Female Advice Preferred: Period Problems

[survivor16]

I decided to come here to get some MORE opinions...
So I always heard that people with ED's (depends on the severity) would loose their period, if anything...

BUT, I am now on my period after just getting off of one two weeks ago.
My mom told me that drastic weight loss can cause your periods to go out of control, and then if it keeps happening you can loose them...

But I want to know if this has happened to you, or what you guys think.

Thanks,
Shelby

[Stargazed.]

It happened to me. My periods were always regular until I developed an eating disorder. They got further apart, every two months. Then they stopped.I went about nine or ten months without it and I finally got healthy again and I got it. So yay. But yeah. It definitely is affected by it. Kinda sucks.

[Silvia]

HEy Shelby,

it definitely could be related with your eating disorder. When you've suffered from it for a long time, it becomes very irregular, you can also be like 2-3 months without it, then it comes again, you can also spend long periods of time without it, etc.

As long as you're trying to recover from an ED, don't worry too much about it, because once you're okay, you'll get it back

[Just Peachy.]

My periods have always been a little irregular. But when I started restricting more, they definitely got further apart. So your haywire period can be a cause of your eating disorder. Stress can also be a factor.

[Kumagoro]

Hey Shelby,

This happened to me. My periods got later and lighter and after a while they stopped altogether. When I restricted what I ate, I had no periods whatsoever between December and July. It felt very strange, even though I knew it had happened because I was too thin. It felt like one of the freakiest things that had happened. They came back in July, a while after I started eating healthily. So it takes a while for it to catch up. Stress can also make your periods irregular.

Best thing I can suggest is see a doctor about it. They'll ask you questions you might not want to answer... I got "So you're not pregnant. What's your diet like?" But if you feel it might help to talk to a doctor about an ED then go for it. They will probably be able to tell you what weight you need to be to get your period back (or an estimation of that, at any rate).

Take care

[Kindred]

Shelby,

I think your eating disorder is probably to blame, along with stress. My friend went through a period of having periods (I made myself laugh. That was unintentional ) every 2 weeks for quite a while. Her doctor just told her to make sure she was getting enough iron and stuff <3

[Kate*]

Well one of the reasons that most people with an eating disorder diagnosis has lost their period is because missing 3 or more periods in a row is a diagnostic criteria, but you don't have to have EVERY criterion for a diagnosis. Periods are sensitive things and they can be messed up by just about anything. It's likely that your weight loss and/or eating pattern is causing the problem. It could also be from stress.

[survivor16]

Thank you SO much guys.

[Jas]

I would just like to note that amenorrhea (loss of periods) is absolutely NOT an indicator of illness severity. It often accompanies eating problems, but not always, and can occur in eating disorder patients of any weight. I see a lot of people get caught up in thinking like "I don't have a real eating disorder because I still get my period." -> that's simply not right. I've known anoretics that get their period like clockwork! And I've had irregular periods even during periods of relative normalcy with my eating habits. So it varies. Just something to keep in mind...

[Coffee.]

Hey Shelby,

Do you talk to your doctor about your ED? If so, ask about it. The reason why is that of course, eating disorders can be a factor of your period being irregular. But so can something as serious in another area, such as a cyst in your uterus or something very serious going on with hormones. We cannot diagnose this problem of yours, and you may really want to ask before you decide it's automatically caused by your eating disorder. It is VERY likely that it is, but don't shrug off the problem now because you're sure.

[Katelina]

Howdy Shelby,

Yea I have heard from my doctor that an eating disorder can
cause your period to go "haywire". He also mentioned; over exercise,
over eating, stress, and hormone level spikes to cause your period
to become irregular. I am a barrel racer, show jumper, triathlon runner,
and extremely active daily due to my "country-ness" life. Which all the
excess exercise can cause your period to become irregular. For example;
I would loose mine for 3-5 months at a time durin' heavy rodeo season, or
intense trainin for my next triathlon. First time it happened I thought I was pregnant. So of course I flipped out, but I went in to talk to my doctor.
He recommended me to be put on birth control - it doesn't just act as a
pregnancy prevention. It also can help make your periods become regular.
Even with an eating disorder birth control can help regulate your period as
long as you don't miss one. But my advice is to just go in and talk to your
doctor about it and ask if there is any other way to regulate them if
you are against takin pills. (:

-Kate

[Palmolive]

Someone close to me with Anorexia stopped having their period for 24 months, started for about 2 months and stopped again and hasn't come back on for about 8 months.

I know I have problems with my periods but I don't know whether thats down to my eating or stress etc.

If you have any concerns, you can see your doctor. And make sure you get help and support for any eating problems you have. You're not alone in this. <3