“Is my period ever going to come back?”
Amanda asked during our initial consultation.
She had gone off the pill five months ago.
Since that time, her period had gone MIA.
But to be clear: Women do not actually have periods while on birth control.
Instead, what they experience is a withdrawal bleed during their placebo week.
This is why going off of the birth control pill can reveal underlying menstrual irregularities.
First, what is post-pill amenorrhea?
For many women, discontinuing the birth control pill may be the first time they notice menstrual irregularities.
But in a woman with a previously regular period, we expect to see them return by month three.
Other reasons your period might have gone MIA.
All of these things can affect your post-pill period (or lack thereof).
In fact, this is one of the most common causes of irregular or missing periods.
Nutrition and Lifestyle Factors
Lots of things can affect your period.
Eating disorders orundereating, not getting the right nutrients, and super-intense exercise can certainly mess with your period.
This means that all other possible factors need to be investigated first.
They also recommend educating patients who are currently using the pill that it may mask these issues.
What to do right now to get your period back.
Balancing hormones and restoring your menstrual cycle starts with what goes on the end of your fork.
Fill at least half your plate withfiber-rich vegetables.
Aim for at least six to nine servings of vegetables per day.
Track your symptoms.
Evaluate your exercise.
It’s important to understand how your exercise regimen may be affecting your hormones and your health.
Give your liver some love.
Your liver is a huge player in hormonal health.
Catch some zzz’s.
When you’re trying to recover a missing period, you want to support your body’s circadian rhythm.
Sleep quantity and quality are vital.
To reset your circadian rhythm, create relaxing bedtime rituals.
Manage your stress.
When it comes to things high on the period-stopping list, feeling constantly stressed ranks high.
Both emotional stress and stress from illness are well recognized in their ability to make a period disappear.
Get the right nutrients.
For example, vitamin D has also been shown to play a role in women’s cycles.
Onestudy5found that 13% of women with low vitamin D (<30 ng/mL) reported amenorrhea.
Over the next few months using these strategies, Amanda was finally able to create predictable periods.
