menstruation, birth control, and thyroid issues

[lalakis]

I have a complicated scenario for you all....

So for a bit of background; my mother first got her period at the age of 16, I was 14. I have always been underweight and am surprised I got it earlier than my mother.

Period cycles were generally once every 3-4 months until I went on a low dose birth control pill at the age of 16, where I got my "period" every month. I stayed on the pill until I was 20, about 3 and a half years straight. I stopped taking it in March of 2006. I have spotted maybe twice since then, but no actual period. I have also been vegan since April 2006.

In October 2006 I saw my GYN who tested my thyroid and hormone levels. Everything came back normal except for my thyroid, which is over-active. This could explain why I still didn't receive a real period upon stopping the birth control pill. She prescribed me a hormone pill (I believe it was progesterone) to induce my period. I took one pill a day for about 10 days, and still no period after that. BUT IT MADE ME FEEL HORRIBLE.

Since then I haven't taken anything else and still have not had a period.

So it's been over a year since I have really had a period...I'm a little concerned. I am wondering if prolonging this will affect me in terms of beginning bone-loss and osteoperosis, as well as cancer. I wonder if I am still ovulating, just not bleeding. I don't think it's due to my weight, because I got periods when I weighed much less than I do now.

I'm at a loss and though I trust my body knows what it's doing, I do not want to make the mistake of just not having my period for years and years and developing cancer of the uterus or some othe complication due to my hormone levels (though the tests came back that everything was normal).

It scares me so much that sometimes I wonder if I should take a week and eat non-vegan or SAD just to see if I get a period because of it. Just to get it again. Im not sure what to do and I'm sure everyone will recommend that I make another appointment with my GYN to get it all straightened out; but her suggestion will be for me to go BACK on birth control pills again that will force me into having a period every month. It messed my system up so badly during those years I was on it, I really dont want to put hormones into my body again. I'm hoping that in time it will just work out....but what are your thoughts?????? Any help is greatly appreciated. I dont want to freak out about this anymore!!!

[Zella Juice]

I have had irregular periods all my life. not as irregular as you..but...

since starting raw..and drinking green smoothies...my cycle is the same every month. I have it on the 28th day..like clockwork. It's the strangest thing..cause I have never had this happen. I would sometimes go for 40 days..it was always different.

I definatly have some hormonal issues going on (hairloss & headaches)...but I can see them starting to balance out...after only 5 months on raw.

I strongly believe half of it is the green smoothies...they play such a key role in healing.

[eatyourbroccoli]

some of this post contains too much info. dont read if your sensitive, i guess..



for the past 2 years since going off the pill i have had maybe 4 periods. at about 6 month intervals i just got my fourth, actually, yesterday.

i dont know how i feel about the idea that sometimes floats around vegan, and especially raw vegan, communities that women arent really supposed to have their period. ive been high raw for about 18 months, with intervals of 100%, and and whether im high raw or 100%, it seems to make little difference in whether i get my period. because of this my opinion on going off vegan for a week to try and get a period would be that it wouldnt be worth it..but that is only from my biased perspective as it never worked for me.

like you, im concerned about not having it. especially considering i began mine yesterday (last one was the first week of january), and now have very very large clots coming out. sure, it could be my body "cleaning" itself out after no period for half a year...but still..that isnt normal. and its also very painful. i cant imagine the potential damage of so much buildup...and again, like you, im not comfortable with this.

they tried the progesterone thing for me, too..no luck with that either.

have you had an ultrasound done? i HATE exposing myself to things like that so understand if you do as well..i avoid dental x-rays for goodness sake and wont even use a cell phone unless its absolutely necessary, but for something like this i think it may be important just to know what it is one is dealing with. i have one scheduled for early july. will i take their meds? no, probably not. but me knowing will give me peace of mind personally and let me know that these issues arent all in my head and that im not crazy. it will also help me choose more therapeutic foods in the raw lifestyle, and maybe even finally convince me to take the plunge into something like yoga.

i think it would be a very good thing to rule out ovarian cysts, endometriosis, and the like. ive been high raw for 18 months, im only 20 years old, and yet im still having pretty severe issues (my doctor is looking into endometriosis as whats going on with me. two of my aunts have it, so who knows ( :rolleyes: ) )

i guess my point is that .. i dont even know if this is your mindset, but veganism and raw veganism are fantastic lifestyle (IMO :p )...but they arent perfect lifestyles. with all of the other environmental factors in todays world, it is still possible to have an issue.. and considering your symptoms and the worry your symptoms are causing, i think it might be super important to get all the tests down, even if just as a precautionary measure. at least then you would have the knowledge (should there be something wrong) and you could then use that knowledge to approach healing in whichever way you choose (personally, im going to begin looking into chinese medicine/acupuncture because ive read its fantastic in healing menstrual issues)

6 months ago, i would have NEVER suggested anything having to do with allopathic medicine. but now, im beginning to realize theres great benefit in a balance from the best of all worlds..and i guess im beginning to view allopathic methods as great for diagnosis. :shrug:

sorry this was long. im having trouble putting my thoughts into words tonight :rolleyes:

[Trolltyget]

I went off my pills a year and a half ago after eating them continously for about 7 years. It took my body over a year to get back to normal, and I still dont have regular periods but I am getting there. I talked to my gyno and she says that this is very normal cause birth control pills really screws upp your whole system. She didn´t think I needed anymore hormones, "just wait it out and dont sweat it" is pretty much what she said. Now I feel SO much more like my self after giving up all those crazy hormones, and I don´t regret it a second.

[dreamrawalwz]

Can you find out if you're ovulating, but just not menstrating?

[Trolltyget]

Can you find out if you're ovulating, but just not menstrating?

Yes you can, or your gyno can anyway..mine told me that I was still ovulating the whole time while I had no periods

[barose]

Yes you can, or your gyno can anyway..mine told me that I was still ovulating the whole time while I had no periods

You can do it yourself by tracking your cycles using FAM, but it takes pratice if you're not used to doing it.

Not sure how your Gyno can do it accurately...does anyone know?