To think my HRT patches have led to weight gain?

[Lollingabout]

About 18 months ago I went on HRT patches; main symptoms that I was trying to address were anxiety, sudden mood swings and sleeplessness. Worked a treat on all the above. After about 6 months I felt the symptoms were returning so GP upped my dose so that I’m now on Estraderm MX 75 patches with progesterone pills every 2 weeks. My issue is that I’ve definitely put on what feels to me as substantial weight in that time - and usual measures to get it off are having zero impact. The weight is all boobs, tummy and hips - in fact my boobs are quite sore at times. The standard line when asking GP and googling is that studies show HRT does not make you gain weight and that’s just the menopause - however a few old threads on here from a couple of years ago show that there are women out there who also felt HRT made them gain weight. Just wanting to raise the subject here for traffic to see if there are others like me who felt they put on weight with HRT who then came off the patches and lost the weight. Am I being unreasonable to think the studies might be missing or omitting this side effect for some women? (I am 49 and still have periods)

On HRT, and biggest I have ever been. But I think that's because I have been eating loads.

Have recently upped my cardio to an HR a day, and am doing isometric exercises. I think this might be doing something to lose the weight.

I think we need to really focus on eating healthily, and exercising post menopause. Every day counts every good sleep counts.

I am staying on it as there is osteoporosis in my family, and it has really helped my anxiety. Plus my skin!

Yes.

You could possibly think a little bit harder about open-system thermodynamics:
Matter can be converted into energy or excreted (released as matter).
Energy can be converted into matter or released as energy.

We don't get to dictate exactly what our body will do with the matter we put in them.

You're assuming that "taking in the exact amount of energy they need or less" means you get to say which "needs" their body must meet with that energy. You don't, your body relies on its own internal signalling to decide.

I knew I was hypothyroid when I piled on the weight, was freezing cold and everything tired me out. Reducing my calorie intake didn't slow the weight gain, just made me colder and more knackered.

I've definitely gained weight since starting HRT. It went on quite shockingly fast, actually, and I'm now overweight for the first time in my life. Diet and exercise have not changed, but my usual methods of keeping my weight in check no longer seem to work.

It's a fine line. I felt so awful before the HRT that it's almost, almost worth the extra weight to feel 'normal' again. But not quite. Plus, having always been under-endowed I quite like the bigger boobs bonus...but goddamnit they're so sore at times.

So it seems to be a case of happier with bigger tits but two stone overweight...or crying every day with deflated boobs but slim. Put like that it's a no-brainer, but I wish I could shift a stone!

That’s some interesting- thank you for sharing that.

I think it’s probably water retention from adding in progesterone, especially if gone on quickly, rather than fat which can like others have said only go on if you consumed more energy then you use.

Lots of people gain weight on the scales in the second half of their cycle especially on the tum and busts. It’s progesterone which does this - not oestrogen as this is low at this point.

As I’ve gotten older I put on around 4/5lbs and my boobs go up a couple of cup sizes - it’s really uncomfortable around 7/9 days before my period.

I've just ordered some dandelion tea. Pinning my hopes on that now that low calorie, more protein, less sugar, increased exercise and getting good sleep isn't working 😅

Thats fine but your body can't store energy you didn't put in, just like your car can't have petrol that you didn't pump into the tank. Some cars are more efficient than others but none can create energy from nowhere

I’m rubbish at science but this absolutely fascinated me and was super informative. Thank you for your science rant! Made total sense!

I think it depends on how hormones affect you. Did you like in weight during other hormonal periods like pregnancy, puberty?
I lost weight on HRT. I was piling it on during peri before I started HRT. HRT enabled me to get back in control.

I do think HRT causes weight gain - I've seen enough women, including my mother, gain weight uncontrollably on HRT and then lose weight effortlessly when they stopped HRT. Whether it is metabolic or just causes increased appetite, I don't know.

What I will say though is that most of the women I know who have NEVER taken HRT have also gained some weight at menopause, mainly on the waist. Your shape just changes. In my case I've started HRT quite recently and I have gained weight but truthfully I was gaining it before. I am not eating any differently, but my body needs less calories.

@Garlicked I’m on amphetamines for ADHD and that’s not correct they curb your appetite that’s why you can lose weight. It’s never really made much difference with me though and I’m on a high dose 😂….they told me to try ear little and often if I was struggling, not really been an issue so far 🤣

I guess it’s just because my usual methods of losing weight aren’t working at all - like at all - and if I ate less than I do it would verge on being unhealthy if long term. It’s also where the weight itself is going - I’ve become really busty which I’ve never been apart from when I was pregnant and I don’t feel comfortable.☹️

How are you trying to lose weight? If you decrease your calories a little bit at a time until you find a level where you are loosing weight slowly then surely that won't be unhealthy and it definitely won't be as unhealthy as being overweight. It's good to think really long term when trying to lose weight.
If you use something like MyFitnessPal then you can analyze exactly what you are eating and you can make sure you eat a healthy diet. I use it to make sure I eat enough protein.

It might be worth considering a longer cycle HRT regime to minimise the effect of
progesterone if you think that’s an issue. It’s an option now included in the NICE guidelines.

How often are you weighing yourself? Do you think you gain more on the progesterone phase? It’s usually progesterone that’s suggested may increase appetite.

I’m on long cycle, so 8-10 weeks just oestrogen then 2 weeks progesterone. My appetite is much higher during progesterone, breasts increase one cup size too.

Just a thought.

Good question. I put on weight with the pill - tried loads and hated them all so came off it in my mid twenties and felt better for it. I hardly put on weight in my two pregnancies and lost what I had put on quickly afterwards. I wasn’t overweight or putting on weight (that I noticed before taking HRT. I took HRT because of mood swings and bad sleep mainly - so it has only been since taking HRT - specifically since I went up a dose.

Yeah that’s pretty much what I have been doing already and nothing has changed. I don’t eat unhealthily and I don’t eat a great quantity either - so that’s why I’m asking the questions about it being HRT 😏

Are you saying that someone with uncontrolled hypothyroidism or diabetes should just stop eating, in hopes that the body will just decide to use the fat to fuel blood circulation, brain activity, etc? If it's not already performing these necessary tasks, what makes you believe starvation would make it better?

https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/myxedema-coma

Interesting- I’ve not heard of that option before. I’ll look into it thank you.

That's interesting, @PortiaWithNoBreaks, thanks.

I definitely put in weight with HRT.
Ive gone in it for a few months then off again three times, each time the weight gain and subsequent loss was very clear.
same amount of daily calories and exercise.
I have stopped HRT altogether now and managing well.

Not what I said. Don't set up strawmen. I'm saying that if people don't take in more energy then they need they cannot gain fat.

You haven't defined "need". The logical extension of your statement is that people shouldn't eat if their bodies are diverting food energy to fat creation.

I understand the evidence says, apparently, that hrt doesn't cause weight gain, but I went on mirena and oestrogel two years ago and put on weight pretty much immediately. There was the initial bloating and then I stayed fat. I walk average 10,000 steps a day and go to the gym a few times a week, I've cut down on cake etc., to no avail.

Yes, I get that menopause does this, but I went on hrt for other reasons, was still having regular periods, then put on loads of weight within a few weeks of starting hrt.

I’m 52, post menopausal. My periods stopped 6 years ago. I’ve never taken HRT but have definitely gained weight with no real diet changes. The worst thing is it’s ridiculously hard to shift even a pound.

Need.. To meet your daily energy requirements.
And it's not my statement. It's simple physics.
Not engaging any further. Good luck to you

If people don't want to try HRT it is possible to try magnesium which makes me sleep like a baby....and primrose oil has totally stopped my sore breasts every month. I take cod liver oil too, for my brain, not sure that's working!