Evorel Conti weight gain

[AnotheChinHair]

I know there's a menopause section here but it doesn't seem to be frequented much, which is a real shame.

I am 51 and started on Evorel Conti about 6 months ago. My night sweats stopped almost immediately which is fantastic, but I have put on weight and have aches and pains in my body, like an old person, that I didn't have before. My breasts feel engorged and tender and bras no longer fit. None of my clothes fit.

I don't drink alcohol, have cut down on refined sugars almost completely, don't eat bread, pasta, rice or potatoes ever, and very rarely I eat a takeaway or any processed food at all. I could exercise more, for sure.

Would it be worth stopping the patches and see what happens? Would it be worth trying a different brand?

I feel so alone

I had been on Everol Conti for a couple of years and have not had the symptoms you describe. I think I had some bloating for the first few months, a bit like pre period water retention, but that passed. I keep fit and am slim and my joints don't ache. I don't eat as healthily as you from the sounds of things and do have the odd glass of wine. However, it seems to be stopping being so effective for me and the night sweats are returning so I am not sure what to do. Meno is a bitch.

I was on Everol Sequi but stopped when I became allergic to the glue on the patches. I didn't gain weight but I think that's because the patch delivered enough oestrogen to balance my hormones. Oestrogen is the culprit, or rather the lack of it when we begin to gain weight in midlife. So you might need to change your HRT to see if something else works better or increase the oestrogen element. I went from patches to tablets which I hated. I now use oestrogel which I love as you can chose to use 1 or 2 pumps of the gel a day to find what works for you. You would need progesterone also if you still have a womb.

Thank you all. That feels better.

Sengasox it sounds like you need to change GPs!!

I am 41 and on evorel conti and have exactly the same symptoms as you.

I have put on weight and my bones feel like they are crumbling at times. The pain actually wakes me up in the night.

I used Everol Sequi for a bit and did not get on with it at all for a myriad of reasons.

Oestrogen causes breast tenderness and bloating. It might be you're on too high a strength of patch. If there is not a lower dosage, try cutting the patch in half. However, with a lesser dose, there is a possibility the night sweats might return. With this in mind, it might be worth asking if you can be swapped to a cream or gel as that way, you can control the dosage more. I have never got on with oestrogen, and presently, I am using the lowest dose possible. Knowing that I have a history of oestrogen fuelled bloating and breast tenderness, my doctor started me off on one pump of cream, and I increased it gradually once I was sure there were no adverse effects.

Additionally, it is worth remembering that menopause slows the metabolism, so you need to eat around 300 calories a day too. This is often how the weight creeps on.

Hope this helps

Not 300 calories a day, 300 calories LESS a day

@Sengasox

I haven't weighed myself for a couple months but I'm sure I have gained weight. I was on evorel sequi for a time, then it became unavailable for over a year and I have now been back on it a few months. GP would not consider prescribing anything else when it was unavailable. It was sequi or nothing.

I was overweight anyway. Within the last fortnight my joints have become so painful I can hardly move. I didn't associate it with the hrt until i read your thread. I am overweight and if I go to the dr I will just get told off about that again. I am trying to be active to help with weight loss but I can only hobble now. I have been on 1100- 1200 calories a day for ages now and I feel bigger than ever. I am so disheatened. This is why I stopped weighing. Now I feel like I won't be able to move at all in a couple more weeks. I have a 90 year old parent who is way more mobile than I currently am.

I had a terrible bleed on it last month. I was using 24 ultra tampons every 24 hours for nearly a week and bled through all my clothes. I got thrush from using all the tampons and the gp said it wasn't possible for me to use that many.

If your hormones aren't balanced, you won't lose weight. Painful joints are often symbiotic of not enough oestrogen.

Look at NICE and their guidelines and insist on being referred to a menopause clinic, particularly as your GP is not willing to prescribe a different kind of HRT. I am appalled your GP did not send you for a scan to check for polyps given your last bled.

Thrush is often a sign of too much sugar. Take a probiotic, something like Renew Life's woman's formula (available on Amazon), and use a mooncup as that will be more gentle on your vagina than a tampon - tampons absorb all moisture.

Have they checked your thyroid? This can mimic menopause or run alongside it. Can cause weight gain or loss depending on which thyroid issue you have.

I’m on Evorel sequi. I also have a top up estrogen patch as I need a bit more - so I get 75mg instead of 50mg. I was on 50+50 but was having mega bleeds.
I do feel more tired and my hips ache, but to be fair I’ve gone up to a 14 and need to do more exercise, plus I like carbs and chocolate too much.

@Sengasox

The thrush was definitely caused by the tampons. I am pretty low to no sugar and i don't eat many carbs. I've not had thrush for over a decade so it's not a regular thing I used to be a cup user before the excessive bleeding started and it's a non starter now. The GP made clear she doubted the veracity of the blood loss I was reporting.

I had a scan and a biopsy last year when I had post menopausal bleeding.

I have been looking for a probiotic for a while so I will look at that one, thanks.

I didn't know about the hormones and the weight loss. I don't know how I can address that when they just tell me off about being overweight. I'm recording every bite I eat and I'm not losing a gram but again they doubt the veracity of what I say and I think they assume I am stuffing my face with cream cakes all day.

Sorry OP I have rambled and whined on your thread. I had to fight to get this prescribed and it really isn't working for me. Looks like I am not the only one.

When I was put on the incorrect HRT, I gained almost a stone, that was in addition to the stone I'd gained due to perimenopause. I dieted and I exercised to no avail. I stopped using Everol Sequi, the weight wouldn't shift. It was only when I was put on the correct (for me) HRT the weight fell off. So many woman don't understand how important our hormones are. If they are not balanced, our bodies (and our mind) will not work properly.

To repeat, I am sorry your GP is not helpful. I would suggest you not only make a complaint to the practise manager, you push for a gynae referral too or to the menopause clinic. You are clearly on the incorrect HRT, and your quality of life is severely impacted. If you can't get anywhere, look at someone like Dr Louise Newson as she will be able to prescribe treatment, details of which can be given to your GP and you can get on prescription.

www.menopausedoctor.co.uk/about

While you are adamant that tampons are the cause, thrush is a sign the flora in your vagina is off which the probiotic will sort out, hopefully. I also recommend doing some reading about Candida overgrowth as I think that will resonate. Also, thrush is also a sign of vaginal atrophy, so again, the right HRT will help.

Good luck with everything

I'm on Evorel Conti and haven't experienced the symptoms you describe. That's not very helpful is it?

Ive been on Evoril Conti for a few years noe (im 63)and have put on weight - about a stone. I keep mentioning this to my Gynaecologist but he doesnt think theres a link - Im not convinced. Was on femaston tablets before that.

I tried HRT a year or so ago (can’t remember which, but it wasn’t Evoril) and found managing my weight more difficult. I stopped taking it and maybe should have insisted my GP prescribe me a different one, but she was fairly unsympathetic (useless) so I gave up!

I have to say my menopause symptoms have been greatly relieved since I gave up alcohol. I now sleep much better with fewer hot flushes, have a lot more energy and my moods are more stable. For reference I used to drink around half a bottle of wine daily. I know you don’t drink OP, so won’t help you in any way but thought I’d mention in case it helps others.

For those suffering joint pain, I’ve found Glucosamine supplements to be very effective and I also take a multivitamin supplement. I went back on progesterone only pill because if I don’t take it I have awful menstrual periods with uncontrollable bleeding. I wondered if a combined oral contraceptive would also help my menopause symptoms (because it contains oestrogen), but GP refuses to prescribe as I’m over 50! I’m 51. I still eat far too much sugar though - giving it up is next on my ‘self help’ to do list.

I see this was posted in March. Just wondering how you are now? I came off the same patches after 3 months for the same reasons as you. My weight (which I need to lose anyway) either stayed the same or increased and my joints were so sore too. Didn't help my insomnia any either, so decided to come off altogether. Prior to this I had been on the Progesterone only pill for a few years, really for PMT, but starting to think I was actually perimenopausal. Just wanting to see how I go as I haven't really idea where I am as I didn't ever bleed on the Progesterone either.

My doctor suggested taking Evorel Conti
for my mild menopause symptoms but the thought of gaining more weight really puts me off. I have taken a lot of alternative natural remedies which helped with hot flushes like black cohort.

Well, I've had no weight gain on it and all my aches and pains have disappeared. It's going well for me.

OP, im sorey its not working out for you. As with all meds, everyone is different and responds differently. The prescribing guidelines are v clear about what you should and should not be offered-look at the flowchart on menopause matters-its what GPs who follow the guidelines use.

Private health care is the wild West so its worth pursuing in the nhs which you have paid for already, if you are dissatisfied with your current prescription.

I started evorel conti 5 months ago after being on evorel sequi for 18 months. I am feeling much better since I started using it. I have dreadful headaches and these have almost stopped. I am also sleeping better. I have had issues with bleeding though, pretty well constant,finll y stopped now, for now at least, but apparently this can occur whilst your body is getting used to it -healthexpress.co.uk/evorel-conti

I was on femoston 1 5 for 4 weeks, I gained just under a stone and my breasts were so sore and painful, they literally felt like they were made of rock but fucking painful rock, every single bra hurt and I would wake up due to the pain of them. I just felt like a fat bloated whale. I came off of the tablets and went onto the combined contraceptive pill as I'm under 50 and have one ovary that is just about still working. It's been 4 weeks and my breasts are still slightly tender but nothing like they were, my bras fit again and I've treated myself to some new non wired ones as I just want comfort now. The night sweats aren't as bad as they were, I've lost a few lbs but I'm still not back to my before HRT weight.