Perimenopausal Perks: instant weight gain!

[Messangel]

I am blowing up like Violet Beauregarde!

I usually bloat (boobs and belly) for 2 weeks pre period (still regular) but deflate as soon as it arrives. I am 49.

This month I didn't deflate and am still expanding on day 10 of my cycle! I have gained 6 lbs and am uncomfortably snug in my biggest bra and jeans.

My diet is healthy: seeds and pulses and rarely over 1500 cals a day (and less for the past week to try to halt this), I exercise and my job is physical. According to the internet it could be reducing oestrogen but also (too often!): "just eat less".

Has anyone experienced this and what did you do?
Visit to the GP? Or am I fussing over nothing? I have no other symptoms- no mood swings, no hot flushes, regular periods, etc.

I feel that I already do everything diet-wise to tackle it (my diet has always been with a view to ease horrendous mastalgia and PMT symptoms) and I take fish oil capsules daily.

At the rate I am going I feel that I am bigger every day and will eventually burst!
If you did alleviate these sort of symptoms, what measures did it take?

I would definitely go to the GP. Worth getting your bloods checked.

This is happening to me. It may not sound dramatic but I've had anorexia for 25 years so very controlling over food and have gained 2 kilos in a month. My breasts are constantly hard heavy and painful. I was referred for cancer check because of the lumps but this was ruled out. Im 40 and convinced it's peri menopause. My prolactin was checked and normal for the cancer referral but I don't know if estrogen would have been done.

The weight is on my bum and tummy, my clothes are tight

Hi, I just slammed into a host of peri symptoms, and with that, a lot of reading. In early peri, it seems it’s estrogen that floods the body without enough progestin (or is it progesterone… I always forget which one of these is the naturally occurring) to keep in check. This might be worth testing/investigation (?)