loss my period from eating disorder...

eatalotwithme
eatalotwithme Posts: 3 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hello, so I lost my period from a 2 year battle with anorexia and bulimia. I have just started following a vegan diet to prevent myself from collapsing back to my old habits, but I am consuming enough calories daily. I eat iron supplements, hoping to get my period back, but nothing seems to be working at the moment... WHAT IS WRONG?

Replies

  • JayRuby84
    JayRuby84 Posts: 557 Member
    Mmm...give it time sweetheart. You wrecked some major havoc on your body with the ED bull crap, so it's going to be a long road back to normalcy. Just make sure you are eating at LEAST at maintenance, non of the under eating.
  • jesiann2014
    jesiann2014 Posts: 521 Member
    I highly recommend you see your GYN for this. It might not be the best idea to ask random people on an internet forum. IMHO, of course.
  • LavenderLeaves
    LavenderLeaves Posts: 195 Member
    edited January 2015
    Out of curiosity, are you actually communicating with doctors about this? Do they know? They should have known as soon as it happened, just so they can keep an eye on your health. Are you currently in therapy for your ED? If it's gotten to this point, you need help, and there's nothing wrong with that, and it will help a lot to be able to learn proper coping skills and have support when things become difficult. Like someone else said, I really hope you aren't coming on here without having talked to your doctors.

    I have a hard time believing any therapist and registered dietitian who specialize in EDs would advise you to begin vegan eating unless you're well into recovery.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    edited January 2015
    Speak to your OBGYN.

    Who told you to eat a vegan diet? I doubt it was a psychiatrist/psychologist or RD. Therefore, you shouldn't be doing it.
  • xcalygrl
    xcalygrl Posts: 1,897 Member
    edited January 2015
    **This is not medical advice. I'm simply telling you about my personal experience. I would recommend a visit to your OB/GYN for medical advice, and a visit to an ED therapist (if you haven't already been visiting one).

    It takes time. At my lowest weight (which I achieved from undereating and overtraining), I lost my period for 10 months before it finally came back. I had to put on about 15-20 pounds for it to finally normalize. You'll need to eat at maintenance for longer than a few days/weeks for it to actually bring your period back.
  • mojohowitz
    mojohowitz Posts: 900 Member
    Seek an OB/GYN and a therapist. Explain to both of them your history.
  • justcat206
    justcat206 Posts: 716 Member
    Mine got thrown off due to eating disorder (although in my case I started to get it twice a month) and had to go on hormone therapy (temporarily) to get it set right again. Please go see your OBGYN for help. Just getting back to 'enough' calories might not be enough to fix it.
  • cleo159
    cleo159 Posts: 7 Member
    Hey, good on you for decided to take the road to recovery from ED, it is not an easy battle. It seems that you are quite early on your journey, and this can be the hardest time. Please, please, please seek outside help -- please see a therapist and a dietician, then are likely covered by your insurance. I took a look at your diary and have a couple of things to point out. And sorry for the long post.

    First, please keep in mind that it's not uncommon for people with control problems with food to turn to veganism (or other food "isms") as a "cure" when it is actually an extension of their ED -- it's becomes a socially acceptable/socially responsible way to restrict. At this time, you want to get away from the idea of restricting and learn that there is no such things as good and bad, right and wrong when it comes to food -- food is healthy and keeps you healthy. Veganism can be healthy and there are plenty of reasons to eliminate animal products from your diet, but it requires a time and energy commitment in order to make sure that you are feeding yourself adequately. If your lifestyle is such that you cannot devote time daily to cooking and food preparation and weekly (at least) to meal planning and shopping, then you may need to loosen up on the veganism -- say, non-vegan after 6pm, or on weekends. Do not be afraid that if you give up on the veganism that you will unravel out of control -- that is the mindframe of restriction and control that is making you sick.

    Second, it seems that your diet is made up almost entirely of fruits and vegetables. When I lost my period due to ED, it took adding protein and especially fat back into my diet to get my period back. Since you are physically in crisis (meaning your body is not functioning properly due to low calories/low body weight), you need to eat at least one serving each of protein and fat at every meal. With your current diet, it would not be difficult to add hummus, nut butters, and oil-based dressings/dips to your meals. Pay attention to serving sizes and eat the entire serving. You can also drink fortified soy milk (for protein) or almond milk (for fat). There are many excellent recipes with legumes like lentils, tofu and beans, but they can take some time and practice.

    Third, your diet is low in starches and carbs. Starches and carbs are good you, but they can be very difficult to eat when in recovery because they make you feel full, and you are probably at the point where that is very uncomfortable. I'm not talking about overeating, Thanksgiving dinner pig-out full, but just having a balanced meal's worth of food in your stomach feels strange and may make you feel like purging. This is like a heavier person who eats a reasonable meal and feels uncomfortable because they are used to calling a much different feeling (and amount of food) "full." You probably also believe that carbs are in the "bad" category and may have some negative feelings towards them. Food does not have value. Your value does not change if you eat only certain foods. Eating carbs and starches will give you more energy and allow you to put on the fat stores you need in order to get a period again.

    Fourth, if you are taking suppliments, make sure you are spreading them out throughout the day (say, 500mg calcium in the morning, and again the in evening, instead of two x 500mg at once) and taking them with food (especially fats, which many vitamins require in order to be absorbed). BTW, I hope you are taking calcium, because without it in the diet, your body will take it from your bones, which already suffer from not having a period, and you are in prime ossification period right now in your life. Also, keep an eye out for nutrient interactions -- vitamin D helps the absorption of calcium, but iron inhibits it. Finally, keep in mind that you cannot suppliment your way out of malnutrion and low body fat -- vitamin pills are not a substitute for a healthy diet and a significant amount of body fat stores.

    Best of luck! You can and will get better.

Categories