Irregular periods related to being overweight?

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  • littlelily613
    littlelily613 Posts: 769 Member
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    I would say it could be related to hormonal imbalances due to being overweight. I have both PCOS (despite not having any noticeable cysts--but I have the hormonal imbalance that causes PCOS so I've been diagnosed with it) and insulin resistance. I am on metformin and the pill, and don't feel the symptoms of PCOS as I have before. I am hoping once I am down to a healthy weight, I can come off the medications. Did your doctor do a blood test to check for these hormonal issues? That would certainly lead to irregularity.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    Dont under eat because it will screw things up even worse!

    Have your dietary numbers run for you!

    PM me for additional information.

    My wife has extreme endometriosis and I run all her numbers and track her food.
    Shes had the best year physically because if it.
  • Ceezie
    Ceezie Posts: 21 Member
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    There was this one year in my life where I had a period like.. 3 times in that whole year o___o
    That was also my heaviest I have ever been! I went to the doc and she said I did have PCOS.
    However, since then I have been exercising regularly and eating a well balanced/healthy diet and though my periods may be a little irregular (spotting), they are becoming much more regular now :)

    Oh I must also mention I also had a hormone imbalance at the same time too, though this was all like 3 years ago :P
  • cassuccino
    cassuccino Posts: 702 Member
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    I've always had irregular periods but my periods went away altogether when I gained a lot more weight (I got up to 370-380) It was over a year before I finally got one... and I think I only got one because I'm losing weight. Your weight can definitely effect your periods but I'd also go to the gynecologist to get it checked for sure. If you go to a regular doctor, they'll probably just tell you to lose weight (that's what they always say, it seems like!!) If it's just because of your being overweight, and if it's a big deal for you to have a period, they can put you on birth control which will help regulate your hormones and in turn, your period. I hope you get it figured out!! =)
  • sarahlee19
    sarahlee19 Posts: 21 Member
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    I've never had a regular period and didn't put weight on til I was 23 so weight was not the course of mine then but cud be now
  • mnkenned
    mnkenned Posts: 13 Member
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    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*
  • Kitship
    Kitship Posts: 579 Member
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    I have been reading all of your answers because I have not had my period in around a year...
    About 6 months ago my gyno put me on bc and it regulated it but the bc made me feel like crap, so I went off it.
    Until I lose the weight I need to lose to regain a normal period should I be worried about the adverse effects of not having a period? Will not having a period for so long make it hard for me to have kids in the future? I
  • echoica
    echoica Posts: 339 Member
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    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.

    this makes perfect sense to me...when i did get my period back a few months ago when i started losing weight it was anything but regular. it was super heavy for 2 WEEKS!!!! but my last one i just had was normal thank dawg!
  • BiancaOrosco
    BiancaOrosco Posts: 1
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    I Dont weight the same as you but I am 200lbs and 21 years old and have had 3 periods since I was 16 and that has just been because I was on the pill to help me regulate. The doctor says its because i am over weight that i cant get periods.Alot of people tell me your weight is a big cause of any irregular periods. I'm working on loosing weight so I can have a normal period. Like you I get the HORRIBLE cramps and all every month.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,741 Member
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    I have never had this problem and at my heaviest I was 307. Never missed even 1 period.

    I have noticed lighter periods since getting under 230 lb (CW is 208) - but my periods were not abnormally heavy even when much heavier. My cramps are equally severe at any weight I've been.
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,741 Member
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    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
    texas_state11 Posts: 18 Member
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    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
    love8383 Posts: 169
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    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
    ekahnicole Posts: 216 Member
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    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.

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