amenorrhea

D

dormars1979

Cathlete
Hi everyone,

I originally posted this in the Ask Cathe forum, and was wondering if anyone here might have any other advise for me:

This is my problem:

I'm a 27 year old female. I was always into running and weight lifting throughout high school and college, but when I started work, as a sedentary computer programmer, I got lazy and stopped working out for a couple of years. I gained about 40 lbs and got very out of shape. Then I decided to get serious, started watching what I was eating, and went back to the gym. In the last 2 years, I've lost all the weight, and am currently in the best shape I've ever been in. However, in November, my period stopped coming, and I notice that I've been shedding more hair than usual.

I've been to the doctor and had all the endocrinology/gynecology tests done, hormone level tests, PCOS test, etc, and all is normal. My bodyfat and BMI are also in the normal range (I'm 5'2, 115 lbs, and somewhere around 16% body fat). I eat a healthy diet, and even saw a nutritionist to confirm that I am getting the right combination of nutrients. I'm really stumped as to what could be the problem. My gynecologist said that it's probably because of all the working out, but this is where my question comes in: I'm sure that I don't work out any more than other women in this forum, so I really don't know if I should cut back on the workouts, or try to eat differently or what.

As far as working out, I do 6 days a week...
Monday - all body weight workout, 60 mins
Tuesday - 45 mins of cardio (usually step aerobics)
Wednesday - all body weight workout for 60 mins + 30 mins of cardio, usually running or the stairmaster.
Thursday - same as Tuesday
Friday - same as Wednesday
Saturday - about 60 mins - one of your IMAX step DVDs or low max.
Sunday - rest

I was wondering if anyone might have any suggestions for me. Have you or anyone you know ever experienced this problem, and if so, what was the solution? I would really appreciate any advice you might be able to give me.

Thank you very much for your time,
Doreen
 
Take care of yourself and listen to your body. I dealt with the same thing; I was getting enough cals/nutrients, just working out a lot. Not an easy or simple road to deal with...

Think about lowering your intensity and/or doing other activities...maybe like incorporating a leisure/nature bike ride/walk, gardening, and definitely yoga/stretching etc., into your week; Something that doesn't involve the hardcore working out mode.

Again, your body will tell you...take the time to listen to it...hard but possible, and it gets easier and easier and easier....respect its signals from the inside out.

Treat yourself well.

;-)
 
I also agree that the problem here might be the intensity of your workouts and not the amount you workout or your diet. I can easily workout for 90 mins some days of the week but I adjust the intensity of my cardio. Also, I never do a full body weight workout a couple of days a week. If I know I'm going to lift a huge amount of weight, I train different body parts on different days. I normally try to train the same body parts in the same order twice a week and If I train them once a week then I do a total body weight workout at the end of the week. I had amenorrhea when I was a teenager and I used to workout with the Firm (especially the old Firm videos that were mostly high impact cardio with weights.) I hope you find a solution to this because it is very depressing and scary to deal with amenorrhea. I've been there and I thought something was REALLY wrong with me.
 
I know everyone is different, but I work out with the same intensity and one more day a week than you do and no problems like you mentioned.

I am 49 years old, 5'7" tall and weigh 115 lbs.

Just a thought, maybe the solution isn't in the working out. Maybe it's something your doctor needs to check further.

I am sorry you are going through this. I know how depressing and irritating health issues can be. Good luck and keep us posted on how you are doing.
 
It is so interesting that you brought this issue of yours up because I have suffered from the same problem for years. My period stopped years ago when I was a teenager and suffered from anorexia. I was put on birth control to regulate it and everything was fine until I went off of the pill. It has never returned and I can't understand why. It is something that constantly worries me and I have become convinced that I can not have children--and that terrifies me. I workout quite a bit. Sometimes taking three classes at the gym a day or doing multiple videos at home, but I am not extremely thin. I am 5'3 and about 110 pounds. I have not had my body fat measured in a while--to be honest, I'm afraid to look deeply into this with a doctor for fear of what they might find. I know that sounds ridiculous, but I just can't help it.
I eat well. I eat three meals a day and don't hesitate to have a cookie or ice cream and can't understand what is going on. I thought I was the only one in the world with this problem and I feel so much better that I'm not. Just talking about this now has actually made me want to investigate with a doctor. It's not something I should ignore. In my head I don't ignore it--it constantly plagues me. But I haven't done anything about it and I really should be more proactive. Thanks for discussing this. It has already helped me more than you know.
 
I think you should have this checked out as soon as possible. You're not only affecting your reproductive system, but you can have problems with bone density later on as well. This is a serious matter and I hope you find out what is going on.
 
I responded to your post in the Ask Cathe forum.

Remember that EVERY women is different. Some can handle a lower body fat than others and still have a period. Some can't.

Do a google search on "the female athlete triad" it will answer some questions that you may have.

I was diagnosed with amenorrhea last year and am still trying hard to get back to normal. I've had to cut back to 3 cardio and 3 weight days, and upped the calories.

But, what is working for others does not mean that it will work for you.

One thing to remember when adding calories, do it slowly so as to not turn it into fat. Some say that by adding a 150-200 at a time can help prevent this.
 
You might want to have a thyroid screen done. My friend lost hair and eyelashes when her thyroid was too high. Losing your period can also be caused by this. I've had peroids of up to 18 months of amenorreha when I was younger and have thyroid problems now. I never weighed under 125 so I don't think body fat was the issue. Just an observation.
 
I like what someone said about every woman is different. Yes, so pay attention to your own individual signals.

Also, think about your activity/stress on your body as a whole, not just how much "working out" you do. ALL your activities/movement count. Think like this: I know a mother of 2-year-old twins has a heck of a lot more running around than I do as a single 20-something w/ no kids, no hubby, etc. Know what I mean?

Just listen to your body. Seek help if you think you need to talk to someone who knows about this.

;-)
 
Hi!! I am having the same problem. I have not menstruated without hormonal drugs for over a year. I came off the pill last May, and still am not regular heck I do not menstruate at all right now. I have cut doen my workouts and tried to increase Kcal to gain wt, this is what the fertility expert suggested along with my gyn. Yes I have been to all kinds of specialist. All hormones are normal, but I have to keep in mind that I want to have children, and keep my bone density. When you are not menstruating your body is losing bone density due to decreased estrogen in your body. One more thing, I have read that many women need about 20% body fat to menstruate, and the fertility specialist suggest a BMI of aobut 21. I hope this helps and you are able to reach your goals for exercise and menstruation. Let me know how you are, and what changes you make that work for you. I will too. Take care, and thanks for sharing.
Kim
 
I can not remember ever having a regular period without being on the pill. I was on the pill for a while but I went off it because I was not okay with the side effects. After I went off the pill I tried taking the herb chasteberry. I make chasteberry tea about two or three times a day. It seems to do the trick. Chasteberry is a herb that is supposed to help with a whole list of female issues. It has been shown to help with anything from making PMS milder to helping women have regular periods. I do not know if it will help you at all but it might be worth looking into.
 
Interesting, do you have regular periods with this herb? Where do you get it? I will definately look into it. I am taking zoloft for anxiety and stress, and need to make sure it will not interact with the medication. Thanks so much for the information. Take care,
Kim
 
I want to thank everyone for their advise and kind words. It is very interesting to me that there are other women who have the same problem. I think the point of everyone being different is a good one. Maybe what is too much exercise for one women is OK for another...I'm just not sure though if this is related to exercise or not because I remember back when I was in high school, I was borderline anorexic and I ran 65 miles a week, and lifted weights, and my period never went away, so I feel like there has to be more going on now, because I eat much more sensibly and I feel my workouts aren't too crazy. I plan to go back to the doctor and pursue this further because more than anything, I just want to feel "normal" again.

Thanks again for all the replies. I'll keep you all posted.

Doreen
 
Yes, and I always have had problems before. I just get it at my local health food store. You can also get it in pill form if you are not a big tea drinker. I do not know if it interacts with any other medications. Since I do not take any other medications that was not a concern for me. However it is a pretty popular herb so if you google it you can get a lot of information on it. Good Luck.


>Interesting, do you have regular periods with this herb?
>Where do you get it? I will definately look into it. I am
>taking zoloft for anxiety and stress, and need to make sure it
>will not interact with the medication. Thanks so much for the
>information. Take care,
>Kim
 
Thanks for the info. Do you know why your periods are irregular without the herb? If I am getting too personal I will understand if you do not want to answer a few other questions I have. I have, per the fertility specialist I went to, hypothalamic amenorrhea. He stated he thought I should gain weight, and put on body fat. I have not had mine tested officially. I would not mind gaining wt, but putting on body fat does not thrill me at all. My husband and I are very ready to start a family and this is definately holding us back. Oh one more thing if you don't mind? What brand do you get and how much tea do you drink per day? I love hot tea so that is not a problem at all. Thank you so very much for any info. This is a great big help, and I am looking seriously into it. Take care,
Kim
 
Hi Jacque,

Do you have any side effects from the chasteberry? I got some for myself and started taking it...and I was just wondering what, if any, side effects I might be in for.

Also, how long did you take it before your period came back?

Thanks,
Doreen
 
Here is a link with more information on chasteberry.....

http://www.herbsrainbear.com/encylopedia/chasteberry.htm


Also this section from The Green Pharmacy might be helpful....
"Amenorrhea-the medical term for lack of menstruation in women who should be having regular periods-is a sign that something in the body has gone wrong. The cause could be anything from a strees reaction or a hormone imbalance to something more serious, and it sometimes takes a while to pinpoint the problem.

(the author goes on to mention a women who was having problems with menstrual flow)

I told her she might normalize her esrogen levels with the help of the estrogen-like substances called phytoestrogens that are found in many plants, including soybeans and whild yams. I also mentioned chasteberry, an herb with a well-deserved reputation for restoring menstrual flow."



I do not know why I never had a regular perioud. I started taking the pill and even with the pill I had a very light period and I would skip a lot of months. I mentioned it to my doctor and she did not seem concerned about it. However when I went to the hospitial for something unrelated the nurse seemed shocked that I was not concerned I was skipping months even on the pill. I did not really bother getting it looked into. I eventually went off the pill because I hated the side effects and looked into other methods.

I use a brand called "alvita". Most well stocked health food stores have a good selection of herbal teas. I take two big coffee mugs full of chasteberry tea a day. I usually take one early in the morning and around the middle of my day. It seems to have helped me. It also might help that I started consuming more soy products.

I have not had any side effects. However it does mention that the tea is not recommended to take while pregnant.

Good Luck:)
 
Hi Gals-Back in the 70's, teenage dancer and perfectionist, at 5'4, I hit 100, and period stopped - ate under 800 calories a day, couple hours of workout daily..By college,I got a handle on the anorexia, largely driven by desire to have kids one day...weight floate up to 110-118....no period except for when I'd take hormones....it finally took the body fat reaching over 20 percent, or 126 lbs to get a period...even then, only 4 a year (and 4-6 a year is enough to protect heart and bones)...so imagine my surprise that the one and only time I didn't use birth control at age 29, ....came my now 15 year old daughter! In short, at 45, with middle age spread coming despite my low fat ratio (weight stubbornly hit 135 and doesnt' budge) - now I get it every single month.

Its in the body fat girl....there's lots of us out there! 115, with lots of muscle and fitness is simply too low a weight for you. Doesn't it suck? BUT, don't be too convinced that you're NOT ovulating! Or you'll have the shock of your life like I did....joyous shock though!
 
Hi Thanks for the info. What did you do to help with the weight gain? Was it hard? I want to gain but it is tough, mentally, not tough to eat junk and be lazy, but then I feel so terrible, emotinally. I am going to see someone to help me with what I think is on the verge of anorexia, I was anorexic when I was a teenager. My husband and I are ready to have kids, but my lack of periods is quite an obstacle. How long at 118# before you had a period? How long did it take once you decided to put on the weight did you have a period and get pregnant? sorry for all the questions just so curious about how this will possibly play out for me and what has happened to others. Thanks for all of your insight, and answers, and sharing of your experience. I really appreciate it. Sincerely, Kim
 
It really does suck. I mean, I feel like I have worked so hard to be where I am at the current time. I've done all the right things to be healthy and fit and strong, and my body doesn't seem to like it. I don't feel like I'm too thin, I feel like I eat the right things, and I don't feel overtrained, so the whole thing is quite frustrating. It's like I can't win - I either have to accept not getting my period and feeling like I'm not normal all the time, or I have to accept gaining some weight and not being as fit as I really want to be. It's a lose lose situation.

Thank you for sharing your personal experience. It does help to know that others went through this as well, and that I'm not the only one experiencing this problem.
 
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