Did your period ever stop?

[tzvia]

Just wondering if anyone else had their period stop because of Crohn's and when did you get your period back?

For me, I was having a regular period, then I went on the Nuvaring from about 3/14-8/14. From 6/14 until 10/14 I have very very very bad flares, and I lost a ton of weight (went down to 90 lbs) and I was on prednisone constantly. I went off of the nuvaring in 8/14 but never got my period back. I had surgery on 10/7/14 and I feel great now. I have weaned off of pred and I have gained almost 15 pounds. But yet, I'm five weeks postop and still no period since August. And no chance of pregnancy.

Should i get tested for hormone inbalances or something? My body has been through so much lately with the weight loss and gain and surgery and meds. I just want my period back! Before this, I've always had regular periods and even when going off of birth control, my period has always started up again within 4-6 weeks.

 

[Cat-a-Tonic]

Mine has, due to stress (I had a friend pass away unexpectedly which was obviously terrible, and my body responded by delaying my period the following month - I did eventually get my period several weeks later). It's my understanding that things like stress, surgery, extreme weight loss or gain, etc can all cause a delay in or loss of your period. It sounds like you've had pretty much all of that stuff going on lately so it's not too surprising that your cycle has temporarily stopped. It probably won't hurt to mention it to your doctor and get some bloodwork done if it still doesn't come back, but given your surgery was probably pretty stressful on your body, I wouldn't worry overly much at this point. You mentioned it's been 5 weeks and that you've had a cycle of 4-6 weeks in the past, so this sounds like it's still within a relatively normal range for you? Once it goes past 6 weeks, then I'd definitely mention it to the doctor just to be on the safe side. Good luck, hopefully it's just your body responding to the stress of the surgery!

 

[tzvia]

It's 5 weeks since surgery but August since I had my period....like 12 weeks since a period. I'll go to the doc soon

 

[UnXmas]

Being underweight can definitely stop your periods. Now you've gained some, are you in the healthy BMI range or do you still need to gain some more? Also have you been exercising? Exercise could actually prevent your period coming back, as you need a certain amount of body fat to have periods. If you've been putting on muscle instead it might be why.

Checking your hormones is probably not a bad idea, but it is still quite soon after your surgery, it may just need more time.

 

[tzvia]

Yes, my bmi is healthy now. And I've been doing very light excersize, nothing too crazy.

 

[Drea85]

I'm going through the same thing. No period since August and 3 negative pregnancy tests.I haven't gone through anything too stressful, just the normal everyday stuff and I'm definitely not under weight. This is the smallest I've been in my adult life (except for my last bad flare in April, but I still had regular periods then) but I'm definitely still considered overweight. Has anyone else's just dissappear for seemingly no reason?

 

[tzvia]

My period came back yesterday!! Drea85 it could still have to do with weight loss even though you aren't underweight...but you did say you are the smallest you've ever been. It can also come from poor nutrition if the crohn's has disrupted your bodys ability to absorb nutrients.

I hope the P comes back soon for you. Have you been on any birth control methods in the last few months. Sometimes it take a while for the period to start up after stopping birth control as well.

 

[UnXmas]

Congratulations tzvia!

Drea85:

My period came back yesterday!! Drea85 it could still have to do with weight loss even though you aren't underweight...but you did say you are the smallest you've ever been. It can also come from poor nutrition if the crohn's has disrupted your bodys ability to absorb nutrients.

This is true - if lose weight very quickly, it can cause your periods to stop even if you're still not underweight.

 

[Drea85]

I haven't been on birth control in years and I've only been gaining weight since that bad flare in April. I wouldn't consider the gain particularly fast either. I gained about 25 pounds in that 4 months. My hemoglobin is really low (8.2) so maybe I just have nothing left to spare. I have a GYN appointment friday for other crohn's related stuff so I'll have my doctor check it out then.

 

[mseve]

When I was very, very ill and lost a lot of weight, I didn't have a period for about 6 months. Once I had surgery and became healthy/gained weight my period came back.

 

[Drea85]

See that's why I'm confused. I was very ill, lost 70 pounds between April of '13 and April of '14, had my period the entire time. I was out of work on medical leave from April '14 to June '14 cause I was too weak to stand up for more than an hour at a time, still had my peroid. Started all these new meds in june, still had my period. Pregnancy would be the easy answer, as I did have unprotected sex while I was ovulating, but I've had 3 negative pregnancy tests. Ugh I just can't wait til Friday so I know what's going on.

 

[Allegra]

I lost mine for three months over the summer while I was flaring and underweight and started on infliximab so the medication was screwing with my system, but once everything settled it came back Hope you get everything sorted soon!

 

[tzvia]

drea let us know what the doc says

 

[aideen33]

Mine has been ... sporadic. Every month is a guessing game as to whether or not i will have one. I was told my birth control can stop periods (im on nexplanon), but ive been on it over a year and was regular though shorter and lighter right up until i got iinto a nasty flare and started pred this summer

 

[DustyKat]

One of the telling signs of Crohn’s for most children is a failure to thrive. Inflammation causes malabsorption and also preoccupies the body, it is stressed, its energies are directed into healing and little else. For children it means lack of growth, weight loss or no gain and a delay in puberty. As you can see its impacts have the potential to be quite significant.

Translate this into the adult and in females you will often find that menstruation will stop, just as growth and development stops in children. It can take some time though once remission is gained for the body to readjust but it will. I am not talking weeks here but months. My daughter was in a very poor physical state when she diagnosed and had not started puberty, she was 14.5 years at the time. She was diagnosed during emergency surgery and so immediately went into remission. It took about 5 months for her to regain her physical wellbeing but it was still another 4-5 months on top of this before her body was ready to start the process of sexual development.

@Drea85: Where is your Crohn’s located?

Your Hb is quite low and may be one reason why your periods are now affected. Did they also do Iron Stores?

If you have small bowel disease, and the following levels haven’t been done recently, I would have them tested now.

Iron Stores
Folate
B12
Vit D
Magnesium
Zinc

@tzvia: Good to hear your periods have returned!

Dusty. xxx

 

[Drea85]

@DustyKat I'm not very good with the terminology, but I know that my Crohn's is in both in my small and large intestines. They haven't tested any of the levels you mentioned, but I know my Vitamin D and B12 levels have always been low even before I was diagnosed with Crohn's. I started Humira in June and Azathioprine a month later and my hemoglobin is steadily creeping down and my inflammation markers are the same as before I started the meds. They're doing something because I'm actually able to eat and function again, but I'm not where my doctor would like me to be. Maybe my body is just still adjusting. I'll let everyone know what the doctor says Friday.

 

[Cross-stitch gal]

I first got mine when I was 10. But, then it completely stopped for awhile afterwards. I was extremely underweight at the time and hadn't been diagnosed yet. I believe it did start back up a couple years later. But, it never was very regular until I got married and even more so when I began birth control pills for awhile.

 

[Drea85]

It finally came back. I think like a few people said before I was just too sick to have one. I finally got treatment for some really bad abscesses and that's when my period returned.

 

[ducky]

My period stopped completely when I was diagnosed with crohns at 48 years old. I was very sick then - lost a lot of weight in a short time. I went through sudden menopause which was very challenging. (not as bad a surgical menopause though!).

 

[UnXmas]

My period stopped completely when I was diagnosed with crohns at 48 years old. I was very sick then - lost a lot of weight in a short time. I went through sudden menopause which was very challenging. (not as bad a surgical menopause though!).

Hi ducky, weight loss can stop periods, and I'm sorry you had to go through that experience. Have you tried any forms of HRT? (Sorry if that's too personal a question - feel free to ignore if it is, but if you want to talk about it, feel free to do that too. :smile: )