Does HRT cause weight gain

[lovemydogs]

hi
just wondered what everyone's experience was? Would be very upset to gain weight after losing over 2 stone on WW.
I am not on HRT but am experiencing the peri and am thinking about it. Does it help regulate period frequency/moodiness/tears/anger/general low mood
thanks
x

IME no it doesn't cause weight gain. Having said that you may well find other women who swear it has. One thing for certain is that in middle age metabolism slows down and if you eat what you did at 20, 30 and 40, you will probably put weight on- unless you increase your activity and do more exercise.
Some kinds of HRT may cause fluid retention and bloating but that is different and a change to another type may well help that.

HRT won't exactly regulate your periods, per se, but may give you a cycle that is controlled by the medication so maybe that's the same thing!

It may well help with all the emotional issues you say you have , but it's worth noting that most women have increased PMS as they approach meno, and it's easy to confuse these with meno symptoms.

Have you tried following a really healthy diet, and doing exercise more often to help your mood, before you reach for HRT? it's only my opinion but I think it's better to get yourself fighting fit through every other means first then try HRT if all the otehr stuff doesn't help.

I agree with MissBoPeep re being fit and healthy and taking exercise as you apporach, during and after menopause to keep as healthy as possible.

You haven't said how old you are nor how often your periods are?

As you have experienced during the peri-menopause the sex hormones fluctuate up and down dramatically giving rise to the mood swings you describe. This definitely happened to me long before I had the slightest hint in change of period frequency - so i didn't actually think I was approaching menopause (despite being 52-53) because periods still regular.

Some women start to get hot flushes and sweats while their periods are still regular and these women are sometimes prescribed HRT to alleviate these symptoms. However those who do take HRt while still having regular periods ( ie they still have plenty of oestrogen and the hormones are still fluctuating) can experience problems because your own cycle can break through and cause extra bleeding and some of the mood swing symptoms at the "wrong" time, which can make things worse in the short term.

My recommendation would be to wait to try HRT until your periods are really irregualr and you miss quite a few, and the symptoms of hot flushes and sweats etc begin to be troublesome.

Oh and weight gain - well your boobs will grow a bit, and as Miss Bo Peep says the progesterone can cause bloating which feels like the same thing ie clothes tighter, less slim looking figure - but it is possible to lose weight on HRT - I regularly go on reducing weight regimes to keep my weight down - but canlt eat what i used to.

I'm on oestrogen patches - and if I forget to replace one I notice that my belly goes down - I guess that's just bloating. Def can't eat what I used to though, either.

I've put on a bit of weight since starting hrt but balancing that against waking up 3 or 4 times a night suddenly when I'd often been in a deep sleep, sweating , no energy, and because of the sleep difficulties feeling exhausted all day, I'll put up with buying a bigger size of jeans!

I've put up with the hot flushes for 12 months and the sleepless nights but aching legs and arms have now got the better of me and I'm thinking of finally going on HRT . I'm 46 and worried about the side affects . Any advice would be much appreciated as I'm battling with myself on what to do !!

Hi im 48 and experiencing bad menopause! Ive got all the symtoms! Just thinking is hrt a good idea! Struggling with no sleep! Wet through every night and mood swings! It makes you feel very down really! Ive been on depro for years ! Just need advise what i should do pls? Xx

Renishaw- this is a zombie thread. maybe start your own for advice?

I've gone back to my normal
Metabolism after hrt i.e. Can more or less eat what I want and I burn it off with exercise and general business. Took about 3-4 cycles of hrt to do this.
Prior to this my weight increased for the first time in my life in my 50s and nothing seemed to shift it. I was also hungry all the time. I think your body is working to lay down fat stores during meno and hrt rights this and then you have to maintain with the normal stuff.

Im 44 this year and im on a 13 day cycle Have been since Christmas. And every time i get my period im bloody tired.

Having lost ten stone i would not want to gain weight either. I got bloating on the Mini Pill due to the progesterone so i dont know whether HRT would be suitable for me.

When I started HRT I gained weight from water retention. Now 3 years on I'm slimmer than my friends who aren't on it. Maybe because I've got more energy so am more active. Oestrogen simply makes me feel wel, healthy and normal.

As for being worried about side effects, you have to balance everything. I was told by my consultant that not taking HRT would put me at risk of osteoporosis and heart disease. I go for a annual mammogram just to put my mind at rest.