Did BC ever restart your period?

I did a 5 month course of NuvaRing to try and get my unstable hormones back on track and give me a period. It has now been 4 weeks since i took out the last one. I did have withdrawal bleed that was unusually heavy after I took it out (2 days after) but its coming time for Aunt Flo to come if she's going to come on her own. Has anyone who experienced amenorrhea had their period successfully restored with BC? I did gain weight while I was on it and went into the healthy weight range, plus cut down the number of miles and intensity of miles that I was running.

When I was recovering I was put on BC to restore my period and at some point before I reached a healthy weight I stopped taking them and my period didn't come back so I started taking them again and it returned. So I think BC can cause you to have a cycle but in the absence of it you will only have it if your body is healthy and nourished. So if it doesn't come then wait it out, try eating more fats, and make sure you're at a healthy weight.

Birth control gives you hormone cycles which result in a withdrawal bleed. This is not the same thing as a real period. While those hormones can be valuable in decreasing the risk of bone diseases, they are unhelpful in that you may not gain enough weight to induce your real periods to begin again. You also won't know at what weight that's likely to happen, as BC gives you withdrawal bleeds at a lower weight than your real period would begin.

In other words, take BC if you need to, but it won't restore your natural period and you will have to be careful that you have really gained enough weight.

Actually, I'm having the same problem. I went on BC for a while to induce my period, but stopped after 2 months. I was expecting my normal period to return, but it never did. I did spot once (which got me really excited), but I have yet to get a real full period. I am also at a very healthy, stable weight at the moment.

My doctor told me to go on BC again just to get my cycle a "jumpstart"--has anyone heard of this? I still want to get my period back naturally, but I guess if my system needs a little starter, I'll go ahead and continue with BC.

would you consider acupuncture? a few years ago (when i could afford it...) it really helped me in the hormonal balancing area. 

i should add that i was amazed when it did cause me to start having a cycle again after many years of poor nutrition and amenorrhea.

 

I'd consider acupuncture but no, we don't have the cash...

I know that the period created by BC isn't a real period, but a withdrawal bleed. But if the hormones didn't restore a cycle in some people, why would they use it, or the progesterone challenge? It had to have worked for some people, right?

Original Post by merylwhite1:

Birth control gives you hormone cycles which result in a withdrawal bleed. This is not the same thing as a real period.

A little bit off topic, I'm sorry, but that statement worries me! I went on birth control at 19 because I never started menstruating by myself, and I've never been underweight. Are the periods I get now not a real period? Or does that only apply to those who have lost their period from being underweight? 

I'm not sure about your situation, thymine, but as for the OP, it's important to know that you are ABLE to have a natural period before relying on birth control. Birth control does not fix the problem of losing your period when it is due to being underweight. This means that you could be taking birth control and not realize that you still don't have enough body fat to have a natural period...do you see what I'm saying? Birth control can simply mask a problem that--if ignored--could cause early osteoporosis.

I went through the same thing, where I was underweight and lost my period for almost a year. My gyno put me on BC but my nutritionist advised me to stay off of it until I had a few natural cycles. I would suggest thinking about that...

 

oh yeah, and while I'm on this thread...what did you think of NuvaRing during the 5 months? I've been thinking about trying it, but saw a few reviews that said it caused terrible mood swings.

Original Post by merylwhite1:

Birth control gives you hormone cycles which result in a withdrawal bleed. This is not the same thing as a real period. While those hormones can be valuable in decreasing the risk of bone diseases, they are unhelpful in that you may not gain enough weight to induce your real periods to begin again. You also won't know at what weight that's likely to happen, as BC gives you withdrawal bleeds at a lower weight than your real period would begin.

In other words, take BC if you need to, but it won't restore your natural period and you will have to be careful that you have really gained enough weight.

 i second this 100%

Original Post by thymine:

Original Post by merylwhite1:

Birth control gives you hormone cycles which result in a withdrawal bleed. This is not the same thing as a real period.

A little bit off topic, I'm sorry, but that statement worries me! I went on birth control at 19 because I never started menstruating by myself, and I've never been underweight. Are the periods I get now not a real period? Or does that only apply to those who have lost their period from being underweight? 

No, the periods you're getting now aren't your real periods.

I'm on nuvaring as well, I'm not underweight and never have been, and I don't get any real periods either.

The same thing goes to everyone on any type of birth control.

I havn't regained my periods from Birth Control, only withdrawal bleeds.  Came off it about 3 years ago and nothing yet.  Am at a healthy weight now, but still nothing.  Hoping they will come back soon as I worry about the impact this will have on my bones

Original Post by tessa1223:

Original Post by merylwhite1:

Birth control gives you hormone cycles which result in a withdrawal bleed. This is not the same thing as a real period. While those hormones can be valuable in decreasing the risk of bone diseases, they are unhelpful in that you may not gain enough weight to induce your real periods to begin again. You also won't know at what weight that's likely to happen, as BC gives you withdrawal bleeds at a lower weight than your real period would begin.

In other words, take BC if you need to, but it won't restore your natural period and you will have to be careful that you have really gained enough weight.

 i second this 100%

 BC gives you a fake period, not the estrogen you produce naturally when your body is healthy and allows calcium to be absorbed in to your bones.

Plus, the same "at risk" response that causes your body to shut down normal things like this is what contributes to the deterioration of things like bones and normal body processes.

In other words, you have to be at a healthy weight and input vs. output where your body is comfortable, consistently, for your body to trust you and work properly-whether it be producing estrogen or laying down bone.

Inducing bleeding doesn't help any of that.

ALSO-and i dont know y it hasnt been mentioned, but the body needs to REST, as in, no excercising let alone running the many many miles each week that u do.  overactivity, EVEN at a healthy weight (and a bmi of 18 is often NOT enough) can cause ammenorhea.

Original Post by agruskin:

ALSO-and i dont know y it hasnt been mentioned, but the body needs to REST, as in, no excercising let alone running the many many miles each week that u do.  overactivity, EVEN at a healthy weight (and a bmi of 18 is often NOT enough) can cause ammenorhea.

Good point.

Yeah I also agree that exercising plays a major role in getting your period back, your body need rest, proper nutrition and time to recover. Take some time off exercise, get to a BMI of 20 if your not there already and get some relaxation in even in the form of meditation or something you enjoy.

 

I went without a period for a year and half and when I really started trying to get it back it took bout 5 months. I am now BMI of 21, walk and yoga for exercise and make sure to get all my calories everyday and try to relax for a while everyday. My period is still a little longer than normal but im sure my body is still healing. By the way I lost my period at a BMI of 19.5 so you dont have to be really underweight to lose it.

your period may not - prob wont - return at a bmi of 20. your body maybe comfortable at a bmi of 22 or 23. my bmi was 21.4 and i had no period because i wouldnt stop exercising.

i stopped exercising and had a bmi of 19 and it came back

I HATEEEEEEEEEE the pill…..  It totally changes your biochemistry and alters your body. I am not an expert and do not know the science behind it. But I hate the fact that it alters your body.


I am only on it because I HAVE to be (long story).  I would LOVE to not have to be on it - so PLEASE -  ONLY use the pill as a LAST resort -    why mess with your body unless you HAVE to?

Of course - there are many benefits to being on the pill and I am not discounting the fact that it helps many people…   it is just my opinion, that there needs to be a good reason to take it.

If you are brave enough to get to an even higher weight than the  healthy weight you were normally comfortable at, and also reduce the exercise, and give it time….. Your body may need a little extra weight, and less exercise as extra reassurance.

I do not think BC brought my periods back actually…  before I started on them,  I had to take other pills to get my periods back…..   So you may not need BC  to start them, if the natural ways fail

Original Post by fidget84:

your period may not - prob wont - return at a bmi of 20. your body maybe comfortable at a bmi of 22 or 23. my bmi was 21.4 and i had no period because i wouldnt stop exercising.

i stopped exercising and had a bmi of 19 and it came back

 but what is classed as exercise ? do you meal conpletely sedertary . is walking ok ? i walk my dog

Personaltrainer - I didn't like it either. I did at first but then I just went a little batty. I feel like the false hormones are out of my system, but I haven't been weighing myself.

Why do they prescribe them if they don't help?

I feel like I'll need a round of clomid even though I'm not TTC...

My regular menstrual cycle never returned after the birth of my children. My daughter was 15 months old when my doctor decided to take action. I'm now just over 12 months postpartum after having my second and still have no period.

When my doctor decided to do something about my ammenorhea, I was prescribed a pill that would jump start my body, so to speak. I don't know exactly what the prescription was but it was either Provera or Prometrium. I started my period within days of taking my prescription. I don't know if it's an actual period or not but you may want to talk to your doctor about one of these medications.

bier! I'm in the same situation as you though I am 19 months postpartum with #2. The doctor's only recommendation was the pill.... provera didn't work for me.