Missed 5 monthly periods

Dear Ask The Doctor: I have missed my menstrual period for more than 5 months, what should I do?

Dear Lydia:

Missing one menstrual cycle should be of no concern; however missing 5 consecutive cycles certainly needs to be studied with more detail. In my opinion, diagnosis of secondary amenorrhea which occurs when you were previously menstruating, but then stopped having periods might be happening at this time.  Pregnancy is the most common cause, however when that is not a possibility, other common causes that produce hormonal imbalance are the main factors.

I would like you to consult your gynecologist for an examination and detailed history, I am pretty sure he or she would test you for hormone levels, Prolactin and Thyroid hormones. These tests might help ruling out common causes that might be producing your late menses. On the other hand, intense exercise, diet changes, weight gain or loss and certain medications can also be the cause of your amenorrhea. I wish you the best.