The mysterious case of the missing periods

[LMBoston]

Copied from my post on the menopause board as had no replies on there — maybe someone round here could advise? TIA!

I posted a while back to say I’d had no period since having my copper coil removed on April 25th — I was due around the 1st May, nothing showed up and I’ve had no period since! I’m 48 and my cycles had got shorter (7-9 day luteal phase) and lighter/less painful but had been relatively regular until this.

I’ve done a pregnancy test 3 months running now (! All negative!) and I’m a bit worried that the coil removal has somehow “done something”… but I don’t know what. I’m still getting my usual ovulation symptoms (pain, mucus, bloating) at the right time and then weird cervical period-type pain, constant sore boobs, fatigue etc. Just no bleeding, not even a hint.

Is it possible in perimenopause to ovulate but not have enough hormones to kickstart menstruation? Or could removing the coil have somehow precipitated menopause proper? The copper coil made my periods much heavier and painful for the first few years; perhaps without it, my periods would have stopped sooner?

Or could something be stuck?! A consultant removed it and I’d like to think she’d notice if there was a bit missing 😂 I emailed her after one month to ask if it was normal and she said probably, then to contact my GP if I was worried. I’ve got a telephone appointment on Monday (not much use unless they can use a speculum from a long way away!) and don’t want to sound like an idiot.

Any ideas? Thank you :)

Forgot to say, around the same time I had it removed I lost quite a bit of weight after giving myself a right overhaul. Was sick of feeling crap so cut out booze last year then processed rubbish food in March. The weight just fell off me, it was bizarre! I did wonder if that could be what stopped my periods. But I’ve put a few pounds back on, BMI 19.3, and still nothing — guess it would need to be much lower than that to affect menstruation?

I am nearly nearly sure that it took my period about 5 months to come back after getting the coil removed, in fact I think a few people told me back then it took them months. Maybe ring your gp/local nurse?

Thanks for your reply @stayathomer 😊 did you have the copper coil? I understand that the Mirena can put your cycle out of whack (think mine took about 3 months to sort itself out after that one) but I thought the copper doesn’t affect hormones? Or does it… 🤔

Oh sorry yes it’s the mirena, did the gp/ nurse say anything?

Definitely see your GP. It could be totally unrelated to the copper coil and more likely to do with the weight loss and/or perimenopause. I'm 47 now and my period is 100 days late and I've been peri for years. In the last few months up until about 3 months ago I regularly felt like my period was imminent with PMT, pain etc but it never appeared. The GP did bloods and confirmed I'm perimenopausal. I'd also lost 2 stone but my bmi is 23 so not low. Get checked out though.