I have an awkward question? Girlie question!

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thesophierose
thesophierose Posts: 754 Member
in Motivation and Support
So , I am 18. I try to be pretty active. I workout at curves at least 4 times a week, if not more... and I do random intervals at home. Basically it's more like i can not sit still because I feel like I am being unproductive if I don't workout. I weigh 111lbs, and I am 5'4. So I am at the low end of a healthy BMI. But, the point to this whole thing is this:

When I started my weight loss journey it was a slow start but after awhile it started coming off quickly so I became sort addicted to the whole thing. But during this my periods just stopped coming. This has been going on since February, meaning my last period was literally in January. I've tried to ask doctors but apparently they don't see an issue with this, they just say it's because of the rapid weight loss and that it will come back in time... but should I not get my periods now? ... I mean it's been like 7 months almost.

Have any of you had troubles like this? or even know what the heck is going on?
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Replies

  • pastryari
    pastryari Posts: 8,646 Member
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    If you're not pregnant, see another doctor. It's not normal, nor is it healthy to not be having your menstrual cycle.

    How many calories have you been eating?
  • Madame_Goldbricker
    Madame_Goldbricker Posts: 1,625 Member
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    Hi, I take it you currently aren't using a form of contraception that could have had an impact on your periods? If this is ruled out. Then yes it could be through excessive exercise, or lack of body fat. However, from ur stats I'd say you seem a healthy weight & aren't compulsively exercising? I'd definately go back to the doctors & push for some tests just to put ur mind at rest. Although stress can also be a factor, & at 18 it could be that they haven't stabilised yet. Hope you can get to the bottom of it soon :)
  • thesophierose
    thesophierose Posts: 754 Member
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    If you're not pregnant, see another doctor. It's not normal, nor is it healthy to not be having your menstrual cycle.

    How many calories have you been eating?

    Well lately I've been eating like 1700 calories daily. But before, I was only eating like 1000 calories. But I will go to see another doctor.
    Hi, I take it you currently aren't using a form of contraception that could have had an impact on your periods? If this is ruled out. Then yes it could be through excessive exercise, or lack of body fat. However, from ur stats I'd say you seem a healthy weight & aren't compulsively exercising? I'd definately go back to the doctors & push for some tests just to put ur mind at rest. Although stress can also be a factor, & at 18 it could be that they haven't stabilised yet. Hope you can get to the bottom of it soon :)

    No I am off BC. Well I am at the low end so should I gain more. I workout, well I haven't been everyday but I ty for like 30 minutes 4 days a week at least. I eat maintenance which this site has at 1710 for lightly active. But maybe I need more. I don't know.

    Thank you :)
  • mountaingirl1961
    mountaingirl1961 Posts: 75 Member
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    When women get below a certain body fat percentage, around 12% or so (strictly from memory, I could be a bit off) their cycles stop. You see that effect a lot with elite female athletes.

    At 18, you're also probably going through a lot of life changes - college, leaving home, work, etc. that add to the stress load big time and can have an effect on your cycles.

    1000 calories is too low to be healthy. I'm glad you're eating more these days.

    You really need to see another doctor about this one, I hate to say. If it's a combination of the things I've mentioned, they're fairly easily addressed. In any case, you shouldn't let this go on any longer without medical advice. Unless you're working out a lot harder than you're realizing, you shouldn't be dealing with the kind of body fat percentage that would stop your cycles.
  • thesophierose
    thesophierose Posts: 754 Member
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    When women get below a certain body fat percentage, around 12% or so (strictly from memory, I could be a bit off) their cycles stop. You see that effect a lot with elite female athletes.

    At 18, you're also probably going through a lot of life changes - college, leaving home, work, etc. that add to the stress load big time and can have an effect on your cycles.

    1000 calories is too low to be healthy. I'm glad you're eating more these days.

    You really need to see another doctor about this one, I hate to say. If it's a combination of the things I've mentioned, they're fairly easily addressed. In any case, you shouldn't let this go on any longer without medical advice. Unless you're working out a lot harder than you're realizing, you shouldn't be dealing with the kind of body fat percentage that would stop your cycles.

    I was thinking that the opinion I got from the doctor and nutritionist was off. Because, they have been telling me to eat 1680. So I have been, but I am still losing weight. I literally don't workout so hard. I mean since eating this much I've only workout out like 4x a week for half hour and I've eaten most of these calories back. So I am thinking maybe I should eat a TDEE which I calculated to be around 1880 instead of 1680. I just said I was moderately active.

    I workout at curves and do that circut.
    But I do want to try doing that and strength workouts at home to make workouts and hour long everyday.
    Plus, I walk for an hour every other day.

    But that to me isn't hardcore enough or doesn't seem very hardcore. It's very light actually. So I don't know. Haha. But I do need a second opinion because this just seems weird not to have one for so long. I just figured my hormones are all off.
  • XxYeaIrocxX
    XxYeaIrocxX Posts: 224 Member
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    I'd go to a doctor. I had almost the same issue.
    Mine was before I started trying to lose weight but my periods just stopped for 5 months. Went to the doctor and turns out I had an under active thyroid.


    I'd go just to be on the safe side, 7 months is too long for it to be normal.
  • jessicae1aine
    jessicae1aine Posts: 885
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    I once had an OBGYN tell me that having my period once a year was good enough for him. I have made sure every doctor I've seen since then knows what he said, so they're less likely to refer someone to him. Turns out I have PCOS, and thus my wonky cycles.

    Are you eating back exercise calories? You should be netting probably at least 1700-1800, and if you don't want to really continue losing because you're at the low end of healthy, increase it until you reach maintenance, or even gain a few pounds if that's what you want - which it sounds like it might be.
  • Baby_sway86
    Baby_sway86 Posts: 62 Member
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    If you dropped a lot of weight fairly fast you'll find your body is just in shock. It's not the percentage of fat that stops it as even when I had cancer and was paper thin I still got mine. It could be as simple as your body being under stress from your new size, but it could be something worse to be on the safe side go to a special ladies doctors and get a check up.
    I knew a lady who got that surgery done shrink your stomach and with the weight coming off so fast it just stopped. Sadly it come back thou.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
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    I'd agree with go to a different doctor. You're eating a good amount, you're doing a light workout, it's not like you're starving yourself or obsessively exercising. Possibly a thyroid issue?

    My periods stopped for a while when I was 18 actually, maybe the stress of my a level exams and being about to start university. I definitely wasn't too thin!
  • Teeysha
    Teeysha Posts: 7 Member
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    Thinking you may be a bit underweight which can mess up your hormones and stop monthly cycles. What is your % body fat? A woman should have at least 18% body fat to maintain their woman hood. Also if you are working out too many times a week or too heavy of a workout it can interfere with the girlie hormones by producing too much testosterone.
  • blmurphy37
    blmurphy37 Posts: 55 Member
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    I didnt have my period for 2 months then i had spotting for two days then another 3 months of no period. its finally come back but it was due to the change in diet and exercise! no worries. I thought i was pregnant again( i have a 20 months old) and i was like OMG! lol but no positive test but now my period is somewhat back on schedule i get it about every 5 maybe 6 weeks but its getting there no worries!
  • thesophierose
    thesophierose Posts: 754 Member
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    I'd go to a doctor. I had almost the same issue.
    Mine was before I started trying to lose weight but my periods just stopped for 5 months. Went to the doctor and turns out I had an under active thyroid.


    I'd go just to be on the safe side, 7 months is too long for it to be normal.

    Well actually, I had a blood test done in March and it came back that my thyroid was off. But the only symptom I have is the period being gone. I lose weight like no tomorrow, I have energy over the hills so I don't know. Estrogen plays part in thyroid though and I think my levels are all off.
  • thesophierose
    thesophierose Posts: 754 Member
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    Thinking you may be a bit underweight which can mess up your hormones and stop monthly cycles. What is your % body fat? A woman should have at least 18% body fat to maintain their woman hood. Also if you are working out too many times a week or too heavy of a workout it can interfere with the girlie hormones by producing too much testosterone.

    Well I am at like 19.9% in BMI. So it's like in the healthy range? But I think I need to gain a bit so I can build the muscle I want. It's the gaining weight that throws me off because I don't want to be where I was. Mind demons! But I eat the right things now. I just need to get my hormones back in check so I can help my thyroid issue that I apparently have. My doctor obviously isn't the brightest.
  • Raynne413
    Raynne413 Posts: 1,527 Member
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    I lost mine when I was at the worst point in my eating disorder, and I still had a "normal" body fat percentage. Each person's body will react different ways. Definitely check with a different doctor, eating more, and don't work out too much (find something else that makes you feel productive when you don't have anything to do at home). Mine eventually came back when I quit counting calories for awhile and my nutritionist (I saw one that specialized in eating disorders) restricted my workouts to 30 min of strength training 3x a week, 30-45 minutes of cardio 2x a week, and required 2 rest days. Even today, it seems like I still need more fat in my diet before that time, because I will crave peanut butter like crazy, eat it by the spoonful, and the next day I will start.
  • jamiesillimandunn
    jamiesillimandunn Posts: 270 Member
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    I agree get a second opinion !! At your age menstrual cycles should be on a dime !! Not only should you see a obyn but probably a general physician as well ...hope all goes well :) stay strong :)
  • thesophierose
    thesophierose Posts: 754 Member
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    Thank you so much for the advice and support <3
  • kit_katty
    kit_katty Posts: 994 Member
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    Well lately I've been eating like 1700 calories daily. But before, I was only eating like 1000 calories. But I will go to see another doctor.

    Ok, so you're eating 1700 calories and you're working out on top of this... what are you NETTING? Becuase it sounds like you should be netting 1700, not just eating 1700... food for thought. I agree though, talking to a doctor can't hurt.
  • thesophierose
    thesophierose Posts: 754 Member
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    Well lately I've been eating like 1700 calories daily. But before, I was only eating like 1000 calories. But I will go to see another doctor.

    Ok, so you're eating 1700 calories and you're working out on top of this... what are you NETTING? Becuase it sounds like you should be netting 1700, not just eating 1700... food for thought. I agree though, talking to a doctor can't hurt.

    Well, I only eat back my workout calories sometimes. Because on here sometimes it says I should eat like 2000+ but, my TDEE is like 1880 so I normally only go like 100 above that... but I normally don't. Maybe I should try eating 1880. Instead of just 1700.
  • totallydelirious
    totallydelirious Posts: 10
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    I had a friend who lost a huge amount of weight, she was underweight and would run about 10k every night. She stopped getting periods. They came occasionally but usually only when she was around one of her friends (often me!) who was on her period. Do see a doctor again to tell them how concerned you are, but lack of periods are normal if you're underweight - your body can't support a pregnancy so it stops the ability to have them.
  • aquarabbit
    aquarabbit Posts: 1,622 Member
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    I noticed my periods started getting irregular when I began my weight loss journey a few months ago, but I attributed it to my being off birth control. I'm back on now, but I still have a bit of irregularity (it'll start on the 3rd reminder pill one week then on the 6th pill the next and so on). I would try eating back your workout calories first. Your body has a minimum about of calories it needs and if you burn them off in a workout, you're body is running on empty and won't be able to do basic functions as easily. Keep in touch with your doctor though. I'm not sure if the pill helps to regulate periods that are irregular due to weight loss, but I bet it never hurts to keep them updated if it's something you're really concerned with.

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