[Spikey1341]

I was reading the weight loss surgery book by Barbara Thompson and she said that after surgery some women who have not menstrated regularly can become regular and some women who were post menapausal start up again.

I realize that estrogen is stored in fat cells and that it is released when we start shedding that fat, but I have not had a period in over two years and certainly do not want that hassle back!

Has anyone experienced this?

[fr1endly2]

JEANNE remember everyone on the ADBB and their TOM problems!
IT is the same and happens with the rapid weight loss.
Regular gals get irregular some
irregular gals get regular.
ITs all the hormones going wacky while looseing....
it does straighten...
for me IM PCOS (poly cystic ovary syndrome) and very irregular
for my life...now post op some months im 28 days most
i am 21 days. THE first months post op i was heavy now
their normal in length and stuff!
HOPE it helps!
As for you i am sure no one can be certain for sure.
YOURs may be absent for premenapause??? or from
obesity...so hard to tell. I know mine wasnt here to often before
and now it is.
EVEN when i lost 100 lbs in 2002 guess what i got regular then thats
how i got JOSHUA my first biological child! SO any rapid weight loss
effects it and no one can predict the outcome. My surgeon also
suggested extra birth control for the first 18 months to ensure
I didnt have a surprise i didnt want during this very fertile time!

hugs


(told u guys not to come read)

[FemmeMode]

....so it's strickly "hear say"....
that this is a true statement.

When I was doing my research before my surgery I read that this is true. My girlfriend who preceeded me in surgery had this issue and did start her cycle up again after about 100# weight loss.....

Hope this doesn't scare you off....there are other ways to curb your mentral cycle these days....some birth control can keep you from having a cycle every month....

[howietam]

Jeanne, I had a hysterectomy before, so I'm afraid I can't help ya on this one!
Interesting question, though.

[myavt]

Unfortunately I've had the same explanation from 2 ob/gyn's on this one. The first time I stopped my period I was 30, so I KNEW that wasn't normal--went to the Doc only to have him tell me loss of my menstrual cycle was common for an "obese" woman. Hadn't thought of myself as obese 'til then--SURPRISE! I lost 60 lbs and my cycles resumed (the Doc offered my BIRTHCONTROL PILLS to bring my period back while I was "fat"--I said "No thanks")

Now I've just had my period resume AGAIN after 2 years of my weight being at an all time high. This time I WAS kinda shocked because I'm 42 & my Mom had menopause really early. However, since premature aging goes along w/early menopause if you don't get good medical care--I guess I ought to be just glad my body takes care of itself.

The Doc DID say I would NOT suffer any ill effects from estrogen "stored up" in the fat cells and suddenly being released or anything. He seemed amused. Then again, he IS a "he". LOL

XOXO
Mya

[DocSanae]

Amenorrhea--lack of menstrual cyle-- happens due to a number of reasons.
For the obese, it can be simply from obesity, or it can be from medical conditions like PCOS.
True menopause comes from the decline of the ovarian function due to ageing, which results in the reduction of the production of estrogen and progesterone, not from the imbalance of female hormones that accompany various medical conditions including obesity.
This is why when you lose weight, your menstrual cylce changes, and those who thought already had menopause start up again.

The stored up estrogen released while you lose weight will do you no ill harm, but it will make you extremely fertile, so, for a safe and successful weightloss, it is best to avoid preganacy until you are 18-24 months post op. Also, the excess hormones will make hormonal contraception unreliable, so you will need to use measures other than, or along with, pills.

On the other hand, estrogen helps in preventing calcium from being depleted from your bones, helps prevent hardening of the blood vessels, helps keep uric acid levels (which when high brings on gout) lower in women than in men. So, as myavt said, lack of estrogen brings on ageing.

You may not like the idea of starting up again, but there is no way to forsee how it will be for you.
If you do see a return, I say, you should celebrate that your body is still young and have been able to resist a lot of damage that could have aged you while you carried excess weight.

[Spikey1341]

Thanks for the answers guys. I guess it will be a "wait and see". And Doc, thanks for putting it all in perspective.

[earthygirl]

I guess I can say I am one of the "lucky" ones. although i had been off of birth control for 4 years preop and could not get pregnant even when we tried, even went to the fertility clinic(what fun that was), I was regular with TOM. After surgery I am still like clockwork, but I am taking BC just in case. I'm 44 and have never had children. As far as menopause is concerned, if I follow in my mother's footsteps I got a looooooooooooong way to go. She is 71 and still gets her tom like clockwork.

[DocSanae]

Originally Posted by earthygirl

She is 71 and still gets her tom like clockwork.

!!!!!This is the first I have heard of that at that age...the oldest I personally know is 59 going on 60...
Not to scare you but has her gyn made sure there is no hidden medical issue there that acutally needs to be treated?