Hrt and weight gain....your experiences please!

amb961

Hi everyone,

I've gone from being a reader to a poster over night (I posted yesterday about increasing calories and weight gain) but really need help and advice please!

I've today been diagnosed with early menopause (I'm 37) and have been given evorel conti 50 mg hrt patches to help with the symptoms. A quick Google and all I can see is women saying they gained weight.

I know it sounds shallow but I'm really concerned about this prospect. If I carry on CICO will my weight increase regardless? Would really love to hear from others.....would love positive stories but facing up to the bad ones. Could do with some support, thank you! X

VanVanDiane

I've also gone through early menopause (started peri about 42) and been on hrt about 3 years now. I did put on weight... but then also stopped a lifetime smoking habit simultaneously. I blamed the hrt, menopause, everything for my 2 stone- ish gain, and seemed to struggle losing and gaining the same 10-14 pounds over and over...

Long story short, after finding this site & sticking with CICO (and eventually getting a digital foodscale after weeks/months of lurking and reading others' posts here) I've lost 34 pounds and feel much better (and fitter). Turns out it was all the crisps, Prosecco and pizza keeping my weight up not the hrt

amb961

Thank you, I'd like to think that I can try and maintain. I must not google.....just puts fear into me!

must_deflate

I'm 57 and got subcutaneous bioidentical estrogen and testosterone pellet implants 4 months ago. (in addition to oral progesterone)

Although I am not technically overweight, I weigh around 20 lbs more than I did in my 20's and 30's. And I do not like it. Keeping the weight off has been a struggle for the last decade or so.

Anyhow I've lost about 6 lbs in the last few months without cutting back on the food. Hmmm. Probably the reason I'm losing weight (albeit slowly) is because I feel like getting up and doing things more than I did.
That's been my experience. YMMV.

TheGaudyMagpie

I've been on the Climara patch and synthetic progesterone since March 2015. I do not feel like it interferes with weight loss. Prior to HRT I had gained a lot of fat on my waistline, and my weight redistributed pretty quickly after going on HRT. If I gain weight it is distributed more on my lower body, and I'm a lot less self-conscious about it. I did have some water weight fluctuations in the beginning but my waist measurement went down steadily. I gained some weight toward the end of the year, but it turned out I had a chronically infected gallbladder and when it came out I lost 15 lbs right away, so I do not attribute that to HRT.

What was more important is that I was less fatigued and uncomfortable, and was able to become much more active. My quality of life has improved enormously on HRT.

amb961

Thank you for your responses, it just so happens that I'm feeling totally wiped and very down today. I put my first patch on on Saturday so not had enough time for the drugs to kick in yet! So it's been encouraging for me to hear that it's not all bad on hrt. Thank you. X

TheGaudyMagpie

Nope, not all bad at all. I felt so much better after starting. I hope you're soon feeling a lot better too.

SusanMFindlay

Most weight gain from hormonal treatments is due to the hormones increasing hunger levels, prompting the person to eat more (especially if they're not tracking their intake). If you are able to continue eating at a deficit, you should continue to lose weight.

amb961

Thank you, I've had my first weigh in today since being on the patches and all seems good. Early days I know but I guess I was afraid that I'd magically put on half a stone despite continuing to monitor all I eat and drink! I'm hoping to maintain and stay vigilant. X

CharlieBeansmomTracey

Im in peri menopause Im 42. I also have a metabolic disorder. I am not on any HRT Im still on BC due to cysts on my ovaries and to regulate my period. but I still have lost weight,I havent gained but maybe its because Im not on HRT?(I eat less than I burn) is there any reason why they think you need HRT? are your hormones that out of whack? my MIL was on HRT years ago and it did her more harm than good.but each persons experience will be different. you just may have to work harder at the loss than most people.

RAinWA

I have been on HRT for many years. I was overweight when I started them and may have gained some weight then but it was more likely the ice cream and muffins than the hormones.

I lost all my weight (125+ lbs) while on HRT and have been maintaining for around 2 years while on them. I recently tried going off them and that was a spectacular fail.

TheGaudyMagpie

Hormonal BC generally contains a higher and stronger dose of hormones than HRT. I would expect women to gain more on BC, if the hormones were the sole cause of weight gain. Personally I felt my cravings and eating habits were worse before I started on HRT, and I had so much fatigue I could barely walk around the block. I just feel normal now and in October I did a 10K with an 1000+ elevation gain. OP, you'll be fine if you keep tracking and stay active.

Edit: ^Haha, RA. I say they'll have to peel my patch off my cold dead body.

RAinWA

TheGaudyMagpie wrote: »

Hormonal BC generally contains a higher and stronger dose of hormones than HRT. I would expect women to gain more on BC, if the hormones were the sole cause of weight gain. Personally I felt my cravings and eating habits were worse before I started on HRT, and I had so much fatigue I could barely walk around the block. I just feel normal now and in October I did a 10K with an 1000+ elevation gain. OP, you'll be fine if you keep tracking and stay active.

Edit: ^Haha, RA. I say they'll have to peel my patch off my cold dead body.

Yeah, that was not a fun time for anyone around me. Not trying it again any time soon.

amb961

Good to hear positive stories, thank you! Waiting for some good results to start kicking in now. And keep tracking my calories.