to find menopausal weight management mentally exhausting and restrictive?

I put on 3.5 stones during perimenopause 😱went on HRT (combined sequential) and lost it through diet/exercise over a two-year period. I came off it after 5 yrs last year and noticed weight gain start again, I think I gained about a stone in six months. I have lost it again but it's a tough old business,
I have to be so careful. I just think of my body hanging onto fat cells like hostages. There is oestrogen in fat so if you're not supplementing, it can make losing weight harder.

HRT caused weight gain for me.
the issue can be that HRT, unlike the pill, doesn’t replace your own hormone production, it adds to them. So if you are continually deficit in those hormones then it will work well and out balance the risks.
if your own hormones are unstable or still at a good level you are getting flooded with excess - this can cause problems and raise risk.
generally NHS don’t test your hormone levels so it’s a bit hit and miss.
the safe way to do it is to get a private assessment which will take snapshots at several different points over a few months.
im not doing that as I don’t need HRT - I’ve managed my symptoms successfully with other treatments and therefore don’t want the additional risk or hassle.

You might not notice the effects of atrophy until it's too late.

I have an HRT question, if I have no real symptoms or signs of estrogen loss should I start anyway? I am 51 and have a mirena IUD so no period for 5 years but I have no symptoms otherwise except maybe some hip aches and pains. I don’t want to miss the window but also don’t want to take a hormone I don’t need yet. anyone BTDT?

Like I said before, the risk is bigger NOT being on HRT for your future health.

As we get older, even with our natural hormones back on HRT, the ageing process is still there - muscle mass & collagen etc will start to decline.

Exercise (esp weight bearing) and healthy eating are important at all ages, but especially now. I exercise at least 4 times a week mixing weights, classes, cardio & pilates. I generally eat very healthily in the week but am more relaxed on weekends. I have struggled to put weight on. I am 56 and have been on HRT for 6 years.

Give it a go, you could try if for 3-6 months and see how you find it

In essence yes, as it just puts your hormones back to normal.

I went so skinny in peri my veins in my arms stuck out. I looked almost emaciated, while eating as normal. It actually shocked me, despite having always been thin. Now, post meno, I am eating less but my boobs have tripled in size, I have an unshiftable belly and a bigger arse. I am definitely not happy about any of it. I hope you are more lucky! 🙏

I mean... How is "you're going to get fat and there's nothing you can do about it now chow down" helpful exactly?

It is better to exercise more than to starve yourself, which is the only alternative being offered.

@Neuronimo I've got to make an appointment and see them re my hrt anyway so think I will bring this up. Thank you

Yes TSH levels. My sisters declined gradually until she needed Thyroxine. It might be wise to ask to be retested.

Is this a test for TSH? Two years ago mine was at 1.1 and the test result said normal but it was very close to the bottom end. At that time I managed to lose almost 2 stone in about 7-8 months. Slowly since then I have put on a stone so trying to lose it again recently but now massively struggling (and actually gaining weight some weeks) despite doing the same routine I did two years ago. Is it worth asking for that to be checked again? I’m almost 56 and taking HRT.

Laughing at the idea that people have ‘3 hours of ambient time’ in the day. If I sit down before 10pm, it’s likely that I’ve forgotten to do something critical!

Really good advice to get thyroid checked - my mum now has AF and other issues that severely impact her quality of life, likely cause was years of subclinical hypothyroidism which was just dismissed as ‘your age’.

You'll probably be absolutely fine in that case - I do think that a lot of it is genetic (body shape, appetite levels, ability to burn fat, likelihood to gain/lose weight as we age etc etc). My mum was 8 stone in her 20s after having 2 kids....by the time she'd had 4 kids she'd experienced noticeable weight gain and by menopause she was noticeably overweight. This is a woman who cannot eat a meal without a side salad or generous portions of veg.....for many years she'd cycle to the swimming baths and swim 100 lengths at least twice per week.....and at 82 she still swims 4 times a week (granted, no longer 100 lengths).... and yet she's still overweight despite not eating anymore than she used to....in fact she eats far less than she did in her 20s when she was just 8 stone. Bloody genes!!!....if they're "fat ones" 😬😬

@JuliettaCaeser yes indeed - I lost 2 stone in 7 months at 49 - now at 64 it’s way way more difficult , even with a fair bit of excercise and a carefulish diet - WLis were a bit pointless for me ( did 5 weeks) as I don’t overeat, eat pretty healthily and don’t have constant food noise- and can ‘maintain’ well, not gaining- just struggle to shift any more after losing 2 stone -

Yes it’s like me going on those horror teen threads with women at their wits end and saying well my teens are absolutely lovely!

I was on fire in my mid 40s. Lost 2 stone over 4 months lots of positive comments! Go me! Kept it off too until 49. Then peri menopause hit…

I really suspect that we all know if you felt good in any way, you wouldn't be on here trying to make others feel bad.

I saw a thread in passing the other day asking how people manage to stay on top of hoovering. I didn't go on and reply because I have a housekeeper 20 hours a week, so almost never hoover. Can you see how my addition to that thread might not have been helpful?

@ user464632168

Yes I've done this as I have a strong family history of thyroid disease, including my Mum and one sister. I am also looking into a dexa scan also. I don't think you can have the dexa scan done on the NHS here under 60.

I really do encourage everyone to be as insistent as possible with their GP about doing a thyroid check if you're struggling. I know they can be reluctant, but it really is best practice to do people's levels during times of hormonal fluctuation. The British Thyroid Foundation estimates that 12-20% of women over 60 are hypothyroid, so it's a very common issue.

And as a general service announcement, while you're at it... try to get them to do a baseline dexascan too.

@ FeedTheFoxes

Fingers crossed you won't. I have siblings who have been naturally slim since childhood. At most they have gained 7 lb since menopause, which they successfully managed to lose.

God, this is depressing. 😞

I’ve been in peri menopause for a few years, and thankfully so far, I’ve actually lost a few pounds as my appetite has decreased. My GP says that’s good as I’m now at the lower end of healthy weight which gives me some leeway for later on if I do put on some weight once I’m post menopause. My mum actually lost weight in perimenopause and hasn’t put on weight after either (she’s in her 70s now) so hopefully it’s in the genes as I wouldn’t be happy if I was overweight. 🤞

I thought the current orthodoxy was that the horrors of peri haunt us all from 39?

It absolutely is about me because unless I die first I'll one day be 50 odd. So I don't appreciate the miserable (and usually lazy) "we all get fat and you'll only be able to eat grapes and kelp" chat. Plus as evidenced by this thread most people don't get enough exercise and that harms us all as a society.

Apologies yes, I gained weight from the perimenopause too, I was just referring to the OP in relation to the menopause, which is typically from the 50's. I didn't mean to undermine weight struggles in the lead up to it.

I have personally found that there is a massive difference in terms of fitness and wellness between 45 and 55.

I agree with you that CurdinHenry's comments are unrealistic, unhelpful, tone deaf, and show a complete lack of understanding that we're all different.

But I disagree that menopausal weight gain "typically" affects women from their 50s onwards. Perimenopause usually starts in a woman's 40s, including the potential for new problems with weight gain - as many of us on this thread have attested.