One for the girls - amenorrhoea

7 watchers

Mrs mjb Jun 2011 10:13am, 27 Jun 2011 195 posts	0 Mrs mjb starsnspikes - I had to have hormone treatment (Clomid) to fall pregnant the 1st time. I was comming to the end of my treatment with Clomid when I fell. 2nd time though - I didnt have any treatment at all!
HellsBells Jun 2011 10:21am, 27 Jun 2011 8,415 posts	0 HellsBells BMI of 18.5 combined with training is sufficient to stop periods the pill is a red herring - it does not affect periods after you stop taking it, however because it creates a false cycle, it masks any problems that were already there which then appear when you stop taking it. So although it is logiacla to blame the pill when you stop taking it and your periods do x, it is only your underlying pattern asserting itself You need to be looking at your calcium intake, you need a bone density scan and you need to up your BMI the pill is definitely worth considering as it will give you some oestrogen and therefore some bone protection, and will also ecourage regular endometrial shedding go back and speak to gP: xx
curly45 Jun 2011 10:31am, 27 Jun 2011 724 posts	0 curly45 I agree with HB that you do need to put on a few lbs if you can (that will probs be enough to be honest). My BMI is 19.5 ish and I run about 50 miles a week and I have regular periods. Its really important to have them if possible as your bone density is at risk if you dont. Re: times, being lighter will make you faster to a point, but there is a tipping point (different for everyone) whereby their power is diminshed through lack of muscle. Also, for distances up to 10k (I guess you arent marathon training due to your lowish mileage) weight is less of an issue than for really long distance stuff. I am trying to lose a few lbs for performance benefit and I would use period interruption as a key indicator that I had lost too much and gone over the tipping point. Its a fine balance. Frank Horwill wrote an interesting article on the subject for Serpentine: serpentine.org.uk In fact a whole range of his articles on there are quite interesting with regards to weight and racing performance.
curly45 Jun 2011 10:32am, 27 Jun 2011 725 posts	0 curly45 And this one is good as well, but not by FH (sorry the other one is less weight related): serpentine.org.uk
Sharkie Jun 2011 10:51am, 27 Jun 2011 1,046 posts	0 Sharkie I hate to disagree with you Curly but mad Frank can be a bit, well MAD. He was - and is - a fine coach but I think some of his ideas are a bit outdated and a bit suspect. Also starsnspikes - Ruth - admits to being a previous ED sufferer so really does need to be doubly careful. Although I DO note you are telling her to be aware of the tipping points, so all smiles there. Ruth - Hellsbells is a GP - just thought I'd let you know that! Good luck with getting that balance right - it is quite tricky.
curly45 Jun 2011 10:55am, 27 Jun 2011 726 posts	0 curly45 Well he is MAD, but his ideas are interesting! I guess I am talking about from a raised eyebrow perspective. Sorry if that wasnt too clear.
Sharkie Jun 2011 11:06am, 27 Jun 2011 1,047 posts	0 Sharkie Ok Curly - it's that useful use of the word 'interesting'.
Ruth Jun 2011 10:14pm, 27 Jun 2011 32 posts	0 Ruth You're all amazing, thanks for the input and advice! HellsBells - my GP said the same thing about the pill masking underlying problems. But what I meant about the pill was that my periods took a few months to start up again after coming off it, which I've heard is normal. I had a light period during that time, then a proper one but then nothing. This coincided with losing weight through training. But maybe that wasn't the pill at all and they were just becoming irregular as a result of slow weight loss. The ED thing confuses things...because saying I want to keep my weight low for performance reasons sounds like a big red flag doesn't it! I literally see weight as a practical thing now though, my eating is very healthy. And I take it to be a good sign that I'd definitely sooner gain weight than lower my mileage. Curly - I am actually training for a marathon at the moment. I'm in the first few weeks and doing the P&D up to 55mpw plan. I've only been running a year and a half hence the low mileage - I haven't built it up yet. But I plan to. Definitely going back to the GP though. I'm a little annoyed that the gynaecologist seemed so indifferent. HellsBells, your reply was more helpful than the whole appointment! And everyone else's input too. RE: the endometrial shedding - apparently the other result they found as well as the low oestrogen was a thin endometrium, which she said was consistent with the low hormone levels - does this sound right?
betty baboon Jul 2011 10:36pm, 9 Jul 2011 242 posts	0 betty baboon Posting this in case it helps anyone. My periods have been hit and miss for last 18 mnths. Had loads of blood tests and scans and everything, including hormone levels normal. Periods been awol again for last 3 months and after reading the thread on here about low ferritin levels not always showing up in blood tests, decided to try a bog standard multi vitamin, in case I was low in iron or something else. After only taking them for 3 days, my period has started! Might not sort everyone, but might be worth trying.
phynona Feb 2022 7:02pm, 13 Feb 2022 15 posts	0 phynona I really sympathise with this. I basically had exactly the same problem and didn't want to accept that I simply had to gain weight. Frankly, the thought of gaining weight was terrifying but a combination of psychotherapy and lots of reading (and podcast listening) on the subject of ED recovery has helped massively. A sensible and sensitive GP is invaluable too. Sending you lots of love and encouragement!