does weightloss mess with a woman body? - Women's Health Message Board

starlighteyes32 · 06-10-2003, 07:45 PM

I have lost about 45 pounds since febuary.. But i am concerned .. this month my cycle only lasted 3 days.. and i got sever and i mean a sever heacdache, really a migraine in the right side of my head for one complete day.. I only bledd 3 days ***** for me is very unusal.. Now it seems again like i am going through pms.. breasts are getting tender and i notice a little irratiably and swelling.. but i just had my cycle it started the 31st and lasted to the 2nd of june.. please anyone have any ideas for me this is very confusing? I do not waste the money or time if i need not to worry and go to the dr.. Being i have no insurrance anyway.. Please if there is anyone who can shed some light on this i would be more than greatful.. thanks star

TimDream · 06-11-2003, 02:01 AM

Yes, weight loss can greatly affect a woman's body. When I once got down to 13% body fat, my period stopped. This started the whole cycle of messing with BCPs to induce the period, weight fluctuations, and hormonal acne issues.

It was a mess.

Definitely talk to your doctor or ob/gyn about it.

Sarah68 · 06-11-2003, 05:01 AM

The thing is here is that you need to address the core issue involved here which is the weight loss itself. If you get below a certain level of body fat, then your periods will stop, as it is your body's self-protection mechanism. You see this in competitive athletes a lot and due to the amount of training that they do, their body fat levels go way down and becasue of this their periods stop.

13% body for a woman is low, so rather than taking BCP's to induce your period, you actually need to make sure that you are eating properly and you probably also need to gain a little weight too.

This is your body trying to tell you something if your period stops due to weight loss. It probably means that you have gone below your optimum weight level and need to gain some. Once you do this, things should gradually sort themselves out. Either this or you have to consider the possibility of anorexia which could be a possibility if you get that thin that your periods stop?

Things in your body happen for a reason, so eat a little more and just be sensible and you should be ok. Ensure that you eat a nutritious diet and not rubbish, drink plenty of fluids and take regular exercise in moderation and this should help.

Good luck

Kari7171 · 06-11-2003, 03:45 PM

My sister has had a problem with losing too much weight over the last year. They can't figure out what is wrong with her she was down to 102 lbs and she's 5'8". She's up to 110 lbs now she keeps trying to gain weight but anyways she's had a problem with bleeding constantly. So it can go either way when your weight drops. I have read that estrogen levels go up the higher body fat you have and estrogen levels drop when your body fat is lower. So that could make your cycle different I am sure since it is estrogen that triggers your period in the first place.

TimDream · 06-11-2003, 04:40 PM

Sarah, thank you for your concern, but this actually happened to me over 4 years ago. I am now well aware of the dangers of losing this much weight!

Even after I regained enough weight and body fat, my period still had not started on its own. My estrogen and other hormone levels were far too messed up. It was my ob/gyn's suggestion for me to start a BCP.

I did not have anorexia (I consulted with a physician and a psychologist, and I did not meet the criteria in the DSM-IV), but I did severely restrict my diet and exercise excessively. Thankfully, I've since sorted out all of the misconceptions that were going on in my head...but it's so sad what women do to ourselves sometimes.