To women who lost their period due to weight loss - When did you get it back?

francesca_c123456789
francesca_c123456789 Posts: 22
edited November 11 in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
So I have only had 2 periods in the last 2.5 years. I lot around 50 pounds in total. I lost my period at a BMI of 27 when I only started dieting about a month. I was very extreme though. I ended up at a BMI of around 18.7. I was too thin and was told to gain weight. That was about 9 months ago and I am now 133lbs; I eat quite a lot and workout. I am happy right now and I feel really good but I have this fear that in order to get my period back I will need to go back to a BMI over 27 or more and that frightens me!!

I'd love to know what weight you were when you lost your period first and what weight you were when you got in back (if you did).

Thanks so much

Replies

  • hyIianprincess
    hyIianprincess Posts: 302 Member
    Around April of last year I got very sick and my BMI dropped to 16.0 (I'm 5'4 weighed 93 pounds) Mine completely stopped until November. I'm at a BMI of 20.4 currently which is healthy, but my periods are very irregular now. Some months I don't have them and other months I have two. Hoping mine will become regular soon.
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  • Rien5
    Rien5 Posts: 51 Member
    I'm 5'0 and lost my period at 95lb BMI 18.6 BF: 18% I gained it back after a year and reaching 100lbs BF: 20% I"m back down to 95lb again and still have my period but its really light.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited February 2015
    MrM27 wrote: »
    This is the weight gain section.

    Where would YOU suggest she put a thread about losing your menstrual cycle due to extreme weight loss?
  • NaurielR
    NaurielR Posts: 426 Member
    This is definitely something to see the doctor about. Right off hand I know that not by not menstruating, your body is not absorbing calcium like it should be. There are many factors that can affect menstruation and you should consult a doctor about it just to ensure that you are as healthy as you can be. :smile:
  • flumi_f
    flumi_f Posts: 1,888 Member
    edited February 2015
    I lost my period after 12mth of losing weight. I was still at the upper end of my healthy BMI at that time and had lost about 20kg. After losing a few more kilos (BMI 23.5 now) and maintaining for 6-8mth my period reappeared in December 2014 and January 2015. The timing is still a bit off (cycle too long) but length and flow totally normal. I assume the regularity will also go back to normal after a few cycles.

    I have to say, I didn't really miss it..... but I'm 45yrs old.

    Note: I fast twice a week and eat normally on the other 5 days (5:2). Some reports say, fasting can mess with the hormonal cycle. I'm still fasting, but don't have an overall deficit measured over the course of a week. So I can't say, if it was the fasting or the weightloss in general.

    To OP - a missing period isn't always just due to weight. Many people that workout a lot also lose it. Maybe that is part of your problem.
  • valente347
    valente347 Posts: 201 Member
    You should check with your doctor. He or she should know the limits of what is normal and check out any problems if your story raises red flags.
  • ucabucca
    ucabucca Posts: 606 Member
    agree check with MD it isn't just about BF or a specific weight it is about nutrition and so much more It is well worth asking It could be just weight or lack of something or something serious not something to play around with
  • GaleHawkins
    GaleHawkins Posts: 8,159 Member
    I knew a woman that ran all of the time and had the same concerns. The level of body fat is one factor. The brain works hard to protect one's life. If there are concerns for the woman and/or any fetus often ovulation will cease naturally. Yes any concern like this should be taken to the health care provider.
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  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    This is the weight gain section.

    Where would YOU suggest she put a thread about losing your menstrual cycle due to extreme weight loss?

    Ooooh someone's mad

    nope. Not in the slightest. Did you decide?
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  • annette_15
    annette_15 Posts: 1,657 Member
    I lost my period after about 6 months of dieting down from 150 to 130 or so, I'm 5'1. I still havent gotten it back and this was 2 years ago. I've been to every doctor and taken all kinds of tests, but everything comes back normal and I'm healthier than ever. Hovering around 107 these days currently doing a bulk hoping it might help me get my period back.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    This is the weight gain section.

    Where would YOU suggest she put a thread about losing your menstrual cycle due to extreme weight loss?

    Ooooh someone's mad

    nope. Not in the slightest. Did you decide?

    I beg to differ.

    cheers, pal. :drinker:
  • sympha01
    sympha01 Posts: 942 Member
    Evidently dudebro thought he would be safe from period talk in the "gaining weight" section, LOL.
  • stb1234
    stb1234 Posts: 23 Member
    edited February 2015
    I lost my period at a BMI of 18.4 for about a year. After I dropped to a bmi of 16.9 and commenced eating balanced, regular meals again, it came back, bmi approx. 17.3, unfortunately now it's quite irregular and very different in nature to when I was functioning healthily.

    Side note: Definitely check with your doctor, mine explained when I was at my lowest weight that even when I became weight restored it could take the body some time to have enough fat stores for your period to start again. It's a non-vital bodily process in the greater scheme of things apparently.
  • JL2513
    JL2513 Posts: 867 Member
    I lost my period for about a year after I had finished losing all my weight. My BMI wasn't too low, I looked much better and felt great. The only downside was that my period was gone for a year. I recently got it back, while still maintaining my weight. I just began incorporating a lot more healthy fats, like avocado, peanut butter, salmon, nuts, etc. and I think that got me back on track. I should have seen a doctor about it, but I was honestly too scared. I figured I'd sort it out on my own and I'm lucky I've got it back. I was probably a little too strict with my diet and I think that was the main reason.
  • Springfield1970
    Springfield1970 Posts: 1,945 Member
    This is really interesting. Mine has been misbehaving too, (6week cycles every now and again)but I thought my BMI and bf was in the safe range if on the low side of healthy. I've always eaten regularly and not cut too low but I workout a fair bit.

    I thought I was peri menopausal, but may need to rethink it again.
  • yesimpson
    yesimpson Posts: 1,372 Member
    I wonder if it's linked to how quickly you lose weight. My BMI has been as low as 17.5 and my periods were totally unaffected compared to my BMI being 24 (although I am on the pill which might artificially gloss over any effects I might have otherwise had, I don't know).
  • francesca_c123456789
    francesca_c123456789 Posts: 22
    Thank you for all the replies! I've been to an endocronologist already but she didn't tell me anything just to "eat more". So I was still at a loss! However I was was thinking today that I've only been maintaing this weight for around 2 months despite being in the gaining weight process for 8 months. I guess I should give my body time to get used to this weight and let it know I'm not going to starve it again!!

    Ps I only put this in the gaining weight section because it was the most appropriate place due to a lack of forum categories regarding weight and wonens issues. I realise it's not the most ideal forum for this topic.
  • francesca_c123456789
    francesca_c123456789 Posts: 22
    yesimpson wrote: »
    I wonder if it's linked to how quickly you lose weight. My BMI has been as low as 17.5 and my periods were totally unaffected compared to my BMI being 24 (although I am on the pill which might artificially gloss over any effects I might have otherwise had, I don't know).

    Yeah I think it might be! I lost the weight at about 2lbs per week (which is fast enough I guess) and I never had weeks where I would gain weight I was always losing!
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