Periods Suddenly Stopped?

Why Periods Might Disappear: The Quick  Guide!

You were having periods and now they've completely stopped? Here is a quick breakdown for 12 possible causes:

1. Stress Shutdown: Your brain's control centre (hypothalamus) hits pause due to stress, too much exercise, or being underweight. In the medical world we call this functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea. 
2. PCOS Chaos: Polycystic ovary syndrome— a common condition where the ovaries don't work quite as they should because of a hormone imbalance, and periods become unpredictable or vanish.
3. Early Retirement: Premature ovarian insufficiency - where ovaries stop working earlier than expected.
4. Body Battles: Chronic illnesses can drain your system, leaving no energy for periods.
5. Milk Hormone Overload: Prolactinoma—a tiny tumour in your brain makes too much prolactin, a hormone that stops periods.
6. Major Birth Trauma: Sheehan's syndrome—rare damage to the pituitary gland after severe childbirth complications.
7. Brain Bumps and Bruises: Head injuries, infections, tumours, or radiation affecting the brain can interrupt your cycle.
8. Scarred Uterus: Asherman's syndrome—scars in the uterus stop the period flow.
9. Hormonal Mischief: Thyroid trouble or Cushing's syndrome (too much stress hormone) can cause chaos.
10. Medication Meddling: Some drugs, like antipsychotics, can mess with your cycle.
11. Adrenal Gland Drama: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia—a condition affecting hormone balance.
12. Doctor-Initiated Pause: Medical treatments, like hormone therapies or surgeries, can sometimes stop periods.

Periods can disappear for many reasons, so it's always a good idea to check with a doctor to pinpoint the cause!

Heads-Up: If something can make periods stop after they've started, it can also block them from starting in the first place if it happens early enough. Timing is everything!