No period due to weight?

Chunkabutt83
Chunkabutt83 Posts: 461
in Health and Weight Loss
Has any other large women ever skipped a period due to being overweight? Im at my highest right now and skipped my july and havent gotten one yet this month. I just started back on MFP so it wasnt due to exercise or weight loss. It was a highly stressful month though, but i have never skipped a period in my life before, except when pregnant. I took a test just to be sure and it was negative. I dont have health insurance and would rather not go to the doctor just to find out its due to my size or stress. Just wondering if this has ever happened to anyone else.
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Replies

  • karendzar
    karendzar Posts: 23
    how old are you? i'm 48 and i keep missing 3 months in a row, then seem to come on very heavy, then come on again two weeks later, then not have anything again for 3 months - i have had loads of blood tests to see if i starting the menopause, but they say no i'm not...

    but i know stress can cause all sorts of problems, so it could be that you had a stressful month or two, when i was at my heaviest (30 lbs more than i am now) i never missed, hope you get it sorted soon, they are a pain to have or not to have still causes trouble!
  • dlcam61
    dlcam61 Posts: 228 Member
    When I was at my highest weight I was without a period for almost a year. I had no insurance and couldn't afford to be seen either. Once I got my insurance back I went in & found out I had PCOS. Skipping a period is an indicator that something is going on. Is there a clinic like Planned Parenthood etc that works on a sliding fee scale? Maybe you can get low cost care there.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    Stress has caused me to miss periods in the past. When I first started working out and switched the way I ate - I did skip one. Now, they are all out of whack - early one month, late the next. But, I am 35 and had my tubes tied at 23, so it IS possible that I'm going into the pre-menopause stage.


    Do you have a Planned Parenthood or a health department in your area? Perhaps they could do a blood test just to make sure you aren't pregnant. I took 3 pregnancy tests when I was pregnant with my youngest daughter and ALL of them were negative. Had to have a blood test to a positive.
  • Chunkabutt83
    Chunkabutt83 Posts: 461
    well, im 28 and i had a baby 7 months ago, i was on the depo shot from januaray til march and then in april, may and june had only light, short periods and then none now. I can be seen my a doctor for birth control and have it covered since im within a year of having a baby, i was just thinking it was hopefully due to either A) my weight B) The depo shot or C) the stressfull month i had.
  • catcrazy
    catcrazy Posts: 1,740 Member
    Skipping the occasional one here and there is generally nothing to worry about, hormones do fluctuate naturally, more so if you are either under or over weight. I'd let this one go unless you notice other symptoms but if you miss 2 on the trot then it would be better to get it checked out.
  • kunibob
    kunibob Posts: 608 Member
    Stress can definitely make people skip periods, even if they never have before. It can also drastically alter your cycle. I find that if I kick my weight loss into high gear, my first period is about 1 week late just due to the unexpected stress on my body...and I'm like clockwork normally. If you're concerned, a checkup at a place like PP might be a good idea, but if you have no other symptoms and are pretty sure you aren't pregnant, it is quite likely a stress thing.
  • CarolynB38
    CarolynB38 Posts: 553 Member
    It's probably best to get it checked out if you can.

    I did notice in your diary that you are often very under your calorie goal. I know you only just started MFP but if you weren't eating enough for quite a while that could be a contributing factor. Even though your calorie intake may not be causing this, it would be a good idea to try to eat most of your calories each day to make sure you are getting enough nutrition. If you are very anaemic you may skip periods, also if your body doesn't think it's getting enough calories, especially if you are very stressed too.

    You don't say how long since you were last pregnant, but sometimes it can take a while to settle down properly especially if you are breastfeeding or have been until recently. It may also be worth doing another pregnancy test.
  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member
    Due to my depression and high weight I stopped having my period more than once every 3 months. It lasted about a year but now that my weight has gone down a bit I just had one! :D
  • kelleymfrost
    kelleymfrost Posts: 15 Member
    It is very common to miss periods on the depo shot. I stopped having mine for a year....then switched back to regular birth control!
  • Chunkabutt83
    Chunkabutt83 Posts: 461
    Stress can definitely make people skip periods, even if they never have before. It can also drastically alter your cycle. I find that if I kick my weight loss into high gear, my first period is about 1 week late just due to the unexpected stress on my body...and I'm like clockwork normally. If you're concerned, a checkup at a place like PP might be a good idea, but if you have no other symptoms and are pretty sure you aren't pregnant, it is quite likely a stress thing.

    thank you, thats what im hoping it is. We were buying a house last month and at the last minute the deal fell through and it such a stressfull and emotional experiance, i just kind of assumed thats all it was. When I was pregnant with my daughter, i had a lot of symptoms and dont have any now, just took the test to be sure, if i dont get my period this month i supposed will take another and have to go to the doctor.
  • CarolynB38
    CarolynB38 Posts: 553 Member
    well, im 28 and i had a baby 7 months ago, i was on the depo shot from januaray til march and then in april, may and june had only light, short periods and then none now. I can be seen my a doctor for birth control and have it covered since im within a year of having a baby, i was just thinking it was hopefully due to either A) my weight B) The depo shot or C) the stressfull month i had.

    Probably a combination of the depo and stress and having a baby 7 months ago, especially if you are/were breastfeeding :)
  • adventuring
    adventuring Posts: 178
    When I was younger, I stopped getting my period for about a year. Like an above poster, I was also diagnosed with PCOS.
  • Chunkabutt83
    Chunkabutt83 Posts: 461
    It is very common to miss periods on the depo shot. I stopped having mine for a year....then switched back to regular birth control!

    i only ever got one shot, i didnt like the way it made me feel bloated and icky all the time, not to mention, i bled for like 2-3 weeks a month, it wore off like the end of april and i had regular periods in may and june.
  • autumnridge
    autumnridge Posts: 97 Member
    Yes, back in the day I would go months on end without a period. In fact, I wasn't feeling well, nausea, etc. so went to the doctor who told me I might have an ulcer, gallbladder problems, or be pregnant. In those days, we had the "rabbit test" to find out if we were pregnant. I had been disappointed on many occasions and we adopted a child who was 15 months old by this time. I made my husband call the doctor to get the results! Anyway, I had two successful pregnancies and my periods became more regular after each one so that they were completely regular by the time I reached menopause. It is proof that all of us have different bodies!
  • Chunkabutt83
    Chunkabutt83 Posts: 461
    Yes, back in the day I would go months on end without a period. In fact, I wasn't feeling well, nausea, etc. so went to the doctor who told me I might have an ulcer, gallbladder problems, or be pregnant. In those days, we had the "rabbit test" to find out if we were pregnant. I had been disappointed on many occasions and we adopted a child who was 15 months old by this time. I made my husband call the doctor to get the results! Anyway, I had two successful pregnancies and my periods became more regular after each one so that they were completely regular by the time I reached menopause. It is proof that all of us have different bodies!

    i have had stomache ulcers in the past that havent bothered me in many years but i dont remember ever missing a period due to that. Agreed, everyone has unique bodies, i guess im trying to talk myself into believing its normal for me to have missed lol
  • Chunkabutt83
    Chunkabutt83 Posts: 461
    is it possible to be PCOS since ive already been fertile and had a baby? Can it even happen that fast?
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,452 Member
    is it possible to be PCOS since ive already been fertile and had a baby? Can it even happen that fast?
    It is possible - PCOS doesn't mean you can never have a baby and it can creep up at any time. It can also be a combination of just having had a baby, the weight issue (excess fat messes with reproductive hormones, especially estrogen), stress, etc.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    well, im 28 and i had a baby 7 months ago, i was on the depo shot from januaray til march and then in april, may and june had only light, short periods and then none now. I can be seen my a doctor for birth control and have it covered since im within a year of having a baby, i was just thinking it was hopefully due to either A) my weight B) The depo shot or C) the stressfull month i had.

    I do know the depo shot can reek havoc on your periods. My sister was on it for awhile and after she stopped had a couple periods, then it stopped for almost a year. She knew she wasn't pregnant (no boyfriend/no sex) and the doctor told her that depo is known for screwing up your hormones for awhile after you've finished using it.

    Stress. Depo. Change in your eating habits, working out, just having a baby a 7 months ago (they say it takes your body 18 months to 2 yrs to return to "normal" after having a baby). I think it is everything combined together. I wouldn't worry too much over one month - but if one turns into 3 or 4, I would definitely go in for a check up.
  • Chunkabutt83
    Chunkabutt83 Posts: 461
    well, im 28 and i had a baby 7 months ago, i was on the depo shot from januaray til march and then in april, may and june had only light, short periods and then none now. I can be seen my a doctor for birth control and have it covered since im within a year of having a baby, i was just thinking it was hopefully due to either A) my weight B) The depo shot or C) the stressfull month i had.

    I do know the depo shot can reek havoc on your periods. My sister was on it for awhile and after she stopped had a couple periods, then it stopped for almost a year. She knew she wasn't pregnant (no boyfriend/no sex) and the doctor told her that depo is known for screwing up your hormones for awhile after you've finished using it.

    Stress. Depo. Change in your eating habits, working out, just having a baby a 7 months ago (they say it takes your body 18 months to 2 yrs to return to "normal" after having a baby). I think it is everything combined together. I wouldn't worry too much over one month - but if one turns into 3 or 4, I would definitely go in for a check up.

    thanks so much! There were a lot of factors lately that could affect me!!
  • anjoweena
    anjoweena Posts: 28
    I actually asked my doctor about this.

    I cant remember exactly what he said, but it was something about the weight not allowing enough estrogen to be released into your body (something about pressure if I remember correctly). So basically, you have too much testosterone in your body to produce a stable period. You may notice some other side-effects as well due to this hormonal imbalance.

    Hope this helped!

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