Irregular Periods and weight loss

Medical Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hi,
Hoping you could help with some information on irregular periods. Since January I have been having issues with periods. Currently every five or eight days it stops and then starts again starting small and becoming strong and more painful. A blood test has been inconclusive and I am waiting for an appointment with a gynaecologist, although on the NHS this could be a 11 month wait. My GP has not been too helpful and I’m just wondering if anything with training or medications that could be contributing. My training partner believes maybe the way I have been wearing my belt on deadlifts could be a factor as I tend to wear it a little lower but the same tightness as on my squat.

I am also struggling with weight loss. I am eating a lot better than a few years ago although not counting calories but smaller portions of home cooked meals with reduced bread, milk and processed meats. Next to 0 alcohol intake and have not smoked for 4 years but do vape currently. I have just finished the low intensity 3 day template. Some times I take a Huel green shake here and there and have cut out fizzy drinks, sweets and take a way food. I have lost 5kg from when I started but that was 2 years ago and it seems to have stalled. I tried Orlistat but saw no change after 2 months. I am finding it difficult to see what to try next after a lot of lifestyle changes. Sleep it usually around 7-8 hours daily.

Currently i am taking:
Amlodipine 5mg for high blood pressure
Desogestrel for birth control
Gallbladder was removed around 2011.

Female Aged 34
Body weight is 105.2kg , height 168cm, Naval waist circumference 46.4 inches
E1rm squat 108kg, bench 57kg, deadlift 136kg

Any advice would be appreciated. Unfortunately i am not in a position to do a consult.

Thanks.

2

Hi there,

Sorry to hear about this. To your questions:

A blood test has been inconclusive and I am waiting for an appointment with a gynaecologist, although on the NHS this could be a 11 month wait.

It would be helpful to know exactly which evaluations were performed.

My GP has not been too helpful and I’m just wondering if anything with training or medications that could be contributing. My training partner believes maybe the way I have been wearing my belt on deadlifts could be a factor as I tend to wear it a little lower but the same tightness as on my squat.

Amlodipine would not be causing/contributing to this.

Your birth control pill would typically serve to better regulate your menstrual periods, assuming it is being taken regularly/correctly. If not, this should be a target for potential alternative treatments in the short term.

Your training & belt positioning would not be relevant to this issue at all.

I am also struggling with weight loss. I am eating a lot better than a few years ago although not counting calories but smaller portions of home cooked meals with reduced bread, milk and processed meats. Next to 0 alcohol intake and have not smoked for 4 years but do vape currently. I have just finished the low intensity 3 day template. Some times I take a Huel green shake here and there and have cut out fizzy drinks, sweets and take a way food. I have lost 5kg from when I started but that was 2 years ago and it seems to have stalled. I tried Orlistat but saw no change after 2 months. I am finding it difficult to see what to try next after a lot of lifestyle changes. Sleep it usually around 7-8 hours daily.
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Unfortunately this is getting beyond the scope of what we can feasibly address via the forum, given how individualized the assessment and advice would be. We have put out quite a lot of content and discussion on weight management, so I’d suggest referring to that; given you have made extensive lifestyle modifications without success, trialing medication is appropriate. There are many more effective medication options than orlistat that we’ve discussed on numerous podcast episodes, although I am unsure of their accessibility in the NHS system.

Beyond that, I would also suggest looking into a metabolic/bariatric surgery consultation, just to learn about that process & any options that may be available to you. We have a detailed podcast on this topic (episode #252) that I’d strongly recommend checking out.

It is very common for these kinds of weight issues to result in irregular menstrual periods, which may be what’s going on in your situation – although I wouldn’t assume that to be the case until a more comprehensive evaluation is performed by a gynecologist or an experienced GP.

3

Thank you for the response.

My GP initially did a general blood test. No physical tests have been done. The second time I asked for a hormonal blood test and if anything could be checked for ovarian cancers but was assured on the previous blood tests nothing was indicating that. Hormonal test were normal. I haven’t been offered any other birth control pills due to the high blood pressure and my weight and other new obesity medications were not offered due to a shortage at the time. They had one that was to be injected but I wasn’t offered this due to not having a gallbladder. I will see if its still the case now, with the newer ones.