Women - can we talk about Menopause a minute?

[Southernmiss]

Anyone experience crazy weight gain?
Periods are irregular and heavy. 53 years old. irregularities started about 6 months ago. Hot flashes that I did experience have mostly stopped.

The weight I used to put on each month and quickly lose again came on overnight and won't go away. I'm not over weight, just weigh more than ever for me. And haven't changed any eating habits. I walk daily. The extra weight does not change.

I feel like Tim Allen in the Santa Claus movies.

I take replacement thyroid and no other thyroid symptoms.

I really believe it's female hormones.

I'm thinking of just embracing the extra few pounds as most women over 70 that I know lose weight and are then very thin.

 

[anniemae]

Anyone experience crazy weight gain?
Periods are irregular and heavy. 53 years old. irregularities started about 6 months ago. Hot flashes that I did experience have mostly stopped.

The weight I used to put on each month and quickly lose again came on overnight and won't go away. I'm not over weight, just weigh more than ever for me. And haven't changed any eating habits. I walk daily. The extra weight does not change.

I feel like Tim Allen in the Santa Claus movies.

I take replacement thyroid and no other thyroid symptoms.

I really believe it's female hormones.

I'm thinking of just embracing the extra few pounds as most women over 70 that I know lose weight and are then very thin.

Yes! Oh how I hate the weight gain. Years ago, I could easily get rid of a few pounds if I found myself gaining weight. Now it is impossible. I am eating less but gaining quickly. I step on the scale and can't believe how heavy I am. I walk and exercise daily. It's awful. It just won't come off. So frustrating.

 

[Alicefan]

Trust me. I paid my dues earlier with the endometriosis and resulting infertility. The only reason I stayed on hormones that long was because of the risk of that all returning.

oh I'm sorry. That's awful!

 

[Alicefan]

Anyone experience crazy weight gain?
Periods are irregular and heavy. 53 years old. irregularities started about 6 months ago. Hot flashes that I did experience have mostly stopped.

The weight I used to put on each month and quickly lose again came on overnight and won't go away. I'm not over weight, just weigh more than ever for me. And haven't changed any eating habits. I walk daily. The extra weight does not change.

I feel like Tim Allen in the Santa Claus movies.

I take replacement thyroid and no other thyroid symptoms.

I really believe it's female hormones.

I'm thinking of just embracing the extra few pounds as most women over 70 that I know lose weight and are then very thin.

Not so much crazy weight gain, but just so much harder to lose than before. I've always gone drastically up and down my whole life so I can't really attribute it to menopause. The last time I lost a significant amount of weight was right at the onset and I lost 30lbs but turned around and gained it right back. Weight loss doesn't seem to be sustainable unless I continue to eat the way I do when I'm dieting and who the hell wants to do that?

 

[Southernmiss]

Not so much crazy weight gain, but just so much harder to lose.

Weight loss doesn't seem to be sustainable unless I continue to eat the way I do when I'm dieting and who the hell wants to do that?

That's it exactly.

So very frustrating, depressing, and discouraging.

 

[Alicefan]

That's it exactly.

So very frustrating, depressing, and discouraging.

Yes it is! I've never been one to lose anything eating 1200 to 1500 calories a day. I have to cut to around 1000. Always have, and that is just not realistic for life. I will gain eating 1500, not maintain. My entire life has been a "diet". I've always wondered what it would feel like to not have to think about every bite of food I put in my mouth? When they preach about the Lord's supper in church I gain 2lbs. lol

 

[PollyannaMom]

(Saw this on Instagram today and thought of this old thread)

 

[CdnCarrie]

I finished menopause by age 39 or 40. It just never really came back after having my youngest child.

 

[ronandannette]

I finished menopause by age 39 or 40. It just never really came back after having my youngest child.

I had my last period during the week of my 50th birthday. It was relatively normal and lasted 6 days…then I just simply never had another one. Seems I got off light on symptoms too, considering what some go through. It’s been several years now and admittedly, I don’t remember what it was like to function with full energy and mental clarity. I’ve definitely slowed down, but it’s the new (now not so new) normal and I guess I’ve just adapted. I’ve never been on HRT, my doctor never offered it. I did start using Vagifem suppositories about two years in and that has been game-changing for physical comfort.

As for weight, I carried 25 extra pounds all through my 40’s, although I never made any serious effort to lose it. In 2022 (post-menopause) I had a health crisis and unintentionally lost 20 lbs. It’s mostly stayed off, again without intention. I’m 15 lbs. lighter today than I was when I started menopause. I honestly don’t know how hard it would be to purposely lose the last 10.

 

[piglet1979]

I started with the hot flashes around 39. I have been on BC most of my adult life. I was only off when trying to get pregnant and I was off for a short after that before periods got bad. Last year I had my tubes removed and an ablation. Though they could not complete the ablation because my uterine wall was so thin she poked right through it. All of a sudden this winter BC stopped controlling my periods. After trying everything else I am having a hysterectomy in September. My mom and my older sister have had ablations so no clue when they went through or going through menopause. My mom thinks she did around early 50's. My sister is back to have normal periods at almost 49. My mom said one of my aunts and my grandma went through menopause in their early 40's. The biggest complaint in my family are the hot flashes. DH mom was very emotional. To the point she just stormed out of one of the kids birthday parties over seemingly nothing. We really couldn't even talk to her for about a year because it was so bad. Everything would set her off. But she never complained about hot flashes.

For my hot flashes DH bought me a neck fan. This has been awesome. I use it all the time even if it not a hot flash and it is just hot. I wish I would had thought about this for my mom. She was a teacher and was miserable for a few years because she couldn't step out to walk outside in the winter to cool back off.

 

[disneychrista]

Three years later (after my initial post in this thread) and I am still having irregular periods. I am 53, with my last period being in early January, so technically half way there. But I have gone 9 - 10 between periods, so who knows. . I do not have any major, life altering symptoms. I will have occasional hot flashes, especially at night. I am sure there are other symptoms that could be attributed to per-menopause as well like brain fog, weight gain and other physical symptoms but those can also be attributed to other conditions I have.

 

[pezgirlroy]

47 and clearly in the middle of perimenopause. Weight gain, hot flashes, headaches, itchy skin, mood swings (sometimes I want to just stab ), loose joints, forgetfulness. It is really awful.

 

[neverlandsky]

Mid 40s now. On the tail end of it all. Don't care about my weight anymore. Threw out the scale and bought loose comfy cloths. My main focus is overall strength and brain. Stopped drinking alcohol completely almost 6 months ago. Stomach went from bloated hard to soft. Joint pain is non-existent. My forgetfulness is mostly gone, and brain feels alive. Face bloating is gone. Doing things I want to do without guilt. I can buy myself flowers. Saying no when I don't want to do something. I basically invoked selfcare for myself the first time in oh 3+ decades.

Going to the gym 6 days a week.
Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays: 15 minutes rowing machine, 30 minutes stair climber, 10 minutes 5-10lbs dumbbells x2 routine, 5 minutes 8lbs medicine ball x4 routine, 3 minutes side leg crunches.
Tuesdays/Thursdays/Saturdays: 30 minutes stair climber, 15 minutes treadmill walk.
Sunday: Rest

 

[fla4fun]

I can’t believe how young some of you were when you went through menopause. I am still going and going like clockwork. The only times I have missed periods throughout my life was during times of stress, like when my parents passed away. Otherwise, I can tell you to the day, and often morning or evening, when the next one will come. I am longing for the day when I am completely finished, but at this rate I will go on Medicare before that happens (not joking).