Post-Menopausal Weight Loss

jmrsfaz
jmrsfaz Posts: 4 Member
Dear Ladies,

Is anyone else having trouble losing weight due to being post-menopausal. I think there is some kind of hormonal thing going on. I don't take any RX medicine. No matter how many changes I make and how much I exercise, I only lose about a pound about every couple of weeks to a month. Has anyone else experienced this problem?
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Replies

  • jmrsfaz
    jmrsfaz Posts: 4 Member
    Thank you for replying. I did well this week just writing down what I ate. I lost a couple of pounds finally!! Yes, I have to exercise almost every day or I don't lose anything. I'm lucky, I've got my snacks under control. Nutrisystem has amazing snacks like an ice cream sandwich that help me feel that I'm not deprived. Please keep in touch. Let's encourage one another. I'm 54. How about you?
  • pvju
    pvju Posts: 115 Member
    I'm 53 in a few weeks ;)
    It's wonderful that you're getting in a lot of exercise and you've lost a couple pounds! Whoo Hoo!!!

    I've had a headache for the past few days, which happens occasionally and always causes intense cravings. My body just wants something that feels good to counter the constant, nagging pain. Hoping tomorrow it goes away so I can get back under control with my eating and I really need to resume my gym schedule.

    I have to say it feels so good to finally be losing - I've been trying to shed my menopause weight for years (I went into menopause young - 44). This the first success I've had. I finally feel like I get "it" - what works, what I need to do. That was elusive for a long time.

    I should check out nutrisystem's desserts - I've been going to Baskin Robbins or eating Ben & Jerry's and that has just got to slow down!
  • suzilla53
    suzilla53 Posts: 65 Member
    Hello,I'm 62, loosing steadily.Ive not had any issues.I exercise lightly. I do believe in weighing everything in grams. I'm also only 5 foot tall, retired. If I can do it,anyone can.Track everything.dont use cups to measure, weigh.I eat exactly what my family does with a little modification ,I just eat less.Watch that salt, too much salt is the one thing I have found to consistently make me gain weigh! Feel free to add me!
  • Taka94
    Taka94 Posts: 1 Member
    Great words of advice! Just getting serious - I'm 59 and finally realized that the 50 pounds I've gained is due to lack of paying attention. I am starting with a few goals- tracking, walking and weight training. Trying for 1600 calories a day and healthier substitutions: plain Greek yogurt, frozen yogurt bars, whole foods. Wish me luck!
  • pvju
    pvju Posts: 115 Member
    edited May 2016
    I'll be 60 this year, and no issue with dropping pounds. The secret? OK, I'll share it with you: I'm realistic. I know I didn't gain all this weight (it took years of uncontrolled eating/drinking). I calculated my BMR and TDEE, and do TDEE-15% and I'm dropping 1-2 pounds a week. This has to be recalculated after every 10 pounds lost. My current calorie intake is about 1700-1800/day. The only exercise I've been doing is walking, once I get under 200 lbs I'll start with lifting (increase muscle mass so skin doesn't sag and increases metabolism so I can eat more).Eating at 1200 or less calories a day and exercising like crazy does 2 things. First, it makes you body think it's starving so it holds on to every fat cell it can (slow weight loss) and the weight you loose will be water, muscle, and fat. Second, it doesn't teach you to eat in the real world (enjoying life, friends, parties) and when you give up (tired of denying yourself pleasure) you gain all you have lost and then some. By the way, the "metabolism is slower after menopause" is a load of crap! Most (not all) people start slowing down their activities after the age of 50 (or so). They buy into the notion "I'm older, I'm supposed to do less", hence the slower metabolism. I still work full time and don't take any medicine. If you want to calculate your TDEE, go to scoobysworkshop.com and click on MENU then select TOOLS then CALORIES BURNED CALCULATOR, fill in the blanks. For the activity level, be real. If you exercise (any activity that has you moving) 1/2 hour daily (or 1 hour 3x week) you're moderate. The last piece of advice I can give you is this: take pictures (start and every 10-20 pounds lost) and measure every 2-4 weeks. Even if you don't see movement on the scale, your body can be changing in definition/shape. Best wishes for your goals!

    I totally respect your experience and opinion but everyone's specifics are different. I started out at 140 and for my activity level and metabolism if I eat more than 1400-1500 calories a day I gain weight - unless I'm exercising a reasonable amount. I think the smaller you are, the tighter the margins. It takes more energy to maintain a larger body so your metabolism at 200 lbs is actually higher than mine at now 125. I couldn't eat 1800 calories a day unless I was burning 300-400 calories a day (which while I strive for that - I don't always do it).

    I've always been athletic and could eat whatever I wanted for most of my life. I never experience unwanted weight gain until my forties. Older bodies have a higher fat to muscle ratio - this is normal and its why our metabolism does slow with age - because our body compositions change - even with the same activity level our bodies change. Keeping the same muscle to fat ratio as a young person requires heavy weight lifting. Even with weight lifting, you have to do a hell of a lot and eat helluva lot of protein to have the muscle mass of a person in their twenties or thirties. So it's not a "load of crap" - it's biology.

    I've always been a weight lifter - at times more than others but as a result I've got good muscle mass and I haven't seen myself lose any with the lbs I've lost. But, overall, before I started dieting, of course my body was changing - I am aging. Now, I'm losing a very moderate 1lb or slightly less per week. I'm not in starvation mode, hanging on to fat cells. I'm losing at a really good clip and I've felt this good in years!

    It's important to support each other here rather than criticize each other's approaches. As you recalculate for every 10lbs, depending on your activity level, you may find that when you're 125lbs, like me, you will need to eat fewer calories to lose the 1-2 lbs a week you're losing now.
  • NewMEEE2016
    NewMEEE2016 Posts: 192 Member
    edited May 2016
    Menopause, shemenopause.

    I'm 61. I always thought I had a "slow metabolism"- have been on one diet or another pretty much since I was a teenager- and thought that being post menopause it would be even harder to lose weight.

    But since Jan 1, I have dropped EASILY from 193 to 161.8 (want to lose maybe another 15). I started by eating 1000-1200 per day but after about a month started increasing gradually- now I eat 1500-1600 per day- and am still losing, slowly (which is exactly what I want to do.)

    No one believes me, but I am eating far more now than I used to when I was heavier (in bulk AND calories). Actually, my dietician believes me. She says she has seen this phenomenon before- and actually says I have a *very fast* metabolism and recommends that I eat minimum 1700 cals per day (a TREMENDOUS amount of food, for me- and it's scary- when you've been used to "dieting" in one way or another all your life!)

    My best advice is to get your resting metabolic rate tested by a professional. As long as you eat at a deficit, you WILL lose weight- even if you are in menopause. It sounds counter-intuitive, but some people lose weight faster eating MORE calories- **but still at a deficit**. Eating too low cal can slow your metabolism. It's astounding the amount of food I eat - constantly ALL day long til about 3 am- very high protein, nothing processed, no sugar. This has honestly been the easiest thing I've ever done. Wish I had figured this out decades ago, but better late than never, right?

    Good luck.
  • jmrsfaz
    jmrsfaz Posts: 4 Member
    Thank you for all your advice. I don't take any hormone replacements or drugs for my post-menopause status. My biggest obstacle right now is that I don't sleep well. I sleep a couple hours and then awaken because I get a hot flash and being hot and sweating wakes me up or I have to go to the bathroom. I don't experience that deep and uninterrupted sleep that I enjoyed in younger years. I seem to lose when I eat between 1300-1500 calories a day which is doable due to my diet changes. Nutrisystem really helps too. It has those slow digesting carbs which keep the hunger away. My goal is to have an active life style again and exercise daily. Thank you all for sharing your experiences. One thing I do know, God did not intend for us to live a sedentary life. Our bodies are designed to move at all ages. I'm slowly moving towards that life again.
  • TheHappyLoser
    TheHappyLoser Posts: 95 Member
    I am 52 and if hot flashes would count as exercise I would be in great shape.

    I don't take hormone replacements or drugs, but I found a natural cream that seems to work miracles with me. My husband calls it my happy cream :-). I am not sure if I am allowed to put a link in here, but I guess I am going to find out.

    http://www.bhnformulas.com

    I am fine with losing the weight slower, but I am not so fine with the rest of the changes (like hot flashes, or brittle fingernails and hair). My hot flashes have disappeared, since I am using the happy cream, now I have to do the rest and work on my weight.
  • suemcmurry
    suemcmurry Posts: 188 Member
    Oh Yes!!!! This is HELL!!!
  • marywal1963
    marywal1963 Posts: 23 Member
    Everyone is different and losing weight for one person is definitely different from person to person. Hormones and having a thyroid condition caused my weight gain even though I always had to watch my weight throughout the years. Regardless, I'm happy with just losing 1 lb a week. Don't get me wrong, I would like a faster loss but slow and steady and not feeling deprived or exhausted is what causes permanent results, at least that's what I hear.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    I am 52 and if hot flashes would count as exercise I would be in great shape.

    I don't take hormone replacements or drugs, but I found a natural cream that seems to work miracles with me. My husband calls it my happy cream :-). I am not sure if I am allowed to put a link in here, but I guess I am going to find out.

    http://www.bhnformulas.com

    I am fine with losing the weight slower, but I am not so fine with the rest of the changes (like hot flashes, or brittle fingernails and hair). My hot flashes have disappeared, since I am using the happy cream, now I have to do the rest and work on my weight.

    For whatever it's worth, those creams are hormone replacement, of sorts. They contain progesterone and/or estrogen.
    I love the bio-identical hormone creams, don't get me wrong. Just know that you ARE using hormones.
    I love the stuff, but can's seem to stay at the lower end of my happy weight when I use them.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    jmrsfaz wrote: »
    Thank you for all your advice. I don't take any hormone replacements or drugs for my post-menopause status. My biggest obstacle right now is that I don't sleep well. I sleep a couple hours and then awaken because I get a hot flash and being hot and sweating wakes me up or I have to go to the bathroom. I don't experience that deep and uninterrupted sleep that I enjoyed in younger years. I seem to lose when I eat between 1300-1500 calories a day which is doable due to my diet changes. Nutrisystem really helps too. It has those slow digesting carbs which keep the hunger away. My goal is to have an active life style again and exercise daily. Thank you all for sharing your experiences. One thing I do know, God did not intend for us to live a sedentary life. Our bodies are designed to move at all ages. I'm slowly moving towards that life again.


    I'm all about slow carbs. That's been my approach to losing and to maintaining the last 14 years. Not nutrisystems, just eating slower carbs, lower glycemic impact/load. I feel like I'm working WITH my body instead of against it!
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited May 2016
    I'll be 60 this year, and no issue with dropping pounds. The secret? OK, I'll share it with you: I'm realistic. I know I didn't gain all this weight (it took years of uncontrolled eating/drinking). I calculated my BMR and TDEE, and do TDEE-15% and I'm dropping 1-2 pounds a week. This has to be recalculated after every 10 pounds lost. My current calorie intake is about 1700-1800/day. The only exercise I've been doing is walking, once I get under 200 lbs I'll start with lifting (increase muscle mass so skin doesn't sag and increases metabolism so I can eat more).Eating at 1200 or less calories a day and exercising like crazy does 2 things. First, it makes you body think it's starving so it holds on to every fat cell it can (slow weight loss) and the weight you loose will be water, muscle, and fat. Second, it doesn't teach you to eat in the real world (enjoying life, friends, parties) and when you give up (tired of denying yourself pleasure) you gain all you have lost and then some. By the way, the "metabolism is slower after menopause" is a load of crap! Most (not all) people start slowing down their activities after the age of 50 (or so). They buy into the notion "I'm older, I'm supposed to do less", hence the slower metabolism. I still work full time and don't take any medicine. If you want to calculate your TDEE, go to scoobysworkshop.com and click on MENU then select TOOLS then CALORIES BURNED CALCULATOR, fill in the blanks. For the activity level, be real. If you exercise (any activity that has you moving) 1/2 hour daily (or 1 hour 3x week) you're moderate. The last piece of advice I can give you is this: take pictures (start and every 10-20 pounds lost) and measure every 2-4 weeks. Even if you don't see movement on the scale, your body can be changing in definition/shape. Best wishes for your goals!

    Just as every woman experienced their child bearing years differently (my sister was down with migraine and severe cramps each month, I breezed through) everyone experiences menopause differently.

    Your journey isn't everyone's journey. I'm thrilled for your success. Metabolism DOES slow down as we age. And insulin resistance is quite common in menopausal women. That alone can make it harder for some women to lose.

    I suspect you'll often see women here who were fit and lean and are now struggling to keep their weight at their goal. We are finding it challenging to "hang on" to our goal weight or keep the weight off. I'm one of those women. I'm 5'6" 135-137Lbs. I'd rather be my old 130. (I'm MORE active than I used to be, btw) The margin of error when you're within 10-20Lbs of goal weight is TINY (play around with scoobysworkshop and you'll see). Add hormones and SHEESH! I'd say that's a different scenario than you're experiencing, and could factor in to many women's complaints.

    signed: hanging on to my preferred weight by the skin of my menopausal teeth.

    cheers
  • Mannenaga
    Mannenaga Posts: 2 Member
    Hi Iam 67 doing excercise and following diet Leo indooryclingfor half an hour for five days a weekiwalkfor an hour every day all the seven days originally I was 169 by April 20 I reached 1 60 lbs now Iam 157. What I noticed is I drop 2 lbs again go up 2lbs finally drop slowly is itbecauseof slow metabolism iamunable to. Understand daily I eat about 1000cals burn about 1900to2000 cals not much of weight change is it problem with the scale or any body facing the same problem please let me know thank and bye bye
  • lexbubbles
    lexbubbles Posts: 465 Member
    edited May 2016
    I can't speak for being POST-menopause, but I've been in medically induced menopause for 6 years (so still actively menopausal, rather than post, and will be actively-menopausal for the foreseeable future. Possibly until I hit the menopause for real).

    The change in hormones does lower your metabolism (given that metabolism is heavily effected by hormones...) although the change hits some harder than others depending on your individual levels, I guess, and your caloric needs will decrease as a result. Unfortunately, that just means eating less or moving more. Consistently. Calories in vs calories out still applies, it's just the "out" number is smaller than it would otherwise be and you need to accommodate for that.

    If you're a smaller person (like me) then that can be a "good golly are you serious?!" calorie number (my BMR, at 50lb OVERweight -weight which I gained since becoming menopausal- is a mere 1400. Were I a healthy weight by BMR would only be skimming 1200 and my maintenance cals (before exercise) would be sub-1500). Smaller people have tighter margins. Hormonal mucking about in menopause makes those margins even more annoying.

    Now, as to how I manage and lose the weight...

    *Knowing my BMR/TDEE are going to be lower because of the hormonal effects and not basing my calculations on the stats of a regular 26 year old because that... does not work.
    *Eating a high protein diet to maintain fullness (which ends up being low carb by default just to keep within caloric limits but your mileage may vary. I don't pay any attention to carbs at all, really.)
    *Burning 800-1,000 calories through activity every day - through the gym and walking I make sure to cover at least 7 miles on foot daily and do...
    *Strength training to preserve (and hopefully some day increase) muscle mass which will push daily BMR up a notch

    A lot of my activity has to be fairy gentle because I also suffer from rheumatoid arthritis and although I want to go all out and, you know, REALLY go for it, I pay dearly in the long run when I do and have to take so much time out. Learned my lesson, lads. Know your limits.

    I've found if you want it to come off at any sort of "reasonable" rate (rather than a half pound a month because who has the time?) you have to work a whole lot harder. Sucks, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

    Edited to add: my preferred protein sources are chicken, fish (notably salmon. I have a great love of salmon), strained Icelandic-style yogurt, and eggs. Lean protein mean you get more bang for your buck, calorie-wise. Which means a greater amount of food. Which I'm here for.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    lexbubbles wrote: »
    I can't speak for being POST-menopause, but I've been in medically induced menopause for 6 years (so still actively menopausal, rather than post, and will be actively-menopausal for the foreseeable future. Possibly until I hit the menopause for real).

    What do you mean by medically induced menopause? A hysterectomy? or?
  • lexbubbles
    lexbubbles Posts: 465 Member
    edited May 2016
    lexbubbles wrote: »
    I can't speak for being POST-menopause, but I've been in medically induced menopause for 6 years (so still actively menopausal, rather than post, and will be actively-menopausal for the foreseeable future. Possibly until I hit the menopause for real).

    What do you mean by medically induced menopause? A hysterectomy? or?

    No, they won't grant me one of those. I'm injected with very very large doses of hormones to put my body into a menopausal state. The medication is actually not supposed to be given to women at all, and is reserved for the treatment of prostate cancer in men. The more you know! (A milder dosage of the drug, administered for short periods, is used in the treatments of fibroids and may induce menopausal symptoms). Once I am no longer being injected, menopause will cease. But... that's not likely to be soon or ever.

    They don't know what's wrong with me, so they can't fix it, and won't take it out, so they just put lots and lots of drugs in me to keep me in a menopausal state so I stop bleeding because otherwise I won't (pretty much ever, without them I bleed for upwards of 16 weeks continuously with mere days respite in between).

    I have been campaigning for a hysto for a decade, though. But I'm too young to make this decision about my own body and may want a child someday, although it has yet to be explained to me how this will occur since I don't stop bleeding for long enough to conceive.

    (Sorry if I sound a little bitter, the patience wears thin, and the hot flashes get so so old)
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    edited May 2016
    lexbubbles wrote: »
    lexbubbles wrote: »
    I can't speak for being POST-menopause, but I've been in medically induced menopause for 6 years (so still actively menopausal, rather than post, and will be actively-menopausal for the foreseeable future. Possibly until I hit the menopause for real).

    What do you mean by medically induced menopause? A hysterectomy? or?

    No, they won't grant me one of those. I'm injected with very very large doses of hormones to put my body into a menopausal state. The medication is actually not supposed to be given to women at all, and is reserved for the treatment of prostate cancer in men. The more you know!

    They don't know what's wrong with me, so they can't fix it, and won't take it out, so they just put lots and lots of drugs in me to keep me in a menopausal state so I stop bleeding because otherwise I won't (pretty much ever, without them I bleed for upwards of 16 weeks continuously with mere days respite in between).

    I have been campaigning for a hysto for a decade, though. But I'm too young to make this decision about my own body and may want a child someday, although it has yet to be explained to me how this will occur since I don't stop bleeding for long enough to conceive.

    (Sorry if I sound a little bitter, the patience wears thin, and the hot flashes get so so old)

    I'm sitting here saying WOW over and over. You don't sound bitter!! I'd be angry and frantic!

    eta: a colleague was similar. She ultimately demanded, and later was granted a hysterectomy. SHEESH!
  • lexbubbles
    lexbubbles Posts: 465 Member

    I'm sitting here saying WOW over and over. You don't sound bitter!! I'd be angry and frantic!

    eta: a colleague was similar. She ultimately demanded, and later was granted a hysterectomy. SHEESH!

    Yes, it is a topic pretty much guaranteed to get me foaming at the mouth within minutes but I'm trying not to be a Debbie Downer today. I'm wondering at which point I become "old enough" in the eyes of doctors to decide that no, really, I don't want children anyway and no, really, I don't want to be menopausal my entire adult life thank you very much. And no, I DEFINITELY don't want 4-month-long-change-the-tampon-every-30-mins-pass-out-from-blood-loss to deal with either. I LIKE leaving the house. Leaving the house is good.

    They have no idea what basically giving me cancer drugs forever is going to do to my body long-term, but they're more willing to risk damaging me permanently in some way than just... neutralising the problem because "will nobody think of the hypothetical children". The mind boggles. Every 3 months I demand again. Which makes, to date, about 40 demands for a hysterectomy including a signed waiver in the presence of a lawyer that I will not sue the hospital if I regret my decision later in life. Honestly you try and help people out.

    I've had every test done and I'm "perfectly normal" which would be funny were it not tragic. "He's perfectly healthy apart from being dead" comes to mind. My paternal aunt, cousins, grandmother, great grandmother, and great-great grandmother suffered the same, but to a lesser extent. Whatever it is, it's genetic, and been confusing doctors for over a century. You're welcome, medical science. Please take it out an examine it. With my blessing.

    ANYWAY. BACK TO THE TOPIC. Didn't mean to derail, there. I'm just the youngest member of the "menopause club" on MFP ;)

    My diary is open if OP want to see what a high protein lowish cal diet looks like (excuse the large "remaining" number. From today onwards I've set my target cals to maintenance to easily see my deficit. I'm not dramatically under-eating)
  • maggiegbrown
    maggiegbrown Posts: 90 Member
    Like others I have had trouble losing weight. I am just fifty and in March started LCHF/Keto and that has change my life. I have dropped 17lbs. and I feel fabulous. I am never going back to the way I ate before. Everything is so much clearer to me now, and I know I should but I have not really started any exercising plan yet. but now that summer has hit I think I will start some swimming. You should really Google it and read up on it and see it might be a way of life for you. Good luck!
  • Rocknut53
    Rocknut53 Posts: 1,794 Member
    I thought being post menopausal was a good excuse for not losing weight, but since January I have been meticulously weighing and measuring my food, getting good exercise almost daily, and have lost 32 pounds. At 62, I figured it's now or never and now sounded much better. If you are losing even a pound every now and then that's going the right direction, keep it up!
  • laney4818
    laney4818 Posts: 73 Member
    jmrsfaz wrote: »
    Dear Ladies,

    Is anyone else having trouble losing weight due to being post-menopausal. I think there is some kind of hormonal thing going on. I don't take any RX medicine. No matter how many changes I make and how much I exercise, I only lose about a pound about every couple of weeks to a month. Has anyone else experienced this problem?

    YES! I'm right with you. I'm 54 and post-menopausal. Same exact sleep issues you mentioned in a later post.

    I know my BMR/TDEE, I weigh measure, I'm doing at home weight/strength training (not heavy lifting), get 10,000 to 12,000 step a day and add cardio a couple of times a week. I eat between 1100 and 1400 calories a day and lose about 1 pound a month if I'm lucky! I do lower carb too.

    I can't give up because there is no giving up. At least I'm not gaining, but losing is really hard for me post menopause! Before menopause I could take off 1-lb a week pretty easily, without trying as hard!
  • pvju
    pvju Posts: 115 Member
    I am 52 and if hot flashes would count as exercise I would be in great shape.

    I don't take hormone replacements or drugs, but I found a natural cream that seems to work miracles with me. My husband calls it my happy cream :-). I am not sure if I am allowed to put a link in here, but I guess I am going to find out.

    http://www.bhnformulas.com

    I am fine with losing the weight slower, but I am not so fine with the rest of the changes (like hot flashes, or brittle fingernails and hair). My hot flashes have disappeared, since I am using the happy cream, now I have to do the rest and work on my weight.

    I started taking bio identical hormones and they really help my sleep and have totally eliminated hot flashes. When I skip a dose, I notice it.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    pvju wrote: »
    I am 52 and if hot flashes would count as exercise I would be in great shape.

    I don't take hormone replacements or drugs, but I found a natural cream that seems to work miracles with me. My husband calls it my happy cream :-). I am not sure if I am allowed to put a link in here, but I guess I am going to find out.

    http://www.bhnformulas.com

    I am fine with losing the weight slower, but I am not so fine with the rest of the changes (like hot flashes, or brittle fingernails and hair). My hot flashes have disappeared, since I am using the happy cream, now I have to do the rest and work on my weight.

    I started taking bio identical hormones and they really help my sleep and have totally eliminated hot flashes. When I skip a dose, I notice it.

    Are you using both progesterone and estradiol?
  • pvju
    pvju Posts: 115 Member
    pvju wrote: »
    I am 52 and if hot flashes would count as exercise I would be in great shape.

    I don't take hormone replacements or drugs, but I found a natural cream that seems to work miracles with me. My husband calls it my happy cream :-). I am not sure if I am allowed to put a link in here, but I guess I am going to find out.

    http://www.bhnformulas.com

    I am fine with losing the weight slower, but I am not so fine with the rest of the changes (like hot flashes, or brittle fingernails and hair). My hot flashes have disappeared, since I am using the happy cream, now I have to do the rest and work on my weight.

    I started taking bio identical hormones and they really help my sleep and have totally eliminated hot flashes. When I skip a dose, I notice it.

    Are you using both progesterone and estradiol?
    pvju wrote: »
    I am 52 and if hot flashes would count as exercise I would be in great shape.

    I don't take hormone replacements or drugs, but I found a natural cream that seems to work miracles with me. My husband calls it my happy cream :-). I am not sure if I am allowed to put a link in here, but I guess I am going to find out.

    http://www.bhnformulas.com

    I am fine with losing the weight slower, but I am not so fine with the rest of the changes (like hot flashes, or brittle fingernails and hair). My hot flashes have disappeared, since I am using the happy cream, now I have to do the rest and work on my weight.

    I started taking bio identical hormones and they really help my sleep and have totally eliminated hot flashes. When I skip a dose, I notice it.

    Are you using both progesterone and estradiol?

    It's something called "bi-est" and progesterone. I also take a small amount of testosterone. My body, several years after menopause, basically was producing zero hormones, which I know is "normal" but I decided to go for it. The most noticeable effects are no hot flashes, better sleep and better sex drive/more comfortable sex. I don't take a full dose because 1. I don't want to get periods again and 2. Too much testosterone makes me break out.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    pvju wrote: »
    pvju wrote: »
    I am 52 and if hot flashes would count as exercise I would be in great shape.

    I don't take hormone replacements or drugs, but I found a natural cream that seems to work miracles with me. My husband calls it my happy cream :-). I am not sure if I am allowed to put a link in here, but I guess I am going to find out.

    http://www.bhnformulas.com

    I am fine with losing the weight slower, but I am not so fine with the rest of the changes (like hot flashes, or brittle fingernails and hair). My hot flashes have disappeared, since I am using the happy cream, now I have to do the rest and work on my weight.

    I started taking bio identical hormones and they really help my sleep and have totally eliminated hot flashes. When I skip a dose, I notice it.

    Are you using both progesterone and estradiol?
    pvju wrote: »
    I am 52 and if hot flashes would count as exercise I would be in great shape.

    I don't take hormone replacements or drugs, but I found a natural cream that seems to work miracles with me. My husband calls it my happy cream :-). I am not sure if I am allowed to put a link in here, but I guess I am going to find out.

    http://www.bhnformulas.com

    I am fine with losing the weight slower, but I am not so fine with the rest of the changes (like hot flashes, or brittle fingernails and hair). My hot flashes have disappeared, since I am using the happy cream, now I have to do the rest and work on my weight.

    I started taking bio identical hormones and they really help my sleep and have totally eliminated hot flashes. When I skip a dose, I notice it.

    Are you using both progesterone and estradiol?

    It's something called "bi-est" and progesterone. I also take a small amount of testosterone. My body, several years after menopause, basically was producing zero hormones, which I know is "normal" but I decided to go for it. The most noticeable effects are no hot flashes, better sleep and better sex drive/more comfortable sex. I don't take a full dose because 1. I don't want to get periods again and 2. Too much testosterone makes me break out.

    I've used progesterone off and on over the years, but never testosterone. Mine did test low.
  • pvju
    pvju Posts: 115 Member
    edited May 2016

    The testosterone one has immediate effects - within an hour or two you know you've taken it (and it's supposed to help with retaining muscle mass though I have no way of knowing if that's happening). I use an under the tongue gummy-sort of thing. It's by prescription.
  • TheHappyLoser
    TheHappyLoser Posts: 95 Member
    I take only progesterone in cream form. My husband calls it my happy cream. The difference is dramatic. I can instantly tell if I don't use it.