Menopause-related weight gain and body changes

I totally agree with Ann it is more than possible to loose weight postmenopausaly. My cancer was oestrogen driven, my menoapuse surgical. I was told not to use hormoes as well. Over the next years I developed all sorts of other issues repeated bouts of bronchitis which is not me, food intolerances, chemical sensitivity where even laundry residue on others clothing made me feel really ill, if the plants and trees did not get to me, I was virtually housebound. I was unable to enjoy the garden. I too was hypothyroid because of autoimmine Hashimoto's. Synthetic replacements are good when they work. My experience was I could not take either the pills nor the liquid prescribed in the UK.

I prefer to eat vegetarian but and its a big but, I had to bite the bullet and use private prescription glandular tissue - with active hormoes removed. I wanted a life not an existance.

Stepping back, the levo pills available in the UK and other places use dairy as the filler binder - I had developed an intolerance to casein, dairy protein. In choldhood I was given type 2 casein Gurnsey milk, buying milk for myself not realising i was using type 4 casein dominant milk. Dairy is often given as an issue for those with Hashi. The pills made me more sleepy and lifeless. I tried the liquid thyroxin, usually given to children. I discovered I reacted to this too, Paraben is a widely used preservative. After a few weeks I had dreadful indigestion after I had swollowed the dose! It was that or nothing, I was told. My doctor bless him wanted to send me for tests and things. I would still have to use levo. I'd totaly lost confidence in our medical system to the extent, I did not want them wasting more money on me because they would not discover my paraben intolerance, my symptoms were outside the boxes our system provided. (Paraben intolerance is related to my salicylate isues in food and cleaning products and of cause edible plants.

I'd been able to attend the local Immunology clinic but had been refused furthur concultations after the renewed hypo diagnosis which this time showed low t3, as well as antibodies these are not usually tested in the UK, other countries do not always test them either. The Professor knew I needed working with but the local endocrinologist knew better...... and t3 needs were forgotten. The NHS has not given t3 to anyone for years. (that I know of, patients were often on the radio tellin of their inability to achieve their previously prescribed t3) I thank the Professor for giving me the knowledge to support doing my own research in order to get my health back.

I was feeling so ill I started looked for private treatment. I started working with a BANT (UK only) nutritionist who was able to prescribe the glandular prodicts which I resisted. We had covered yeast issues not recognised in the NHS or at least to the extent I had issues. I was shown, being skeptical did my own research too, I discovered conversion of t4 to t3 is not always a given. Some of us have a greater or lesser genetic inability to convert. Some of us can often need other minerals in additon to the iodine, selenium and others. This was never mentioned to me by the NHS. (Levothyroxin is only a synthetic iodine). As we age our ability to absorb nutrition from our foods can diminish, this is one of the ways our endocrine system works can become strained. Poor nutrition over time can also be implicated particularly in the less well off persons. The thyroid gland is central to the system but it receives information from the other glands, the adrenals, the hyathalimus and more, if these glands start to work less well even start working to excess they will deminsih the thyroid gland. The nutritionist also helped me address my autoimmunity so my antibody levels are low to non-existent. My experience within the NHS had been take this pill, do this and all will be well but for me it was not.

I'm still learning. The cancer I had could have been prevented had my progesterone levels been observed. Many cancers are oestrogen driven, progestrone is the natural balancing hormone. Think PCOS too. I have yet another supliment.

Now aged 70, I have better health than I had in my 30's! Its taken 8 years being supported, putting my personal jigsaw back together. I've been fortunate to be able to spend a small fortune on myself to be there for my children, grandchildren and soon to be 5 greatgrandchildren under 3 years, its been frightening how swiftly they arrived. When we get out of this UK version of lock down we are getting back to childminding, two little boys, one 2 1/2 the other will be 6 months. We will be living! For me it has taken using all glandular tissue supliments with vitamins and minerals. I would rather not have had to use animal product not wanting to leave this world before I was ready, causing avoidable grief I have. I remember and thank the animals I depend on for my life several times a day. for a life worth living, to be able to contribute to the world in general. If it takes glandular to be well, being grateful, its how I reconsile the issue.

Everyone should do what is right for themselves, especially where endocrine issues are involved. Do your own research especially if you think synthetics do not work for you. I don't want anyone to endure all I did.

Thinking additonal protein for the vegetarian. There are some good vegan protein powders here in the UK one brand is made by Revolution Foods. Legumes are good for protein. Possily adding lentils or pea protein to a curry or vegetable stew kind of meal can help bringing up your protein intake. (You could reduce other legumes to a powder in a liquidiser to use in this way or as a thickener)

For those who may be interested - NAC can help with respiritory issues, is recomended for COPD and the like.

As you realise, I'm with you on the, Doctors not listening, they have theri boxes.

You probably were hypo for a long time before you were actually tested you. Many are told they are within "normal range" only who knows what is normal for one individual as against another, we all vary. At this point I went off and looked into "thyroid and menopause". I found a particular piece on the "hypothyroidmom" website. I find what she has on her site interesting to read. Peri-menopause and your Thyroid is the article. It seems both Hyper and Hypo can be involved in the way our bodies react during the menopause. Our bodies, our systems never cease to amaze me. Oestrogen levels are invlved in immunity too. This can leed to autoimmunity. I wish more in the medical profession were permitted to keep up with medical understanding and stop this telling women, as it felt to me, they are at fault for not conforming.

All the very best, I fear you will need to find another doctor who listens or take a functional path. they use the same blood tests but take things right back to basics find the why's of a situaiton then works towards repairing the needs with diet and medications as necessary.

lcullerton wrote: »

I also have fatigue after exercise even the next day all day fatigue. I am menopausal for 10 years and need to lose 15 pounds. This product which is vegan and is amino acids really helps with fatigue. I think any amino acid product works. I use this one tracemineral research post workout. I found out about it from a guy at the gym that was 70 but looked 55. He is into nutrition and I asked him about fatigue the next day and he suggested this. It really helps. Drink after your workout.

I'm glad you were able to find something that worked for you! Nutrition is important.

Another common cause of post-exercise fatigue - which I'm not saying applies in your case - is the popular myth that exercise needs to be very intense in order to accomplish anything useful. Beginners are nowadays encouraged to do HIIT (high intensity interval training) right from the git-go, and generally that's neither the best way to maximize calorie burn or to reliably/efficiently improve fitness.

I've been quite active for 15+ years, starting when obese. Even now, when reasonably fit, a true high-intensity workout (intervals or some other high-intensity pacing strategy) will leave me exhausted for the rest of the day, and perhaps beyond. I can get equivalent calorie burn by spending a small bit more time, going at a moderate/manageable intensity throughout, and burn the same calories, but without the penalty of exhaustion afterward. (Of course, the objective intensity I'd call "intense" now is higher than what would've been intense to me years back, but the calorie arithmetic and the post-exercise fatigue operated then and now in exactly the same way).

I'd add that the EPOC effect from intensity is overstated, too, and it's obvious if you do the arithmetic.

(EPOC = excess post-exercise oxygen consumption, sometimes called "afterburn", the idea that you keep burning calories after the workout. It's a real thing, and it truly is around twice as big a percentage for intense workouts vs. moderate ones, but the moderate session doesn't need to be much longer to get a numerically equal/higher base burn+EPOC from the moderate workout. EPOC around 14% (or thereabouts) on a 200-calorie short HIIT workout is 28 calories, whereas 7% (or thereabouts) on a 200-calorie moderate workout would be 14 calories. Moreover, the extra 14 calories is easily wiped out by the impact of all-day fatigue on daily life activity (such as resting more, dragging through the day). Yes, a 200-calorie moderate workout takes longer than a 200-calorie intense one, but not as much longer as many people would expect. The exhaustion penalty from working at the edge of our fitness capability is high, but the additional calorie burn per minute is not nearly as dramatic. Most people - not all - also find high intensity . . . less pleasant, shall we say.)

From a fitness standpoint, high intensity is (metaphorically) the spice of a good overall fitness program, not the main dish. Elite athletes don't work at what is for them ultra-high intensity every day, let alone throughout each and every workout, because it's not an efficient fitness strategy. The same principles apply to us regular people, it's just that our high intensity is objectively lower than their high intensity, and most of us can devote less time to exercise because it's not our job.

Generally, beginners are best served by an exercise mode/duration/intensity/frequency that is a little bit challenging - manageably challenging - just a bit of a stretch beyond current capabilities for them. Then, we can gradually increase one of those variables (mode/duration/intensity/frequency) to keep a little challenge going, as we get fitter. That leads to fitness progress, minimizes injury risk, is less exhausting, and more.

Apologies for the rant: Pet peeve. :flowerforyou: