advice on getting period back

Hi, this is my first time posting but have been reading a lot, and think I can get help here.  I am 31 years old, 5'5 and ~111lbs.  I have been at this weight for >6 years.  I have also been on birth control for 6 years.  Recently my husband and I decided we may be ready to try and get pregnant, so at the end of january 2009 I stopped the pill.  I have not had a period since.  I know that some women experience post pill amenorrhea, but I think it goes beyond that.

I think I need to start eating more calories and fat.  As I am honest with my eating habits, I am actually only probably eating 1000 calories a day, and virtually no fat.  The more I read, the more I realize how bad this is, and how it is probably likely the reason I have not had a period.  However, I guess I just figured my body was ok because I have not lost any weight at all, and still have enough energy to exercise 3-4 times a week. 

I am willing and ready to eat more and better, as I really want my period!  I am looking for help/suggestions to start incorporating more cals/fat.  I know my hunger cues are way out of whack, as I am not hungry at all except at like 2-3pm, and then in the evening.  Slow metabolism I know...

I do fear all of a sudden weight gain...I like the way I look, am toned..

My OB just gave me a prescription for Prometrium (progesterone) for 10 days to induce a period.  Finished them yesterday.  If it does not induce a period in 3-10 days, it likely means I am deficient in estrogen, which I fear is probably the case.

Any thought/advice/personal stories much appreciated!

you're underweight and starving your body to be direct. here is some advice...

eat 2500 calories a day, starting NOW. if you can't do it right now then eat 2000 and then jump to 2500 within a few days. 

here's a meal plan to get you started and IT'S NOT A LOT OF FOOD..it's a lot of additions to add calories and nutrition but the quantity of food is not a lot...

B: 1/2 cup dry oatmeal, cooked in 3/4 cup regular milk, 2 tbsp peanut butter added in, 1 banana on the side and 1 cup juice

[oatmeal, banana, and juice] ~ 725 calories

L: 1 serving pasta [210 cals], 1 tbsp olive oil [120], 4 oz lean protein [150-200], 1/2 cup peas [55] all mixed together with a cup of juice or milk on the side [140]

[bowl of pasta and juice or milk~675-725

D: 1 cup rice [200 cals], jarred alfredo sauce [70], lean protein [150-200], 1/2 cup corn [65]

[rice with protein and corn] ~ 485-535

S: 1 oz nuts and 1 oz cheese ~275ish

As chrissy has pointed out, you are underweight. 

Having restricted your diet over the years to starvation levels (1000 calories per day), taking the pill masked one major symptom of being underweight (amenorrhea). Unfortunately many of the other symptoms of starvation do not necessarily show up until much later in life. Which meant you believed you were fine because you had energy to exercise and had stabilized at a too-thin but not full-blown anorexic level (where more immediate damage would become apparent).

So yes you are right this is not post-pill amenorrhea. You will need to gain weight to get pregnant (and also if you want to avoid osteoporosis in later life too). In other words, you cannot keep your current weight until you get pregnant because it is unlikely to happen.

A woman's body is built to ensure her survival in famine -- that is not the time when she can provide tons of excess calories to a growing fetus -- and that's why your periods stop when you go below a healthy level of fat stores in the body. Not having your period is protecting you from your own inability to survive a pregnancy to term at this point.

Chrissy's post offers you some great ways to get the calories up and it will require your ability to ignore your current damaged appetite triggers as that will not get you to 2500 each day.

You are young and it should all work out as you and your husband hope. Best of luck.

thank you for your replies.  I know you are right.  And I definitely have a feeling that I will not have a "progesterone withdrawal bleed" later this week.  I have absolutely NO PMS signs that I am about to bleed.  I have to say the feeling I am experiencing most is utter embarrassment.  How embarrasing to have to tell my doctor that I have eating issues!  She has never commented on my weight in the past at pelviv exams, and has always said that everything felt and looked normal.  So you're right, I didn't think too much about my eating habits as being bad.  And since I still had a period every month, things felt normal.

I appreciate the suggestions for adding calories.  For the past 2 weeks I have been putting myself on what I like to call an "eating schedule," to try and eat by the clock, as my stomach definitely does not tell me I am hungry.  I am fortunate to work in a setting where I have access to a fridge and microwave, and can manage my time to be able to eat often.  I do know that I need to eat more fat though, which I have not been as successful at doing.  It's so hard to change habits that have lasted so long!!

Coming here for support is extremely helpful.  It makes me feel like there are people who understand and don't think I'm weird.  All my friends and family just assumed I always ate super healthy! 

thanks again

I am also 5'5", and my nutritionist estimates that my maintenance calories (at about 120, a low healthy weight) are around 120. I would bump to 2000 and 30 percent fat immediately. You might gain a little at first, but I doubt you'll continue to gain on that.

How important is it to you to get pregnant soon? Keep in mind that you'll need to gain weight when you get pregnant, so it's not the end of the world to gain some weight first.  If you want to get pregnant soon, you should probably bump up to 2500 as soon as possible, and gain some weight. Bodies are different - you might get your period back in a month after gaining  pounds, you might need to gain 10+ pounds and maintain that for 3+ months to get it back.

To add fat & calories, try to snack on nuts, have toast or oatmeal with PB added, drizzle olive oil on your vegetables or cook them in oil, add cheese to your sandwiches and vegetables, add toasted coconut or wheat bran to oatmeal/ yogurt, drink whole milk if you can (or add cream to coffee), eat full-fat yogurt or mix in nuts or or nut butter, use pesto as a sauce, eat lara bars / clif bars/ balance bars / etc, drink smoothies with PB/ coconut milk/ whole milk / ice cream blended in. . .

The taste of full-fat products will take some getting used to. Remind yourself that it's for your health and for the sake of getting pregnant. Nuts and oils may be easier than dairy fats at first - full fat dairy (yogurt, milk, cheese) will taste rich to you at first, but it's really important to eventually add that in.