I've gained almost 90 lbs. in the last few years (on top of the 40 I already needed to lose) and I think it's causing menstrual problems...I hardly ever get a period now and when I do it is very, very unusual.
I know there is a connection between obesity/blood sugar/hormones/etc...but I was wondering if anyone else had their weight affect their periods? Did things return to normal after losing weight?
Also, the weight isn't a result of PCOS, I think my problems are a result of the weight.
FYI, I will be seeing my Dr. in a few weeks.
Thanks.
My cycles also got worse while I was gaining weight. By the time I reached 250 lbs, I had no more periods. I had to take Provera each month to force a period. My GYN thought this was the best way to care for it.
I lost about 50 lbs and my cycles did not return on their own.
I finally found a Reproductive Endercrinoligst (sp?) and he put me on Metformin, I was diagnosed with PCOS. My cycles returned and have been "normal" ever since. I have stopped the Metformin for almost 2 months now, and my periods are still on time. I have lost a total of 59 lbs now..over a course of 13 months.
I would not say the weightloss "cured" my cycles, but it may have helped.
I would see a doctor asap. Most GYN's will give you birth control and tell you to lose weight. That is the problem.
I will not disagree, weight gain does do odd things to our boides. But to gain all of our problems on our weight is crazy.
Better to be safe than sorry. If your doctor tells you to lose weight and all will be fine, find a new one right away.
I listened to 4 different GYN's for years..lose weight and I will be okay. Even though they diagnosed me with PCOS, they weren't concerned. I tried and tried to lose weight, but I just couldn't.
I found someone who knew more than me, and directed me in the right way.
Please, if you are not completelt comfortable with what your doctor tells you..seek a specialist. Wether you are trying to have kids or not, you are having problems with your reproductive organs, and you need attention.
Like I said, better to be safe than sorry. There could be numerous things wrong, and maybe there isn't anything wrong. But I believed and trusted my GYN's for years, blaming my complaints on my weight. And now, I believe am paying for it. I am battling infertility.
I may sound obsessed with this, but your health is the most important thing. And you cannot go on blaming your weight. It's a vicious cycle, I am not fat because of my PCOS, but my PCOS makes it very difficult to lose and maintain.
My cycles have been crazy most of my life. When I was a teen I lost a lot of weight and stopped having my periods. Then when I married I couldn't get pg because I was messed up. I went through fertility treatments to have my first child and then I gainned a lot of weight and like Jenniffer my gyn thinks the pill cures everything and if it doesnt then not her problem. I did see an Endercrinoligst with my last child and I learned a lot. Your hormones play a large part of you weight problem. I know if my hormones are wacky then I can't lose and one of my first signs of high blood sugars are I seem to put on a lot of weight real fast. And I can tell you something else keep posting and keep yourself imformed to treatments because the dr spends so little time with you that they really need you to tell them what is wrong. Since I have been more pushy and knowledgable I seem to get better treatment. I hope this helps. Sami
I also have problems with not getting periods. Mine, like Jennifer is mainly caused by PCOS. There are other types of disorders that causes people to not get their period. Endometriosis is one of them. You may want to do a look up on this disorder and see if any of the symptoms sound familiar. A few that I know of are extreme back and abdominal pain, not getting your period or having extremely long periods, menstrual cramps that cann't be treated with over the counter medications... There are more indicators than this. Unfortunately, some women never show any of these symptoms and have this disease.
One thing about Endometriosis is that it can cause damage to your reproductive and internal organs. I recently had exploratory surgery to diagnos the Endometriosis. Not only did I have it, but it had been allowd to go long enough to do damage to one of my fallopian tubes.
Like Jennifer said, don't let doctors put you off with the "birth control is the savior". You have to be agressive about your health care. I trusted that the doctors knew what they were talking about for years. (From the time I was 12 until now, at 29). Now I have to deal with the fact that if I had been more agressive in the past that I might still have two fallopian tubes that work.
Horse Lady (Joy)
"Something about the outside of a horse is good for the inside of a man." Winston Churchill
I also think you need to see your doctor. Rule out anything else. I have been heavy all my life, didn't even start my period until I was 16 and then only 1 or 2 a year. Needless to say, when I wanted to get pregnant I had a horrible time and finally conceived my daughter with a 50 pound weight loss and the help of a mild fertility drug. My gynecologist says that fat contains estrogen, the hormone what prevents pregnancy. The heavier I was, the less likely to get pregnant. Now this is a very wide generalization, certainly not appropriate to every situation.
Count me as well as having period problems most of my life which MUST of been due to my weight. If I got my periods, it was very erratic, I could go months without getting one, never in my life was I regular-didn't make for trying to get pregnant any easier.
When I lost the weight the first time, my periods got more regular. The past 13 months I've been doing Sugar Busters and after the first couple months, my periods became very regular, with the exception of being 1 1/2 weeks late a few months back, but I'm now usually on a 28 day cycle-that amazes me!!
