Loss of period!

tkroeker
tkroeker Posts: 19
edited October 4 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone,

Within the last year I worked my butt off and lost 68 lbs within about 7 months. Since then, I have lost my period (going on 7 cycles missed - and no, I'm not pregnant!), and my dr. thinks it's because of my weight loss. Since I'm eager to get my body regulating again, she suggested cutting down on exercise time to give my body a break and also increase my eating to a "normal" diet. Well, so far that has led me to still no period and gaining 15 lbs. above my lowest weight. Right now I'd be happy to drop 9 lbs. to get to what I think would be a reasonable weight, but that means restricting my diet and exercising more again.

Has anyone else had this problem - or anyone have any suggestions for me!? My ultimate goal is to get pregnant - but without getting my period or ovulating, my body isn't able to conceive!

Replies

  • PBJunky
    PBJunky Posts: 737 Member
    No idea whether you are eating healthy or depriving your body from any nutrients, such as fat intake which is vital for the reproductive system.
  • adidrea
    adidrea Posts: 275 Member
    Are you on birth control? Sometimes taking the pill will put your body back to normal because the hormones automatically regulate your period....although a lot of them have side effects, so I'd weigh those before deciding what to do.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    you must have been resticting quite heavily to put on 15lbs on a normal diet?
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    I think you should go back to your doctor.
  • grannygethealthy1111
    grannygethealthy1111 Posts: 422
    http://www.livestrong.com/article/401465-does-dieting-affect-your-period/
  • Shweedog
    Shweedog Posts: 883 Member
    Are you on birth control? Sometimes taking the pill will put your body back to normal because the hormones automatically regulate your period....although a lot of them have side effects, so I'd weigh those before deciding what to do.

    She's trying to conceive...
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    That's a very quick weight loss. I have heard of girls that over exercise and starve themselve like young gymnasts have their periods stop. I understand the desire for a quick weight loss but you should listen to your doctor and get your body healthy.
  • ratherbeskiing
    ratherbeskiing Posts: 847 Member
    I get my period more! I get it twice a month and I am on BC. wtf!?!?
  • Contrarian
    Contrarian Posts: 8,138 Member
    I get my period more! I get it twice a month and I am on BC. wtf!?!?

    *gasp* You stole her period!
  • adidrea
    adidrea Posts: 275 Member
    Are you on birth control? Sometimes taking the pill will put your body back to normal because the hormones automatically regulate your period....although a lot of them have side effects, so I'd weigh those before deciding what to do.

    She's trying to conceive...

    "Since I'm eager to get my body regulating again" is what she said. With the pill, you can get off it any time, I just suggested it because a lot of people take it for the hormone regulation, not just for birth control. But I agree with a previous poster - go back to the doc :flowerforyou:
  • brooklynsfinestballerina
    brooklynsfinestballerina Posts: 136
    Hey(: I've been a ballerina for my whole life and this happened to me all during high school. It was because I was eating next to nothing and dancing 6 to 8 hours a day. Please understand that while it can be reversed, it's still really dangerous for a prolonged period. listen to your doctor, and everything will be alright(:(:
  • shedoos
    shedoos Posts: 446 Member
    I get my period more! I get it twice a month and I am on BC. wtf!?!?

    ^^This -- I thought I was the only one!!
  • cskalaj
    cskalaj Posts: 94 Member
    When I was in High School, I went on a VERY restrictive diet that caused my up-until-then-annoyingly-regular cycle to skip 3 months. I was on the diet for 3 months and it took 3 months being off the diet for it to regulate. Also, I gained all of the "lost weight" back myself. That's the problem with those very restrictive diets, but I guess that's another post for another topic. Anyway, I went back to being perfectly regular when I went back to eating what was "normal" for me, but also undid the weight loss. If your doctor has recommended unrestricting your diet, you may try it until you can conceive and then go back to dieting after you've had the baby/babies you want to have. Good luck! :)
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
    Hey everyone,

    Within the last year I worked my butt off and lost 68 lbs within about 7 months. Since then, I have lost my period (going on 7 cycles missed - and no, I'm not pregnant!), and my dr. thinks it's because of my weight loss. Since I'm eager to get my body regulating again, she suggested cutting down on exercise time to give my body a break and also increase my eating to a "normal" diet. Well, so far that has led me to still no period and gaining 15 lbs. above my lowest weight. Right now I'd be happy to drop 9 lbs. to get to what I think would be a reasonable weight, but that means restricting my diet and exercising more again.

    Has anyone else had this problem - or anyone have any suggestions for me!? My ultimate goal is to get pregnant - but without getting my period or ovulating, my body isn't able to conceive!

    What you are experiencing is called amenorrhea. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/amenorrhea/DS00581/DSECTION=causes

    I'm curious what your bf% is. If this is not the normal state of your body then you should follow your doctor's suggestion and allow your body to return to normal before continuing weight loss through diet and exercise and just look at maintenance for now. Why would you go against your doctors suggestions, if you don't trust their opionion why do you continue to use that doctor? My friend naturally has amenorrhea and uses BC to bring on her period, however she does still release an egg every month just doesn't bleed which makes family planning difficult. Hers is not a usual case, but an exceptional one.
    If you want children some day I would get the amenorrhea under control first, if you are not releasing an egg and have stunted your entire cycle this can make you infertile.

    Also, it seems that if you're gaining weight from opening up your diet a little more the diet you were on may have been too restrictive to begin with. I wonder if your metabolism is all f'ed up from anorexia (lots of exercise, little to no compensating food) and you're just regulating. the good news is that you can get into a sustainable lifestyle now that you can continue through a HEALTHY pregnancy.
  • JulsDiane
    JulsDiane Posts: 349 Member
    Hey everyone,

    Within the last year I worked my butt off and lost 68 lbs within about 7 months. Since then, I have lost my period (going on 7 cycles missed - and no, I'm not pregnant!), and my dr. thinks it's because of my weight loss. Since I'm eager to get my body regulating again, she suggested cutting down on exercise time to give my body a break and also increase my eating to a "normal" diet. Well, so far that has led me to still no period and gaining 15 lbs. above my lowest weight. Right now I'd be happy to drop 9 lbs. to get to what I think would be a reasonable weight, but that means restricting my diet and exercising more again.

    Has anyone else had this problem - or anyone have any suggestions for me!? My ultimate goal is to get pregnant - but without getting my period or ovulating, my body isn't able to conceive!

    Normal shouldn't be a return to how you were eating before the loss but eating a healthy diet that stays within the calorie limit for your BMI to maintain your current weight. Can't see your diary but i know from my bad choices in my early 20's that not eating at all and killing yourself working out is way too hard on your body. You have to find a comfortable workout schedule that pushes you but does not over work you mentally or physically. You have to nourish your body with the proper foods as well. Good luck.
  • Scoobies87
    Scoobies87 Posts: 379
    you must have been resticting quite heavily to put on 15lbs on a normal diet?

    I agree. Stress affects periods greatly. Whether you ate stressed in life or overworking your body, it is likely to have an impact. 68pounds in 7 months is very quick (congrats by the way). Your body is probably still adapting and having lost that weight so quickly, it will be more likely to come back on.I would suggest eating slightly less then maintenance but more then you were when you were losing weight to find a middle ground and let it stable.
  • FistToTheFace
    FistToTheFace Posts: 22 Member
    I get my period more! I get it twice a month and I am on BC. wtf!?!?

    *gasp* You stole her period!

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    Mine disappears when I do any type of vigorous exercise such as HIIT or heavy weight training on a consistent basis. It takes my body a couple of months to get back to having a period.
  • aiyana1228
    aiyana1228 Posts: 100 Member
    My daughter just went through that from HS soccer and Marching band without diet (shes still in the able to eat anything stage).
    I agree with most of the previous posts. Having battled infertility I can also say that many fertility treatments start with you being on BC to regulate everything. Often doing this for 3 months and then going off increases the likelihood of pregnancy. I agree though that if you are looking at creating a baby in the near future your goal should be nutrition over the numbers on the scale. If you focus on hitting your nutrition needs everything else will fall into place. Good luck!
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    If your body fat is very low, it can explain it. If not, consult for PCOS. It can explain the lost of your period and the fact that you are gaining weight.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    I get my period more! I get it twice a month and I am on BC. wtf!?!?

    *gasp* You stole her period!

    :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

    Mine disappears when I do any type of vigorous exercise such as HIIT or heavy weight training on a consistent basis. It takes my body a couple of months to get back to having a period.

    I had mine for 8 weeks streight!!! I probably stole the period of 7 other chicks
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Yeah, I'd talk to your doctor again. It should be back after gaining 15lbs back, but maybe it just needs more time.
  • kayelrick
    kayelrick Posts: 31 Member
    and here I was thinking my late period was due to some activity whilst in 'high fertility' . . . . mmmm . . . still could be . . . .
  • skinnybearlyndsay
    skinnybearlyndsay Posts: 798 Member
    I've been worried about the same thing. I've been on BC since I was 16 to regulate (with a 2 year break after college where I had issues). I recently went off BC and I haven't had a monthly yet (went off a month ago...ha). From what I've read, I'll wait a bit longer before contacting my doctor, especially since this lifestyle change has probably affected it.
  • moxleymama6
    moxleymama6 Posts: 532 Member
    This happens to my daughter during cheer season. She is 5. 7" & weighs @ 110 lbs. During cheer, they train super hard & her body fat (what there is of it) drops too low to support pregnancy. Once she stops exercising so hard it returns. She eats like a trucker so it's not lack of nutrition for her.

    On the flip side...nutrition..google a vitamin called Optiviye. It helped my friend with conception.
  • moxleymama6
    moxleymama6 Posts: 532 Member
    A book called Fertility, Cycles,& Nutrition by Marilyn Shannon might be helpful.. It is available on the Couple to Couple Leahues website along with more info on Natural Family Planning.
  • angelacasey736
    angelacasey736 Posts: 249 Member
    I get my period more! I get it twice a month and I am on BC. wtf!?!?

    ^^This -- I thought I was the only one!!
    I am in the same boat! This happened to me for the first time this month. Once a month was bad enough but two weeks in a row UGHHH!!
  • deannarey13
    deannarey13 Posts: 452
    Yes. Actually, this has happened to me as well. I have seen my regular doctor and a OBGYN as well. I have had all sorts of tests run to be sure that it wasn't an underlying problem. The end result: It is due to the weight loss and excessive exercise. The recommendation from my doctor: I had two choices. 1. Go on BC for 3 months to get my cycle jumpstarted again. Then it should resume as expected. 2. Do nothing and wait for it to return which it should do once my body realized that this is the new "normal".

    I lost 25 pounds in 6 months and was exercising 5-6 days per week, including training for a 5K and duathalon. Not extreme weight loss, but I hadn't exercised in many years. The doctor never once recommended that I change my exercise regimine. In fact, she supported the exercise and suggested that I continue. She also never suggested that I increase calorie intake or anything of that sort. Without a period for an extended period of time (for me it had been 9 months) it was recommended to get extra Vitamin D and Calcium to prevent bone loss, which can happen when the period is absent.

    I chose to do nothing at this time. I do not want birth control. I will follow up with her in 6 months.
  • Maryfullofgrace
    Maryfullofgrace Posts: 342 Member
    A book called Fertility, Cycles,& Nutrition by Marilyn Shannon might be helpful.. It is available on the Couple to Couple Leahues website along with more info on Natural Family Planning.

    THIS^^^^^

    Look into NFP It is the most fascinating thing!!! Find a doctor who understands NFP too, many doctors today want to medicate your way to fertility or to explain infertility. You hold the answers. Seriously, read this book.
  • WildFlower7
    WildFlower7 Posts: 714 Member
    No ide what may be wrong, it could be a number of things. I have been SUPER late for mine but never completely missed it continuously. I hope you figure it out! Good luck.
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