Period Hell!

[Piernes]

I need some help....
current scenario is I am an international athlete and my periods pretty much debilitate me. I think the problems are linked to my hypothyroid and until that levels out I have this problem every month.
Currently I bleed for anything from 8 to 15 days mainly light but still it happens. However each time I get very fatigued and as such can't train. I take medication for the anaemia and rest as much as poss. It's bad enough interrupting training but next month I have BIG races....do I take birth control pill in the hope of delaying it but then what about the next race and the one after that???

I am open to suggestions because all I seem to get at the moment is an explanation that this happens because I push my body, but how else can I excel?

 

[Melaina]

First off I definitely think you need to make an appt with your OBG.... fibroids, cysts and tumors will all give a longer period.... as well as change of diet and change of hormone (naturally seen in adolescence and menopause... but same if you alter your own hormone levels).

Might want to have a u/s done... some blood work, make sure everything is ok down there. Are you on birth control or are you considering starting birth control... was a bit confused about that part....

 

[RADAR]

^^^^^^
Ditto,Injectable B 12 wouldn't hurt either.


RADAR

 

[*ebony*]

holy crap 8-15 days!!! i can relate except for the length of time. mine last anywhere from 4-7 days but no more, and yes i hate everyone and everything and sometimes it completely cripples me so that all i feel like doing is just laying there and sleep. lots of fatigue and lower back pain as well as cramps.
these are not unnatural, so as far as your training causing the symptoms im not entirely sure.

talk to your OB/GYN about it. i do have a friend who takes seasonique which reduces your periods to 4/yr.
https://www.seasonique.com/about/what-is-a-pill-period/

 

[Cutiebaby]

I would go talk to your Gyno about this. There are plenty of things that they could do to assist you, however the main thing at this point is ruling out any serious issues that could be making you bleed like this. Get an annual pap done and a routine check just to ensure everything is ok.

 

[Piernes]

Thanks for all your replies. I've had loads of blood work done as I was suffering with pernicious anaemia and also since I started taking thyroid meds. After several courses my last bloods (and I have had at least 5 in the last 4 months!) showed that my anaemia was better but have been told to continue with the injectable B12, but purely on how I feel along with high quality supps (including folic acid etc). The only problem that showed on my bloods was thyroid meds weren't right... T4 was high, T3 low (in comparison with T4 - bot out of range but near the bottom of the range) and TSH was non existent - this was when taking 100mcg T4. I am now on 75mcg T4 and just added 12.5mcg (1/2 tab) T3.

All doctor said was that with my training my periods will eventually stop!

Currently not on pill but in the past been on standard mainly oestrogen pills and I was FAT! Was thinking about going on mini pill (progesterone only) but been reading research that states it 'can' reduce athletic performance and also I do not want to gain any weight (other than muscle of course)! what's peoples experiences with these?

 

[goin on 4T]

My x wife had this problem it was her hormones. Its the one that kicks up to stop her period I think progestin? Get a full blood panel right when your period is supposed to end.

 

[Blondie85]

Thanks for all your replies. I've had loads of blood work done as I was suffering with pernicious anaemia and also since I started taking thyroid meds. After several courses my last bloods (and I have had at least 5 in the last 4 months!) showed that my anaemia was better but have been told to continue with the injectable B12, but purely on how I feel along with high quality supps (including folic acid etc). The only problem that showed on my bloods was thyroid meds weren't right... T4 was high, T3 low (in comparison with T4 - bot out of range but near the bottom of the range) and TSH was non existent - this was when taking 100mcg T4. I am now on 75mcg T4 and just added 12.5mcg (1/2 tab) T3.

All doctor said was that with my training my periods will eventually stop!

Currently not on pill but in the past been on standard mainly oestrogen pills and I was FAT! Was thinking about going on mini pill (progesterone only) but been reading research that states it 'can' reduce athletic performance and also I do not want to gain any weight (other than muscle of course)! what's peoples experiences with these?

Mine have already stopped once I got down to 22$ bf they stopped.

 

[Piernes]

Mine have already stopped once I got down to 22$ bf they stopped.

I am currently 19%BF but that hasn't stopped them.

Telling me to train harder is quite the opposite to what I should be encouraged to do as my natural tendency is to over do things.

 

[Blondie85]

Nah, Im notorious at over doing things. As long as your diet, supplements and sleep are good, you would be fine. I like being intense.

 

[Melaina]

Hey piernes, women (not addressing anything but simply weight to height) generally start losing their periods when they get a BF below a 15BMI, don't go doing anything like that!! Good luck at the doctor, let us know it turns out

 

[Piernes]

Nah i can't really drop my BF that low as I would struggle to with my sport. 15% is really the bottom limit I could ever realistically be and that would only be for a peak.
I saw a gyno yesterday - no fybroids etc and because the pill is not right for me he is fitting me with a hormone iud tomorrow. Fingers crossed it will work and stop all this madness....???

Thanks for your help everyone!

 

[armyinfantry]

Hey piernes, women (not addressing anything but simply weight to height) generally start losing their periods when they get a BF below a 15BMI, don't go doing anything like that!! Good luck at the doctor, let us know it turns out

yea that no period thing is scary when you first start dating then she's late by a month... but then again she was 5' <100lbs.

also, my current girlfriend is a wreck a week before her periods... she's so emotionally unstable i have to ask when she's due and it's always a couple days prior. then when she gets it she's extremely horny and back to her old self. she used to take anxiety medicine for it but we've been talking about her getting on the pill so i don't have jr's running around after my mid-deployment vacation... isn't there one that is supposed to let you only have the period 4 times a year? and is that the one that levels out mood too?

then again i had another girlfriend who started taking the pill and then became an emotional wreck all the time and had to get off it. man you girls are fickle creatures.

 

[Piernes]

It is so hard that everyone gets different or no sides from the pill, but problems with periods can also ruin or control your life.

 

[goin on 4T]

I just talked to my x wife she said her body was not producing enough progesterone to tell the body to stop bleeding so they prescribed her progestin and now all is good.

 

[Piernes]

Thanks. The IUD I'm having fitted apparently releases progestin (although I did try progesterone cream for the last few day but I don't think I used enough). Fingers crossed it will be the answer and stop all this anemia nonsense

 

[goin on 4T]

My x said they gave her a shot of progestin right there at the dr once they figured it out.

 

[Piernes]

That would have been less painful!