MS and Amenorrhea

[jamilea]

Is there a link between MS and Amenorrhea in women? I searched around but couldn't find much possibly because I'm not typing in the right thing into the search bar.

[jreagan70]

Hi jamilea:

You can't find a link between MS and amenorrhea because there is no link. MS is a disease of the central nervous system and doesn't affect sex hormones.

Medications can cause amenorrhea. I don't think I was ever on an MS med that didn't screw up my periods, at least for awhile. And many years ago, Novantrone knocked out my periods completely and put me in chemically induced menopause for several months.

Other meds that can cause amenorrhea are antidepressants and antipsychotics. And there are more.

You can google the other possible causes, but they include abnormalities of thyroid and pituitary hormones and malfunctions of the hypothalamus, uterus and ovaries. And good old stress can cause it. But not MS.

The converse, though, is true. Hormones can and do affect MS because they circulate throughout the body and can affect the chemistry of the immune system.

Amenorrhea is an indication of an underlying problem. Now that you know that MS isn't the cause, hopefully you can be fully worked up by as many specialists as you need to get to the bottom of it.

[Shoo]

Jamielia when I was first diagnosed 28 yrs I thought good now they will find out why I was having so much trouble with my periods and the drs told me ms does not have anything to do with periods


I hope you find some answers

Shoo

[jamilea]

OK. Thanks ladies for the responses.

I've had several bouts of it over the past 7 years and the doctors cannot figure out why. My pituitary, uterus, ovaries, hormones, etc. and all of that has been checked. 2010 is the first time I went a long period of time without menses.

Perhaps since we have an appointment with a fertility doctor on 12/8 . . . well, I'm sure they will be able to assist with that in getting me pregnant. We really want to have a baby soon.

[Shoo]

Jamilea Good luck with the dr and I hope you get your baby soon

Shoo

[pennstater]

Good luck with your appointment. I struggled with this for over 25 years.

When I was younger, I ran alot and was told low body fat was reason. Once that wasn't the case, still issues. They never found a cause, but since I wasn't trying to get pregnant, I stopped looking for one. I just took Rx to force periods. Of course, it finally regulated in my early 40s...go figure!

[jamilea]

Thanks. I'm nervous and excited for that appointment.

I scheduled also an appointment with an Opthalmologist on the 1st. I am going to ask that they perform a VEP since my eye doctor saw my optic nerve was raised.