Decreased appetite and menopause?

[Fififizz]

Has anyone experienced this at all and finding they’re just not as hungry during menopause? Just wondering if it’s a symptom of menopause or maybe anxiety? I’ve always been the type of person who cannot eat when stressed and anxious but I just seem to have become less hungry/lost my appetite. I’ll make something at dinnertime so eat that but other than a handful of nuts or seeds, a bit of dark chocolate and lots of warm drinks my regular appetite for breakfast and lunch has disappeared. Has anyone else experienced similar? Just wondering. I’m hoping it will maybe just sort itself out as it’s not a balanced approach to food. 🤷‍♀️

Interesting.....very much my mother's eating pattern. Marking my place here, I'll be interested in the replies.

Thanks for posting. This is new to me. I’ve gone the opposite to hot flushes as well I’m cold all the time so have started drinking hot water based drinks with spices in like star anise. Not sure if it’s the extra water or my response to my HRT though I’ve been on that a while now or an anxiety response.

I don't get hungry anymore. I know when I'm empty as my stomach rumbles, but I rarely feel I need to eat, if that makes sense, and tend to do so because its 'time'. I enjoy my food when I have it, and maintain a healthy weight, so I see it as a positive. I'm also cold all the time. This all coincided with menopause.

Yes, same here, little interest in food. Porridge, toast, yoghurt and fruit are my staples, l have always eaten little and often and read that women with smaller appetites often find the menopause dampens the appetite further. I cook healthy for my sons who work out and eat loads but have little desire to eat it myself.

Im experiencing this. I have lost weight and really don't want to. I've started HRT and hope it will help. But my lack of appetite is worrying me, as I have always loved my food.

Yes, apart from stress tummy I did too. I’m just having a dreadful spell of cba/motivated to do much and very much stuck in a dull, boring, same old routine, type feeling so not sure if my lack of desire for food is connected to that too. And as for all the Christmas adverts at the moment for food and drink. They’re having completely the opposite effect on me and massively turning me off the whole thing!🙈 😂

Oh I feel exactly the same about the Christmas food ads. I look at it and think, how could anyone want that much. I feel like all the menopause symptoms have hit me at once. It's horrible feeling like this. You're not alone.

HRT has not helped my appetite. Nor has it made me gain weight. I'm the only one of my same age friends to find this though, the others say they have developed huge appetites and gained anything from half a stone to 1.5 stone on it.

I've found the same in menopause - just don't seem to get hungry and have lost interest in food. I used to really enjoy breakfast but seldom eat it now. Try and make soup for lunch (WFH) so it's something easy to heat during the day and knowledge I've had something nutritious, but can't be bothered to cook a meal in the evening (dh cooks). Suspect it's part of my general lack of motivation and loss of interest in things. HRT has helped with physical symptoms but not this aspect at all.

Hi All,
I too have zero appetite and have lost about 9 pounds within the last year. If I do manage to eat I'm full right away because I feel so bloated. My digestive system is a mess. I started HRT about 9 months ago to help with the hot flashes and not getting sleep. The HRT has helped tremendously with that. However a few months ago I started having aching joints and feeling tired most of the time. When I mentioned this to gynecologist she dismissed my concerns and told me it's a part of getting older.

I am exactly the same started hrt 4 months ago and this loss of appetite seems to be getting worse as time goes on I’m thinking that it’s connected in some way to the hormones I try to eat little and often but feel full really easily

I've lost One and a half stone..and it's making me look older.😤😤😤

What are you eating? Since I swapped to a whole food diet my appetite and weight has dropped too quickly. If it gets too low I actively try to eat more carbs as they do make me hungrier. Also exercise does boost it a bit.

I now try to eat a healthy snack (peanut butter and apple, nuts, cheese etc) even when not hungry and make sure I never skip meals. If you stop eating at a certain time of day your body gets used to it and stops producing the hunger hormones.

I am so glad to find this thread , I have lost a stone in the last year, due to having zero appetite, I’m 50 .

Just for info. My appetite is still low. I just don’t get hungry but rather than thinking it’s a menopause symptom which it can be for me I think it’s hypothyroidism/adrenal functioning related. It’s worth looking into especially if HRT isn’t able to provide relief to symptoms/be optimised. Something else might be out of whack as well. Thyroid problems are more common in women and often get diagnosed at pregnancy/menopause.

Morning!
If you are worried about maintaining a balanced diet, please take a look at Zoe Harcombe on youtube, she discusses how the dietary guideline came into being and the scientic backing for them.

And as a general note, if you are eating less and less often it is vital that the foods you do eat are nutrient dense, think meat and two veg, rather than a sandwich.

And for more info on menopause, try this site https://www.balance-menopause.com/menopause-library/

Best wishes,

The very same. Little appetite on a day to day basis. Digestive issues hit about 10 yrs ago which included constipation (as in not having 💩 very often) and bloating. As such, I'd be feeling full all the time and sick sometimes. I'm 48 now. Periods have stopped for me. On HRT. I have to eat something otherwise I suffer with headaches. There's no winning with the peri/menopause thing!