Weight loss and menopause

mcandi2011

Anyone having difficulty/success with loosing weight during menopause? Any tips for me? Also experiencing depression along with insomnia during menopause. Dr put me on meds, that combined with insomnia and night time eating, I put on 45lbs in 5 months.

AnnPT77

I lost about 50 pounds in a bit less than a year, when I'd been in menopause for nearly 15 years. (There are quite a few women here who lost weight in menopause; I assume some will comment.) I'm also severely hypothyroid (but medicated for it), which some people think is a barrier, too. (I don't, particularly.)

You mention insomnia and night time eating. I'd suggest looking at those things as root causes, and trying - to the extent possible - to improve them.

There are some threads in this part of the MFP Community about sleep issues, that might be worth checking out. I tried a bunch of things.

https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/categories/sleep-mindfulness-wellness

The most helpful to me were a formal medical sleep study, where I learned that I had sleep apnea, and got that treated; and a set of hypnotherapy sessions with a licensed psychologist.

The night eating can potentially be related to the insomnia: As the day goes on, we're more distant from recent rest, and fatigue increases. Fatigue can make the body seek energy, food is energy, so various related hormones can cause appetite to spike, and the effect is likely to be most severe in the evening: Voila, evening snacking. Stress can increase fatigue, too, so stress management techniques may be helpful. (People do a variety of things for that. Reduce stress sources, if possible, of course. Beyond that, different things help different people. Some example things are mild exercise, journaling, meditation or prayer, warm aromatherapy bubblebaths, adult coloring books, etc.)

Did you talk with your doc about the medication-related weight gain to see if there was an alternative drug regimen that might be less likely to have relevant side effects? (Sometimes there aren't such options, I know.)

Generally, weight gain as a drug side effect comes from one or more of these mechanisms:
1. Increased water retention
2. Increased fatigue (so lower activity)
3. Increased appetite (so more calorie intake)
4. Impaired sleep.

The water retention usually tops out at some point, but can be surprisingly substantial sometimes, and does show up on the scale even though it's not body fat.

Usually, the counter for fatigue would be to work on improving sleep quality/quantity, but you've already mentioned that insomnia is a problem in your case.

Calorie counting can sort of help with increased appetite, in that it makes calorie intake obvious (but doesn't directly solve the appetite, of course). There are varied eating strategies that work for some to manage appetite. (Common examples: Eating more whole foods and less ultra-processed foods, getting more protein, improving nutrition, eating low carb or keto or carnivore, intermittent fasting, volume eating (of lower calorie things), etc. None of those work universally, it seems like, but can help some people. It can require a little individual experimenting, and there's no magically perfect option for all.)

With your situation, if someone suggests dramatically increasing exercise (in duration, intensity or frequency), I'd raise an eyebrow. Exercise is great, and some do find that increasing it helps manage depression symptoms or insomnia, in some cases even counter fatigue. However, increasing it too much can increase fatigue and timing of it has potential to hinder sleep for some, so extremes may not be ideal.

Generally, I haven't found losing weight in menopause dramatically different than losing weight at any other stage in life. There's a lot of marketing around menopause and weight loss now, much of which I think is light on substance and heavy on sales pitch. It is the case that many of us have less active daily lives at menopausal age than we did when young, and that reduces calorie needs. On top of that, we tend to lose muscle mass as we age unless we do something to keep or increase it, so moving becomes less easy or fun, so we do even less moving. On top of that, many women have done multiple rounds of extreme yo-yo dieting, and that also can reduce calorie needs through a couple of different mechanisms.

Sometimes those effects get blamed on menopause, because that's an age when they really come home to roost. But each of them can be countered, primarily through strength training, improving fitness in other ways, and consciously increasing daily life movement** as well as exercise.

** More discussion about increasing daily life movement here, including many MFP-ers ideas about ways to do it:

http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10610953/neat-improvement-strategies-to-improve-weight-loss/p1

You have various things going on, so I don't mean to imply that all of this is easy let alone no problem. But there are actions we can take that can improve the situation. I don't think menopause itself is a key cause, and even if it were, we can't change it, so focusing there IMO isn't helpful. (Some women can use hormone replacement therapy, but I can't due to a history of estrogen-fed breast cancer, so I can't common on how much it might help others.)

What I might suggest is finding some particular manageable thing, an aspect of the situation to work on, then as that progresses, adding another change that builds on that success. What to do, in what order, is individual.

I'm cheering for you to succeed, because my personal experience is that there's quality of life improvement on that path. Best wishes!

kshama2001

What are the meds for? If depression, and they increase your appetite, there are anti-depressants like Wellbutrin that are not associated with that side effect. I once took the AD Remeron, which was great for sleep, but increased my appetite to the point where I was gaining about a pound a week on it. I was really angry with my provider when I learned that it is also given to cancer patients and anorectics to increase their appetite. I also tried Gabapentin, which worked great for a family member to decrease night sweats. While it did nothing to make me less hot, it did help me sleep...and increased my appetite >.<

I'm currently taking Wellbutrin as an AD and Buspirone for anxiety. I take this at night, and it helps me sleep without side effects in the AM like Ambien.

I think the big problem with menopause and weight loss is really the decreased activity that comes over time, and encourage you to look at that.

My mother is 86 and struggles to stay above Underweight, as she is so active, and also basically eats a Mediterranean style diet - lots of legumes, veggies, fruits and other nutrient-dense food and very little hyper-palatable food.

Seffell

Also experiencing depression along with insomnia during menopause.

Don't want to go much oftopic but OP, would you describe the type of insomnia you're getting? I've been suffering from completely debilitating insomnia and it's onset coinsides roughly with my menopause so I'm trying to determine if that's what causing it.

As for losing weight, no I've been roughly on maintenance and didn't gain anything for the last 2 years since menopause. My apetite is infact amazingly healthy for once.

mcandi2011

So I am on meds for depression. I started with post-partum depression when my youngest was born (she's 19 now) and have been on various meds since but the ones that worked included Wellbutrin. I have also taken Gabapentin for pain but I find that has not helped much so I am currently going off of it.

I had some issues falling asleep about 7 years ago and my GP put me on Trazodone to help me sleep, along with my other depression meds. Then in August last year, depression hit hard and I've been on med leave from work since. My GP sent me to a psychiatrist who took me off all my meds (including Trazodone) last Nov to start me on new depression meds. I have not slept well since Nov and it is getting worse. The Psychiatrist put me on Quetiapine which made me hungry (!!!!!) but did not help the depression and also kept me awake at night.

I have problems falling asleep so I tried a weighted blanket, grounding sheets, sleep hypnosis app, music, white noise, exercise, getting up in the morning at the same time regardless, etc. Not being able to sleep has caused me to eat at night (around the wee hours of the morning) which, combined with the Quetiapine, caused me to gain 45lbs in 5 months. I am no longer taking Quetiapine and my GP has put me on Dayvigo for insomnia and Tibella for menopause.

So far, I am sleeping erratically with the Dayvigo. It takes me 1-3 hours to fall asleep and then I sleep for usually 5 hours until I have to go to the bathroom. Then it takes me another couple of hours to fall asleep again. Just two nights ago I did sleep for 8 hours and I was ecstatic! But then last night I did not sleep at all. I am finding that I get restless and twitchy if I am awake too long and it is also contributing to not being able to sleep. Then in the morning, my legs are sore from twitching most of the night.

The Tibella has helped with the hot flashes and night sweats so I'm happy with that. I am finding that I am cranky, irritable, and frustrated so not sure if that is from depression, insomnia, menopause or weight gain.

I was sick the last two weeks and, combined with no more night time eating, I have lost 6.5lbs which I am happy with. I have just started my daily walking 3 days ago now that I am not sick any more.

I do appreciate all your help! I have read over some of the sleep discussions for ideas as well but I am also still working with my GP and Psychiatrist for the insomnia and depression and hoping they can help out as well. The Psychiatrist has suggested getting a referral from my GP for a sleep disorder clinic so that may be the way as well.

Thanks all!!

ddsb1111

Not sure if this is helpful in anyway but I’m taking progesterone (perimenopause here) and it’s done wonders for my insomnia. Sleep aids always made me feel drugged or gave me the worst nightmares. I’m not sure if it has to be taken with estrogen to balance it out but you can ask your doctor if this would be a good option for you.

kshama2001

I started typing "tibella" into google and "tibella weight gain" autocompleted. More later.

Seffell

Thanks for describing your insomnia. It sounds a lot like mine. I also need between 2 and 3 hours to fall asleep. I've had this issue on and off for ever but since the menopause I also started waking up after several hours and then either need another 2-3 hours to fall asleep again or more often I can't at all. I also have those rare nights where I can't sleep at all, not a minute. I also can't nap no matter how exhausted I am. It is like my body has forgotten how sleep works. It is very weird. I very rarely have 8h of proper somewhat deeper sleep but the rest of the time I just can't fall into deep sleep.

I also have the twitches which also started about the same time but I didn't actually link them to it until now that you say. My legs too feel completely exhausted from the twitching in the morning (or whenever it is I get up).

It is a complete horror. My life has been on pause ever since all this started. Haven't been able to work or even socialise. Almost 2 years. I'm slowly getting better lately. I hope to see the end of it.

For reference I don't take any of those medications. I take about once or twice per week lanzomeprazol (a benzo) but not regularly. I think my depression is mostly due to the torture of sleep deprivation as I feel absolutely great on the sleep-well days.

Bon courage!

kshama2001

ddsb1111 wrote: »

Not sure if this is helpful in anyway but I’m taking progesterone (perimenopause here) and it’s done wonders for my insomnia. Sleep aids always made me feel drugged or gave me the worst nightmares. I’m not sure if it has to be taken with estrogen to balance it out but you can ask your doctor if this would be a good option for you.

I took Prometrium, a bioidentical progesterone, for years premenstrually. It did help me sleep. Estrogen was contra-indicated in my case, but the OP presumably does need estrogen as she is having hot flashes and getting estrogen. However, this is a big assumption.

@mcandi2011 have you had your estrogen levels tested? You might get more/better options if you work with an endocrinologist.

Or tell your Tibella prescriber you want meds not associated with weight gain.

I run hot, but have never had hot flashes. I'm 57 and had a hysterectomy but kept my ovaries, which my endocrinologist said are still cranking out estrogen. Prior to the hysterectomy I took Black Cohosh with Dong Quai which may or may not explain my lack of hot flashes.

https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Foods-Black-Cohosh-80/dp/B00RLT7NP8/

kshama2001

mcandi2011 wrote: »

So I am on meds for depression. I started with post-partum depression when my youngest was born (she's 19 now) and have been on various meds since but the ones that worked included Wellbutrin. I have also taken Gabapentin for pain but I find that has not helped much so I am currently going off of it.

I had some issues falling asleep about 7 years ago and my GP put me on Trazodone to help me sleep, along with my other depression meds. Then in August last year, depression hit hard and I've been on med leave from work since. My GP sent me to a psychiatrist who took me off all my meds (including Trazodone) last Nov to start me on new depression meds. I have not slept well since Nov and it is getting worse. The Psychiatrist put me on Quetiapine which made me hungry (!!!!!) but did not help the depression and also kept me awake at night.

I have problems falling asleep so I tried a weighted blanket, grounding sheets, sleep hypnosis app, music, white noise, exercise, getting up in the morning at the same time regardless, etc. Not being able to sleep has caused me to eat at night (around the wee hours of the morning) which, combined with the Quetiapine, caused me to gain 45lbs in 5 months. I am no longer taking Quetiapine and my GP has put me on Dayvigo for insomnia and Tibella for menopause.

So far, I am sleeping erratically with the Dayvigo. It takes me 1-3 hours to fall asleep and then I sleep for usually 5 hours until I have to go to the bathroom. Then it takes me another couple of hours to fall asleep again. Just two nights ago I did sleep for 8 hours and I was ecstatic! But then last night I did not sleep at all. I am finding that I get restless and twitchy if I am awake too long and it is also contributing to not being able to sleep. Then in the morning, my legs are sore from twitching most of the night.

The Tibella has helped with the hot flashes and night sweats so I'm happy with that. I am finding that I am cranky, irritable, and frustrated so not sure if that is from depression, insomnia, menopause or weight gain.

I was sick the last two weeks and, combined with no more night time eating, I have lost 6.5lbs which I am happy with. I have just started my daily walking 3 days ago now that I am not sick any more.

I do appreciate all your help! I have read over some of the sleep discussions for ideas as well but I am also still working with my GP and Psychiatrist for the insomnia and depression and hoping they can help out as well. The Psychiatrist has suggested getting a referral from my GP for a sleep disorder clinic so that may be the way as well.

Thanks all!!

I have to be relentlessly, aggressively, persistently on point with my sleep hygiene every single day in order to get a good night's sleep. It sounds like you understand the need for that I would like to offer some more suggestions:

1. You didn't mention fluid consumption. I start getting in my fluid first thing in the AM and plan to have no more than 8 oz with dinner and then stop.
2. Colder room. (Especially necessary with weighted blanket.) I can expound if you like
3. I totally get the urge to self-soothe with food at night and have struggled with this myself off and on for years. I've read for years that chocolate can interfere with sleep, but it was always framed as being due to caffeine, which I poo-poo'd as IMO chocolate does not have enough caffeine to affect *my* sleep. However, I've recently learned that it's NOT the caffeine, but other chemicals. If you, too, like to self-soothe with chocolate, save it for the AM.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9370573/

I used to have second snack after bedtime snack, but since adding the chia seeds I'm full and don't need to. This has a substantial amount of fiber and moderate protein, but is still sweet enough due to the strawberries and yogurt that I feel like I'm getting a treat.

I'm no longer wanting to eat when I wake in the middle of the night, which could be due to a variety of factors, including the Buspirone and therapy, but I'm sure not having blood sugar or chocolate swings is contributing.

mcandi2011

I think I've controlled the night time eating now..... I just don't eat any more during the night. It gives me too much acid reflux as well. The sleeping issue is now being handled by my GP as my psychiatrist says the insomnia is not his job to fix. My GP is not happy about that but will do what he can.

Currently, by cutting out the night time eating and including calorie counting, I am now down 8lbs so far. Still not sleeping but that is a work in progress. I do find it more challenging to watch my calories the next day when I do not get any sleep, when I am awake all night. Plus I find it hard to do any exercise when I pull an all-nighter. Even with a park across the road to walk in, it is hard and I won't even consider driving to the gym when I have not slept.

The Tibella seems to be helping with the hot flashes and night sweats from menopause.

I just know that once I get the sleeping issue controlled, things will fall into place.
Fingers crossed!

AnnPT77

@mcandi2011, it sounds like you're engaging with the process in a very thoughtful, level-headed way. Good show!

I'm delighted to hear that you're seeing progress as a result.

I hope you will continue to make progress on the important fronts . . . and I believe that you will with your approach and attitude. (Not being able to sleep utterly stinks.)

Best wishes for more successes on the path!

Gisel2015

@mcandi2011
As I also have sometimes lots of sleeping problems. It was recommended by my neurologist to take 200 mg of Magnesium Glycinate (not citrate) about half an hour before bedtime. Actually, that amount was too much for me and I needed to reduce the dose to 100mg or I would be a couch potato the following day.
This is an OTC supplement, but please ask your doctor if it will not interfere with any of your other medications (I don't think that it would). Magnesium glycinate acts like a light muscle relaxer and it may help you to fall asleep.
I know how hard is to function without sleep, so I wish you good luck and happy dreams.

ceemax55

I recommend following Dr. Elisabeth Bright. Her specialty is women's hormonal health. You'll find her on YouTube. It will be worth your time...

NCGOALIEMOM

Yes! I’ve not slept normal in years. Find someone who will give you adequate hormonal support. More and more doctors are finally realizing that we don’t have to be stuck in menopause hell.

csplatt

I’ll change the conversation a bit — how often are you getting rigorous exercise? Not necessarily at a gym — I get some good workouts in in front of my tv. That can provide some serious dopamine (improved mood) and help you sleep more deeply.

mcandi2011

I was actually just thinking about this last night. When I exercise, I do have more problems falling asleep than when I don't, so I also have to bring that up with my doctor. It doesn't discourage me from exercising, however. I have a park across the road that I like to walk in, it gets exercise and it gets me outside and I walk regardless of the weather. Then, I actually planned on doing some yoga tonight for sleep time to see if that helps too.

exstromn

Hi, my story is I had a total hysterectomy at the age of 51 in OCT 2022 due to fibroids and endometrial cancer. HEAVY shedding periods and unpredictable long-term bleeding was causing wardrobe malfunctions at the office and other embarrassing times, sending me home to change or just plain kept me home. Prior to all that I had been doing well with a gradual 50 LB weight loss over the course of a year and a half. I lost 25 more by my 3-month post-surgery follow up appointment and was feeling pretty proud of myself. I wasn't letting medical menopause have its way with me...and then the creeping weight gain began.

I gained that post-surgery 25 loss back plus another 15. High cortisol, brain fog, stress, sugar cravings, interrupted and inadequate sleep, hot flashes, anxiety, and winter depression was taking its toll. I upped my Paxil dosage to help curb, though not eliminate, the vasomotor symptoms. HRT was not advised due to the cancer likely caused by too much estrogen related to obesity. When my surgeon told me this, I was truly shocked. Here's my PSA for this post. I encourage anyone with an abnormal period or bleeding to get checked asap. Even if it's just 1 drop. I didn't and thought oh well it's just what women go through during peri and I just gotta stick it out and suffer until menopause actually happens. Big mistake.

Fast forward to 3 weeks ago or so and wanting to try something new for the interrupted and inadequate sleep. I switched from Tylenol PM to CBD nighttime gummy bears (mine is 21mg of CBD per bear). The CBD has had the best result for me so far. Taken right before bed, it has helped consistently support more restful and restorative sleep with less interruptions. My day focus has improved and I'm able to go to bed at a logical time vs media binging to try and dissociate long enough to eventually fall asleep. I sit outside over my break when its sunny to get that good vitamin D. To date I'm cancer free. This last Monday was my return to tracking on MFP after being absent for over a year. It took a while for me to get up the courage to face the scale and return. I'm currently 240 LBS and working toward slow and steady loss until I'm more comfortable in my own skin. Hang in there, you are doing your best and you are worth it!