Stopping of menstruation cycle

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erimar1
erimar1 Posts: 2 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hey guys,

I hope you all can help me with a question that's been concerning me. So this summer I committed to cleaner eating, trying to cut out processed foods and incorporating more vegetables and lower fat options. Fast forward 3 months and I've lost about 10 lbs.(I'm 4'11, 19 years old, used to weigh 115, now I weight about 105). Anyway, It's been about 3 months since I haven't gotten my period and I'm highly certain it's because I'm not getting enough fats/ not eating enough calorie dense foods. I've been extremely picky with eating food and now naturally shift towards low fat/fat free foods. I'm mainly a vegetarian except I eat fish so I typically opt for lots and lots of salads, mixed veggies, fish, cheese sandwiches occasionally etc. I'm really concerned about this because I don't know how to snap myself out of this habit because I'm so concerned about going back to the way I was so I almost always avoid fattening foods. I've also started to notice that I've been getting most of my fats from salad dressings (pretty much vinaigrette's) which I don't think is good. I'm trying to incorporate healthy fats such as almonds and other nuts, but, I don't know what else to do. I'm stuck in the dorms so I'm also limited with my food choices as well since I'm mainly a vegetarian.

I feel totally fine though in fact, I have never felt better. I feel like I have a lot more energy. I'm also very active so I know lots of female athletes tend to have this problem but, I feel mine is more due to diet.

Also side note, I donated blood about a month ago and my cholesterol shot up from 165 all the way up to 199.

I visited my doctor last month and he told me not to worry about it, nor did he seem concerned because I'm very muscular, not stick skinny, and I'm definitely not anemic (My hemoglobin was about 15 g).

Sorry for the long rant but, I could really appreciate some feedback. Please help a girl out!

Replies

  • justlast
    justlast Posts: 30
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    if you're really worried about it even after your doc said it was okay, i'd book an appointment with your ob/gyn to make sure everything's alright. better safe than sorry!
  • FP4HSharon
    FP4HSharon Posts: 664 Member
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    Anytime your period stops at your age, it's NOT a good thing. It means something is wrong. It probably is related to your calorie intake, or you've let your body fat percentage get too low. Find a scale where you can measure your body fat percentage. It should never go below 8%, BUT if it's higher than that it can still stop some cycles. So I'd increase your calories, your weight, & body fat percentage until it comes back...BUT with healthy foods. To go to a maintenance level, most people add 300 cals/day, so I'd increase it by that much every 2 weeks until you get back to normal.
  • happyhiker83
    happyhiker83 Posts: 19
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    Have you recently started or quit the pill? Could you possibly be pregnant? If not, you might have ovarian cysts, which affect your hormone levels and disrupt your menstrual cycle. They are very common in otherwise healthy young women and eventually go away on their own.

    As long as your weight is within the healthy range and you are not anemic, it's probably not diet related.

    Just book an appointment with your obgyn and get some answers and peace of mind.
  • herblackwings39
    herblackwings39 Posts: 3,930 Member
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    Go to the doctor. Don't wait. Make an appointment and go. If you're pregnant it's best to find out and if you're not it's a good idea to get tests run to find out what your issue is.
  • erimar1
    erimar1 Posts: 2 Member
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    Definitely not pregnant but, thank you all for the tips!
  • LivingHealthyLove
    LivingHealthyLove Posts: 33 Member
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    When my period skipped the first second and third month, my doctor was not too worried about it because I was really stressed out and she said it might be due to stress. Once I hit the 6th month and I went to see her, she was totally upset that I didn't tell her sooner that I still didn't get it after the 3rd month. She said that is a red flag and something is definitely wrong. She told me to see an Endocrinologist and I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Your main concern with that other than a higher risk of diabetes is infertility. Weight gain is also a problem for us and insulin resistance. If you do have this, you need to revamp your diet completely. The paleo diet has virtually reversed all symptoms of PCOS for me and many others. Unfortunately, you're currently doing the complete opposite. Not sure what to tell you if you'd like to continue to be low fat and not eat much meat. You may just have to go on drugs like Metformin or birth control pills to manage PCOS if you have it, if you'd like to continue the lifestyle your on. Get checked out by another doctor. Clearly, yours just wanted to send you out of the door.
  • sunnyhlw77
    sunnyhlw77 Posts: 204 Member
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    I would go to your doctor and get a complete physical exam including a pap smear. You may also want to ask your doctor to check your thyroid levels, that little thing can sure impact a lot of different things.
  • SStruthers13
    SStruthers13 Posts: 150 Member
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    You say in so many words you are on the verge of an eating disorder. If you think your not eating right then eat. If you can't make yourself eat that's a problem. Your eating way to lean and you know it. Having said that, you should see a gyn because gyn problems should be seen by a gyn not a regular doctor.

    Eat some potatoes and stop worrying about the 5 lbs you may gain if you eat a little more complex carbs.
  • healthyk96
    healthyk96 Posts: 5
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    I havent had my period in almost two years now.. I am eating healthy again, am at a healthy weight, not smoking etc. I went to see my doctor in May, she then prescribed me some Calcimagon D3. Only elder people usually use this but due to my lacking food intake my Calcium isnt that great. She told me to just wait and to this day I still wait. I dont know what I would do when I couldnt get kids. I pray to god for letting me be a mother one day... I am a 17 year old girl who just wants her p back :(!!!!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    If you think it's because of not getting enough fats. Eat more fats.

    If it comes back- mystery solved.

    If not- go see your doctor.
  • dancinrascal
    dancinrascal Posts: 204 Member
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    I had this problem as well, although my period was usually quite sporadic anyway. My mom had a period where she didn't get it for a few years, went to the doctor and everything was fine. She was just very active and had no problem having children once it returned. Mine was absent for 1 year and 5 months, and I just got it from increase my fats by eating a lot of nuts and adding olive oil into my cooking and salad dressings. I also was very fat free and lowfat conscious, but as long as it comes from good fats I don't care anymore. I did gain weight (about 20 lbs from my original which was too low and too hard to maintain. If you start at my happy weight it was 10 lbs). But honestly, no one really seems to notice but myself. I feel a lot more vibrant and healthy now.

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