Learning YOUR Body's Normal: The Reality of Amenorrhea

Many thanks to Agnes at Bits-en-Pieces for inspiring me to pen this post.

In my early 20s my menstrual cycle changed dramatically.  

I went from regular monthly cycles to sporadic cycles every 2-3 months eventually to 1-2 cycles a year.  My friends were having "normal" monthly cycles but I wasn't. Even my mom and my sister's cycles were in sync, mine wasn't.  Something was wrong.

During one of my annual gynecological visits I was told I had amenorrhea.  Amenorrhea is the absence of a menstrual cycle.  Amenorrhea is a common condition and most women will experience amennorhea at some point in their life.  During pregnancy, while breast-feeding, some prescription medicines, stress or in menopause are typical times for women to miss their cycles.  Women may also experience amennorhea while on certain types of birth control. 

I figured the stressors of college, relationship changes and relocating were what was causing my cycle to be off. The dreaded self-diagnosis.  In hindsight, I wish I had listened to my body and sought treatment sooner. 

Irregular cycles can be a sign of other problems.  Agnes at Bits-en-Pieces wrote about her struggles with DYSmenorrhea and I was inspired to share my story of Amenorrhea.

The absence of my menstrual cycles was the precursor for Stein Levanthal's Syndrome / Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) and led to a fertility issues and several physical changes to my body.  Fortunately, medications, a couple of surgeries and years of fertility treatments worked for me and I realized my dreams of motherhood.  However, such is not always the case and that's why it's important to have the conversation with your doctor sooner than later.   

If you notice changes in your menstrual cycle, be sure to let your doctor know.  If you have missed more than 3 cycles, consult with your doctor to help determine what is causing your cycles to cease.  Maybe it's stress, maybe it's diet, the only surefire way to know is to monitor closely.

Discussing periods may not be typical conversation when hanging out with your girls but it's amazing what you learn from just talking with your girls.    

If you have a friend who mentions they've missed a couple of periods, encourage them to let their doctor know as this could be a sign of something else.  Above all, know your body's normal and if something seems out of sorts, let your doctor know.

Have you ever experienced amenorrhea?