During your recovery from hypothalamic amenorrhea, you should start noticing signs that tell you that your hormones are coming back to balance and that your period arrives soon.
If you're new here and aren't sure what to do first in order to get your period back, start with this guide.
There are many signs that you may see when you start working towards recovery, which you can learn more about here. Some of them, like extreme exhaustion and extreme hunger, may seem scary at first, but know that they're normal and that you're on the right track. They won't last forever!
It's impossible to tell exactly how long it takes to get your period back, but if you keep taking all the right steps, you start seeing signs that assure you: Your hard work is about to pay off very soon!
If you have hypothalamic amenorrhea and you've been working towards recovery for a while, here are the signs that tell your period is close!
Your Breasts and Nipples Get Really Sore
Have you started eating more like I recommend in my Hypothalamic Amenorrhea Eating Guide?
Do your breasts feel heavier and fuller? This is exactly what happened to me when I was getting close to my first recovery period.
Your breasts may start to get fuller gradually as you're putting on weight, but there will likely be a point where they seem to be getting extra full. In addition, your nipples get sore. It may be even uncomfortable to take a shower or sleep on your belly!
Breast and nipple soreness are caused by changes in your hormone levels. Your breasts get sore usually after you have ovulated and your breasts continue to feel heavier and nipples more sensitive until your period comes. You may even want to wear an extra supportive or double bra (if you live in sports bras like I do!)
As your hormone levels drop and you get your period, soreness goes away.
When your breasts and nipples get sore, get excited, because you're getting closer to your period!
Your See Cervical Mucus
You simply can't miss that sign. If you see increased cervical mucus, it's a great hypothalamic amenorrhea recovery sign.
During your hypothalamic amenorrhea, you've probably been really dry down there. Now you start noticing more wetness and may even think about going and buying some panty liners… Which you had probably forgotten even existed!
You start to feel more wet and you also notice increased cervical mucus when you wipe yourself in the bathroom, especially after bowel movement. When you get a lot of mucus that looks like raw egg white, chances are that you're ovulating. Your period should arrive in about a week or two.
In a healthy cycle, it takes about 14 days from your ovulation to your period. But it's not uncommon that in the first recovery cycles, your period shows up in less than two weeks.
Notice though that sometimes you see quite a bit egg white mucus, but your period doesn't come in the next 14 days. That means that your body was almost ready to ovulate but didn't quite reach there. Just don't change anything — keep eating and resting as much as you can. Your body will try to ovulate soon again — usually in about next 14 days. Hopefully this time it will happen!
Increased cervical mucus is a surefire sign that your work is paying off and your period will show up soon.
Your Body Temperature Goes Up
Throughout a healthy cycle, our body temperatures change. Checking your body temperature each morning before getting out of the bed can be a good way to keep an eye on your ovulation.
Here's how your body temperature gives you an idea of what's going on: After you have ovulated, your body temperature goes up.
For example, during the first half of my cycle, my body temperature is usually 97.3F/36.2C. After I ovulate, it always goes up to around 98F/36.6C. I can also feel it as my body is much warmer (and my boobs feel even heavier and also warmer!)
You could check your body temperature even if you haven't had your first recovery period, but honestly, it may also stress you out if you're still quite far from recovering. Instead of taking your temperature every morning, it's easier and less stressful to pay attention to your cervical mucus instead.
But if you do check it and notice a significant change in your body temperature, plus you have the other signs mentioned here too, you can be very sure that you get some exciting new in about 2 weeks.
The Position of Your Cervix Changes
One more way to tell if your period is on its way is to check your cervix.
Normally, your cervix is easy to find and feels hard. When you ovulate though, its position and firmness change: It seems to be higher so that you may not be able to reach it. It may be harder to find also because it has become wetter and softer and has blended in with the walls of your vagina.
Conclusion
These are the main signs that tell you that your period is around the corner and that you're about to get your first period after hypothalamic amenorrhea.
The easiest way to keep an eye on your body's changes is to check your cervical mucus because that's what you see anyway every time you go to the bathroom.
Also your breasts get heavier and nipples more sensitive as you approach your period.
The other two, tracking your body temperature and checking your cervix position can be helpful, but they take a little more work and can be more stressful. I would start with the first two signs. Especially the egg white cervical mucus won't lie!
Lost your period?
I have helped many women to get their periods back. Read their stories here.
Hello,
I am also currently healing from HA and I’ve noticed these last weeks that my skin gets very greasy, I have to wash it multiple times a day and it is a big difference because when I was underweight it was very dry. Could this also be a sign that my period is returning? I am not underweight anymore, I am very close to where I was before losing weight(maybe 1-2 pounds) but my hunger hasn’t calmed down yet, I am still eating very much to feel satisfied…so I think that my body is still messed up….
Thanks for all the great work you do!
Lena
Hi,
I have the similar symptom as Lena. When I still have periods I also have acnes. They break out mostly before my period comes.
I ate a lot (2000+ kcal/day) to recover and recently I find those annoying acnes come back — after I got HA my skin gots drier and rid of any acne.
I also witness cervical mucus these days, though not as much as before.
I think the increased discretion of oil might be caused by hormone changes. Hope this can contribute to your study of HA if possible!
Sophie
Yes, absolutely true Sophie!
I kept eating and listening to my body and one month after I wrote this message, my period returned!! I was extremely happy.
Before HA, I would also get some acne before my period. And this started also happening when I got my period back.
So yes, those changes that we noticed really are a thing!
How are you in recovery right now?
Hey, thanks so much for the super useful info!!
I have a huge question, dou you, on your recovery time experienced general pain? Only asking because I have a general paint through out all my body. It’s like I was sick, that you feel when your temperatures goes up, I don’t know if it’s because of the recovery or if I have anything else 😂
I would totally appreciate if you could answer, thank you! <3
Hi! Yes, body pains are quite common in recovery… It’s likely because your metabolism is speeding up!
Hii these signs were so useful to read I can defo relate to some. I’m currently trying to recover from HA and I have been experiencing some cervical mucus for the past few days when I only started recovery a week ago so that’s amazing 🙂 I haven’t hadn’t my period at all for 4 and a half months and the other 2 I only got my period for one day, so would My period still possibly come back in the next 2 weeks :))
:))
how many calories should I be eating to get my period back? I’m eating 2000+ but im not sure if it’s enough.
I lost my period for 6 month because I was very underweight
for 1 month I’m eating 4000+ calories and there are sings that my period is geting back 😁
Awesome! Sounds like you need just a little more patience!
I make since a month for the first time a rest day ones a week. Now I try to make 3 days in a row which is really really scary for me bc I am afraid that I loose all my muscle progress. I am on day 3 and have some of this symptoms, so I will keep going!
I hope that I get my period back soon
I have had major increase in cervical mucus but as the days went on it turned sort of brownish mucus!? is this normal?
Hey Emma!
Brownish mucus could actually be a good sign, as the colouring might be due to tiny bits of blood which are excreted through the mucus. I used to have spotting aswell when i was recovering the first time two years ago.
(Unfortunately i lost my period due to weight problems again soon after i got it. Now I’m really trying to recover again.)
I‘d love to read how it’s going for you!
xx
I’ve been recovering from HA…had one cycle then missed the next…but have started having terrible terrible headaches…are headaches coon as hormones begin evening out and my body handles eating more carbs and more everything? these headaches are the worst
Hi I’m a 16 year old suffering from HA for about 2 year ( actually can’t remember) then I slowly increase my intake and I reach 2500 a day and I experience many signs but this days my appetite is gone and I eat 1800 a day is it okay? I still have white mucus but wet and not that many my stomach is bloating and it hurts (I don’t know if I’m nervous or its my stomach is in pain) then my boobs, I feel like they are bigger than usual because I’m flat( it also hurts) I have pimples too in my face. (Sorry for my bad english)
Sounds like your ovulation might be happening, cervical mucus and sore breasts are encouraging signs. Keep doing what you’re doing, your period will come!
It’s hard to tell, but magnesium glycinate might help if you haven’t tried it yet.
It’s common for the second period take a while, so don’t think you “missed” it, it just comes later.
Thankyou for answering❤️ actually I gained so much weight because i let myself eat what I want but it’s all bread do you think it’s bad if I just eat bread?I also eat sweet potato but mostly bread and biscuit. But now I eat eggs two times a day and rice one times a day. And the mucus is not so many and and not so sticky as before it’s like a brown in my underwear. I hope someone can help me I don’t have anyone that helps me in this.
Hi,
I was googling because I haven’t gotten my period in 8 or 9 months and today I had a little tiny bit of blood but it was barely anything at all and so I’m wondering if it’s a fake out or if it’s my period coming back… does that happen when your about to get your period back? My nipples have been sore and I’ve noticed mood swings and acne so……
Thanks!!
Hi,
I was googling because I haven’t gotten my period in 8 or 9 months and today I had a little tiny bit of blood but it was barely anything at all and so I’m wondering if it’s a fake out or if it’s my period coming back… does that happen when your about to get your period back? My nipples have been sore and I’ve noticed mood swings and acne so……
Thanks!!
(it’s saying it’s a duplicate message and not letting me post so i’m hoping this little parenthesis will change that)
I have a few of the other signs (acne, sore boobs, mood swings, i think the mucus one but unsure) but I was wondering if it is normal to bleed extremely lightly. I haven’t gotten mine in about 8 months and today I bled extremely lightly and I got excited but is that a fake out or….?
Thhanks for your info it has helped me. I have now gotten over HA and i went through these symptoms. I had really thought something was wrong when I was extremely wet down there. My period is very heavy tho, day 2 of getting over HA after 3yrs.
Hi, I’m 14 years old, 5’6 and 112 pounds (I feel bad about that number, it feels too high😔) anyway, I haven’t had a period in 8 months, I’m eating 2400cals/day and I stopped doing inclined walking(I was doing it for almost 3 hours a day, the first 90 mins right after I woke up) I don’t wanna completely stop working out, I genuinely love it, so my question is what kind of exercise can I do and still get my period back, how long/often can I do them, and if I do them should I eat even more?
Hi, i’m also in recovery from HA, today i saw a little blood on my cervical mucus, so i think that my period is coming soon, but i have a question, i was underweight so i’m gaining, but when my period arrives can i stop gaining weight? like not lose weight, but maintain
Today i noticed the same as Char and i also thought that it was my period but i’m unsure because there was barely any blood
Hey, i’m also trying to recover my period, but is any one else experience a lot of bloating and just an uncomfortable stomach?? also a lot of mental hunger 😭??
Hi! I’ve been seeing cervical mucus for more than 1 month now, and it’s not like eggwhite. Is this normal?
I have no other signs.
Hi! I’ve been seeing cervical mucus for more than 1 month now, and it’s not like eggwhite. Is this normal?
I have no other signs.
I’m a bit worried.
Hello! Thank you for sharing! I highly recommend checking out EmilySpence_ on Instagram – she has been the most encouraging and helpful for me!! I am no longer underweight but I’m still waiting for my period to come back. It’s hard to eat more, but whenever I look at her posts she is so encouraging to listen to your intuition. She validates that mental hunger is just as important as physical hunger, and how recovering from restriction the only way to heal completely is to not restrict at all. It’s scary, but it shouldn’t be! It’s what our bodies need, they won’t lie to us.
I hope this encourages anyone reading to eat whenever and whatever you want! 🤗 And to check out Emily’s account!💗
Hi there,
I’ve been gaining weight after being underweight due to anorexia for about 4 months now and I lost my period for about 8 months and it hasn’t come back yet but I feel like I’m getting the signs for one to happen? Like is it normal for more weight gain and stomach bloating than normal because its gonna be the first period in a while? I feel like I’ve suddenly gained loads of weight and bloated so much in the space of 3 days even though my meal plan hasnt increased and is at 1500 kcals a day and it is the week I would be getting my period if I still had one….just curious to see if extreme weight gain is a symptom to expect for the first period after amenorrhea and what else to expect for the first one really 🙂