This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
First, thank you for the love and support after my post about amenorrhea back in July. I never could have imagined that so many women were dealing with similar issues and it is comforting to know that I’m not alone. It’s also been really encouraging to hear from women who are on the other side and have been able to balance their hormones, regain their cycle and have a family. It gives me hope.
Wine tasting in Charlottesville yesterday. 🙂
Quite a few people have asked me for an update and I’ve been stalling, hoping that if I waited just one more week I’d regain my cycle and be able to share what I did to help it along. Well, here it is four months later (a total of 12 months without a cycle) and it hasn’t happened yet. So at this point I don’t have any answers, but I’m happy to give a quick update by sharing what I’ve been doing over these past fews months and what my doctor has said.
Lifestyle Changes
For starters, I truly took my endocrinologist’s advice to heart. I cut back on exercise and started fueling my body with more food. Through this process I’ve gained about seven pounds. While on a blogging trip in September I had the opportunity to get my body fat checked using a BodPod and found that it was at 31%. I was pretty shocked by how high it was (apparently 32% is considered unhealthy) but at least it shows what I already knew — low body fat is not the cause of my issues.
Yoga. I’ve been trying to do yoga at least once a week. I’d actually really like to increase it to twice a week.
Regular acupuncture. I love my acupuncturist. He focuses on fertility and if nothing else the sessions help me to de-stress.
Supplements
I’ve been taking hormone balancing supplements. Some were recommended by a nutritionist, some by my acupuncturist and others I found through doing my own research. I did bring them to my acupuncturist to make sure it was okay to be taking them all at once. In addition to my normal prenatal multivitamin and fish oil I’m taking Vitex Berry, Dong Quai, Femmenessence Macaharmony, Shatavari, and Symplex F. I’m also using geranium essential oil on my feet.
Medical Updates
I’ve had two appointments with my endocrinologist since my last post. The first was to go over my AMH levels and get an ultrasound. My AMH levels were fine — actually a bit higher than normal for someone my age. The ultrasound showed that I didn’t have any ovarian cysts, but my doctor did see a few areas of concern with my uterus and wanted to do a Saline Sono Hysterogram to check things out further. I had the procedure done two weeks ago. It wasn’t extremely painful but it did cause some of the worst cramps I’ve ever felt. I don’t think my uterus was happy about having a catheter and balloon shoved inside of it.
The results consisted of some good and not so good news. For the good, apparently my uterus looked much healthier than it did during the first ultrasound (which was only three weeks prior). He said my uterus was larger and my lining was thicker, both good things and hopefully signals that my hormones are revving up.
The not so good news was that he saw some debris in my uterus. <— I had never heard of the term “uterine debris” before but apparently it’s a thing. To make light of the situation Isaac and I were joking that uterine debris would make for a gnarly band name. 😉
My doctor said the debris could be because I haven’t had a period in so long and when I do have one the stuff might clear out on its own OR it could be something like Asherman’s Syndrome, which is when the uterus develops scar tissue. I’m really hoping that it’s just old junk that will clear once my cycle starts back. Just in case it is scar tissue I started taking Wobenzym N — it’s a supplement for inflammation and joint support but it’s also known to help heal scar tissue. Even if it’s not scar tissue in my uterus I figure the Wobenzym N will be good for my joints.
He also noticed that some of my lining is migrating into the muscle around my uterus. This is called Adenomyosis — it can cause pelvic pain, heavy periods and make it difficult for an egg to implant when trying to conceive. It can also cause no symptoms at all…
At this point my doctor said the next step would be to have a hysteroscopy to further look into things, but that it makes sense to wait to see if my period starts in the next few months before proceeding. So that’s where I’m at with everything right now — just trying to remain patient while also positive and hopeful that my body will work everything out.
Sharing all this online is really scary and as you can tell, I don’t have any answers. I’m just hoping that me sharing my story sheds some light to the topic and helps others in some way. <3
2020 UPDATE: Just wanted to share that I was able to heal hypothalamic amenorrhea, get my cycle back, became pregnant and had a beautiful baby girl. If you’re currently struggling with HA right now I’m sending hope, love and positive vibes your way!
I’ve had amenorrhea for last 2+ years and I’m trying everything I can to get things started again naturally. Reading your posts has made me feel much less alone.
I’m curious – after finding out that it isn’t your body fat that is the issue, will you still continue your current routine of less exercise and more food or switch back to the way you used to eat/workout? I’ve also been trying to up my calories and fat but I haven’t had my body fat tested, so I think that may be the next step.
PS – I adore your blog!
Hi Maria. Thank you for sharing and I’m so sorry your struggling with similar issues. The last time I went to the doctor he said he thinks I’ve gained plenty of weight so I’m back to maintenance mode. I’m still eating a high-fat diet, just at more of a maintenance level of calories. And I’m still being aware of how much I’m exercising because I don’t want to put my body under too much stress. I’ve been doing 3 days a week of OrangeTheory and either resting or doing something like yoga or barre on the other days. Definitely way more rest days than I was taking previously.
Best of luck to you!! <3
I love you!
xoxo
I suffered irregular cycles throughout my 20’s yet conceive my son naturally. However, after a year of trying to conceive again clomid worked the 2nd round!
I went into perimenopause soon after. I am only 41, but do have 2 healthy children.
Best of luck moving forward 🙂
Thank you for sharing, Kim. I’m so happy to hear that you were able to have two healthy children. What a blessing!
I, too, have gone through this. In fact, I still am! I was on BCP through most of my 20s. I came off of them once I got married and we wanted to start trying for a baby. My cycles were extremely irregular and unpredictable. I finally got checked out, and took progesterone for ten days, and a few days later, my period started. A few days after that, I took clomid to induce ovulation. It was successful and we got pregnant; however, for other reasons (at the time, yet-to-be diagnosed clotting disorders), it ended in a miscarriage. We did that a couple of times with similar results (miscarriage or didn’t get pregnant).
I now have a son who will be two next week. Since having him, I have had four cycles. The first three were regular and I thought maybe my body had fixed itself. But then it was over six months until I had another cycle and it was extremely painful and heavy. I saw my doctor, because we do want to try for another baby at some point, and these erratic cycles won’t help that.
I just finished my period after having induced it with progesterone. I will not be taking clomid, as we aren’t trying too hard right now, and my main goal is to hopefully regulate my cycle. I have a year’s worth of refills for the progesterone and doctor’s orders to repeat it if I go more than six weeks without a period.
I guess I don’t have any advice except to maybe consider taking the progesterone to get things going!
Hi Megan. Thank you so much for sharing your story and for the info about progesterone. Are you taking a progesterone pill or is it a cream? I did try the progesterone challenge with Provera and it didn’t work for me.
Best of luck with baby number 2. 🙂
You are incredibly brave to share your experience. I didn’t have a cycle for almost 4 years after giving birth to my daughter. I know it was crazy to wait so long to get checked out and I honestly wasn’t even worried until this past summer when my best friend got her first post partum cycle- less than a year and a half after having her last baby. So after a wasted trip to the doc, I started taking maca & turmeric everyday, incorporated yoga and Pilates, tried to get more sleep and added more fats & iron to my diet. It wasn’t until I hurt my back while packing and I went to a chiropractor that things started changing. I cut back on mileage (I love to run) and I told the chiro about my cycle issues and he worked on my lower back twice a week for two weeks and my cycle returned last month. It’s time for another but I was told it’s normal to be irregular for months. Now to find a good chiro near our new home.
I’m praying that you find some answers!
Thanks for sharing, Dawn. I wonder what helped the most — cutting back on your mileage or the chiropractic care? Here’s hoping that your cycle continues normally now that things are flowing again.
All my support goes out to you! I’ve struggled with this issue myself and it’s very hard to deal with as an adult woman who wants natural options without resorting to pills. I commend you on your efforts to share!
Thank you, Heather. I’m really hoping that the natural methods work. They do seem to take longer than western medicine but I’m trying my best to patient.
Thanks for sharing everything with us, I’m on vitex and just bought geranium oil too, have been seeing an acupuncturist also, but am a little nervous about also taking Chinese herbs. Did your doctor say they’re safe? hoping a natural period will start soon too – good luck with it all hoping -for the best!
Hi Kate. My acupuncturist looked at everything I was taking and said it was fine. That said, I would check with your doctor before adding in the herbs. Best of luck to you as well.
The reason Meaghan got pregnant ‘without a period’ is because sperm were present at the time she ovulated. Had that not been the case, her period (her first in two years) would have followed about 2 weeks later. It’s an example of excellent timing. You can’t get pregnant (naturally) without ovulating, and if you ovulate, you will get a period, unless the egg is fertilized first. I’m sure you and Meaghan already know this, but I wanted to post in case someone else who is trying to conceive came along and thought they shouldn’t be concerned by their lack of regular periods. Congratulations on your pregnancy, Meaghan!
The reason Meaghan got pregnant ‘without a period’ is because sperm were present at the time she ovulated. Had that not been the case, her period (her first in two years) would have followed about 2 weeks later. It’s an example of excellent timing. You can’t get pregnant (naturally) without ovulating, and if you ovulate, you will get a period, unless the egg is fertilized first. I’m sure you and Meaghan already know this, but I wanted to post in case someone else who is trying to conceive came along and thought they shouldn’t be concerned by their lack of regular periods. Congratulations on your pregnancy, Meaghan!
I can tell you that everything that you are experiencing is everything that I have gone through on the last 2 years! I have seen 2 gynecologists, 3 pelvic Ultrasounds, an MRI, 1 endocrinologist, finally a fertility clinic and what feels like thousands of blood tests lol. It took 2 years before my body regulated and we managed to conceive before starting fertility treatment and before even having a period (really good timing on our part). Give your body time, keep taking care of it, keep giving yourself a break with restrictive eating and with over exercising (which I was made to do) it all helps. It will come back, mine did and now I am 5 months pregnant! Know that you have the support of so many women who have been in your shoes and have come out of it with a child!
Hi Meaghan. Thank you so much for sharing and for giving me hope that it’s possible to conceive naturally after dealing with similar issues. I’ve heard of other women getting pregnant without a period as well — so interesting! Congrats to you and best wishes for a healthy pregnancy and an easy labor and delivery.
Hi Brittany! Nothing much to say here other than I’m sending good thoughts your way. This is a very common and serious struggle, and you’re pretty brave to put it out there. Hoping for good news for you soon!
I appreciate it, Ashley. xoxo
Good for you, Brittany! For your openness, courage, continued optimism and for willing to share this with all of your readers. I’m so sorry things haven’t quite resolved themselves for you just yet (I wanted to reach right through my screen and give you a big ‘ol hug), but it does sound like things are moving in the right direction. I’m sending some good thoughts and positivity your way. 🙂
Thank you so much, Liz. I will gladly accept your virtual hug!! xoxo