I never lost enough weight to be diagnosed with clinical anorexia, but I practiced highly restrictive eating for years, combined with heavy exercise for some of them, and managed to lose roughly 35 pounds from my heaviest weight (now, as I tried to let go a bit and then managed to gain a ton of fat, not muscle and now weigh probably more than I should!). I'm assuming that has been the primary cause of my problem, but the truth is that even at "normal" weights and at times when I was eating regularly, my periods never returned after a stint on birth control in my early 20s. I never got it investigated because I had very little health coverage, and also, honestly, I've been both in denial and self-indulgent about letting myself enjoy not dealing with a period (I've never been interested in having children so that wasn't a concern for me.)

I hate the idea that I may have done this to myself and now have a debilitating disease that could have been avoided if I'd not practiced disordered eating for so long and been so crazily obssessed with body size. Thanks for writing!

Annabel Lee
Diagnosed with osteoporosis on Strontium Ranelate, vitamin D, also diabetes on Repaglinide. Diet and exercise for both conditions too.