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[veganbiker]

Hi all, I've been happily controlled on Premique 1.5mg for the couple of years and have had no symptoms whatsoever after a few years of lunacy. Also no side effects from the HRT either after seeing a new doctor who is more informed about the menopause.

The trouble is I've now lost a considerable amount of weight very quickly over several months on Exante which is like Lighter Life but much cheaper - averaging about a stone a month. I'm now what you might call thin for the first time in many years.

The bad news is the symptoms have all come back, I assumed this is because fat produces oestrogen so it stands to reason that if you lose all of it very quickly you become depleted and the symptoms return. Apparently it is not that straightforward and some studies show thin women have more symptoms while others imply that fat women have worse symptoms so it's all rather confusing.

Anyway my GP has upped my dose for a while while I acclimatise but I am a bit perplexed by this whole issue and wonder if any of you have experienced similar symptoms?

Thanks Lou

[CLKD]

I would say that a stone per month is too much - what does you GP suggest?

[veganbiker]

GP was fine with it as it has reduced my ridiculously high blood pressure and is normal for a VLCD, he just says don't do it for more than the recommended time. Has not much idea about oestrogen and fat tho'.

[CLKD]

I think that there is a link between oestrogen and body fat ……… remind me, what's VLCD  …… so pleased that your BP is now good! such an achievement.   

[tiger74]

Hi - veganbiker - many congratulations on your weight loss achievements.  Sticking to a VLCD must take a lot of will power so I admire you for that.

As you've said in your original post, there most certainly is a link between fat and production of oestrogen.

From Breast Cancer Care website:

"When a woman has been through the menopause, the hormone oestrogen is mainly produced in body fat. Other hormones (androgens) are converted into oestrogen within fatty tissue by an enzyme known as aromatase."

(As a side issue, this is why being overweight is one of the risk factors for post-menopausal women developing breast cancer)

I'm a bit shocked that your GP seems unaware that oestrogen is produced in body fat - that's quite scary considering he/she is probably regularly prescribing aromatase inhibitors to breast cancer patients.

[CLKD]

 

[veganbiker]

Very Low Calorie Diet CLKD.

Yes I was pretty amazed too, I've been googling and it seems to follow. I think the trouble with the GP's at my surgery is that they are so stretched they really don't want to talk about menopause stuff they just want to prescribe and get you out of the door.

They obviously take more time if you've got a serious illness but economise on time with issues they don't see as important, as far as he's concerned I've lost the weight, my blood pressure is normal and I have reduced the risk of illness - I got the impression he didn't want to have a general discussion about menopause.

Anyway after a week on a higher dose I'm ok symptom wise again. Now to get cracking on exercise (yuck) 

[CLKD]

Hoovering, gardening, brisk walking ……….

Although menopause isn't a serious illness we need To Be Heard!

[dogdoc]

Hi Veganbiker....i have a similar thought on a post of my own.

I think I had started down the perimenopause trail in my late 30's ( irregular cycling, more PMS), but it was within months of losing 45 lbs rather quickly on a primal diet ( also low carb) that the symptoms kicked into major high gear ( unlovable). I think it was due to rapid estrogen loss with the fat...my OBGYN said that losing 60lbs is like removing a 50ug transdermal estrogen patch from your body...that's a fair bit of estrogen.

In any case...I think that was the tipping point for me from a slow and steady estrogen decline to a rapid and total abrupt estrogen decline ( also lost the weight in a very short period ...like 4 months)..... oh hormones. boo

Tara

[dogdoc]

Not unloveable ( I hope lol) UNLIVEABLE!!!

[CLKD]

Predictive text again 

So does sudden weight loss = anorexic-type results?