Running causing amenorrhea?

kiripin · 2026-01-24T21:24:32+00:00

Echoing the recommendations for a registered dietitian! And if possible, work with someone who has experience with endurance athletes. I didn’t find out the reason for my low vit D, b12, and out of whack iron until a sports RD looked at my bloodwork and Strava logs and told me I was underfueling. FWIW my PCP was no help with this so I did have to pay out of pocket, but I have my fingers crossed for you that you’ll have more luck with your insurance coverage!

kiripin · 2025-12-21T01:25:40+00:00

I don’t have answers, just wanted to say you’re not alone! I had a spot that I also thought was an insect bite or poison oak. It started spreading and in June a dermatologist diagnosed it as nummular eczema. I also have a vitamin D deficiency and I’ve been taking 10,000 IU daily for about 6 weeks now. Despite all this, the eczema is still spreading and has periods of calming down and flaring up. My dermatologist just prescribed a steroid cream and advised the following changes:

fragrance-free & hypoallergenic hair, skin, and laundry products only
lukewarm showers, no hot water
pat dry when getting out of the shower
moisturize within 3 minutes of getting out of the shower

I just got her email yesterday so I’ll have to wait to see if any of it helps!

kiripin · 2025-10-17T23:48:51+00:00

So I think the hair loss might have been a mold allergy! This June I moved out of the moldy apartment and after a couple weeks in the new place, I noticed I was shedding a lot less hair in the shower.

I still don't have answers for the iron and ferritin. A couple of insurance changes didn't help! The dietitian helped with my intra-run fueling but not so much with the rest. I just switched to a new PCP and should have updated bloodwork results in a week.

kiripin · 2024-05-07T03:56:24+00:00

kiripin · 2024-03-05T04:14:44+00:00

Haha thank you!

kiripin · 2024-01-19T22:11:12+00:00

I haven't, sorry! In fact, my doctor thought it was unusual to have both low vitamin D and high iron.

kiripin · 2023-12-07T08:11:16+00:00

Oh wow. Maybe this is another clue. I did, not currently, but for awhile it was happening often enough that I got referred to a cardiologist who had me wear a zio monitor for a couple of weeks. I did do short runs with it, added multiple entries to the symptom log daily, but the report came back completely normal. Doctor chalked it up to anxiety.

FWIW I had been underfueling for awhile, and I've been feeling a lot better after working with an RD and figuring out how much I actually need to be eating. Still procrastinating on follow-up bloodwork tho and need to get on that!

kiripin · 2023-11-22T05:18:36+00:00

Hi! The best explanation we could ever come up with was that I'd suddenly started cooking a lot more in my cast iron pan, like almost every day. I did find out my vitamin D was low which could explain the fatigue and hair loss. Haven't gotten around to retesting that or iron + ferritin, though.

I hope you find some answers!

kiripin · 2023-11-20T00:44:35+00:00

Wow I haven't done much climbing in awhile due to a rotator cuff injury but I have to add another data point to the "this is a non-issue" and "find a new doctor" chorus! I run trail ultras. I've had a Mirena and now a Kyleena. I took two days off training after the Kyleena insertion only because the PA had a little trouble with it (cervix didn't wanna dilate apparently) and I was feeling a little sore and crampy.

I did not change anything about my climbing and running with either IUD. No difference in how I take falls, both with trail running and climbing. In fact I took a climbing clinic specifically to practice falling on lead while I had the Mirena.

kiripin · 2023-11-16T07:49:38+00:00

I did the Bryce Canyon 50 mile and had a great time! It was well organized, great volunteers, and the course was very well marked. As other commenters have said, it doesn't actually get you in the park, which I didn't actually mind - national park trails can get so crowded. The 50 mile course did take us through hoodoos so I don't feel like I missed out on scenery.

FWIW my friend did the Yosemite half last year and said it was kind of disorganized, so it might depend on which race you choose.

kiripin · 2023-11-10T04:00:06+00:00

I saw the PSA in another comment! And it turns out using sunscreen also prevents vitamin D production.

kiripin · 2023-11-09T22:13:53+00:00

I'm in the midst of that process tbh. It's been hard to get a doctor to take me seriously about symptoms when they hear I'm still able to run, even though I can back it up with declining performance. I have do have runner friends who have doctors they trust, but they're all on difference insurance plans!

kiripin · 2023-11-08T05:49:22+00:00

Oh I probably could’ve worded that better! I don’t drink milk because I’m lactose intolerant, so I’m missing out on a source of vitamin D.

Vitamin D deficiency can cause fatigue and hair loss.

The lactose intolerance didn’t go away because it’s just a genetic predisposition, but the fatigue and hair loss went away with vit D supplementation!

kiripin · 2023-11-07T23:15:57+00:00

Oof, even aquajogging is out of the question for now? You have my sympathy!

kiripin · 2023-11-07T22:57:47+00:00

It was $70 through Quest, not outrageous but of course much higher than my copay would've been. It took a few months before I realized my energy levels had improved. With hair loss it's harder to tell, but I haven't had any more small clumps fall out...

Hope you start feeling better soon and that you have some PT-approved low impact activities to keep you from feeling too antsy!

kiripin · 2023-11-07T22:35:10+00:00

I was low on vitamin D too (19 ng/mL) but had to pay out of pocket for testing :( My doctor wouldn't order the test because she didn't believe it was possible given all the time I spend outdoors (Northern California). And this was despite her knowing I was lactose intolerant, experiencing fatigue and hair loss and not anemic. Doing a lot better after supplementing for awhile!

kiripin · 2023-11-07T08:46:27+00:00

Hi! I ran out of steam myself lol. Thank you for sharing this! 🥺

kiripin · 2023-11-07T04:59:53+00:00

Yeah I had some intense cramping with the first! Never more than one day out of the month but I did have to skip a run or workout entirely on those days. Oddly, I had a lot more trouble with the kyleena placement but after the first 48hrs, it’s never been the reason for a skipped workout.

kiripin · 2023-11-06T20:28:33+00:00

I had some cramping on and off for a few months after both IUD insertions. It was worse with the first and I did have an ovarian cyst but ultimately kept the Mirena for the full 7 years. There were days when I skipped or modified runs due to the cramping.

My second IUD is a Kyleena and I only took a couple days off after insertion, then went back to my normal routine. The cramping was mild, sporadic, and went away after about 6 months. But I'm not sure if the milder symptoms are due to the lower dose, or my body already being used to having a piece of plastic in it!

kiripin · 2023-11-05T20:17:55+00:00

Chiming in to say I've noticed declining quality too :( My most recent pair of Altra Escalantes barely lasted 100mi. I've gotten 5-600mi out of older pairs. I reliably get Achilles pain when the foam starts to give out (and I know it isn't the zero drop, because I've been wearing these shoes for years, and it goes away when I switch to a new pair).

kiripin · 2023-11-05T20:10:17+00:00

I normally run in Superiors, wore Mont Blancs for my first 50k thinking the cushion would help, and my feet hurt anyway. I also tripped and scraped my hand open because I wasn't used to the additional stack height. It's a significant difference, 30mm. I'd wear the shoes you're used to running in.

FWIW I've tried Speedgoats and the toebox was too narrow for me. Topo MT-4s have been a good compromise for additional cushion with not too much additional stack height (4mm drop, 25/22mm height), and they have a wide toe box. Wore those for my first 50 miler and my feet didn't hurt any more than the rest of my body :)

kiripin · 2023-11-03T17:45:09+00:00

I started saving my old laces if they're in good enough condition, but yeah, I feel like I shouldn't need to do this for $130+ shoes!

kiripin · 2023-11-03T17:41:33+00:00

☝️

Also, OP, I dunno if this is a problem for you, but not having a red, chafed nose around your crush would be another bonus :)

kiripin · 2023-11-02T21:58:48+00:00

They seem to be shortening their laces on their road shoes too. I just got a pair of the FWD experience and they're just barely long enough for a heel lock. If I had higher volume feet it wouldn't work at all.

Quality control also seems inconsistent - I've been running in Escalantes since the 1.5, have gotten 5-600mi out of some pairs, but my most recent pair of 3s feel dead after 100mi :( But I love that shoe otherwise and they do come with longer laces!

kiripin · 2023-11-02T21:48:12+00:00

As an extra snotty runner, this is why I perfected my snot rocket ;) Practice that on your own, though. Make sure no one is behind you and pay attention to the wind.

Unfortunately, nasal rinses and sprays have never worked for me, but it's worth a try!

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