Lost my periods! Help!!

I am a 19 year old female that weighs 117lbs and is 5'8'' I have lost my periods since June 2007 and now I am getting more and more worried and scared! I also exercise for 60minutes per day 6-7 days a week on the elliptical. I eat healthy but my food diary indicate about 1600 calories per day. The machine says I burn 600...which I do not think is right. So even if say 400, then I eat a net of 1200 calories. Maybe this is not enough for my body...that it has shut down the ability to reproduce. I have been to obgyn and all the tests came back normal... the doctor said "gain some weight" but the thing is, there are people who are way thinner than me who have their periods AND I used to have my period at the weight that I am now..actually, even LOWER... 114lbs. I really do NOT want to gain weight and I feel very healthy. I do not look starved...I have heard of athletes having ammenorrhea because they do not eat enough for their training...maybe this is the case for me. Also, I try to eat more but after doing so, I feel really full and bloated and I just do not feel good. :( I think 1600 cal/day feels the best but then maybe I need to reduce my exercise/? But I heard 60 minutes a day is really good. I am so confused. Can anyone give me good advice?? If I eat more but exercise the same, would I gain weight? If I exercise less but eat the same, would I gain weight? So this problem basically started after about 3 months of daily exercise...please help!!

well, you are underweight... so I'm now kinda worried about myself...my BMI is 21.4 and I haven't got my period since July S:  I lost about 14 lbs during the summer,..eating and excercizing[sp?]....I didn't do it by starving myself. But still, I don't get my period.
It's scary, because like I said, my BMI is normal.

any ideas? s:

Original Post by minutexwatlz:

well, you are underweight... so I'm now kinda worried about myself...my BMI is 21.4 and I haven't got my period since July S:  I lost about 14 lbs during the summer,..eating and excercizing[sp?]....I didn't do it by starving myself. But still, I don't get my period.
It's scary, because like I said, my BMI is normal.

any ideas? s:

You gotta give us more. What are your stats, how many calories are you consuming, & what % of those calories is fat?

age:19
Height: 5ft 3
weight: 122 lbs
calorie target: 1400-1500 [maybe this is is not right..  o.o] *somedays..like saturdays I get out of control and eat like 2300*
excersise: walk/joG for 40min, 4-5 days a week.

during october my %'s have been:
Fat - 18.8%
Protein - 25.8%
Carbohydrates - 55.4%

But for the past months they've been pretty much the same.


>.< !

Okay, first of all, I want to say that you all should back off with the harsh comments.

I am in a similar situation and have gone to two different doctors about this issue.

I am 5'7" and my weight has been fluctuating lately between 117 and 120.  I don't exercise every day.  I exercise for two hours with at least 20 minutes of cardio on Monday and weight training for about an hour or an hour and a half on Monday, then on Friday if I have time.  Sometimes I try to squeeze in a weekend workout or a 30 min. run on Tues/Thurs. mornings, but in general, I'm not exercising even as much as you and I still have this problem.

I know I am eating at LEAST 1600 calories a day and I'm a vegetarian.  I don't want to gain or lose any weight- just tone muscle (which I guess is essentially gaining weight). 

The doctor put me on birth control and after a week, I was cranky and hated myself, so I stopped taking it.  My blood tests show that I am perfectly healthy and am NOT malnourished.

This is truly a tough question.  My suggestion is go see a different doctor- that's what I'm about to do.  Or take a questionnaire.  Maybe we both have eating disorders and don't know it.  Orthorexia is another eating disorder that differs from anorexia and bulimia- it just means you're very careful of what you eat, which I am.

I would, however, lighten up on the exercise.  You need 30 minutes of cardio a day in order to be healthy, but this doesn't have to be INTENSE cardio.  Just lighten your intensity.

Good luck and I hope you solve this issue (and me too!)

hey minutexwaltz.  people tend to lose their period if their body fat is too low or if they are malnourished.  even if your BMI is 21.4, it doesn't necessarily mean you're at a good weight for your body.  there's a lot that needs to be taken into consideration: natural built, body fat, nutrition, exercise, etc...  hopefully, you're not trying to lose more weight, which makes 1400-1500 too low for maintenance.  for now, to get your period back, just cut down on exercise, up your intake to at least 1600, and increase your fat intake to 30%.  if its only been a month or two, don't be too scared, because if you're good to your body, it will very quickly and politely say "thank you" by giving you your monthly gift back.

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Minutexwaltz.

I think your problem is that you are not eating enough for your exercise. I think this is also my problem. I had my period at the weight I am now (117lbs) when I used to exercise every other day for about 40 minutes. I also ate about 1600 calories back then too. But I think when I started increasing my exercise but failed to inc my calorie intake, it caused problems. I have been at this weight for over a year now...I am really really concerned now because I have not had my period for over a year and I know it is very bad for the bones…

I looked around for new research results recently and found that it's not really body fat BUT the lack of calories.

Check out these links:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18574231?o rdinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.P ubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultRepor tPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

I found this article very helpful:

http://www.fitnessandfreebies.com/fitness/arc hive/late.html

I know that some people might think that I am not in the position to comment about this stuff since I have the same problem, but it is the reality that people with normal BMI may have amenorrhea and people with very LOW BMI may still have their periods. So I think it boils down to this: If you don't eat enough calories to fuel your daily activities, your body WILL shut down "excess" functions, such as the ability to reproduce...in order to use the limited fuel for more essential activities, such as moving and breathing and keeping your heart pumping. Therefore, I don't think it is JUST body fat or your weight. I think the most important thing is calorie restriction. I have gone 1 week w/o exercise and eating 1600 because I was traveling. However, I didn't gain anything. I actually lost (weird, right?). This tells me that my body is probably in "starvation mode" because I do not feed it enough calories to deal with daily activities PLUS the exercise. Many athletes have the same problem (check out the link above). So now, I am going to increase my calories and see what happens, as well as reducing exercise. However, I am not going to shock my system and go straight to 2500cal/day. In a nutrition class in college, I learned about an experiment about starvation and after the experiment, the participants were fed more an more food SLOWLY. I do not think shocking your body will do any good…I think it will be the best to go slowly. I think the most important thing is that I know I have a problem and that I am going to fix it.

One more comment is regarding my physical appearance. No one tells me that I am too thin and I do ask family/friends. Although some of my family members say they can’t really tell because they have been around me too much, I do not look in the mirror and see someone very VERY thin. I am actually disgusted by the very VERY thin people that I sometimes see on campus of my college. I do not have bird legs or bones sticking out I actually look pretty lean and toned. This is why I am so reluctant to gain weight that I did not need to have my periods in the past….So I am trying to figure this out. I think the important thing for now is to increase my calories like everyone is telling me to do. If that causes me to gain weight, then I guess that is what needs to be. If it doesn’t, then I will watch out for myself and increase calories as I see fit. However, I am going to make sure I do not push myself too hard with exercise. I think I am probably burning up too many calories for what I eat daily

Dancinginblue,

It sounds like the problem you are having is very VERY similar to the problem I am having. -___- Like I mentioned, I really don't want to gain TOO MUCH WEIGHT because I did have my periods at my current weight...I never had drastic weightloss and I was always pretty slim. The only lifestyle change that I made about 2 years ago...was exercise. I started off with 20min every other day, which became 40...then 40 every day...an then now 60 every day... maybe I am addicted to exercise?? But I know I can live without it. -__-. I have been to 3 doctors and all they want me to do is take BC pills. They don't help me figure out what is wrong. But I think I know what is going on now. I think it is too much exercise and not enough food. So, Dacinginblue, I think we need to eat more calories1! -__- Try eating healthy fats like olive oil, which is very dense in calories... I think that will help. I am not going to weigh myself. I am just going to slowly increase my calories and hope for the best.

And one more thing! I have researched and found that when your body is getting very VERY low calories, you will tend to feel bloated after eating, even a small amount, because your body is not making enough digestive acids. So if you feel very bloated after eating and you did not eat that much, that means that your body is probably in extreme starvation mode. Even after exercise, we need at least 1400 cal/day w/o ANY activities. So yea....If I really do burn 600 and have been eating only 1600, then that means that I have been living off of 1000 calories. No wonder I am not gettting my periods. -___-.

But I am going to make an effort to do w/e it takes to get my periods back.

Thank you everyone for all the thoughtful comments!!

Original Post by dancinginblue:

Okay, first of all, I want to say that you all should back off with the harsh comments.

I am in a similar situation and have gone to two different doctors about this issue.

I am 5'7" and my weight has been fluctuating lately between 117 and 120.  I don't exercise every day.  I exercise for two hours with at least 20 minutes of cardio on Monday and weight training for about an hour or an hour and a half on Monday, then on Friday if I have time.  Sometimes I try to squeeze in a weekend workout or a 30 min. run on Tues/Thurs. mornings, but in general, I'm not exercising even as much as you and I still have this problem.

I know I am eating at LEAST 1600 calories a day and I'm a vegetarian.  I don't want to gain or lose any weight- just tone muscle (which I guess is essentially gaining weight). 

The doctor put me on birth control and after a week, I was cranky and hated myself, so I stopped taking it.  My blood tests show that I am perfectly healthy and am NOT malnourished.

This is truly a tough question.  My suggestion is go see a different doctor- that's what I'm about to do.  Or take a questionnaire.  Maybe we both have eating disorders and don't know it.  Orthorexia is another eating disorder that differs from anorexia and bulimia- it just means you're very careful of what you eat, which I am.

I would, however, lighten up on the exercise.  You need 30 minutes of cardio a day in order to be healthy, but this doesn't have to be INTENSE cardio.  Just lighten your intensity.

Good luck and I hope you solve this issue (and me too!)

 

Okay, well I refuse to back off because people STILL aren't listening.

Okay, assuming you actually weigh 120 & it's not just water weight (which I believe it is), your BMI is about as close to underweight as you can get. This alone could be why you don't have your period. Then you add in the fact that you're only eating 1600 calories, which is not nearly enough. THEN you add in the fact that you're probably not getting enough fat.
Fat is the key to periods. You can have a BMI of 30 & if you eliminate fat from your diet, you will lose your period.

thankyou tennislove98 & quest89 :3 for your advice and links
I'll def. try to up my calories...It's going to be a little hard, because I'm afraid to gain ._.
...*as stupid as it sounds*.
but if its for my own good... i'll do it.

~
:]

Original Post by starcrossdlovex:

Okay, well I refuse to back off because people STILL aren't listening.

Okay, assuming you actually weigh 120 & it's not just water weight (which I believe it is), your BMI is about as close to underweight as you can get. This alone could be why you don't have your period. Then you add in the fact that you're only eating 1600 calories, which is not nearly enough. THEN you add in the fact that you're probably not getting enough fat.
Fat is the key to periods. You can have a BMI of 30 & if you eliminate fat from your diet, you will lose your period.

Hm. I have never heard of fat being the key to periods. Can you provide me with some sources? I do eat a low fat diet...maybe this is also contributing to my problem...

But I HAVE heard of protein being a factor because athletes who tend to have amenorrhea tend to be vegetarian!!(And most often, theye don't eat red meat)

Also, good luck everyone!!!

When they've compared diets of athletes with and without periods, those WITH had a higher % of their diet from fat and less FIBER.  It isn't the protein, but the high fiber/carb content that makes the difference.  Although, I'm sure the red meat doesn't hurt.

Other studies have shown the beneficial effects of full-fat dairy for the same reason.

That said, I agree:  you can overthink this as much as you want, but it does come down to gaining some weight.  I went through years of infertility and ended up needing injections to get pregnant because I refused to see that.  Don't let your fear of a little gain keep you from being healthy.  In another study, they showed as little as 5 lbs and 300 cal/day made the difference in re-gaining periods in recreational runners.

Original Post by quest89:

Original Post by starcrossdlovex:

Okay, well I refuse to back off because people STILL aren't listening.

Okay, assuming you actually weigh 120 & it's not just water weight (which I believe it is), your BMI is about as close to underweight as you can get. This alone could be why you don't have your period. Then you add in the fact that you're only eating 1600 calories, which is not nearly enough. THEN you add in the fact that you're probably not getting enough fat.
Fat is the key to periods. You can have a BMI of 30 & if you eliminate fat from your diet, you will lose your period.

Hm. I have never heard of fat being the key to periods. Can you provide me with some sources? I do eat a low fat diet...maybe this is also contributing to my problem...

But I HAVE heard of protein being a factor because athletes who tend to have amenorrhea tend to be vegetarian!!(And most often, theye don't eat red meat)

 

I'm sure google would give me many sources if I had time, but what I was going off of was past experience. I was eating obscene amounts of protein & hardly any fat & my period was nowhere to be found. If you look around these boards, you'll see more people testifying to an increased fat intake. It absolutely revolves around the fat. Fat NEEDS to be at LEAST 20% of your calories, ideally a bit more if you're trying to get your period back.

I googled it too and there does seem to be a correlation. I don't eat much fat, but I eat way more protein than most people I know, and I haven't gotten my periods since March 2007. I always thought it had to do with body fat, but now that I've done some research I'm gonna start eating more fats in the hope that my periods return.

On a side note, when I went to both the doctor and gyno and told them how long I haven't had a period, neither seemed very concerned- I was more concerned than they were. I am on the cusp of being underweight/normal, and they did not tell me to gain any weight. I actually lost my periods when I was still well into the normal range of BMI. So maybe it really is just about being at the weight that's right for your specific body.

I was exaclty the same weight and height....last summer anyywayys ya i lost my period too after being warned that could happen! so this basically flew the red flag up..and i decided to gain weight..and i got my period back...definitely start eating some red meats and getting some fat into your diet! good luck

When I went to the obgyn doctors, they were not very concerned either. Strange. Has anyone has had this problem and then resolved this problem? If so, can you give tips how? Recently, I have been eating more (2000cal/day) and exercising half as much(300cal).

Original Post by quest89:

When I went to the obgyn doctors, they were not very concerned either. Strange. Has anyone has had this problem and then resolved this problem? If so, can you give tips how? Recently, I have been eating more (2000cal/day) and exercising half as much(300cal).

Yes.

It comes down to eating more, exercising less (and much less intense), making sure you get enough fat (25-30% intake), and doing your best to stay relaxed.  And be patient...it can take a lot of time at your healthy weight before your body trusts you again.

Mochi-chan: While BMI can be an inaccurate number for atheletes, and towards the higher end of the scale, it is very rarely a poor register of health on the lower end - aka, determining whether a person is underweight. And, despite whether it is a wholly accurate scale to measure someone's weight and health by on the higher end BMI is still the system that CC+ uses.

Being underweight has many health problems associated with it as much as being overweight and obese do, examples of which have already been described in this thread. But, if I must reiterate: as well as the loss of your period being underweight can lead to osteoporosis, hair loss, electrolyte problems, a weakening of the immune system, low blood pressure, blood disorders such as anemia, heart problems, and even death. The mental woes that come alongside can be just as devestating. Depression is common in undereaters and underweight individuals, as well as distorted perceptions and problems like Body Dysmorphic Disorder.

What irks me the most is that you are encouraging someone who is underweight to eat less that is even recommended for weight loss, and to eat less fat rather than the wiser suggestion to up fats to encourage the return of a period as low body fat and fat intake are often one of the major causes of amenorrhoea. From http://www.melpomene.org/articles/amenorrhea. htm:

Hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA) due to anorexia, excessive exercise and stress can be extremely damaging to the body in many ways. Low body weight, inadequate body fat and energy deficiency contribute to the suppression of hormones in cases of anorexia and excessive exercise... finally, in key studies, restrictive eating patterns and subclinical eating and exercise disorders, such as very low fat intake, high fiber intake and more calories expended in aerobic activity daily, were found in normal weight, non-athletic women with amenorrhea, even though overall caloric intake was not significantly altered.

While I realise that amenorrhea can occur in a healthy weight individual the fact that the original poster is of a low weight to underweight per BMI, excessively exercises and did not eat enough calories/fat, it would be most beneficial for them to increase their calories to a maintainance or weight gain level, to increase their fat intake to 25-30% in healthy fats and to cut down on exercise. Contrary to your advice.

As a reminder,

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And to the OP: well done on getting your calories up so far and cutting back on your exercise. As has been said keep your fats up, your exercise average to minimum and eat as you have been - 2000 calories at the least. I think it would still be wise for you to try and gain some weight but just reaching 2000 is a good start. Keep going.

- Ellie/Lala.

I weighed myself this morning and I was 118.6lbs.

It was a bit alarming at first but I think I am ok~ I look and feel the same but I dunno where the extra "weight" went~!! Hahaha! I have not been 118.6lbs for a while now and as long as I can wear my pants, I am fine with it.

Does anyone have any more tips? Is gaining weight really helping? How long would it be for me to get my periods back??

Original Post by mochi-chan:

Firstly, since when has being underweight been a crime, a complete no-no? It seems to be okay for us to be slightly overweight, so why should slightly underweight be any differen? I know plenty of people who are 'underweight', just like I know plenty of people who are 'normal' and many who are 'overweight'.

CC does not support dieting to achieve an underweight status.  It is not a crime, but advocating dieting to get below a healthy BMI by WHO standards is not something that we allow on this site.

The BMI is just a NUMBER. Get over it.

BMI is not only a number, it is also a scale that can help to determine your healthy weight status.  On the low end it is certainly indicative of poor health.  On the high end it tends to get a bit wonky for individuals who carry more muscle.

That said, I lost my period for nearly two years, and I only got it back this month for the first time. I have never been underweight, and in fact I am thinned now than I was even when I didn't get my period. I think the body may need awhile to adjust, and that's okay. Just give it time.

Every individual is different, however it has been documented that losing your period can lead to many medical issues.  Please let your doctor or other health care professional know about your experiences so they can tell you what you should consider doing for your own health.  Both weight and dietary composition play a part in whether or not you have your period.

If you're really worried about gaining weight, one of the things I suggest you do besides blinding gobbling an extra 800 calories like some people seem to be suggesting, is to switch foods. I usually eat 1100-1400 calories of healthy/fat-free stuff; due to living at a dorm they served more oily foods so I ate more fat, but kept the calorie count pretty much the same. This way you won't gain and it might help.

Healthy foods are important, but so is eating enough.  For a teenage woman who is underweight 1800 is the bare minimum without exercise to maintain. 

Back to the topic at hand:

I am a 19 year old female that weighs 117lbs and is 5'8'' I have lost my periods since June 2007 and now I am getting more and more worried and scared!

I assume that you're scared because you haven't had your period for 16 months and have heard from a variety of sources that this is not healthy...it is not healthy, verify this with your doctor or medical professional.

I also exercise for 60minutes per day 6-7 days a week on the elliptical. I eat healthy but my food diary indicate about 1600 calories per day. The machine says I burn 600...which I do not think is right. So even if say 400, then I eat a net of 1200 calories.

Gym machines are notorious for giving an inaccurate reading.  A heart rate monitor would give you a much more accurate measurement of what you're actually burning although I think your 400 calorie estimate is reasonable.

Maybe this is not enough for my body...that it has shut down the ability to reproduce. I have been to obgyn and all the tests came back normal... the doctor said "gain some weight" but the thing is, there are people who are way thinner than me who have their periods AND I used to have my period at the weight that I am now..actually, even LOWER... 114lbs.

A lack of calories or a lack of a balance diet are both potential contributing factors to your lack of period.  I'm glad that you don't have any abnormal test results.  Do you mind posting which tests the doctor ran for you?  Your doctor has told you to gain some weight, how much was the suggestion and why are you so resistant to it?  You are NOT other people who may or may not be way thinner than you are.  You are you and YOUR doctor has told YOU to gain some weight.  How tall and how old were you when you had your period at the 114 lbs?  What and how much were you eating then?

I really do NOT want to gain weight and I feel very healthy. I do not look starved...I have heard of athletes having ammenorrhea because they do not eat enough for their training...maybe this is the case for me.

Possibly.

Also, I try to eat more but after doing so, I feel really full and bloated and I just do not feel good. :( I think 1600 cal/day feels the best but then maybe I need to reduce my exercise/? But I heard 60 minutes a day is really good. I am so confused. Can anyone give me good advice?? If I eat more but exercise the same, would I gain weight? If I exercise less but eat the same, would I gain weight? So this problem basically started after about 3 months of daily exercise...please help!!

Eating the right foods for you (you might have an unknown allergy) is important.  If you cannot eat enough, then you have to cut back on the exercise.  You could switch over to strength training which would do some great things for your bones in terms of calcium absorption.  Do weight training every other day and save the elliptical for the other days.  You can also cut down the time and intensity that you use the elliptical to 30 minutes and still get the health benefits.

I weighed myself this morning and I was 118.6lbs.

It was a bit alarming at first but I think I am ok~ I look and feel the same but I dunno where the extra "weight" went~!! Hahaha! I have not been 118.6lbs for a while now and as long as I can wear my pants, I am fine with it.

Does anyone have any more tips? Is gaining weight really helping? How long would it be for me to get my periods back??

If you truly think that you're healthy and that you feel fine, then why are you alarmed and why are you posting asking for help?