Ammenorhea

[UmmYourFace]

I haven't had a period since June 2005. I know it's because of my active lifestyle and low body fat. I've put on a little body fat in the past couple months but I still havent gotten a period. I know I should ask my doctor, but I hate her, and have yet to find a new gyno. For women who have competed or gone to a very low bf% how long did it take to get your period back?

[twinnett]

It took me quite a while..are you on birth control? I have just gotten mine in the last couple months...started raising cals and lowering cardio back in July..

[UmmYourFace]

It took me quite a while..are you on birth control? I have just gotten mine in the last couple months...started raising cals and lowering cardio back in July..

No I'm not on birth control. I was before I got really lean, then I went off it because I started spotting and I thought it was bc I was inconsistant about the time I took my pill. Now I think I began spotting bc I was beginning to lose my cycle. Can a woman still get pregnant if she is not menstruating?

[rabidgirl]

Ok... I DREAM of the day I have amenorrhea. Heck, I got the Depo injections so they would stop. At what body fat % did you first lose your cycle?

I'd bet that once you get back up to that level, you would cycle as you used to.

[twinnett]

It's not healthy to not have a cycle for an extended period of time...yes, it is possible to get pregnant..not likely,but possible. Why don't you try to find a Dr. that you like??

[cazmcm]

I haven't had mine since jan 2002 which is like 6 years now and I know its low bf levels. I think its about 10% at the moment, does anyone know what it should be? I'm a recovered ed/long distance runner as most of u know.Since then I've put some weight back on now 53-54kgs, 165cms. I'm just doing heavy weight training, limiting cardio and eating more and its working, having a good bulk just would like the period back to feel normal
Any ideas chicks?

[twinnett]

Being that long,you really might want to go to a Dr...you could have many health effects from going that long w/out a period(osteoporosis...etc)

[emmie]

Being that long,you really might want to go to a Dr...you could have many health effects from going that long w/out a period(osteoporosis...etc)

Big bump to Tara's post. Osteoporosis or osteopenia (the pre-cursor) is no joke. I went for 5-6 years with no period and when my doctor insisted that I have a DEXA scan (painless, low-dose x-ray) I learned that there was significant loss of bone density and I was at "serious" risk for hip and lumbar fractures. I was in my late 20'.

I have built back a good amount of what was lost by taking birth cortrol pills (providing me with estrogen: no estrogen=loss of bone density), weight training, and being diligent about getting dietary calcium. I don't know if I would get a period without taking BC pills. Even as a normal-weight teen/college student my cycle was very irregular. Like twice/year.

Anyhow, I agree: See a doctor. You are young - and you are a boxer, correct? - and being side-lined by a fracture would be no fun.

[ChickenTuna]

I guess it's different for everybody, I'm lean AND old... and I get mine like clockwork every month and have never lost it.. I wouldn't mind if it went away but never does..

[kelelz]

what is your diet like? do you eat healthy fats?

i got mine back after anorexia when i started adding in pb, and reduced my cardio (a combination of both i suppose)

how many cals a day do you normally eat?

[Jordyn]

i havent had mine since oct 2006. which is strange, considering that during my "anorexic" days (from mid 2005 - mid 2006), i was 10 lbs lighter, eating around 1200 - 1600 calories / day, and was having it every month, regularly. its always been regular. now that im 10 lbs heavier, training w/ weights, cutting down cardio, and eating clean, ive lost it. i eat anywhere b/w 1900 - 2400 calories per day. i eat around 20-25% fats. im waiting to see a doctor in mid feb

[nacersusaf]

Yeah, same here all. I lost mine in September of 2005, but hopefully it'll be back soon... (not that I miss it)... but I know it's not healthy.

I have started carrying around girlie stuff with me again... just in case!

[sixzebra]

I guess it's different for everybody, I'm lean AND old... and I get mine like clockwork every month and have never lost it.. I wouldn't mind if it went away but never does..

Same here, doesn't matter how low my bf got, it was always on time

[MauiZos]

Mine gets irregular when I go below 18%. Around 14% I lose it entirely. As soon as I'm back to 18% or higher it seems to return to normal within 2 months.

[Miranda]

i got mine back after anorexia when i started adding in pb, and reduced my cardio (a combination of both i suppose)

same here. i'm now approx at the same - or a bit lower - BF% as when i was anorexic (except i have a ton of muscle now ). afterwards i had a highly irregular period for years. starting eating somewhat sensibly and adding fat into my diet did the trick.

i guess the body senses when it is being 'starved' as opposed to being fed adequately.

[liGymRatt]

Ok sorry ladies for jumpin in here... I know I cant and have no experience with the emotional or physical part of Ammenorhea, but I can let you know my knowledge on it...
I understand how the athletic thing is what first comes to mind, the fact that your underweight and restricted calories may cause a decrease in estrogen and even progesterone.... Not trying to scare you, but it could be a symptom of a underlying cause, some type of ovary conditions.. Things like PCOD, Autoimmune ovary disorder, Adrenal or Pituitary or thyroid disorder... there’s a lot of things that could be causing the Ammenorhea....

If I where you and I know I’m not...but I would go get it checked, just to be safe...

[kraceykat]

hi, i know you dont know me. i am rather new to the site but i am 19 years old and was a normal weight for my height all throughout highschool. i had my periods normally as i should, then started birth control. about a year after taking bc, my periods started getting spotty like you described. I stopped taking bc because i thought that was the problem. to make a long story short, for the past 3 years i am lucky to get my period 3 times a year, and when i do it is long and painful. for the past 3 months, my period has all of a sudden reappearred normally and on time. it has been coming on the 8th and lasting for 4-6 days. i was told by my doctor that because i had gained alot of extra weight, and my diet and exercise changed, that that is most likely the reason i lost my periods to begin with.. plus i switched from a normal bc to a ortho tri cyclen lo, then to the patch and then the ring without giving an appropriate time for them to take effect on my body. because i wasnt having periods normally tho, i decided to stop taking bc altogether and have been having unprotected sex with my husband ever since and have never had a scare of being pregnant. now that my diet has changed (la weight loss - structured diet daily) and i have lost about 40 lbs and getting close to my starting weight, my body seems to have decided to let my period come back. i would just say eat healthy and continue to work out and your body will work itself out over time. i dont think it has to do with how lean you are or anything like that. also try asking your doctor to do an ultrasound on you to see if you have any cists or anything abnormal on your ovaries because you may have polycystical ovarian disease/cancer (sp?) its nothing to worry about tho because my sister has it and was still able to regain control of her periods and have a baby. good luck!

[UmmYourFace]

I haven't had a period since June 2005. I know it's because of my active lifestyle and low body fat. I've put on a little body fat in the past couple months but I still havent gotten a period. I know I should ask my doctor, but I hate her, and have yet to find a new gyno. For women who have competed or gone to a very low bf% how long did it take to get your period back?

I'm not sure if I cursed myself or if I have a "woman's instinct". I couldnt stop thinking about how I was worried about osteoporosis, or even wondering if I had suffered pre-mature menopause. Anyways, I was in target last week, I walked by the tampon section and was like damn I ALMOST miss buying them and feeling like a woman. Then I got home and looked up gynos in my area so I could get evaluated. THAT NIGHT I got my period. Very light, but none the less, it lasted four days. I'm SOO HAPPY! I truely think it is because I hardly worked out in december bc of finals and the holidays.

[kraceykat]

thats good news...i know exactly how your feeling. mines only been around for 3 months, and as much as it sucks, i hope it doesnt go away again.

[cathryn]

I lose mine at a pretty high bf on Ortho-Tri-Cyclen Lo, but on regular Ortho I was still getting it when I was hospitalized for anorexia. Obviously a lot of hormone levels at play here. When I've lost it, it generally took a few months beyond getting back to a healthier weight before it came back.