Warning TMI, haven't gotten my period since I started counting calories
taymam
Posts: 55 Member
So definitely not pregnant here, no birth control, no breast feeding. Since I started eating 1200 (60 days) calories a day I haven't gotten my period. Am I missing something in the nutrition department that is preventing this from happening. Don't get me wrong here, not a fan of the monthly visits but I'm having to constantly check if I'm pregnant out of paranoia. I cannot take birth control so just condoms over here.
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How much do you currently weigh? Sometimes that stops them.0
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LaraArmstrong16 wrote: »How much do you currently weigh? Sometimes that stops them.
As of this morning 178.8. I've been dropping roughly 1.5 to 2 pounds a week0 -
Too steep a deficit would be my first guess.0
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You don't want to be asking internet strangers this, see a doctor.0
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We have this word in the English language that, sadly, many folks don't understand.
The word is: "coincidence".
I've even heard of folks blaming toenail fungus on diet. <boggle>
Sometimes random events just happen at the same time.
No causal relationship.
Not even correlation.
Just random ... coincidence.
Now go head on down to your Doc's office and pay an arm and a leg to get a professional diagnosis. Odds are, it's the same.0 -
You don't want to be asking internet strangers this, see a doctor.
I'm perfectly comfortable with the fact I have a period, it's a natural thing that I had hoped some other women on this site may have experienced. If I'm not mistaken this forum is for motivation, support and advice. If you don't have any productive input, why bother?0 -
SergeantSausage wrote: »We have this word in the English language that, sadly, many folks don't understand.
The word is: "coincidence".
I've even heard of folks blaming toenail fungus on diet. <boggle>
Sometimes random events just happen at the same time.
No causal relationship.
Not even correlation.
Just random ... coincidence.
Now go head on down to your Doc's office and pay an arm and a leg to get a professional diagnosis. Odds are, it's the same.
Thanks! If you do your research The second most common reason for missed period is extreme weight loss. Although I wouldn't rate mine as extreme I wouldn't call it a coincidence. Someone who has a period every 28 days of her life religiously doesn't not just randomly skip 2 months without there being something that caused it. (The most common is pregnancy) And coming from someone who has never experienced a period your comment comes across as condescending. You know you could just skip the questions that don't pertain to your field of expertise. And not only is my doctor free to see, but there is no magical test to figure this out. It's a whole lot of guessing at this point hence the reaching out to people who have been where I am and possibly experienced the same things that I am going through.0 -
Since you've ruled out pregnancy...
1 - Are you sure that 1200 is a healthy calorie level for your height? Sometimes not eating enough can cause problems.
This calculator from the Baylor College of Medicine will tell you not only your BMI, but how many servings of various foods to eat to maintain that weight, based on activity level. Play with the weight to get the BMI in a healthy range (18-24.9). To be the most conservative, set it at "inactive" and don't eat exercise calories.
https://www.bcm.edu/cnrc-apps/healthyeatingcalculator/eatingCal.html
2 - Has anything else changed recently? (You don't have to answer us, just think it to yourself.) Stress can cause interruptions.
3 - Check with your doctor, or if you can't afford that go to your local city/county health clinic or Planned Parenthood (which has a sliding fee scale).
4 - When you were starting off, with 75 lb to lose, dropping 2 lb a week could be reasonable. As you get closer to goal, that will slow. (Yes, it's frustrating.)0 -
You don't want to be asking internet strangers this, see a doctor.
I'm perfectly comfortable with the fact I have a period, it's a natural thing that I had hoped some other women on this site may have experienced. If I'm not mistaken this forum is for motivation, support and advice. If you don't have any productive input, why bother?
Seriously doubt she responded that way because she is uncomfortable dealing with a question about menstruation. More likely because undiagnosed medical issues really should be addressed by a doctor and not people you don't know.
It's one thing to ask for opinions while you're waiting for your scheduled appointment. It's another to self-diagnose something like this. At a minimum you're going to want a blood test to more accurately determine that you're not pregnant (yes, over-the-counter kits make more errors than the doctors' test) and at the same time use some of that blood to take a look at whether you're deficient in a number of nutrients.0 -
When I first started cutting calories, my cycle went all wonky. I think it was something like 63 days at one point. I asked my OB about it and he said that he would have been more surprised if it hadn't changed some, considering the lifestyle changes I was making. It all settled down in the end and was no big deal for me. If you are concerned, definitely check with your doctor. But do know that it is a somewhat common happening when you cut your calories by quite a bit.0
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Since you've ruled out pregnancy...
1 - Are you sure that 1200 is a healthy calorie level for your height? Sometimes not eating enough can cause problems.
This calculator from the Baylor College of Medicine will tell you not only your BMI, but how many servings of various foods to eat to maintain that weight, based on activity level. Play with the weight to get the BMI in a healthy range (18-24.9). To be the most conservative, set it at "inactive" and don't eat exercise calories.
https://www.bcm.edu/cnrc-apps/healthyeatingcalculator/eatingCal.html
2 - Has anything else changed recently? (You don't have to answer us, just think it to yourself.) Stress can cause interruptions.
3 - Check with your doctor, or if you can't afford that go to your local city/county health clinic or Planned Parenthood (which has a sliding fee scale).
4 - When you were starting off, with 75 lb to lose, dropping 2 lb a week could be reasonable. As you get closer to goal, that will slow. (Yes, it's frustrating.)
1- I'm not sure, I have an appointment with a nutritionist but it takes 2 months to get in to see her.
2- no if anything I'm less stressed, finally sleeping
3- I did, he gave me like 10 different scenarios
Thank you for your comment it was very helpful0 -
You don't want to be asking internet strangers this, see a doctor.
I'm perfectly comfortable with the fact I have a period, it's a natural thing that I had hoped some other women on this site may have experienced. If I'm not mistaken this forum is for motivation, support and advice. If you don't have any productive input, why bother?
Running this by your doctor really is the best bet.
My guess is that neither your weight nor calorie intake are low enough to cause this. There are lots of other explanations. Stress and trauma can certainly cause amenorrhea--I didn't have a period for an entire year after I had brain surgery. Sometimes just worrying that you might be pregnant can be enough stress to make your period late.
As much as I hate to agree with SargentSausage, it really could just be a coincidence. It could also be something which requires proper diagnosis and treatment, like PCOS. The best course of action is to mention this to your GYN just in case.
Keep track of this on a calendar and take that with you the next time you have an appointment--being able to see the specifics can really help to get a diagnosis.0 -
SergeantSausage wrote: »We have this word in the English language that, sadly, many folks don't understand.
The word is: "coincidence".
I've even heard of folks blaming toenail fungus on diet. <boggle>
Sometimes random events just happen at the same time.
No causal relationship.
Not even correlation.
Just random ... coincidence.
Now go head on down to your Doc's office and pay an arm and a leg to get a professional diagnosis. Odds are, it's the same.
Thanks! If you do your research The second most common reason for missed period is extreme weight loss. Although I wouldn't rate mine as extreme I wouldn't call it a coincidence. Someone who has a period every 28 days of her life religiously doesn't not just randomly skip 2 months without there being something that caused it. (The most common is pregnancy) And coming from someone who has never experienced a period your comment comes across as condescending. You know you could just skip the questions that don't pertain to your field of expertise. And not only is my doctor free to see, but there is no magical test to figure this out. It's a whole lot of guessing at this point hence the reaching out to people who have been where I am and possibly experienced the same things that I am going through.
So ... "extreme" weight loss then, it is, right?
Why are you asking us, then, if you've already decided for yourself what's causing it and want to reject responses?
Request: Be sure to come back after you find out it wasn't related and let us all know, mmm-kay? We wouldn't want to be left hanging here without a proper resolution.
PS - I don't care how "condescending" it sounds, odds are *still* in favor of coincidence.
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When I was your age, I would be irregular when I was under stress. I've been heavier than you and have lost weight at the same rate and it did not change my cycle. When I brought it up to my doctor (I wasn't dieting at that time), he said that he could give me something to get me going again, but it really wasn't necessary. He said that they, the doctors, didn't worry about it when you don't have a period; they worried about it when bled too much. < Do not take this as medical advice.
Are you due for your pap? If not, you could just call your doctor's office and leave a message for the doctor or his/her nurse. Often they can answer a question of this nature or be able to tell you whether or not you need to be seen.0 -
Lots of people in my extreme weight loss group had this problem. Stress and too few calories and the body goes in to protection mode.
Maybe lighten up on your weight loss target and eat a little more. Track to see if you continue to lose weight.0 -
SergeantSausage wrote: »We have this word in the English language that, sadly, many folks don't understand.
The word is: "coincidence".
I've even heard of folks blaming toenail fungus on diet. <boggle>
Sometimes random events just happen at the same time.
No causal relationship.
Not even correlation.
Just random ... coincidence.
Now go head on down to your Doc's office and pay an arm and a leg to get a professional diagnosis. Odds are, it's the same.
Thanks! If you do your research The second most common reason for missed period is extreme weight loss. Although I wouldn't rate mine as extreme I wouldn't call it a coincidence. Someone who has a period every 28 days of her life religiously doesn't not just randomly skip 2 months without there being something that caused it. (The most common is pregnancy) And coming from someone who has never experienced a period your comment comes across as condescending. You know you could just skip the questions that don't pertain to your field of expertise. And not only is my doctor free to see, but there is no magical test to figure this out. It's a whole lot of guessing at this point hence the reaching out to people who have been where I am and possibly experienced the same things that I am going through.
At a glance, the OPs weight loss doesn't look extreme and she is a long way from her goal weight.
This is the kind of thing that you can call and ask about on the phone with an established GYN. I've certainly been able to ask questions like this with a doctor who knows me. Unless they think it is serious enough to have you come in, it isn't the kind of thing that you are going to be charged for. Not sure how different this might be in Canada...but reproductive health is important--it's worth getting a professional medical opinion.
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SergeantSausage wrote: »We have this word in the English language that, sadly, many folks don't understand.
The word is: "coincidence".
I've even heard of folks blaming toenail fungus on diet. <boggle>
Sometimes random events just happen at the same time.
No causal relationship.
Not even correlation.
Just random ... coincidence.
Now go head on down to your Doc's office and pay an arm and a leg to get a professional diagnosis. Odds are, it's the same.
Thanks! If you do your research The second most common reason for missed period is extreme weight loss. Although I wouldn't rate mine as extreme I wouldn't call it a coincidence. Someone who has a period every 28 days of her life religiously doesn't not just randomly skip 2 months without there being something that caused it. (The most common is pregnancy) And coming from someone who has never experienced a period your comment comes across as condescending. You know you could just skip the questions that don't pertain to your field of expertise. And not only is my doctor free to see, but there is no magical test to figure this out. It's a whole lot of guessing at this point hence the reaching out to people who have been where I am and possibly experienced the same things that I am going through.
Well said! Don't you hate it when people who OBVIOUSLY have no freaking clue what you're talking about interject with their 2 cents on here? They make this a hostile environment.
As for me, I lost about 28 pounds once And actually start spotting. But I have PCOS and NEVER get periods. See, estrogen is secreted from the shrinking fat cells when you lose weight. The estrogen causes spotting. Its odd that you haven't had a period since starting. I wouldn't say coincidence. Its why super fit athletes don't get them either. If you look at It as famine/drought, the body "thinks" there's a limited supply of food (calorie counting) AND greater distance between the next kill (running or more activity with less of a food reward to make up for it ) so technically, the body is adapting to harder times. Becoming infertile during this Time because nature is kicking in "survival of the fittest." and losing weight is telling your primal instinctive body that there's not enough food and sustenance to support life. Hence no ovulation = no period.0 -
It's common, and a lot of women experience it when they're losing weight (even if they aren't underweight) but it's not necessarily healthy, so it is something you should check with your doctor about like everyone else is saying.
The general guideline my doctor gave me is that once or twice isn't a big deal but more than three or four months without one warrants testing.0 -
It could also be stress maybe? Ive twice in my life gone 3+ months without a period, all due to stress. Add to it that I was terrified I was pregnant, which only added to the stress.
The second time, I had lost a lot of weight about 30lbs in 4 months...but I didnt think of that at the time as a cause since Id had already experienced my period stopping due to stress before and I was pretty much at a stage of my life where I was completely falling apart. I was with someone both times though, so the deep down fear I was pregnant was still there. But no...it was just stress.0 -
ditsyblond17 wrote: »
Well said! Don't you hate it when people who OBVIOUSLY have no freaking clue what you're talking about interject with their 2 cents on here? They make this a hostile environment.
Goodness yes!0 -
Eh, I skipped my period this month and I'm a precious virgin. NO chance of being pregnant here...
Starting an extreme workout can cause your body to go 'let's put the babies on hold for now'. Are you working out more than usual? Stress can also make your body decide that babies might not be so important right now.0 -
When I first started working out and losing weight my period got weird, I was also under a huge amount of stress because my husband was in the hospital with Listeria poisoning. I went from normal 28 day cycles to 14 day cycles for two months, and am now back to 22-28 day cycles. Increased exercise, weight loss (even minimal), stress etc can all effect your hormone levels and your cycle. My suggestion would be to keep track of your exercise, food intake, any weight loss and run it by your doctor just to make sure that nothing else is going on.0
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Hi. I feel you. That time of the month I have fits of anger. My one work partner, who is male, is now knows that waaaay too much about me lol.0
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I'm still leaning towards pregnancy. Are you sure you're not pregnant? Condoms aren't 100%
On that note, what do you mean you can't take birth control? Can't or won't? There's tons of options if you really, really want to not be pregnant.0 -
If you miss a third period you should go and see your doctor to see if there is an underlying cause. This happened to me 10 years ago (I was normal weight at the time) and the cause turned out to be a pituitary tumour. I'm not saying this to frighten you but just to reinforce that you should go and get it checked out if it happens again next month. There are all kinds of potential causes, most of which aren't serious, but it shouldn't just go unchecked (although I understand it can be tempting to just think: "Yay, no periods!"). There's a good explanation here on the Mayo Clinic website:
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/amenorrhea/basics/definition/con-20031561
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Anything can happen in this area!
1) Stress (even if you stress at losing weight)
2) Hormone fluctuations
3) Prego (again stressing am I or am I not?)
4) Putting your body through a new change such as eating less food/nutrition...
5) Coincidence, maybe the month of February being short caused it, maybe it is too cloudy...
Not to be blunt, but you have to listen to your body. Determine the amount of time it has been and based on your concerns and time line, if you need a need a doctor or not...
Pay the doctor or keep buying preo tests...
No one can tell you if eating 1200 calories is causing you not to have a period or not. No one body is the same...
People in cyber space can't diagnose a medical condition (physical or phycological/emotional)...1 -
MeganMoroz89 wrote: »So definitely not pregnant here, no birth control, no breast feeding. Since I started eating 1200 (60 days) calories a day I haven't gotten my period. Am I missing something in the nutrition department that is preventing this from happening. Don't get me wrong here, not a fan of the monthly visits but I'm having to constantly check if I'm pregnant out of paranoia. I cannot take birth control so just condoms over here.
While I don't know the specifics as to how, I do know that the type of food that you eat/how much food you eat can affect your hormones and I agree with segacs, I think that 1200 is too low for your body. While I'm not trying to lose as rapidly as you are (only .5 lbs a week), my daily goal is 1350 and I'm 5'3'' and weigh about 125. So I feel like your calorie goal should maybe be more around what mine is. -- based off of this, I feel like, since you know that you're not pregnant, that's most likely the reason why you haven't gotten your period since you started your weight loss journey.
Anything can throw it off, including stress. So as much as it's hard not to feel paranoid and stressed out, try your hardest not to - the only times that my period has been late was when I had a reason to question whether or not I was pregnant, which just made it take longer for it to come.
After reading your comments I think I'm going to up my calories at least until I get in to see the nutritionist.
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I was just reading something online about functional amenorrhea.
"There is a threshold of energy availability, roughly 30 kcal/kg LBM. d for most women, that must be met for normal menstrual cycling. The threshold is not the same for all women: But if that threshold is met, the restoration of cycling will occur if previously energy deficient and functionally oligo/amenonrrheic." Quote from: http://tinyurl.com/kzmxved
What this means is that most women need to be eating a minimum of 30 kcal per kilogram of lean body mass (not total weight) in order to have regular cycles. It is possible that an individual woman's threshold may be higher or lower than that, but for most women 30 kcal/kg LBM per day is the minimum.
While you are waiting to see a doctor about your condition, you need to at least increase your caloric intake to that level, at a very minimum.
You said that you weigh 178.8 pounds, which is 81.1 kg. That is your total body weight. To calculate your lean body mass, you need to estimate your body fat percentage. You can go to an online calculator to get an estimate (e.g. http://fitness.bizcalcs.com/Calculator.asp?Calc=Body-Fat-Navy) or if you have a body fat scale you can use that.
But for illustration purposes, let's say that you have a body fat percentage of 40%. That means that your lean body mass is 60%.
Multiply 81.1 kg by 60% to get your lean body mass in kilograms: 48.66 kg. Now multiply 48.66 kg by 30 kcal to arrive at a minimum intake: ~1,460 kcal per day.
If I were you, I'd stop dieting altogether until you've consulted with your doctor, but certainly don't eat less than whatever you calculate as 30 kcal/kg of lean body mass per day.0 -
You've lost 30 pounds in 60 days???0
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You don't want to be asking internet strangers this, see a doctor.
I'm perfectly comfortable with the fact I have a period, it's a natural thing that I had hoped some other women on this site may have experienced. If I'm not mistaken this forum is for motivation, support and advice. If you don't have any productive input, why bother?
That poster did give you advice though. If you are concerned, see a doctor.
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