Menopace - does it make you gain weight?

[NewPlumCat]

Hi,
I'm thinking of taking Menopace as I'm postmenopausal. I've read weight gain is a possible side effect?. I really want to take it but I'm a bit anxious as it might make me gain more weight as I've already put on weight during the transition?
Any advice and suggestions will be really appreciated x

It's the old synthetic type in patches- Norethisterone usually (check the ingredients on the box.)

The safest sort is micronised progesterone, brand name Utrogestan (or a brand called Gepretix.)
You take 2 a day for 12 days a month or 1 a day if your periods stopped more than a year ago.

Ask your GP for Oestrogel and micronised progesterone.

Thank you so much for letting me know 🙏 I will speak to my GP tomorrow morning and will ask for this. God bless you x

Hi @NewPlumCat I have read your full thread and want to offer advice if that’s ok. You really need to take a little break from the way you are thinking about all this as it’s tying you in knots.

There was a big study of HRT and meno back in the late 1990s, and this is the source of the scaremongering over HRT. The study conclusions have been long since debunked as incorrect, but it still puts many women off. You really would benefit from reading up on it a little (modern papers and articles by proper medical researchers and publications, not old books with out of date advice) This will empower you to be confident in what you choose.

You refer to HRT ‘horror stories’ but the facts don’t speak to this, but if you are only searching out ‘horror stories’ you will find them. There is a small increased risk of some conditions after many years of use, there are also great benefits. Crossing the road or driving are risky, but we do these things daily as the benefits outweigh the risks and they enable us to lead a fuller life.

I can tell that you are really suffering with anxiety, which is why I am posting: HRT really does help with anxiety. It has helped me enormously. I am over the worst of it now I believe and have reduced my HRT after 3 years. Before starting it I was in several meltdowns a week, crying over everything, worrying constantly, just feeling fragile and unable to cope a lot of the time, and so miserable at times I didn’t want to get out of bed.

I really hope you are feeling better soon. Menopace is basically vitamins. Unless you also have some vitamin deficiency which is badly effecting you, it’s just not likely to be all you need. (I’m not saying it’s not worth taking).
Do remember your GP has already given you the HRT patches. Be brave and put one on now, it’s just topping up your depleted hormones, it’s not a dangerous drug, or addictive or anything. You have nothing to lose in giving it a go for a few weeks to see what happens!

Combining this with some fresh air, daily exercise, healthy meals and treating yourself well may work wonders for you. Take care of yourself 🌺

Hi, thank you so much for your message and advice. I really appreciate it 🙏. The patches my GP prescribed for me which I haven't used, are evorel patches and I don't know if they are safe? Another user on mumsnet advised me to ask my GP to prescribe me transdermal estrogen and micoronised progesterone? So I'm not sure if the evorel patches I've got are suitable? I agree with you and appreciate everything you have stated in your message and thank you very much. God bless you 🙏 xx

@NewPlumCat It's not a case of patches being 'unsuitable' (many women are happy on them) but the safest type of progesterone re. breast cancer is micronised progesterone. This is only available as a tablet , not as part of a patch. So you need to see your GP.

I did leave you a couple of links either on this thread or your other one.
Like this poster, I suggest you spend a day or so reading the articles on that website- it's by a menopause specialist - Dr Louise Newson. The links were to 'Balance' - the website and there's also an app.https://www.balance-menopause.com/

Go the the Library on the menu and read some of the articles on HRT- search for what you want to know.
There's masses there on HRT, the different types, safety etc.
https://www.balance-menopause.com/menopause-library/10-faq-about-hrt/

The best way to feel comfortable with using HRT is to read all the recent evidence written by specialists, where they explain benefits.

There are risks not using HRT and you're experiencing those now with your anxiety etc.

Hi, thank you for your message and letting me know. I just wanted to ask, I know they say HRT in a tablet, there's more of a risk with the tablet and that the patch is safest? You see this is what really worries me, I want to take HRT and feel better again but all these stories about the risks is what's worrying me. There's lots of women on it and they are feeling better, but I am so anxious about taking it and it causing me all these risks. I'm suffering so much and I wouldn't wish it on anyone. Its also causing me severe joint pain which I never has and weight gain. I feel awful. x

@JinglingSpringbells, you truly deserve an award for Services to Menopausal Women!

Your dedication to the actual evidence, your patience with us worriers, and support is quite remarkable. And you've been providing this support for years.

The impact you've had on so many women's experience of peri and menopause must be enormous.

Ten years ago I was worrying about whether or not to start HRT, like @NewPlumCat. I delayed for years unnecessarily. Knowing to ask for Oestrogel and Utrogestan (not so commonly prescribed back then) gave me confidence that I was on a safe option, with the smallest risk of side-effects.

🏅💐

@TryForSpring Ah, thank you. I'm sharing what I've learned along the way, ,mainly from my consultations with my doctor, so hope it might help others a bit.

Read the links?

There's a limit to how much posters can tell you to make you reassured so it's better to spend some time reading and understanding the types of HRT.

Get to know what terms like 'body identical mean' and read the info on the website I left links to.

Briefly, micronised progesterone is a tablet but the estrogen is gel or an estrogen only patch. Micronised progesterone does not cause blood clots.

I can't offer you any more info. It's up to you now to do your own research and get a better understanding of HRT. Everything you want to know is on that link I left. The questions you're asking are answered on that website, or other medical sites.

All the best.

Hi, thank you for your message. Did you mean menopace? or HRT? you took for a year which hasn't affected your weight? x

I've never taken HRT only the supplement, Menopace. I was close to starting HRT a year as as I was having lots of perimenopausal symptoms like poor sleep, anxiety and panic, brain fog, feeling flat. It was so bad that I was thinking of quitting work as I kept messing up and wasn't functioning properly.
I thought I'd try Menopace and then if it didn't work, try HRT. I have to say I believe the Menopace has made a big difference. I'm no longer suffering with awful anxiety and panic attacks, the brain fog is so much better and I sleep better. My symptoms are now very minimal and I see no need to take HRT. I'm not sure if Menopace would work so well for everyone but I'm very pleased with it. I'm a normal, functioning woman again!

I'm so happy to hear that your feeling better 😊
I just wanted to ask if it has helped you with joint pain as well?
God bless you 🙏 ❤️ x

Yes, I've definitely been less achy. I didn't have terrible joint pain before but was slightly achy, especially when waking up.

Thank you for letting me know. Did you have severe anxiety? x

Thank you so much for all your support x
You are a God sent🙏. God bless you ultimately with all the happiness in the world and a long happy and healthy life Ameen 🙏

Yes, I've always been mildly anxious but it was off the scale last year. I started to have horrible panic attacks whenever I felt closed in, for example, during meetings at work, when driving a car or on the train. It was debilitating. I also often felt very dizzy and light headed and I know that was the anxiety too. All those symptoms disappeared when I started taking Menopace.

Thank you very much for letting me know. God bless you and your family ultimately Ameen 🙏 x
How long did it take for menopace to work? A few days or a few weeks?x

Probably a few weeks. The effects were subtle at first. It's not like I woke up one day and thought "I'm better!". It was more that after a few weeks I looked back and realised my panicky, anxious feelings were all disappearing. After a couple of months I realised I hadn't had a panic attack for ages.

I'm so happy to hear that and you feel better again. Thank you for replying and all your support 🙏 God bless you and and your family ultimately Ameen 🙏 ❤️

I was scared to start HRT too but felt loads better once I did. I was very anxious but that went away after a period of a few weeks. That was a year ago now. Have you read the links posted? The bone health benefits of HRT were a big plus for me as we have a family history of osteoporosis and I had a period of anorexia when I was younger which can affect bones.

Also I didn’t have joint pain but a friend did and she said it went away almost instantly after she put her first patch on!

I'm glad to hear you have lost the weight. I am overweight even after eating very little x

Hi,
Thank you so much for your message. I'm glad to hear you are feeling better. I have terrible joint pain as well as anxiety and depression and it's really affecting my health and wellbeing x

You should definitely give the HRTa shot. Nothing to lose. I was scared and someone said that to me - just try it. You can always take the patch off if you need to. It took a couple of weeks and I felt a lot better.

Thank you so much for your message and all your support. Does the patch help with joint pain and anxiety and depression? x

It can for some people. You won’t know unless you try it though.