Weight gain on HRT - does it come off if you stop HRT?

[GoldenRetrieverBert]

Fully aware that weight gain may be caused by menopause itself; HRT and/or cravings from tiredness/hormones etc (I also seem to shovel crap in my mouth mindlessly like I'm detached from my body, WFH is not helping this either.

But my weight is creeping up and up - put on 2 stone since starting HRT 3 years ago.

Feeling so down and flat (and fat!). Hate myself and worried about my health too.

Wondering jf coming off HRT would help, or if I'll just have the same issues anyway then along with the lack of benefits from HRT. It's so confusing.

Any advice?

Cortisol.is also a stress hormone isn't it, so that would explain why women on too much estrogen can feel antsy and wired.

Thanks @HucklefinBerry - this is kind of where I feel I’m heading (through necessity, not desire!). It’s dispiriting 🫤. And @JinglingSpringbells - if that was a question for me, no - I’m eating loads less/more healthily than ever before, but to no avail 🤷🏼‍♀️. Not currently calorie tracking but have done numerous times before, so have a good idea - and using both Fast 800 and Glucose Goddess recipes …

Yep, it's true - I eat very healthy meals but shovel in biscuits, chocolate etc.

BUT...what im saying is that there's a myriad of reasons why I do that...tiredness, feeling hormonal, insane cravings, emotional boost due to feeling so flat and detached...and it's impossible to untangle how to fix these things

Have you had your HRT reviewed at all lately?

Often, feeling like you do is connected to not enough estrogen and perhaps the wrong type of progesterone.

Have you thought about making some changes to the type?

Ideally you should have a 6 monthly review although legally only an annual review is needed.

Just because you haven't put weight on doesn't mean it's not true.
I am very slim but put on weight immediately once on hrt. The weight came off immediately as I came off it.

@Pigeonqueen that's so interesting. Just did a quick google on the back of that though and the first few hits suggest a lack of estrogen causes high cortisol, and therefore HRT can lower it? Confused

This is really Interesting. But also frustrating that our medical professionals don't tell
Is this.

Well, I am now losing weight using the tried and tested method of eating less. I have just got to the point where I don’t like what I see in the mirror and something has to change.

Just to offer a counter perspective - I put on quite a lot of weight in peri and I've been on HRT about a year. I've lost all that extra without too much effort. Interestingly I'd developed a bit of fat round my middle but post HRT it's gone. Hrt gave me my energy back.

Did you read the Zoe link I left at 8.11 today?

It gives the science behind it all.

I did. My insulin levels are normal.

I have tied ZOE twice. It did nothing to reduce my weight gain. Hence my reversion to calories in, calories out.

I was asking the OP, @GoldenRetrieverBert

Wow! How nice of you to inspire and support this person! Weight gain can be from HRT. It specifically states on the information that it can in fact cause weight gain.
What it doesn't stipulate is how the weight gain is caused.
Alot of ssri's (antidepressants) have the same issue. They ramp up hunger. Your hungry even if your not you eat. Abd mostly the sweet food is triggered.
It's a side effect that doesn't effect everyone.
Try being kind. It may well be just a screen. But remember there's a person and real person behind that screen.
If you won't say it to a person's face. Don't say it on a computer.

I know. I was adding my first hand experience of ZOE.

One positive outcome was a relative tried ZOE inspired by me and a seriously high blood sugar level was detected, despite them having no symptoms. They are now being treated for diabetes.

I piled on weight whilst on hrt. Mid to late 40s, very active, didn't change food intake particularly. My menopause symptoms weren't terribly severe but the insomnia was a killer. Hrt sorted the sleep but definitely caused a weight gain. And weirdly ( coincidentally?) Suddenly developed asthma? Which I thought first was a sudden onset of allergies/ hay fever.
Unfortunately I have very little faith in my gp surgery, who just kept adding prescriptions on top of prescriptions. So I stopped hrt, weight started to come off and asthma disappeared. This is obviously all anecdotal. As I say, i think my biggest problem is a script happy/ uninterested gp.

Ah, ok. That's great for your relative.

The link was to the science behind weight gain in menopause in their 'library'. There are several links on that page to scientific papers (nothing to do with Zoe as such) .

@Musicofthespheres this is exactly my experience too. Within a few months of starting a low dose of HRT i've managed to put on 7 pounds. And it is a fact that my diet is exactly the same as it had been for a long time prior to starting HRT. I've never in my life put pounds on like this. I could understand it if i'd been eating poorly or stopped exercise but i haven't I'm 5ft 4 and petite so those pounds made a huge difference. I stopped around 3 weeks ago as these negatives were outweighing the positives and the pounds are already coming off.

This is fascinating. I’ve put on a lot of weight since being on HRT. It is really getting me down. I’m also on anti depressants and the mini pill. I’m beginning to think it’s all doing more harm than good. My insomnia is horrendous and I have no libido at all.

@TellySavalashairbrush this is exactly how i felt too, the weight gain pretty much cancelled out the one benefit HRT gave which was helping the night sweats. I decided that i'd rather have those than the rapid weight gain.
And actually, on the sleep front, this has improved a little since stopping. I'm getting a solid 5.5 / 6 hours sleep (i know it's still not great) which is an improvement as i'm not waking up around 3am every morning. The sleep quality is much better.
At this point in time, i'm so glad i made the decision to stop.

I put on weight, especially on the boobs, which did not go when I stopped HRT

My doctor is constantly pushing antidepressants. Almost to the point I'm concerned that they are being paid for it! Crazy!

Mine too. I've lost all faith in her. She also offered me sleeping tablets to get me over the hump until the hrt kicked in.
One pill to bring me up and another pill to bring me down.

I’ve put on a bit of weight since starting HRT, but I think it’s probably down to my diet. I’m not coming off HRT anyway as the benefits far out way the negatives for me.

I went on hrt jan 2023 for suspected peri, moods all over, severe anxiety and depression for 2 weeks every month.

I couldn’t believe how quickly I piled my n the weight around my tummy and my boobs went up 3 sizes.

Came off hrt in October and the weight hasn’t shifted at all, boobs still huge and spare tire still very much there.

My diet is very restrictive, I definitely didn’t eat anymore than normal

I also went on HRT in January 2023.

I ballooned within the first few months but I had been told by my GP to expect that. I had no oestrogen so my body responded very quickly.

The weight gain was worse on the utrogestan stage, my breasts couldn't be touched.

Then at month 4, we booked a holiday. I did 1200 cals for 4 weeks and lost all the weight.

It's never gone back on the same. It took another year for the same half stone to go back on, but that's half a stone I have been gaining and losing since I was in my 20s!

Again, I lost it all on 1200 cals and a shit load of exercise and walking. V easy.

I think the weight gain I had from HRT initially was mainly bloating and water weight.

I'm on 100mcg patch, mirena and testosterone. It's all working for me, I'm going to stay stricter on my calorie intake from now on though.