female only Hrt After Weight Loss

[Caradina 65]

Hello Ladies!

I'm looking for a sound off from ladies who had had a total hysterectomy BEFORE VSG, and who were on HRT. I'm only 33, but I lost all of my reproductive system this last summer due to aggressive cysts. I've had all sorts of hell trying to get a hormone replacement that worked and didn;t make me horribly ill. I finally found something that (mostly) works, but it's a tenuous success. It's also a low dose birth control pill. I've read that women sometimes have trouble with the pill after, and that terrifys me, because I've tried Patches and shots for HRT, and they all made me miserable. Has anyone successfully stayed on their HRT regimine after losing ther weight? I know that they say that the less fat you have, the more estrogen you need, because the fat stores it. (Which worries me too, because as my fat start\s melting away and releasing stuff, is it going to mess me up?) Please sound off if you have any expereinces even remotely related to this. I'm really scared about it. I'm a BEAST when my hormones are out of whack and my poor DH doesn't deserve another round of that!

[Pookeyism 1,143]

Wow, I had not even thought about all of that! I have never been on a birth control pill (not as irresponsible as it sounds, long story and still no kids ) but that is a really good question.

[Caradina 65]

I've never not been on some sort of hormone. My reproductive system started trying to kill me at the age of 12, as soon as it realized it was there. My resultant hormone issues are a large part of my metabolism issues, which caused my weight issues. I expect to be a slow loser, because my PCP feels that this surgery will allow me to eat a small enough calorie load to lose weight. Right now, I starve on 2000 calories, and am always hungry, because of this awful fake estrogen feeding the insulin resistance thing. The hope is that the sleeve cuts my hunger, so I can eat less and eventually reduce the insulin resistance so I can maintain a healthy weight. Blah. My health history is like a book.

[Capt Derel 287]

I am a guy but I do take HRT myself. I felt the exact same way before surgery. I know for a fact HRT accelerates the ghrelin production glands on your stomach. Now I am 10 days post op, on HRT and still not hungry. I just thought since I was on HRT I would be hungry after but that just isnt the case. I went from 326 to 289 as of today lol. Good luck

[Caradina 65]

Thanks Capt Derel. It's true, I'm like a bottomless pit! Life without the HRT is worse though. I'm hoping this will be the "magic bullet" that will hekp me control my hunger and eating while also controlling my hormones. It's depressing to be so young and to have this to worry about. (I see that you're close to me in age, so I'm sure you agree!) Your success story is inspiring, so hopefully it'll work the same way for me. Thanks for your comment. It's a weird comfort to know that men can deal with this too. It's so often thoguht of as just a women's thing.

[coops 1,790]

Caradina,

I was going to start a thread about this myself.

I was given blood tests last year and told that I was peri-menopausal at the age of 39. I went on HRT but I suffered with severe Migraines and taken off them; I only last 6-8 weeks on the Patches.

The last year, the symptoms came with a vengance... sweats, sleepless nights, moody, emotional and all for 'no apparent reason'! I was horrible and I felt horrible. I went back to my doc and she gave me tablets to control the sweats, whcih worked a treat. I was also refered back to the menopause clinic and put back on HRT Patches and I am still on them 3 mths later. No migraines this time as the flush tablets also stop Migraine attacks. I feel a lot better, moods are calmer, I can concentrate for longer and I have better sense of well being... all in all going good.

Now, my concern here is two fold - firstly I am spotting every 10-20 days and it is not pretty (sorry if TMI) i also get cramps and pains that I didn't get before, although my monthlys were very erratic! And secondly, I haven't lost a pound since October and was wondering if the HRT has 'something' to do with this? Since the New Year I have been logging food (with a couple of breaks) and my calorie intake is looking good - between 900-1200 a day. I do exercise, but the last couple of weeks it hasn't been as regular but I still ... I am in a bit of a quandry about it! I am 19+mths out and not at goal, although I am happy with the weight I have lost, I do feel that I would like to get rid of another 14lbs or so.

According to the BMR charts and all that malarky, I 'should' be losing about a 1lb a week?

I was also interested in the oestrogen being stored in fat comment that you made... I didn't know that until recently and am now wondering if the weight loss that I have achieved might have spurred on the menopause a little earlier that it might have been. However, I really do think that I was going to go through it early as my symptoms, albeit minor, were there anyway.

Any thoughts would be appreciated as I am a little confused...

Whatever happens, I am going to continue all my efforts to getting this last 14lbs off... and when work calms down, my exercise will go up!

Good luck to you and sorry for the lengthy response!

[Caradina 65]

Coops -

Are you on both estrogen and progesterone? If so, it may be part of your issue. I had about 3 months of no ovaries but still having a uterus. It was HELL! The progesterone made me insane, and I spotted constantly the whole time. I also packed on weight. They eventually opted to remove my uterus because I couldn't tolerate it, ad it's not safe to do just estrogen when you have a uterus. So long story short, your HRT could very well be causing your issues. Also to think about: Do you have fibroids? Fibroids can feed on HRT, and grow like the dickens. So you may be losing, but gaining fibroaids, Fluid and other unpleasant lady things that are causing the scale to not budge. Isn't being a woman fun?? LOL

[coops 1,790]

Wow... you were young going through all that...

Oh yeah, being a woman is amazing... I have all my bits intacked...lol... and yea, the HRT is just oestrogen. Doc did mention giving me progestrone too but nothing was mentioned at my last appointment. I go back in 3mths,,, do you think should mention it? As far as fibroids go... don't think I have them? I do get some of the symptoms of PCOS; facial hair - how attractive), some body hair, spots along my jaw line, thinning hair - why can't my Hair growth just be concentrated on my head...lol!

At first the menopause doc wanted me to have a normal BMI... but when I spoke to her a couple of weeks ago, she told me not to get stressed over my weight...ha! Talk about a turn around... anyway, I am gonna keep on keeping on, trying to get rid of the last bit of me that I don't want!

Good luck with your surgery... not long now! If you want any help/advice/support... just give me shout! =]