Really struggling now in menopause

[Needtosoundoffandbreathe]

I'm now menopausal and my sleep is shit. I cannot find the motivation to stick to trying to lose weight - keep losing the same half a stone and putting it back on when I go through several days of poor sleep. I used to be average weight and healthy but now I'm actually obese. I feel I've lost myself. I'm on HRT but keep waking in the night boiling so I think the dose needs changing.

Used to do weights three times a week but cannot get to the gym in time now. It's just awful. I have high blood pressure. The GP wants to discuss my cholesterol level with me. Waaaaah!

What the hell do I do? I've got a wardrobe of lovely clothes I can't wear. I look massive. I used to have such get up and go. Anything I wanted to do, I could. My determination has gone. Okay, rant over. Any tips anyone?

What oestrogen dose are you on? Are you on testosterone?

And have you had your thyroid tested?

For me personally the thing that has always worked best, at various points in my life, is low carbing. It helps how I feel in myself immensely, improves my sleep, and it also helps me shed extra weight.

I don't have the motivation to stick to anything at the moment and low carbing is not something I want to do. I want to eat a balanced diet and stop the emotional eating which has caused me to put on weight. I can't even get out of bed in order to have a shower before I start work. I'm often late when I go into the office, but I make up the time. I used to get up before 6.30 and go for a walk.

I'm on 50mg estradiol patches and 100mg utrogestan (taken one daily).

I don't think it's my thyroid - I've had blood tests recently and it's functioning was fine. I think it's menopause!

No worries! But just to be clear the way I do low carbing is very balanced; it's not at all as extreme as some people make it. 🙂

I hope you can find your way back to you! I'm suffering in the throes of severe perimenopause now (at the latter part of the process) and it's really not fun. I sympathise and I hope you it improves for you!

I feel much better of 75mg than I did on 50mg but I'm also on testosterone which I think also really helps.

I've got a doctor's appointment for a couple of weeks' time. I'm putting a brave face on things most of the time.

Interesting - are you getting the testosterone on prescription from your GP?

Another one here to advocate for low-carbing. I'm only a couple of weeks into loosely following phase 1 of the Fast 800 Keto plan, which restricts carbs to no more than 50g per day, but I feel like a different person!

I haven't had any hot flushes in those 2 weeks.

I was waking several times a night with a really dry mouth. That's stopped and I'm barely aware now of waking overnight.

I had acid reflux that caused problems at night or in my exercise class, and bowel discomfort. The reflux is much improved and I've had no bowel discomfort.

My joint pain and stiffness feels much improved.

And I've lost 8lb! Obviously, these improvements could all be coincidental to the low-carbing but if you're really struggling I'd strongly suggest considering giving it a go.

What dose are you on? Sounds like it needs increasing?

Try mounjaro, it has improved my cholesterol and blood pressure, blood sugars and lost over 20kg.

Poor sleep has such a knock on effect on everything, if you can improve that I am sure you'll find the other issues easier to address. I'd definitely explore getting your HRT adjusted. Beyond that there's no magic fix but lots of little things that together seem to add up to better sleep. My list includes; getting daylight after waking; eliminating caffeine (good decaf helps!) and alcohol; getting some sort of activity, preferably outside; magnesium glycinate; no scrolling in bed; and listening to sleep podcasts if I struggle to fall asleep or wake up in the night with stop my mind racing.

I lost 5 stone on mounjaro recently. It killed my emotional eating stone dead.
I'm on a maintenance dose until i can cope without it.
Sounds like you need a higher dose of hrt to me.

Have a look at Dr Wendy Sweet from New Zealand. She specialises in women in menopause and has a some v helpful information on her website. She’s well worth a look!