Will HRT help with menopause-related weight gain around my middle?

[Mimicking]

Firstly, thank goodness I found you!

There is probably a multitude of this question, but I cannot be bothered to troll through all the threads (far too tired for that!)

Weight. Will taking HRT help reduce my middle? I have been prescribed the gel stuff and some tablets - no idea of the names. I haven't started using it yet.

Over the last year I have been eating less, drinking less but also moving less due to a change in job. The weight seems to be staying regardless of the reduced eating and drinking. It wasn't a strategic move, my appetite just became smaller and I don't enjoy alcohol like I used to.

Will I see an improvement with the weight gain when I start HRT?

Reasons for the prescription: (Age 43) Severe anxiety, paranoia and heart palpitations. Cycle as regular as clockwork but has reduced to 21 days over the last couple of years. I was flooding every month but my last two periods have been surprisingly lighter. Sudden bouts of rage that came out of nowhere. Oh and brain fog! Seriously can't remember words or string a sentence together most of the time. The other day I was in the car and I couldn't for the life of me remember where a certain shop was located!

The only reason I haven't started taking the medication is because I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of tablets I was taking. I was prescribed an antidepressant for the anxiety (which has helped no end) My iron levels were low - prescribed iron tablets. On top of that I take meds for an autoimmune disease.

She is! I am always very impressed by the weights she works with too. But an inspiration. I like you can pick which body parts to work - legs or arm/core.

Definitely need to work up to it though. Starting with lighter weights. It’s quite full on.

Good luck @alionaear - it is a tough workout so start with whatever weights work and I would have a rest if it became too much! 😂

Literally just finished workout 1, blimey she’s not for faint hearted! I thought I was pretty strong but I suspect I’ll struggle to walk tomorrow

I did it all with 6 kg, no idea if it’s good or not tbh, but the finisher literally finished me off!!! 😂😂😂

I don’t know if thsi helps, but I developed high cortisol due to peri. Which resulted in weight gain and anxiety and all the other symptoms of peri women frequently site. See info here.

https://patient.info/features/hormones/signs-your-cortisol-levels-are-too-high

i used mounjaro, not hrt, and my stomach, was first to shrink back, to the extent that within two or three weeks people assumed I’d lost a lot of weight and commented, and I hadn’t just a few pounds.

my stomach is now completely flat, I’m a size 8 and bmi 29 , down from a bmi. 32 and an 18 , my cortisol is fine, and my anxiety gone, I’ve lots of energy , my sleep apnea is gone and my bloody pressure is now healthy again.

the drop in our hormones exacerbates the cortisol issues and can escalate it. And mounjaro doesn’t directly work in cortisol but indirectly helps avoid cortisol spikes by managing blood sugar etc,

it’s a complex over lapping area , as weight gain doesn’t directly cause increased cortisol, it increases inflammation, which increases cortisol.

so lots of overlapping factors, so the answer, if eligible, maybe to do hrt with mounjaro, to target both and resolve your issues.

good luck

Well done! I used to hate the finisher!

I was literally screaming at her 😂

Yes high cortisol can cause problems in peri. I have completed changed my exercise routine (no running and much less intense cardio) to try and reduce this. I also don’t exercise fasted or that early in the morning.

Pleased you found a solution that worked well.

GP’s are only allowed to prescribe it for a loss in libido 🙄 am not all will. Worth saying that though if you want to try it

My NHS GP obviously didn’t get that memo. She prescribed it to improve my energy levels. I never mentioned libido.

Help yes possibly, solve no.

Same as mostly everyone else, I started sleeping so much better and no hot flashes. Dropping weight? No, not at all. Still struggling. My doctor actually warned me that I may gain weight when I started HRT, which I did not, but cannot loose any either.

No. Sadly not. It doesn't impact weight. It does impact energy though so you may feel better able to exercise more/ be mor active.