No period?

[shiningstar55.livejournal.com]

Hey everyone! I have a question.
Cut for length.



I'm 19 years old, 5'4", and about 111-112 lbs. I used to have anorexia but have gotten a bit better in the last few years. However, my period stopped about 5.5 years ago, when I first lost a lot of weight from cross country. I never got it back and am trying to do so. My weight is technically in the healthy range now, so I'm not sure why I don't have my period yet. It's been the same for over a year and a half. I've been off and on birth control but have been off since August, and I took Provera to make it come back, but to no avail. No one else in my family has any problems with menstruation. I started my period when I was 11 and lost it when I was 14.

I've never had a body fat test and don't know where to get one. I guess my doctor could give me one, but she's in another city than where I am at college. Could the amount I've been working out have something to do with not getting my period? I work out everyday for about an half hour on the elliptical, or go running outside when it's warmer. I do some weight training, about every other day. Is this too much? I'm scared to stop doing this... I feel like I would gain a ton of weight if I didn't work out everyday. I didn't used to do it so often, but I've gotten a little more scared in the last couple months and increased my workouts. I don't eat less, though. I probably eat about 1500-1600 calories each day, but I don't obsess about the amount nearly like I used to. I don't really care about fat grams or anything.

If anyone could share insight, I'd really, really appreciate it. Thank you!

Comments

[kelsietrpt.livejournal.com]

I wish I could help you on this one, but I just wanted to drop in and say hooray for DePauw! I got my music degree there and graduated in '05. Great to see another DePauwvian here on the VagPag.

Good luck getting this sorted out! I did find this abstract for an article that might offer you some insight into what's going on:

http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/abstract/10/11/2-b

[shiningstar55.livejournal.com]

Heyyyy DePauw!! That's awesome:) I never find DePauw folks on here!

Thank you for the article. I'm going to go check it out:)

[lakemi.livejournal.com]

my friend was anorexic (I am a former bulimic) and she lost her period in 2002 after losing a lot of weight but before she became technically underweight. She got sicker and then over the years she recovered. I'd say that she has been in a healthy weight range since around 2005ish and has been behaving in a healthy way (maintaining her weight by eating normally rather than bingeing and starving since around the end of 2006. She JUST got her period back in January. She hadn't had it for so long and everyone at the hospital and her treatment team kept telling her that it would come back and she had truly started to believe that she would never get it back and be infertile.

My point is... everyone's body is different. Some people get their periods back right away and some people never even lose them even at very low weights. Keep doing what you are doing. Your body is trying to repair itself and when it's time for it to fix that it will. Although overexcercise could play a part in it, what you are doing doesn't sound too excessive. Be patient. I'm sure it will come back. Good luck

[shiningstar55.livejournal.com]

Good to know there is hope! Thank you:)

[risadeleche.livejournal.com]

i lost 30 kilos in a very short period of time and lost my period when i was still normal weight before going underweight. i went to the doctor and told me to gain like 10 kilos more but i refused. i gained like 5 kilos now and i am normal weight but my menstruation is still absent. i got blood tests for hormons and still have to show to my doc so i am more or less in your situation. i second the previous post that says that every body is different. but maybe you should try to excercise a little bit less because excersicing too much can cause amenhorrea too.

[shiningstar55.livejournal.com]

I hate that someone else is in the same situation, but I appreciate knowing I'm not alone. Thanks! Good luck.

[donnajuanita.livejournal.com]

As for the body fat test, try the gym at your school. I work at mine, and we have a special (and ridiculously named) machine that will figure out your exact body composition ratios and such - it's called the Bod Pod. The cost for one 15-minute session is about $10 for students. It works a lot better than the caliper measurements, but those work in a pinch, too (no pun intended!). Try and find your school's nutritionist or someone at the gym/health center, they're always great resources.
Good luck!