Lack Of Menstral Cycle Before Being Diagnosed

[Smooreberry]

This may be a stretch but......I didn't have a period for 2 years before I was diagnosed with Celiac. Since being gluten-free it's back to normal. Did anyone else have similar issues? I can't help to think that it was all from eating gluten since I'm totally normal being gluten-free! Thanks!

[ravenwoodglass]

This happened to me. I eventually went through a very early menapause and even tough my OBGYN said my periods might come back after 4 years gluten-free they still haven't. Most of my menapause symptoms, or what they said were from that, hot flashes etc. did go away though they do reappear if I am glutened.

[i canary]

Me too! I went years without a period before going gluten free. I am going thru early menapause now.

[happygirl]

i had some issues as well.

your body was malnourished; it would explain it quite well. further proof that celiac can affect anything and everything, not just our GI tract.

happy to hear it is back

[lorka150]

Me too! I went years without a period before going gluten free. I am going thru early menapause now.

do you mind if i ask how old you are? this is also happening with me.

[i canary]

do you mind if i ask how old you are? this is also happening with me.

I am 47.

[lorka150]

thanks! i thought someone else was in my boat.

[maribeth]

Gosh you know now that you mentioned it..... I had period problems and figured I was going thru menopause. Then all of a sudden for my 50th b'day I got a nice present...no more periods. They just stopped all of a sudden and I only had maybe one really bad one a year up until this year when I didn't get one. Geez I hope I"m not going to start again!!! I'll be 56 in February. I do find tho since going gluten free about a month ago that I get bloaty and crampy and very sensitive to things... I just presumed it was the process of going gluten free. PLEASE tell me that's what it is. Oh to have a period after 6 yrs yeesh. I did have a blood test 6 yrs ago that said I was over 2/3 of the way thru menopause but I never had many hot flashes or things that most woman had. In fact I'm always cold and would probably welcome a hot flash once in awhile esp in the winter LOL Beth.

[dionnek]

I stopped having a period back in 2003 when I went of the pill (trying to get pregnant) and after 14 months and several rounds of meds to induce a period, I finally had one and got pregnant. Then, after having my baby in Sept. 2004, I have not had another period since. Yet, even though I never had a period, I am now pregnant!

I am not sure if it is b/c of the celiac or not, but I've always had night sweats and hot flashes, etc. and thought I was going through menopause, but several dr's did blood tests and said no. I also have Hashimotos, so not sure if that can be the cause of no period. They used to tell me it was b/c I was "too skinny", so that might be the celiac

[mn farm gal]

Well mine was the total oppisite. I spotted for about the last 7 months straight and the prior year to that I had 2 periods a month. But since going gluten free that changed back to normal within a month. How strange this can be.

[morningstargirl]

I too had troubles with my period. 5 years ago, it became erratic... sometimes 2x a month, then not for six weeks. And it was heavier than usual for many years. I had hot flashes, night sweats, and PMS like I was a teenager again. For a few years, my periods averaged 18 days between cycles. I didn't have health insurance until last November and when I finally saw a doctor this past January, I was shocked to learn I wasn't in early menopause (I'm 41). Tests revealed I had a hormone imbalance, but there was no explanation why I had this. I'm holistic and read a lot, so I dug in and after reading Neanderthin by Ray Audette decided to remove most grains from my diet. Immediately, my periods lengthened to 21 days. By Summer, they were at 24. And, this will be my 5th month at 28 days. 3 weeks ago, I went totally gluten-free and I've noticed a decrease in night sweats. In my un-professional opinion, I was malnurished and that caused the hormone imbalance, as well as a slew of other health issues.

[happy4dolphins]

My cycles started to be only 2 days and they were like paper cut blood amounts after my second child was born. I thought it was great. Once I found out I was vit. d defieicnet, I began taking 50,000 units of vit d once a week and they have lengthened a little bit and more is coming out now.

Nicole

[num1habsfan]

Wanna know whats weird? mine has worked exactly opposite of your situation. before going gluten free, it couldnt be any more normal (it would come every 28 days, always last for 5)...and AFTER going gluten free it couldnt be more ABNORMAL.!!!

~ lisa ~

[eLaurie]

Am so hating reading this thread! I just turned 40, started perimenopause symptoms at 28, had my last period at 33. I've been gluten free since June and just these past two weeks I'm having breast tenderness and reversal of vaginal dryness. I'm so scared that PMS, periods, plus a second menopause are in the future. I've been elated having a happier belly and diminishing depression since going gluten-free ...but I'm not so happy about these latest changes. I am/was? one of those lucky women who had no postmenopausal difficulties following the last period and am?/was? happy to have all that behind me.

The little I can find to read about reversal of premature ovarian failure makes me afraid that this is what is happening.

[Rebecca47]

Ater being dx with CS my doctor also checked if I was in menolpause, checked my thyroid, and all kinds of things. Well she said that i was not in menopause but my periods have only been 2 to 3 days now for about twoo years or so. I went off of birth control last month and my period was only like a day and a half, what gives. I was waking up totally soaked every morning now that has even slowed way down. I was feeling light headed too for a couple of days. I guess I will just wait and see whats next. My thyroid went from 25 now down to 11 and doctor says that good.

[IrishKelly]

This may be a stretch but......I didn't have a period for 2 years before I was diagnosed with Celiac. Since being gluten-free it's back to normal. Did anyone else have similar issues? I can't help to think that it was all from eating gluten since I'm totally normal being gluten-free! Thanks!

YEP...i was so scared that i wasn't going to be able to conceive with my daughter because of the irregular cycles...but low and behold being gluten free put me on the right track. So much for those pointless GYN visits for them to say..."some people are just irregular and that includes you"

[grannynanny]

OH MY GOD!!!!!! It's finally made some sense to me, after all these years! I, too, started having irregular periods and hormonal changes in my mid-thirties, and had my last period when I was about 38. No one could give me any explanation. I had 2 children by a previous marriage, but my new husband and I wanted to have one of our own -- very frustrating. I started to go through infertility workups at about 35, but ran into some other health issues and stopped (not related to perimenopause). Then my periods ended, so that option was no longer there. I'm now 63 and am flabbergasted to learn that this could have been related to celiac. I've never known or heard of anyone else who went through menopause in their thirties!

[Smooreberry]

YEP...i was so scared that i wasn't going to be able to conceive with my daughter because of the irregular cycles...but low and behold being gluten free put me on the right track. So much for those pointless GYN visits for them to say..."some people are just irregular and that includes you"

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!! I was told "some girls are just abnormally normal!"

I totally know how you feel. Glad to hear things have changed being gluten free

[eLaurie]

OH MY GOD!!!!!! It's finally made some sense to me, after all these years! I, too, started having irregular periods and hormonal changes in my mid-thirties, and had my last period when I was about 38. No one could give me any explanation. I had 2 children by a previous marriage, but my new husband and I wanted to have one of our own -- very frustrating. I started to go through infertility workups at about 35, but ran into some other health issues and stopped (not related to perimenopause). Then my periods ended, so that option was no longer there. I'm now 63 and am flabbergasted to learn that this could have been related to celiac. I've never known or heard of anyone else who went through menopause in their thirties!

There are several women in my mom's family who had premature ovarian failure (POF) in their late 20s early 30s. We had the normal "it just runs in the family", "it's just our genes" response ...same as our thinking regarding intestinal cancers in other family members. Now we know what really runs in the family is Celiac Disease.

Here's an abstract regarding POF and Celiac. Apparently the authors only followed this pt for 18 months, so I don't know if her POF reversed.

Open Original Shared Link

Another abstract of a study that identifies POF as autoimmune - doesn't address gluten, but with what we know of Celiac's systemic autoimmune manifestations, I'll bet if the researchers had looked, they'd have found a connection.

Open Original Shared Link

This abstract looks directly at the link:

Open Original Shared Link

[grannynanny]

That's so interesting . . . and such an epiphany for me. Thanks.

[schuyler]

Wanna know whats weird? mine has worked exactly opposite of your situation. before going gluten free, it couldnt be any more normal (it would come every 28 days, always last for 5)...and AFTER going gluten free it couldnt be more ABNORMAL.!!!

~ lisa ~

Me too! It's actually starting to worry me

[draeko]

I have just been diagnosed about 3 weeks ago, and have had about 2 periods a year ever since I began them at 16. I am now 32. I have had 3 successful pregnancies and lost a baby girl at 21 weeks inutero due to Turner Syndrome. ( also linked to Celiac) I am the same wondering if this could have all been reversed.

I never knew when I had conceived because I was never able to determine the dates.

I'm glad I know now..Hopefully I will feel better soon and I hope all of you out there do to!

[SmallWorldBigBelly]

WOW! This thread is unbelievable!!

I have had a recent diagnosis of "IBS" but positive blood test for celiacs. I've always had abnormal periods since age 11. Sometimes only a few times a year. I was told by an endrocrinologist that I would never conceive. I did and had a healthy baby boy!

I still have my period only a few times a year but am hoping with a gluten-free diet maybe my cycles will actually be a bit more regular.

Such hope! Thanks for all the posts..soooo great to be able to get some answers after all this time!

[Jennifer2]

I've been irregular all of my life. When I was about 18 (39 now), I was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (autoimmune disorder). Irregular periods are a classic sign-along with weight gain and excessive hair growth. After being diagnosed with celiac, I did some research and it seems like a very high percentage of people with PCOS also have celiac.

[byoung20415]

I believe Celiac disease will have any number of effects on ones period. I used to hemorrhage for 7 to 9 days with mine. I had a complete hysterectomy at 38. I wasn't diagnosed with celiac disease until I was 47. I believe I could have saved my woman-junk had I known sooner, but I was always mis-diagnosed. I'm soooo happy not to have to worry about it anymore, and I'm grateful and thankful every day for my two beautiful, healthy girls. However, I believe whatever type of problems you have with your "monthly cycle", or not so monthly... whatever the case... it's caused from the gluten. It's my suggestion that you remove gluten from everything in your home, not just your food. You'll find it's in so many lotions, soaps, shampoos, make-up, razors, shoes, seizing, carpet... Depending on how serious your reactions are. My oldest daughter had terrible periods, and acne to beat the band. Going gluten-free saved her all that. It took about three months, but she's doing pretty good now. Any "glutenization" causes her to break out and have a heavy period, but she manages to keep her "contaminations" to a minimum!