Anyone on HRT?

TheGaudyMagpie

I'm 47 and found out a few weeks ago that I'm post-menopausal. I guess I have to be early to everything.

I generally lose weight pretty steadily as long as I am careful with what I eat and I lost a few pounds right away after getting back on MFP. Then I started on HRT, and I gained a pound and have sat there for a week and a half. What I suspect and hope will happen is that I will continue to lose and just carry that pound or so of hormonal water weight. I refuse to panic and ultimately it doesn't matter that much to me because at least I'm regaining my activity with the hormones. Does anyone have any experiences they can share about being on HRT and losing weight?

FitinHonau

I am 43 and I am post-menopausal since 1 year!! I am not on HRT and I am looking around for alternatives. I am gaining weight, swinging moods, and all the symptoms. I heard about bioidentical hormones... but they don't have it here in Switzerland yet. Does the HRT helps?

TheGaudyMagpie

HRT has helped enormously with my symptoms and I have a lot more energy. I am losing weight very slowly, but I have been hiking and doing resistance training for the past month or so, and I have lost two inches on my abdomen and I am much smoother/tighter all over. I'm no longer focusing on weight and instead I am working on my fitness/strength levels. I do not think I would have the energy without HRT. I have been looking at some studies that promote resistance training for menopause, with or without HRT. It goes a long way toward retaining and increasing lean body mass, which we tend to lose after menopause. I have started very light, but already see some good strength gains and positive physical changes.

FitinHonau

So HRT doesn't make gain weight!!! Great News! What about the risk of having cancer? The resistance training for menopause sounds interesting. Are there videos in Youtube you can perhaps recommend me.

TheGaudyMagpie

I belong to a gym and I follow this routine: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/beginner_weight_training.htm

You could probably find a similar full body beginning workout using inexpensive elastic bands. Here is one: http://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/fitness_articles.asp?id=982

The cancer risk with HRT is still controversial. There was a study that showed an increased cancer risk, but many doctors have back down from the alarmism that caused. I weighed my quality of life and osteoporosis risk against what I view as a minimal cancer risk for me. I have a healthy lifestyle, I'm overweight but not obese, and I have no significant family history of cancer. I do have a higher risk of osteoporosis because I was hyperthyroid for many years. My symptoms were also significant. I had extreme fatigue, recurrent sinus infections and other illnesses, and near constant migraines (I have a prior diagnosis of daily chronic headache that was managed until my hormones dropped). I can't say how things will weigh out for you. I will say that doctors seem to distinguish between starting hormones for women that are older and years past menopause and women that start shortly after menopause. It appears that the former have higher health risks, and the prior study seemed to use those women as its subjects. Again though, this is one of those things that each person has to research and decide for themselves.

As for weight gain, specifically -- I have some bloating off and on that seems to be water, just as I would get with PMS, but it may also be due to exercise. In addition, I do not expect to see rapid weight loss due to the resistance training. Muscles hold a lot of water when you are starting out, and it is denser than fat, so an increase in muscle can decrease size without decreasing weight. Although I have lost two inches around my middle, I have lost only about four pounds. More muscle increases metabolism, so right now I am focusing on building muscle and then later I will decrease calories again if I still need to lose weight. I'm smaller and happy with the shape my body is taking, so I'm not too worried about weight loss at this point.

Littlegurl

Hi. I'm 46 and found out about 4 months ago that I'm post menopausal. Since I had a partial hysterectomy 5 yrs ago my gyn doesn't know when I went into menopause. I was put on estrogen methyltestos because I had no measurable amount of estrogen or testosterone. I've had cervical cancer many yrs ago. However, for me the cancer risk possibly associated with HRT are outweighed by how much better I feel now. I don't plan to be on HRT long-term anyway. I feel much more rested, and able to exercise more consistently. I've lost 8 lbs? That's not much, but considering that my youngest just graduated from HS, I just moved to a state where I know no one, and I'm currently looking for a job... I've lost all the weight in the last month, because I've had time to dedicate myself to eating healthy and exercising.
Please feel free to add me as a friend here

TheGaudyMagpie

I've been on the HRT for a few months now and I'm still happy with it. Since I made that first post, I have broken through any plateau and I am losing weight at a steady rate. I no longer have the "apple" shape. I'm not sure how long I will be on it, but I just had an exam with a negative endometrial biopsy and normal pap, with a recommendation to see my gyno again next year. So, another year at least. I am not alarmed at all at the cancer risks, which seem to be regarded as pretty minimal at this point for someone that fits my profile.

I have no testosterone either but my provider can't prescribe it. They will refer me to a compounding pharmacist who can prepare it for me. I'm not sure how much a difference it would make, but I am considering it.

daygecko

lm 40 been on hrt since i was 26 when my ovaries were removed due to ovarian cancer.well i say hrt actually my hrt wasnt strong enough for me and had some nasty side effects like my hair falling out so now on highest dose of mycrogynon as a hrt ,had no problems whatsoever.no worries about the breast cancer risk of long term use.and no problems with weight gain from the menopause that over eating didnt cause . feel free to add me .