Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => Personal Experiences => Topic started by: bridgetjones on May 06, 2016, 09:31:59 AM
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I have been taking HRT since December last year. At first I was put on Prempak but it made me bloated so I came off that and went on to Climagest and the weight has gone on even more!! I feel better mentally and the hot flushes have gone but I have put on a stone in weight, I look pregnant actually and keep being offered seats on the train!! I just can't deal with being a size 14 when I used to be a size 8.
Has anyone else had problems with the weight gain? I'm going to try some alternative remedies so if anyone has had success with any of these, could you recommend some supplements, thanks.
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I have gone from 8lb 5 to 9lb 2 in 6 months & that's a lot on a 5ft frame. Off hrt at the moment but using Vagifem. Considering going back. Waiting for one more scan but the weight gain does put me off. I'm 50
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Hi Englishrose, thanks for your message - so not just me then!! I'm 5ft too also. Weighed 7st 8lb 6 months ago and now 8st 9!!!!! I would prefer to endure the symptoms and treat it another way then drag all this extra weight around with me. I'm 49. :)
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I've put on a stone better now taking oestrogel
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Lol! How many extra babies are you carrying Teresa?
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Unfortunately weight gain is part of the menopause and whilst some women feel a little more plumped up on HRT, it isn't usually the main reason we put on weight. I actually gain more weight around my tummy and mid drift when not on HRT - when I'm on HRT I have more energy so can take more exercise and maintain my figure slightly better. I get so tired and headachy when not on HRT I reach for the carbs too much.
The truth is, whether we use HRT or not, we need to cut down the amount we eat by about one third when we hit the meno, make sure we get enough exercise and also good relaxation - so a good balanced lifestyle.
It's really tough trying to keep the weight under control as we get older. DG xxx
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I didn't put on weight I lost it I have only put it on since going on hrt
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How embarrasing :)
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My weight has more or less maintained within my normal 10 lb range. But I have grown. I'm not sure how because I've grown a belly, my butt seems wider, and I'm a little more squishy all over. But I don't seem to have lost anything anywhere. I'm not complaining though. I'll take a little extra size for my sanity as long as it doesn't start to feel cumbersome to be active. I still have time, but I will prefer to go into my senior years a little plump rather than tiny and frail.
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I've had a constant battle with my weight since starting peri - all my clothes are uncomfortable and I can't get in to some. I've cut out treats completely, and am always hungry but I still can't shift the weight. :'(
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I've been a size 8-10 all my life. I went on hrt for 6 months and someone commented on my weight. I had started to wear looser fitting clothes but was shocked when I went on the scales and weighed over 12stone! Came off the hrt for other reasons and lost the weight. Now I'm on evorel conti patches and lost all the bloating!
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I've been on a Conti hrt patch for 15 months and have piled on two stones in that time. I haven't changed my eating habits and I still walk a lot so I'm putting it down to the patch. I hate the extra weight, but the thought of leaving off the hrt and feeling awful again leaves me nervous
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I have been the same weight all my life. I. Fat now. Look terribly overweight. Exercise hasn't helped so have come off it. Can't help thinking it's not good. My gp said my blood pressure has dropped also. It's 87/60 very low. Can hardly walk without fainting. I hate hrt.
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I'm going to try some alternative remedies so if anyone has had success with any of these, could you recommend some supplements, thanks.
I did the "alternate" route of supplements, and lots of pills and potions. I even went to a naturopath to make sure I was getting the right stuff. It cost a fortune and it only made my symptoms worse. TBH I would rather deal with some weight gain than having to deal with meno symptoms, but that's just me.
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I think for some it's not a little weight gain but a lot to go from 8 to 12 in 3 - 6 months is difficult on top of menopause symptoms
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It doesn't always happen. My weight went up at the start of perimenopause then it dropped again. A couple of years ago it went down again and stayed there. I have never had a belly, always been pear shaped and still have a small waist. I have never taken HRT. There are exceptions to every rule. A weight problem is not an inevitable feature of the menopause.
Oh yes, and I have not reduced my food intake either :)
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I think for some it's not a little weight gain but a lot to go from 8 to 12 in 3 - 6 months is difficult on top of menopause symptoms
I didn't mean to invalidate the complaint by saying "little". I'm not enjoying the need for all new clothes at all. I don't like it. But for me, my size complaint is little in comparison to my mental state without hrt.
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I have used alternative therapies most of my adult life and there are lots out there to help. Even homeopathy has extracts of hormones but it wasn't enough for me especially the oestrogen. I still use them though and acupuncture. My blood pressure was dropping very low which is one of the reasons I finally went on hrt. I put on a stone in weight but I needed to. Don't want to put on anymore though!
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I think for some it's not a little weight gain but a lot to go from 8 to 12 in 3 - 6 months is difficult on top of menopause symptoms
I gained about 20kg since 2010. I also thought it was impossible for me to lose the weight again. I tried constantly and made all the excuses everyone makes about metabolism, menopause, HRT etc being the problem, but I've proven it's possible to lose the weight again. I've lost 7kg since just before Christmas, and hope to lose at least another 7-10kg before the end of the year. It is possible. You just have to find the weight loss and exercise routine that suits you. For me it's Weight Watchers.
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I agree with Dana about the weight loss - unless you have an undiagnosed thyroid problem it should be possible! By the way well done Dana! I've lost about 8 pounds (was 10!) since last September but I'm only 5'1 and only a few pounds overweight.
Metabolism tends to slow as we age (decreasing testosterone, and reducing thyroid function are partly responsible) and also if we become less active our muscles decrease - reducing metabolism further. Fat distribution also changes as we lose oestrogen and become more testosterone dominant ( even though this too is decreasing).
If you carry on eating at the same rate you will put on weight so the first thing is to reduce portion size, secondly change the balance of what you eat and thirdly increase exercise to include some muscle exercises ie body conditioning. This has worked for me but I am now on a permanent "diet" of sorts. I know how to lose weight and keep it off now.
As Dana says you have to find what suits you. For me it had to be drastic. I cut out sugar ( mostly), reduced fruit and juice, reduced carbs (as in bread cereal patsa spuds, biscuits etc) drastically to only once a day at most, increased low fat protein, nuts and veg. Had lots of soup ( home made) and eggs, and nuts, do exercise classes. It goes without saying that most food is prepared fresh from fresh ingredients so no hidden nasties! Now finally around 8 st 11-12 - which is about where I should be for frame size, age and height.
I still have treats though ( especially now I have lost the weight) including G&T's wine, dark chocolate, and even cake - but only in small quantities and not every day!
Babyjane - I think if I remember correctly you are on thyroid medication which will mean if your TSH/thyroid levels are controlled your metabolism will be more stable so this could explain your weight staying the same without eating less? I know from my blood tests that my thyroid function has reduced over the years - my doc showed me the graph, even though it is not in the treatable range - so without doing anything different re exercise and food - I will put on weight - which is exactly what I've noticed - but probably not to do with menopause as such?
Hurdity x
PS Some progestogens cause permanent bloating which adds to weight gain - worse on conti HRT.
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I agree with Dana about the weight loss - unless you have an undiagnosed thyroid problem it should be possible! By the way well done Dana! I've lost about 8 pounds (was 10!) since last September but I'm only 5'1 and only a few pounds overweight.
Thanks Hurdity. Well done to you too!
My weight loss has slowed a lot and I haven't really lost very much in the last month, which is the most frustrating part of trying to lose weight as you get older. It takes that much longer to lose it, but I'm not giving up. My mother had type 2 diabetes so I definitely don't want to add to my risk factor by being overweight.