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[flyingsquirrel]

So, I have an interesting conundrum.  Over the last year, I've magically lost 10 lbs.  (Not sure how many stones that is, but it's not insignificant.)  My metabolism has been supercharged to where I can eat anything I want and not gain.  I have a roller coaster weight fluctuation to where I'll gain, but I'll always lose it again within weeks, plus some.  I think I finally maxed out my calories to where I don't lose anymore, but I don't gain, either.  It's overall been a very slow loss, that took a while for anyone to notice.

When all this crazy hormone stuff started last year, I had thought it must be my thyroid because it had popped out of my neck within the first 2 weeks.  But, that ultimately turned out to be a red herring, and I ended up in an OBGYN office.  When I last visited my endocrinologist a few months ago for a routine followup on my totally benign multinodular goiter, she said that it definitely wasn't my thyroid causing the weight loss or insomnia.  Everything there is fine.  Well, minus the mysterious pain in my thyroid, which she says is "thyroiditis" (implying autoimmune attack, but not Grave's or Hashi's).  But my TSH and free T4 levels are fine.  My pituitary gland is fine.

She said the magic weight loss must be from my insomnia.  When I repeated that to the sleep disorder center a few weeks ago, the nurse practitioner there raised and eyebrow, and said, "It sounds like your thyroid!"  Even SHE is baffled.  And all this, knowing that I'm being treated for lady hormone swings.  (I did only have hot flashes on periods, so it's not an unreasonable diagnosis.)

My estrogen levels seem to be low for what my body likes, not high--or else, too much progesterone.  I can tell because my body hates every single birth control pack I've tried so far.  And, the hot flashes tend to be a sign of low estrogen.  But, no birth control pack has put a dent in the insomnia, anxiety, or depression, except for Trazodone for the former.

According to every online resource ever, insomnia should be causing WEIGHT GAIN.  Not weight loss.  The same with low estrogen.  If my estrogen had been too high, then surely the 10mcg estradiol birth control pack I first tried would have made everything much better?

What could possibly be causing this?  Has anyone else ever experienced this in perimenopause or in that uncomfortable stage I'm in where hormones go whacko just before perimenopause?  I'm not exercising more than usual.  In fact, I'm exercising LESS than before this started.  I should be GAINING.  I wish any doctor would take an active interest in this and figure out why I have such a weird symptom that nobody else seems to have...unless I'm wrong and some of you have experienced this?

Thanks! 

[CLKD]

Morning!  Almost 8.00 a.m. and not usually out of bed yet 

Anything with 'itis' in the title means inflammation, i.e. tonsillitis, appendicitis ..........

In the UK 14lb = 1 stone - I think.  I know my weight fluctuates a few pounds occasionally by how I have to pull in my belt.

Could you be losing muscle mass if you exercised regularly but do less? If it's gradual I wouldn't worry too much.  A sudden loss in a matter of weeks is more serious.  Good that thyroid function results are OK.

[Dancinggirl]

CKLD raises a good point. Muscle loss is common when meno hits and muscle is heavy. Menopause causes so many strange symptoms - there is still very little understanding by the medical profession regarding menopause and it's consequences.
A hundred years ago you were unlucky to live beyond menopause and if you did get to your 50s and suffered bad meno symptoms you either became an invalid but sometimes ended up in an asylum.
The effects of oestrogen deficiency are many and complex and if society wants we women to work longer and function well generally, then there needs to be far better treatment options. DG x

[Sparrow]

CKLD raises a good point. Muscle loss is common when meno hits and muscle is heavy. Menopause causes so many strange symptoms - there is still very little understanding by the medical profession regarding menopause and it's consequences.
A hundred years ago you were unlucky to live beyond menopause and if you did get to your 50s and suffered bad meno symptoms you either became an invalid but sometimes ended up in an asylum.
The effects of oestrogen deficiency are many and complex and if society wants we women to work longer and function well generally, then there needs to be far better treatment options. DG x

It's a bit of a myth about women not reaching the menopause, in days gone by.  Life expectancy rates are skewed by child death rates.  If you made it to adulthood there was a good chance of going through the menopause.  Also, having spent many years doing my family tree, I know this to be the case. 

[Sammiejane]

Good morning flying squirrel

I second you on the bizarre weight loss

Since I was surgical induced into menopause my body seems to be doing the opposite to what professionals say is standard to the menopause

I lost weight by a stone and half and yes I think this could be muscles or tissues water weight asthenia body shape changed to and went more toned could see muscles and I do zero exercise I think higher testosterone! As soon as I started HRT a stone I gained in 6 months and now have belly fat and gone up a dress size

Low estrogen causes hairloss not for me mine grew mega thick and long then started HRT and it's now thinned and shedding

I had no menopause symtoms for 4 yrs since having my ovaries removed so I didn't take hrt and in some ways wish I hadn't i only did because I developed VA and suspected it was low estrogen so started patches then stopped due to side effects then started vagifem and then the hairloss started and now it's effected my mental health my work life and all over hrt because so hard to get a balance and thinking of stopping it I'm only 40 but I've had enough I'm exhausted spending a year to get a balance with insomnia zero energy now loss of confidence due to weight gain and hairloss !

[CLKD]

Sammie - change to 'ovestin'.  VA doesn't go away without treatment ;-).  Same idea, different delivery system.

   DG ......

Both my maternal grannies were in their 80s when they died.  Both had worked hard in service from age 14 and raised children.  But they had good nourishment and a roof over their heads with access to fresh fruits and veg in season.  1 was put into the asylum due to what we call PND after her 4th child.  I think that those living in the slums didn't reach a ripe old age anyway - dying in childbirth, having children every 11-14 months despite breast feeding, probably going from the last baby to no periods at all. 

On my husband's side his women folk have lived into their 80s thus far and some beyond 90.  We haven't gone back further than his maternal Gran though.

My Mum is 90+ and doesn't remember her menopause  .  I don't remember any of them losing weight so maybe check your exercise regime for the last 18 months and see if it's muscle loss.

[flyingsquirrel]

Thanks, everyone!  Yeah, it might very well be muscle loss.  I have been feeling weaker.  I'll try to step up the exercise regimen.

[CLKD]

Maybe begin with the quadriceps muscles, exercise can be done anywhere even in a queue ;-)

Mine are very weak