. Here is some more information: http://www.everydayhealth.com/uterine-cancer/endometrial-cancer-obesity-link.aspx

Side note because people wonder: Taking continuous birth control is NOT the same and doesn't carry the same cancer risk. The hormones are so low in the pills that the uterine lining never has the chance to grow or become atypical. (Just think of the super light periods you get while on OCPs).

Hope this helps! Feel free to PM me with any questions.

*I'm not a doctor and this shouldn't substitute for medical advice from your doctor*

Still...this looks like some really good advice!

As a sidenote, I think a lot of people including doctors are way too quick to assume and/or diagnose PCOS

texas_state11

I was put on BC when I was 15 ( I was normal weight) for cramps and since then have had irregular periods. I was on BC until 2013 when I was 25 that I stopped taking it. I noticed that my period was irregular at first but then became normal. I missed my period last month so I hope its not become irregular again although I am very overweight (272 lbs)... I've read that BC doesn't work as well on overweight women. It has less of chance of preventing pregnancy than for someone of normal weight and it doesnt help prevent you from ovulating. That was one of my main reasons for getting off the pill was because I was still ovulating while on the pill and getting cysts. So if you have PCOS it doesnt always prevent the cysts from showing up.

love8383

when i was the same weight as you my periods were extremely irregular sometimes too much sometimes not at all for months...it is 100% related to weight because as soon as i got to under 210 lbs they became perfectly regular after 10+ years of being irregular. I don't have PCOS either or any other issue. it's a weight thing when you lose weight they will regulate.

ekahnicole

I had very irregular periods before I started losing weight (I started at 309lbs) but they've been completely regular for around 8 months. It's very common for people that are very overweight or very underweight to have an irregular cycle.