Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with amenorrhea

Weight gain causes amenorrhea because...?

starbaby — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 16:45:14 -0800

How does weight gain cause you to stop having your period? I was on two medications that cause "massive weight gain." I have since come off of them, but in the meantime, I gained about 30 pounds in about three months. As a result, I have not had a period in 90 days or so. I've been to my GP, who ruled out all the thyroid/anemia/bloodwork-related causes. I have been to my gyno, who pretty much just said, "it's the weight gain."

So now that I know the cause, I'd like to know how it works. Why does weight gain or loss cause changes in your period? It's my understanding that I am probably not ovulating, and that's why my period isn't happening, but why does obesity cause anovulation?

And, finally, if I am not ovulating, is there a lesser chance of a horrible, month-long period when it finally does come back? I'm sure hoping so.

Could an iodine deficiency cause sudden weight loss?

Aleatoire — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:02:21 -0800

Could my sudden and drastic weight loss (which has so far baffled doctors) possibly be linked to a deficiency in iodine? I am a 20 year old female, 5'3, and in fairly good health -- until recently. Within the last two months, I've lost 14 pounds without any conspicuous dietary changes or eating disorders, dropping from an already-low 104 (my weight for the last three years, right up to my last check-up in May) to a scant 92. On top of my frustration, I feel anxious, have been increasingly absent-minded, and am often unable to sleep despite being exhausted.

Additionally, I've only had two periods since January (in March and April), after having never missed a period in my life. At first, I acknowledged it as my body's way of responding to a spell of heightened stress (academic, familial); however, I now suspect that something else is amiss. When I last visited my physician, she told me that, apart from a very slight incline towards hyperthyroidism (something that they had been monitoring since September), there was nothing apparently wrong with me and sent me off to take a battery of tests which, judging from the lack of results, haven't alerted them to anything of immediate concern.

Today, something occurred to me: might this be all because of an iodine deficiency resulting from a vegetarian (lacto-ovo) diet, coupled with a very small budget as a student that has me almost never eating out and preparing my own meals from scratch? Living in Berkeley, where cheap organic produce is available, I've eschewed processed junk food (soda, chips) in favor of natural snacks (fruits, nuts, and other "whole" foods). I've also been cooking with kosher salt which, unlike table salt, does not supply any iodine.

This website, of unknown authority, tells me that iodine plays an essential role in thyroid functioning:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=69

I've never heard of iodine's connection to the thyroid. However, the more that I research online, the more evident it seems that I do indeed have a deficiency. Is an iodine deficiency a likely culprit? What else could be going on? Any ideas? I'd appreciate your input, immensely.

Egg donation: amenorrhea, + other concerns

Anonymous — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 13:42:42 -0800

Egg Donation Questions. Are there higher risks of side-effects for an egg donor with a history of secondary amenorrhea? My close friend is considering becoming an egg donor (with this egg donation company).
A few years ago, she had secondary amenorrhea, spanning about 2 years or more. This was due to a hormonal imbalance, as diagnosed by a doctor. During that time, she was advised to undergo hormone treatments for her amenorrhea. She did not do so, and her period eventually returned (by itself), a bit more than a year ago.

Currently, she says that the egg donation procedure is one of the most straightforward procedures you can come across: that the drugs/hormones administered to the donor during the egg donation process are the kinds produced naturally by the body, and that any possible side effects are minimal. She also says that since she rarely experiences period-related discomfort (e.g. cramps) during her period, she expects she will be scarcely affected by the hormones administered during the egg donation process. She likens it to what pregnant mothers go through when they are working with their gynaecologist and monitoring hormone levels. She maintains that donors are unaffected by the process; that her fertility will be unaffected.

My friend is young (early twenties, in college), unmarried, has no children, and has never been sexually active.

She has been informed that she is a top candidate, that her qualifications and ethnicity especially place her in high demand as an egg donor. At this point, she seems very keen and sure about going ahead with egg donation, although she has been asking friends for their opinions.

- Does her history of secondary amenorrhea increase her risks of any side-effects she may experience during the egg donation process? Will it affect the way she responds to the drugs/hormones involved?

- Is the egg donation process as straightforward as my friend currently understands it to be? Are the risks and complications that minimal?

- If anyone has heard of The Donor Source, or had any personal experience with them - are they reliable, and what is the extent to which they look out for the welfare and concerns of the donor?

- Should she seek out a secondary opinion/consultation from an external gynaecologist that isn't affiliated with the egg donation company? Likewise, should she seek out a non-affiliated attorney? From what I understand, The Donor Source will be providing her with a gynaecologist, as well as a phone consultation with an attorney to go over her rights and obligations. Will this be sufficient, or may there be a conflict of interest?

Please email eggdonationadvice@gmail.com if you have further questions or want to communicate privately.

Thank you so much, in advance, for your input.