Menopause weight gain!

[Ostagazuzulum]

I'm desperate, I need some help and my gp is as unhelpful as possible. I went into surgical menopause at the end of last year. Since then I've putnon two stone. Eating habits haven't changed and I exercise at gym 4-6 times a week. I've put on two stone. I've always struggled a bit with weight but usually controlled it ok with diet and exercise. My usual tactics of calorie control, weight watchers etc aren't working. I keep reading articles about menopausal women needing a lot less calories, does anyone know if this is true? Any advice? I can't go in hrt as gp and surgeon have refused because of cancer risk (I have brca gene). I'm 40 years old and this is making me utterly miserable. My gp's not very helpful advice was to consider anti-depressants. I'm not depressed, I'm overweight!! I'm 5'2 and 11 stone 9 lb. 6lb gain in two weeks. It's ridiculous. Please don't tell me muscle
Weighs more than fat. It's def flab round my middle area (and all over!) help!!!

My only advice is you see another specialist. No HRT is a controversial area for a woman your age as you need to balance the risks of osteoporosis, heart disease and possible dementia against the risk of B cancer. Many drs would say you need HRT to at least 50 to bring your hormones in line with normal for your age. Ask for a referral to the Chelsea and Westminster Menopause Clinic where they have specialists for complex cases. This is NHS and you have a right to a referral from anywhere.

www.chelwest.nhs.uk/services/womens-health-services/gynaecology-services/menopause-and-pms-clinics

If you don't mind , what was your surgery for? If you have no womb you only need estrogen and this is considered very safe compared to combined HRT where both hormones are used. Is your surgeon a menopause specialist? Even if they are, they don't all agree with each other!

No it's fine, I should have probably
Explained it in my original post. I've got the brca2 gene so I've been calculated at 84% chance of breast cancer and 60% of ovarian cancer. I had my ovaries and tubes removed last year. Surgeon didn't think it was necessary to remove womb too. Im just waiting for my date for my mastectomy and reconstruction which should be about 3-4 months away. My breast team told me that I should have her until I'm 50 because of all reasons you described by my oncology gynae refused because he said he wasn't going to go to trouble of doing risk reducing operation if I was going to take tablets that increased risk. He was a bit of a git to be fair. Very abrupt and not very empathetic. Hospital teams battled it out for a bit and he won. Went to my gp several times and they refuse point blank to give me hrt. Nurse practitioner suggested low dose patches but gp's won't entertain it. I asked to be referred to a menopause clinic at my local city (I'm in north of England) and go said he wasn't aware of it and sent me away. It's all beena bit of a nightmare to be fair. I've read lots and a facebook group has given lots of suggestions for dealing with menopause symptoms but I get nowhere with health professionals. I have hot flushes a lot, and am a bit teary at random Tv adverts, hardly any sleep but they're all things I can cope with (thank you b&m for the dog cooling mats!!) it's the weight gain that's really Affecting my life. It's massively out of control. I've always been prone to put on weight easily but managed to control it with good diet and exercise and stay around 9 stone mark but since January the weight has just piled on and I can't get it off. The nurse said to me that for first 9 months of menopause the body freaks out, thinks it's pregnant and stores weight around the middle, then after about 9 months it realised it's been duped.no idea how this works or how true it is but I'm 10 months in and getting fatter 😡

Sorry there's quite a few typos in there. Hope it makes sense!!

I'm sorry I appreciate it's very difficult.

I'd still reiterate that you should ask to be referred to the C&W in London even for one appt as it's the world class centre for this type of thing and in their link which I sent they say they see women with early meno (which you have owing to surgery) and cancer. Nick Panay who leads the clinic is world renowned and you will get sense from him .

I know London is a long way from the NE but my understanding is women come from all over to that clinic and it's a 3hr train trip.

I'd push to see someone else.

O have seen elsewhere on here that menopausal women need between 200 and 400 calaories a day less than they used to. The higher number assumes muscle degradation which is very common if your exercise doesn't include muscle exercises .

Elsewhere I have also seen that your appetite can increase ( kind of like the pre period munchies, but all the time) so it can be harder to judge if you really are eating the same

1 lb in weight = 3500 kcal.
6 lb gained in 2 weeks would mean an excess intake of 1500 kcal/day.
Doesn't make sense.

I was always a 8-10 size then during menopause put on nearly 2 stone. Saw Dr Panay and he sorted me out. A few years later all is good, back to my usual size and flushes etc are under control.

1 lb in weight = 3500 kcal.6 lb gained in 2 weeks would mean an excess intake of 1500 kcal/day. Doesn't make sense

The thing is, after midlife ( for women AND men) metabolism slows down. We need fewer cals not the same as before. Additionally, the daily cals intake 'suggested' for women has been shown to be nonsense - it was devised decades back when everyone did more physical activity.

I have never ever eaten my 2000-2500 suggested cals a day and if I did I'd be obese because I have a small frame. My normal cals intake now post meno is around 3 meals x 500 cals each and I limit carbs to one portion a day or 2 very small portions, not carbs at every meal. I've also pretty much given up sugar, puddings, and any snacks because if I don't, the weight round my tummy just increases.

OP;'s excess intake to put on 6 lbs of body mass in 2 weeks would still be 1500 kcal/day over that 2 weeks.
Her daily calorie needs wouldn't drop by 1500 kcal in just 2 weeks of aging.

since the sums are correct, in that one pound of fat always takes a certain number of calories to create and the weight gain is basically equivalent to someone eating say 3000 calories a day and only needing 1500 which I think you would notice..

I think people on other menopause threads have mentioned increased water retention and constipation ...perhaps that is some of the additional weight?

you are talking averages about all of this. I once put on 2-3 lbs in a long weekend when my MIL was force feeding me 3 course meals and huge puddings and I was barely 30 yrs old.

OP go and see your dr and have a check up. If you really are eating the same and have put on 3lbs a week it needs looking into. But you need to be totally honest with yourself over cals in and cals out every day- use My Fitness Pal and weigh your food- every bit of it.

What exercise do you do at the gym? I found myself putting on weight despite plenty of exercise and my diet not any different and quite healthy.

Then I read that after a certain age, it is better to do strength and intense work rather than endurance. So I trade running, cycling, walking and started doing weights and HIT classes. I also did keep a log of my calorie intake being 100% honest even when I had bad days. I didn't see any difference for 3 weeks, but then the weight suddenly started to drop off me. It actually didn't go down much on the scale, but my clothes became baggy and I had to get my old ones out of the wardrobe. My fat content has gone from almost 32 at the start of August to 28.2 this week.

I have stopped calorie counting and suspect I probably eat a bit more, but stick to 1800 calories at the most. I am still losing weight I think although more gradually and I am careful to not put any back on. This change in exercise routine has been a real eye opener.

"after a certain age, it is better to do strength and intense work rather than endurance."
what is the evidence for that? I am off to hunt...