Menopause Matters Forum
Menopause Discussion => All things menopause => Topic started by: Lisa J T on June 16, 2021, 02:45:39 PM
-
Hey guys,
I have been on HRT for 18 months and I have gained so much weight... I was aware menopause and HRT can make you gain weight but this is something else.
I'm 37 years old and I am a single mum.who works full time so constantly on the go and my eating habits are the same... if anything some days I barely eat... as you all know menopause is awful and I'm doing the best I can but the weight gain has now got too much for me... has anyone put on much weight In short time?? How do you get rid of it.
Thank you
Lisa x
-
Eating regularly enables the body to use energy as we are designed to. Apparently ::).
Why do you miss meals? MayB when it is cooler, batch cook for freezing? Have you gained weight or has your body shape altered?
-
I've never been a big meal eater... im.more snacks... I have tried everything I used to do to keep the weight off before menopause but its just not working!!! And I swear my boobs grow a cup size every week lol
-
Oh and its weight gain and body shape... not sure where my waist has gone
-
Ahhhh - my apron dropped years ago: lack of oestrogen = loose muscles so any elastic effect holding my belly in place, well, it disappeared. So looking down from the great hight of 5ft means I see a fatty belly :D. Standing sideways pulling everything in ......... I don't weigh any different to 6 years ago.
Does weight gain run in your family, or even diabetes?
-
To be honest I dont weigh myself but before my op I was a size 8 and now I'm a 12/14 and im only 5 ft!!! Im.just not sure what I'm doing wrong... and obviously it was always going to happen as I got older but im sulking about it happening at this age lol
Ummm no my family are all pretty slim ish and no health issues I dont think.
I just thought that the weight gain would of calmed down by now!!!
-
To be honest I dont weigh myself but before my op I was a size 8 and now I'm a 12/14 and im only 5 ft!!! Im.just not sure what I'm doing wrong... and obviously it was always going to happen as I got older but im sulking about it happening at this age lol
Ummm no my family are all pretty slim ish and no health issues I dont think.
I just thought that the weight gain would of calmed down by now!!!
Snap! I am being told that eating habits may have to change during these periods of your life. I have been working with a nutritionist that has recommended a certain higher in protein for me. So far I am not seeing any changes but I am also still trying to get my hormones balanced in the background. My weight has changed - a gain of 10lbs. It is mainly around my tummy and some on my thighs.
I wish someone could give us the answer that works for us all!
-
And you haven't been eating more or less exercise?? It juat happened?
-
Hi. I have come to the conclusion that HRT has definitely made me gain weight. I have increased despite significantly increasing my running and eating a balanced diet and within a 12 hour period. I am doing more exercise than I have done in my life yet I’ve put on so much. I ripped my patch off last week as I couldn’t stand the weight gain any more and have lost 4 pounds in four days!
-
And you haven't been eating more or less exercise?? It juat happened?
I have always had to watch my weight - I eat very very well. I changed nothing, zilch, and in a few short weeks the lbs kept notching up. But the other issues in the background started to come to the fore more too and I quickly understood that if my hormones werent balanced that I wasnt going to have a fighting chance.
-
So I done this last year as the weight gain was building up so much but then I had a massive dip mentally and dr advised me to go back on them... its like if I stay on them I wont stop getting bigger but if come off them im risking my mental health... another issue I never had til I started menopause
-
Hi. I have come to the conclusion that HRT has definitely made me gain weight. I have increased despite significantly increasing my running and eating a balanced diet and within a 12 hour period. I am doing more exercise than I have done in my life yet I’ve put on so much. I ripped my patch off last week as I couldn’t stand the weight gain any more and have lost 4 pounds in four days!
Excuse my ignorance im still learning - what patch, is that oestrogen or progesterone?
-
I'm on the patches to... its the same as the Hrt tablet but just a patch you change twice a week...
-
I totally totally agree ! And have been waiting to see a post about this….I have been on Gel and Mirena and now changed to Utrogeston for five years ….would say I’m now post meno ….always weighed below nine stone and am now over 10stone ….don’t eat rubbish hardly drink …still exercise and no matter what I do it will not budge ….I look at least five months pregnant !! I’m so fed up with it …. I just don’t know what to do it’s like a viscous circle ….when I was coming to the end of my Mirena I cut my gel use down to a couple of times a week and did notice some weight loss ….but now I’m on Utrogeston I’m constantly bloated,tearful,sluggish and depressed. I don’t think I can take the two hormones together constantly …. But we can’t take the Estrogen unopposed …. I am at my wits end
Anyway thanks for posting this at least I know I’m not alone ….
-
I'd just like to chime in here and say that for absolute certain HRT made me gain weight - a stone, as soon as I started taking it and very rapidly in the space of about 6 weeks. I seem to have stabilised at a stone higher now. No changes to diet or exercise. I've done a lot of reading on it and there is evidence out there that an increase in estrogen or more accurately excess estrogen can cause it.
However lots of women don't gain with it also - I did wonder if it could have anything to do with what level of estrogen you're needing to get to in order to be symptom free... e.g. as a younger women mine is quite high.
The HRT has literally been a God send for me in other ways though, so it's a price I have to pay. :'(
It is reassuring to hear others have experienced it... I was quite frightened by the rapid weight gain at first!!
-
Are you on the patches?. My dose is 75??
I know because of my age I will be on them for at least 15 years im just so worried about my weight if in 18 months I have gained this much?
I want to love my menopause body as frankly I think us women are bloody amazing with what we go through.... I just cant at the moment
-
Hi. I have come to the conclusion that HRT has definitely made me gain weight. I have increased despite significantly increasing my running and eating a balanced diet and within a 12 hour period. I am doing more exercise than I have done in my life yet I’ve put on so much. I ripped my patch off last week as I couldn’t stand the weight gain any more and have lost 4 pounds in four days!
Excuse my ignorance im still learning - what patch, is that oestrogen or progesterone?
I was using Evorel Sequi patches so that’s oestrogen only for two weeks then oestrogen and progesterone for two weeks
-
I totally totally agree ! And have been waiting to see a post about this….I have been on Gel and Mirena and now changed to Utrogeston for five years ….would say I’m now post meno ….always weighed below nine stone and am now over 10stone ….don’t eat rubbish hardly drink …still exercise and no matter what I do it will not budge ….I look at least five months pregnant !! I’m so fed up with it …. I just don’t know what to do it’s like a viscous circle ….when I was coming to the end of my Mirena I cut my gel use down to a couple of times a week and did notice some weight loss ….but now I’m on Utrogeston I’m constantly bloated,tearful,sluggish and depressed. I don’t think I can take the two hormones together constantly …. But we can’t take the Estrogen unopposed …. I am at my wits end
Anyway thanks for posting this at least I know I’m not alone ….
It’s so awful isn’t it. I bought a box of Femarelle Recharge yesterday after reading on here about them. I am sick and tired of trying different HRT regimes only to have the same thing with weight, including bloating.
-
It’s just relieving to read that this is “A thing” you start to think its just you and you are being moany/lazy/greedy……when I know I’m not ….we are all basically just winging it aren’t we…..armed with all our info we are all still winging it …..
-
Yeah I get so sad about at and think what am I doing wrong and should this be happening.... to be honest I didnt know much about menopause until I had my op and I am still learning about it now. I dont think its talked about enough... of you asked me 2 years what it was I would of said hot flushes and thats it. Its a lot more the physical and mental changes are crazy.
I'm going to talk to my Dr about the weight gain if it doesn't calm down soon.... and thats if I remember too hahhaha menopause brain is the worst
-
Hi Lisa, I just wanted to replay to you and say that I totally know how you feel. I'm 39 and started my journey 6/7 yrs ago. I was diagnosed with POI just over 2 years ago. I started HRT in December (coil and patches) and Idid start gaining weight......but I had been gaining weight with about 2 years before that going from 8 and half stone to 11 stone or a size 8/10 to a now size 14. Interestingly enough, I changed my patches to tablets not too long ago and I started losing weight......unfortunately I had to stop the tablets as they were giving me awful headaches and fuzzy head and dizziness. So I'm going back to my GP to try something else in the coming weeks.
It is awful going through this so young or at any age really. It just feels so much harder when you see your friends enjoying themselves and not understanding what you are going through. Feel free to message anytime. I hate being the moaning grumpy one. Totally not my normal self. Physical and mental symptoms are awful. Take care of yourself.
-
Hello,
Wow I really really needed that reply. I feel sometimes I'm just being dramatic and I feel so bad on my friends as all I seem to do is moan and have issues.
Crazy about the weight... im gonna call my Dr as I'm only 5 foot so definitely over weight now... I just need to hear that the weight gain is going to slow down or there is something I can do about it.
I often think about coming off the patches but I know mentally that's not a good idea
How comes yoy have had early menopause.. if you don't mind me asking
Xx
-
I gained weight fast on HRT - over 1/2 stone in 10 weeks, so I stopped it as I didn't feel any better for it. I didn't change my diet or exercise at all, so it was definitely the HRT. I've found by far the easiest and most effective thing for losing weight is intermittent fasting, doing 16:8 - that's fasting for 16 hours with an 8 hour eating window. I also did 3 days a week on about 800 calories, and "normal" but sensible eating the other 4 days. I was pretty hungry for about the first week on my "fasting" days, but it's surprising how your body adapts, and after a couple of weeks it was much easier. I ate twice a day, between about 2 and 10pm, I find that if I don't eat till later, I'm much less hungry. I read the Kate Harrison 5:2 Diet book, and the Michael Mosley Fast Diet for info and motivation, both very good and easy to read.
I lost weight much faster than calorie counting with 3 meals a day, plus a few snacks. I lost about 3 pounds a week instead of 1/2 pound a week with cc. I lost weight off my abdomen too, usually it comes off everywhere but my stomach! 😬 I felt better than I had for years too, more energy and a general feeling of wellbeing.
One of the reasons why it's so effective is because less insulin is circulating, which is the fat storage hormone. Every time you eat your pancreas releases insulin, so the more often you eat, the more insulin you release. Unfortunately I struggle with overeating for emotional reasons and out of boredom, so have been on and off it a few times. I'm about to give it another go, I've got into really bad eating habits due to lockdown through loneliness, and not having anything better to do, so have put on quite a bit of weight. 🙁 I know a couple of other people who've had great success with it too, and also find it much easier than traditional dieting, so I'd encourage anyone to give it a go.
-
Hi Lisa J T,
Sorry for the delay in replying. My email sends these notifications to junk mail and unless i check it regularly I miss them. I don't know why I am in early menopause. As far as I am aware, it does not run in the family on either side of the family. But, then again people didn't talk about those things years ago. I have 2 sisters and they so far have been fine-one is almost 2 years older than me and the other is 4 years younger than me. They seem to be enjoying life as normal. I am very jealous. My aunts say they were fine and my mom says she can't remember hers-the rest of the family seem to remember differently ::) Has HRT helped you mentally? What were your worst symptoms? I hope when I return to my GP that I find the holy grail of HRT. Ive had a very rough 6/7 years and being a single parent it has been difficult on my child too. It has made me more understanding and more patient for the majority of the time and I try to not judge people anymore as you never know what somebody else is going through. I do talk openly about it to friends but I don't want to be the one they start avoiding for always moaning. Plus I can comments to heart now-sensitive. So, I throw myself into working all week and just try to pass the days hoping it will get better. It has been a hard road and I know I should be on HRT until my fifties at least to help my heart, bones etc. So. I must keep trying to find the right one that suits. Feel free to private message.
Take care. :)
-
I am soooo lucky my kids have been really really understanding with it. I would say my worst symptoms were the suicide thoughts and weight gain... HRT has helped mentally but not physically.... my breasts constantly hurt as well.
Yeah so odd as anyone i ask who have been through it seem to say it was easy!!! My friends are now dresding going through it because how bad I tell them it is 🙈
-
Just like to add that nothing is worse than hearing women (including my mum) who "sailed through the menopause" making you feel like it's in your head / you're being difficult. Honestly without this forum I don't know what I would have done - a good 60% of the knowledge and education I have has been gained through this forum in one way or another. This post has also been so reassuring to me, to know I'm not the only one who gained a rapid amount of weight on HRT (a stone in 8 weeks). It has stabilised now (hope that gives others some reassurance) but it literally will not shift at all - from the reading I've done it's caused by excess estrogen slowing down your metabolism.
Also Harmony thanks for the fasting recommendation - think I might give it a try!
-
I've found by far the easiest and most effective thing for losing weight is intermittent fasting, doing 16:8 - that's fasting for 16 hours with an 8 hour eating window.
Harmony - may I ask are you counting the 16:8 as intermittent fasting and do you lose weight by doing this every day? I'm also struggling with my weight (put on about half a stone over lockdown) so need to get rid of it. Trying to eat breakfast late at the moment....but perhpas should be stricter
Hurdity x
-
I am going to attempt a diet and see how i feel... thing is I wint weigh myself so have to go on how I feel and clothes fitting me.
I need to buy new bras although they are more like small planets than breasts at mo... ive never seen anything so big lol
Does anyone suffer woth breast pain????
-
I've started the fasting (day 3) but am going to work my way up to the 16:18 - starting with 12:12 and will increase as I get more comfortable in a routine with it. Got woken up at 4:30am this morning as was absolutely starving so definitely will need a bit of time to get it right!
Lisa yes I suffer from gigantic swollen painful boobs- it's a big symptom for me!
-
Let me know how you get on with the fasting... ive barely eaten the last week.. appetite has gone... im sure it will be back soon... but will be interesting to see if my clothes start feeling better.
Lol bloody breasts.... at least I know that's normal as Google says its not