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[JaneF]

I’ve been a little overweight for a while now (thank you Peri-Menopause), but can pinpoint this current ridiculous gain to starting HRT.  Now I know that general consensus is that HRT doesn’t make you gain weight, the menopause does that, but has anyone else experienced similar and was there a solution?

I don’t really want to go back to pre-HRT me that didn’t sleep, couldn’t drive anywhere without having a panic attack and hurt everywhere ALL the time...! 

Just for background I opted for  oestrogen gel (Sandrena) and for progesterone a Mirena coil.  Patches had become as easy to find as hens teeth and I didn’t want to take anything orally

Anyone have any thoughts?

[dahliagirl]

I'm the same.

I think it is just eat less, exercise more 

I used to do a lot of exercise and got out of the habit.

[Sparkler]

Hi there

I was a bit overweight from about 43, but since starting HRT I have put on a lot, without changing what I eat. Maybe a stone in a year? I am slowly getting it back down by keeping a food diary (reducing what I eat) and I wear a Fitbit to track how active I am each day. I am, however, still overweight and the current news about it being a risk factor for the virus just depresses me more. I know that I need to sort it out but it is not easy - we are all different and some people just don’t struggle the same. I have friends (and they are real and lovely friends) who just don’t understand how I can manage all sorts of stuff in my life, but not my weight. I could do with losing 2 stone.

If you have any insights please do share - otherwise I feel your pain and will just continue down the ‘control everything’ route for tracking eating and exercise.

Much love
Sparkler
X

[Doingmyheadin]

Yes I have gained weight .... on my midriff and thighs and boobs ... which overall has amounted to about 10lbs of extra weight in two years ... am on the same regime as you ...gel and mirena. It really is frustrating... I have never struggled with weight gain like this ....I remember the combined contraception pill making me feel the same way when I was younger ... that’s why I changed to mini pill and never had a problem with that .... stoopid ole menopause !!

[Tinacros]

Hi janeF
I’m the same. Been on hrt for 5 years and didn’t really gain weight till about 3 years in. I’m post meno so considering coming off it to see how I go. I have got an under active thyroid too so maybe that needs tweaking. The thing is I don’t feel good on it anymore. At first it was a game changer. Now I feel depressed, bloated, moody and extremely fat 🤷🏽‍♀️

[Smitten]

I’m on estradot.25,  so low dose and feel so bloated on it, as soon as I started estradot the weight gain started 😩 it does list abdominal weight gain on the sheet 😬 it’s so uncomfortable!

[Harmony]

I'm sorry that I don't have any help to offer, but if anyone thinks that HRT doesn't cause weight gain, I can categorically state that it does! Obviously it's not the case for everyone. I used 2 pumps of Oestrogel alongside Utrogestan, and gained about 10 pounds in 10 weeks. 😬 As it hadn't helped in the slightest to improve my fatigue, brain fog and other troublesom symptoms, once I realised how much weight I'd put on, I stopped it. There was no change in my appetite, diet or exercise, and although I'm overweight, I'd never normally gain anything like as much as that so quickly. It really annoys me when people insist that medications don't cause weight gain - you only have to look at the poor people on heavy duty medications for severe mental health problems - antipsychotics for example, to see the weight gain they induce. Some people are lucky and don't gain weight with certain medications, but very many do.

[Kathleen]

Hello JaneF and welcome to the forum.

I can honestly say that I didn't gain weight when taking HRT but I have most certainly changed shape with the menopause. Most notably my bottom now has the classic flat shape often seen in older women but the fat within it has relocated to my belly. I am 5'2", always been slim and only had a round tummy during my pregnancies so this shape is definitely new to me. I don't much like it but perhaps mother nature is trying to store a little oestrogen producing fat in the only place available now I'm post meno!

I have noticed that foods containing oil can contribute to weight gain so eliminating hidden or added oils can really help and is often overlooked.

Take care everyone.

K.

[Grheliz1]

I put on water weight with utrogestan but this went when I switched to using it vaginally instead of orally.

I have to be very careful of my diet and exercise vigorously but weigh the same as I did before I started HRT a year ago.