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MyFitnessPal Community

Help, I have amenorrhea!

MuleAccount

I'm seriously at a loss. I admit, I didn't lose weight healthily in the past. My weight dropped from 168 to 104 in less than 7 months with too much exercise and calorie restriction. I then discovered MFP, which changed my mindset and my life. This is where I learned about TDEE and followed success stories of people who fueled their bodies and still lost the weight. I wanted to be that person.

The fear of food no longer food to controls me, however, I'm afraid I've screwed up my body. I haven't had a period in almost two years. This worries me because I'd like to have children some day.

Background:

Age: 23
Height: 5'0"
Weight: 104 lbs
Macros: 45% carbs, 20% protein, 35% fat
Calories consumed: roughly 1750-1815

I feel like I'm going about everything the right way now. My body fat is normal (19.5%) and exercise consists of a 45 min gym session, 4 days per week. I've followed this plan for nearly a year and still don't have a solution. I've seen a Gyno, and everything is fine. They said "your body just has to adjust". Well hell, it's been a decent amount of time, don't you think? Anyway, my question is - to anyone who may have experienced this, do I need to adjust my macros? More fat perhaps?

Replies

BevBasil

Get a second opinion from another OBGYN!

Sarauk2sf

How long have you been eating at a more reasonable level?

Lleldiranne

I had amenorrhea after my first child. It had nothing to do with weight loss - I'm 5'0" and was 125 lbs and probably about 28% bf, and hadn't lost weight quickly - 25 lbs in the first 6 months (baby weight, including baby, etc, that came off naturally) and the other 10-15 over another 4-5. It was because my hormones were all messed up (partly because of Depo bc and partly because it's always been a bit wonky for me).

My best advice would be to get a second opinion with a gynecologist. Ironically, with was birth control pills that brought my period back, and I was able to pregnant within a couple of months of getting off them. (The pill is used often to treat amenorrhea and irregular periods, my GYN told me).

MuleAccount

How long have you been eating at a more reasonable level?

'Bout a year. That's why I'm concerned. I went to the Gyno a few months ago and they tried putting me on birth control. I don't like the idea of artificial periods. I just want to be normal!

WeeshieRN

As a women's health RN, I would suggest seeing another OB/GYN. You should probably be placed on birth control pills so that you will get a period ( I had the same issue of amenorrhea and I have been on birth control with a normal period every month). It is not healthy for your uterine lining to not shed monthly. There are very low dose bc pills you can take if you are worried about taking them. When it comes to getting pregnant there are many options including something as simple as a pill that can make you ovulate.

SuperSexyDork

If everything is fine gynecologically you may actually need time to adjust or you may be one of the people who biologically need a higher bodyfat percentage to function.

Also, how was your body fat measured?

stargazer008

Perhaps gaining some weight would help. A doctor may be of better help.

misssiri

Get a second opinion.

tlou5

Agree with the other posters, if you are eating healthily now then get a second opinion, or possibly listen to the first OBGYN who reccommeneded birth control pills. You may not need them long term, but just as a "jump start" to remind your body what it is supposed to do.

MuleAccount

If everything is fine gynecologically you may actually need time to adjust or you may be one of the people who biologically need a higher bodyfat percentage to function.

Also, how was your body fat measured?

It was measured using calipers, so I'm pretty sure it's accurate.

susannamarie

How long have you been eating at a more reasonable level?

'Bout a year. That's why I'm concerned. I went to the Gyno a few months ago and they tried putting me on birth control. I don't like the idea of artificial periods. I just want to be normal!

Artificial periods > no periods. Seriously, your uterus needs to shed that lining.

Sarauk2sf

How long have you been eating at a more reasonable level?

'Bout a year. That's why I'm concerned. I went to the Gyno a few months ago and they tried putting me on birth control. I don't like the idea of artificial periods. I just want to be normal!

As someone mentioned, you may be one of the people who does better on a higher BF%, especially after having disordered eating. Also, I would either go back to your current OBGYN or a different one and explain that you do not want to go on birth control and discuss alternatives.

MuleAccount

I really do appreciate all of your responses.

gogojodee

Bump

SuperSexyDork

If everything is fine gynecologically you may actually need time to adjust or you may be one of the people who biologically need a higher bodyfat percentage to function.

Also, how was your body fat measured?

It was measured using calipers, so I'm pretty sure it's accurate.

I think that depends on the person doing the measuring. Your primary care provider or OBGYM could probably provide you with some information on more accurate tests (such as DEXA scan or Bodpod) as your body fat estimation may be off.

Honestly, I would try to gain a few pounds and see what happens before trying birth control.

MuleAccount

If everything is fine gynecologically you may actually need time to adjust or you may be one of the people who biologically need a higher bodyfat percentage to function.

Also, how was your body fat measured?

It was measured using calipers, so I'm pretty sure it's accurate.

I think that depends on the person doing the measuring. Your primary care provider or OBGYM could probably provide you with some information on more accurate tests (such as DEXA scan or Bodpod) as your body fat estimation may be off.

Honestly, I would try to gain a few pounds and see what happens before trying birth control.

As much as I'd love to, I'm sure it would be very costly without insurance. Birth control is however, free. If I am to gain weight, it will surely be in a healthy manner!

littlebudgie

If everything is fine gynecologically you may actually need time to adjust or you may be one of the people who biologically need a higher bodyfat percentage to function.

Also, how was your body fat measured?

It was measured using calipers, so I'm pretty sure it's accurate.

I think that depends on the person doing the measuring. Your primary care provider or OBGYM could probably provide you with some information on more accurate tests (such as DEXA scan or Bodpod) as your body fat estimation may be off.

Honestly, I would try to gain a few pounds and see what happens before trying birth control.

As much as I'd love to, I'm sure it would be very costly without insurance. Birth control is however, free. If I am to gain weight, it will surely be in a healthy manner!

If there's a university in your area (especially one with a physiology/med program), they may have a bodpod you can use fairly cheaply. I only paid $40 for my bodpod test.

ablazeoflife

I had amenorrhea for over 2 years as well - not due to being underweight but because of a depo-provera shot that was only supposed to last 3 months. I know that body-fat percentage will make a big difference in helping your period come back, but it also needs a "jump-start" with birth control pills. I know you don't like the idea, and I didn't either but it worked for me. It's like crutches for a broken period... ;-) I was on them for less than a year, and was pleasantly surprised that once I ditched them my period came normally. It was a little wonky-timed at first and then it became regular again. Give it a try... it's temporary and might help a great deal to get your period back.

bumblebums

Just an FYI--research on female athletes shows that amenorrhea is not correlated with body fat but rather with energy availability. So if you exercise a lot, you need to eat that much more.

http://scholar.google.com/scholar?cites=18353774032708677516&as_sdt=5,33&sciodt=0,33&hl=en

TraumaNurse2B

Same as the poster below, I also am an RN and you really should consider going on the pill for a few months. This happened to my daughter when she started playing college softball. She was fine in high school, however college is a whole different ball game fitness wise. She only had to do it for about 6 months and then when she got off they came back like normal. I also really think you need a second opinion and possibly a hormone panel done.

tjthegreatone

We don't know what tests the gynaecologist did or didn't do. Too many people online (with unknown qualifications) jumping in to suggest second opinions without knowing the details of the consultation(s). The gyno is bound to be far more qualified and experienced than most of you here.

Perhaps some women just need a higher body fat percentage to ovulate. From personal experience, I was almost amenorrhoeic at just 3kgs lower than I am now with a BMI of 22. I 'liked' being skinny and hungry all the time but it was a sign that my body was not happy with the under-eating and excessive exercise. Once I put on a few more kgs everything normalised (this took almost a year to happen).

purplepiggy1

I am in a similar situtation although not as severe yet fortunately. No period for 6 months, bloods all fine, 'healthy' BMI (20) and my doctors have just labelled it as being caused by stressed and to wait until the end of the year.

For me it's just trial and error, having some periods of not logging, taking magnesium (supposed to naturally help with periods/stress) and possibly even gaining weight if nothing improves

Good luck and do listen to your doctor/s although we may think we may know whats best about a lot of things to do with health as we are gaining an interest, we can't be sure

purplepiggy1

This is interesting and worth considering, definitely on my mind...

http://www.youreatopia.com/blog/2011/9/14/do-i-need-2500-calories.html

tjthegreatone

This is interesting and worth considering, definitely on my mind...

http://www.youreatopia.com/blog/2011/9/14/do-i-need-2500-calories.html

Very interesting blog!
This bit scared me in particular:

"Restrictive Eating Disorders
Many of you visiting here for the first time may not have ever come across the term restrictive eating disorder spectrum, and it does not refer to anorexia alone. It includes: restriction/reactive eating cycles, bulimia, orthorexia and anorexia athletica as well as anorexia nervosa.

While the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual For Mental Illness (DSM-IV) identifies all these conditions as distinct, they are neurobiologically all one condition. That is why patients will often express multiple facets of the condition at once, or shift from one facet to another over time as well.

The restrictive eating disorder spectrum is a broad spectrum and just under a third of our population resides somewhere on that spectrum. It is a lifelong chronic neurobiological condition and it has two states: active and remission.

You cannot be ‘cured’ from this condition once it is activated,
but you can enter a robust and often permanent remission."

TL;DR: restrictive eating is common, often triggered by dieting, and there is no cure - only remission.

Scares me as I've experienced symptoms of the following eating disorders described there:
Restriction/Reactive Eating Cycles
Orthorexia nervosa
Anorexia athletica (this one may explain the period of amenorrhea).

I'd like to think it was me going a bit insane on my diet and it's all gone now. After all I was never anorexic or bulimic and never cared about my diet until age 27, but is there really any functional difference between throwing up after eating and spending an hour running or doing cardio to compensate for overeating?

tjthegreatone

PS for the amenorrhea this bit is especially relevant:

Functional hypothalamic amenorrhea is a synonym for what is often called the Female Athlete Triad: inadequate and improperly timed energy intake combined with amenorrhea or oligomenorrhea (absent or infrequent menstruation) and reduced bone mineral density. It is the result of anorexia athletica. Therefore the same recovery guidelines apply for the presence of the functional hypothalamic amenorrhea or female athlete triad as apply to any other facet of the same restrictive eating disorder spectrum.

Thank you purplepiggy - I'll be spending some time reading that blog this evening! Thankfully it's Sunday

FlaxMilk

This may sound silly, but when was the last time your height was measured? 104 is fine for most 5'0 women, but it is still light. If you are taller than you think, it may be too light. (I've been measured by different people at under 5' and over 5'1--it's frustrating when you are very short.) Are you willing to gain a few pounds?

MsMuniz

104 is a fine weight for someone 5'0". I agree with others that you should see another gynecologist.

dontwishforit_workforit

Left to its own devices, my body won't regulate my period. First few years I was regular, I think... But then I hit 14-15 and now it's once every 4-5 months unless I take BC.

cfergusontx

This happened to me once after I had lost a lot of weight in a short time and I thought that was the reason. When I did finally go to the doctor (after six months with no period) they found out I had a tumor on my ovary and THAT was the reason. Get to the doctor quickly.

pluckabee

19.5% body fat is still in the very lean range. More body fat might be healthier for your body.