Peri-menopause and menopause and weight loss????
 

Ladies that are in this area of life...Do you find it harder to lose weight? I have heard before that it suppose to be harder to lose weight, when you are going through menopause or peri-menopause...I am 46 and a half....but what a bitch trying to lose weight!!!!! It never use to be!!!!!! I do aerobics, I walk too, and I do light weights...I stick religiously to this diet!!!! Its really slow going for me!!!! I do have a slow thyroid problem now...but Doc says its in an ok range, I think he said 0.6 the low end? It must be ok, because I would not want to excersise if it wasnt ok. I have not reached menopause yet, but have TOM every 3 weeks/so must be pre-menstrual alot!!!!! I seem to retain water very easy now too!!!!!! lose 4 gain 4...stay same:( What else can I do....Im doin all the things your suppose to do!!!!!! I have been on this diet since March...only blown it 2 times and right back on....

Here is a thread that may help. I believe it starts with humor, but I think it gets to what you are referring to later.

http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthre...&threadid=60415


Beth

hi
 

Holy Hannah!!!!! Thanx for that page .....I guess I will just keep plugging away at things....Its such a bummer at times....I need to read more to see what some of their suggestions are...I know there is a great naturopath Paavo Airola ...he has some great things in his Womans only book...

LadyDi~

You are singing my song. I have tried faithfully to loose weight for 2 years now. I had 35 to and lost 15 pretty steady but the rest has not moved no matter what diet I have tried. I have exercised as much as 6 miles a day on the treadmill for months and still no results.

I am only 42 but I had an ovary removed 6 years ago and so I am wondering if I have burned the other one up!! :daze:

I don't have hot flashes but I do have mood swings.....time where I feel really depressed. It doesn't last long thank God but it is bothersome :rolleyes:

I will say though that this WOE has lessoned my mood swings allot!

I am glad to see that I am not alone in the struggle....even though I wouldn't wish this on anybody.....

I guess we just press on!!! :wave:

Its a bummer isn't it???
 

I'm about to try Potassium...maybe I wacked out the balance some where.

Jaime
 

Did they test your thyroid???? I cant figure what could be happening...we excersise our brains out...thats suppose to boost metabolism?????? Im cutting down on salt, making sure I dont sneak in aspartame, and watch the cheese....In Canada all diet pop has aspartame in it now....

it's absolutely terrible trying to lose weight at this age!! i am 54 now, but up until i got sober and gained over 50 pounds, which was 4 years ago, i never had a problem losing weight! in fact, i was only around 90 lbs. when all this started...then 2 and a half years ago i quit smoking and bamm! (just like emeril) i seem to completely stop losing...it's been so hard for me and i'm very discouraged...if i had done this diet years ago, i would have dropped tons of weight in no time...i'm so grateful for this board...at least i can read some encouraging things on it...if it wasn't for this i would have stopped the diet and just surrendered the rest of my life to being overweight and unhappy...thanks everyone for giving me a little hope...nancy

Dont know if this is true...
 

I did read some where when you get older older...that it gets easy to lose weight again...my Mom would disagree...but her knee is a blow out/so she doesnt move around much:( Ya when I was younger I could lose 6lbs in no time...then about 2 to 3lbs a week after that!!!!!!! You would figure though that if you were excersising...that you would boost yer metabolism/hence losing weight....It must be those "stinkin little hormones"!!!!!!!!! Im doin aerobics, walking, and light weights every day!!!!! Well we can't give up :daze: Its just maddening thats all!!!!! Imagine starving on weight watchers, and not losing a pound like this????? You would cry your eyes out...at least you know this diet does work...because the amount of food eaten, and we dont gain...we stay the same or lose a bit...

yep I had my thyroid tested.....it tested fine :rolleyes:

I feel like I have to work 10 times as hard for every pound I lose....even my hubby says it is not right......he swears there has got to be something going on in my body that is not right.

I have an appt. with a new doctor next month. I am hoping she has some fresh new ideas other than just eat less and exercise more :rolleyes:

well.....
 

When you talk to that Doc you have to let me know......My Doc just said...its because your getting older...you have to excersise even more!!!!! Well I do and still nothing.....I dont take anything that would make it bad either.....I do have to take my thyroid pill...but thats suppose to help make my metabolism normal also???????? And my thyroid is at a normal level right now?????? Im going to see what else raises your metabolism besides excersise....I know some spices are suppose to...then there are some herbal things.....On this diet I wonder if its ok to take kelp pills...I cant find that out any where....

and....
 

a friend of mine lost 45lbs on low carbing....but she jogged and took something called efedrin (I think)...Its banned here..I think it speeds up your body...but its a little risky.

I will let ya know!!! :thup:

....i'm seeing my doctor tomorrow...i'm so discouraged that i'm feeling depression kicking in...i really did have a great figure and a lot of self-confidence before this weight gain...i left it go because getting sober menat saving my life...there's no way i'll go back to the way i was...but this is also suicide...i've gained SO much weight, and i'm having such a terribly hard time trying to lose...my cholerterol is at danger levels and i have coronary heart disease...it's like, if my lifestyle doesn't do me in, eating will...i'm between a rock and an hard place...damned if i do and damned if i don't...i'm tired...i have a possible new career in hollywood as an anthropology consultant waiting for me...i can fill you all in when i know more...but i don't even know if i can keep up the pace! this sucks, and i'm really feeling down right now...thanks for being a shoulder board, so to speak...

Well hang in there...
 

we will just all keep trying...and check back here to see what we all keep coming up with....Just one little thing may help someone. It does make ya freakin mad at times though!!!!!!

Hi there,
I'm so glad you posted this thread. I posted one about 2 weeks ago and didn't get much responce.

I THINK EVERYONE SHOULD PUT THEIR AGE. WE ARE ALL WOMAN AND WHEN ONE SAYS "I LOST 20 OR 30 LBS' IS THAT A MENOPAUSEAL WOMAN?

You hit the nail on the head. Since HRT I've have had nothing but trouble losing weight. It"s like it's glued on. I'm 52 and have been on Atkins for about 3 weeks and have lost a few pounds. Even my clothes are tighter now. I'm going to try to lower my calories and see if that helps.
About a month ago I was successful losing weight and inches with a high fiber/ low fat diet but I was always hungry. I did weight traing with Joyce Vedral tapes from her web site. Her theory is woman can't gain bulk muscles with weights and she was right. It was amazing my body began to change shape like Oprah's. In fact I think this diet was like Oprah's. My metobilism increased a lot!!! But I've started a new job and haven't had time to train anymore but I'm going to try alittle longer with Atkins and see if I can add my weights back.
I am very discouraged though!!!!
Pam

ok
 

My name is Diana, and Im a non-loser...Im 46 and a half:)
I have lost a pound or 2...but nothing to write home about!!!!!
Still have TOM...increasing lately every 3 weeks, and like Niagra falls...so could be body changes happening...but all else seems the same.

Don't you think they should start a menopausal/HRT and weight loss section?
When I see some one lose all this weight I think that that person is very young and don't allow myself to get inspired by them.

Does anyone know how to start something like this?

P.S. In my opinion, menopause and perimenopause should not be grouped together.

well...
 

It would be neat to start a special area about this... :idea:
I'm not too worried about perimenopause and menopause being lumped together. One leads to the next, and its good to carry the information on for those getting to menopause. It's all about your hormones changing, and making different things happening in your body. Good to stay informed from all areas and all friends.
:wave:

I was thrown in surgical menopause 18 months ago so I am on hrt and a host of other meds that since my surgery i have been put on as well. I have a hard time losing now. I have lost 5 pounds this past month. and that was a struggle. pounds were coming like falling off before menopause what a difference after wow. But I would not be fit to live with if I wasn't on hrt that is for sure. my children, husband, dogs . family and friends would have to commit me if I wasn't on hrt. I fully understand about the comment about the small animals and children not being safe. I had never had pms ever but this is a hold new level of hormones pms is like a walk in the park next to menopause. So I feel not losing weight fast enought or turtle like is just something else to deal with I would not go off hrt. Ok so what was the orginal question? thats menopause for you with or without meds . lol
Shoshie
having a little blond moment over here.

my menopausal moments began 12 years ago...i had to have a hysterectomy at 42 and was put on hrt immediately...that didn't seem to affect my weight, just my psychosis! i do know many, many women who gained weight right after starting hrt and fought it all the time...it has been since i quit drinking and drugs...and i believe age is a great factor.

for me, i was in desperate need of putting on some weigiht...i'm 5'2 and when i went into treatment i weighed only 92 lbs...in 6 weeks i put on 35 lbs. and after that it just kept coming on...of course, i kept putting the food into me...it just tasted SO good and after years of near starvation and bulimic episodes -not for weight gain, but for drug enhancement- i just couldn't get enough to eat...i crossed the line in that first 6 weeks and never looked back...then i quit smoking, and decided to try atkins again since it worked well for me once before...that was over 2 and 1/2 years ago...i've been unable to loose over 8 lbs. since...now i'm gaining as a result of the advantage bars and shakes i started (only once a day, mind you) in california...i was swimming every day and walking...i'm going to ask my doc some questions about this today...he was the one who initially recommended atkins to me several years ago, having had success himself...i'll let you all know what he says...

yes, i feel we could use a special thread for us...any admins out there willing to give it a go?

nancy

I would love to have a special section for those of us struggling in this area. It is hard to read success after success story and feel like I am always coming up short in the weightloss! I think we could be a real encouragement for each other too!

I really hope it can be done!!!!

OH and my vote would be to keep peri-menopause and menopause together :)

hi
 

Ya we should keep the 2 together...we all learn from each other...I'm not taking any HRT yet, but I am if you count the thyroid meds....BUT, I do know Im getting to menopause (not many symptoms/ but my age says so). I have noticed I can get right bitched off at PMS time now though!!!! Weight loss/ whats that?

I found my HOME!
 

I am so happy I found this thread. I started low carbing in January and gained 13 pounds. In Feb I switched to Atkins and l lost maybe 3. I am SO FRUSTRATED! :mad:

I saw 3 doctors. One found a uterine fibroid tumor( heavy bleeding) the size of a tennis ball. Iron was low but we fixed that in a month. All blood tests and special thyroid tests came out fine.
I am using progesterone cream and lots of vitamins but no perscription drugs.

Unless I start eating only 1000 calaries a day, I can not seem to loose weight. I have not had one cheat in 6 months. No sugar, flour, starch, pasta, rice. NOTHING. Calories were around 2500. I dropped to 2000. Then my doctor suggested 1500.

Now my doctor is suggesting Meridia to jump start the weight lost. It is supposed to kill the appetite Anyone know anything about this?

She also said that she would not be opposed to stomach stapling. I said NO WAY. In the past I have lost over 150 pounds. I also just lost 100 pounds over the last 2 years on low/no fat, high carb diet so I know I can loose weight. The question is why is the weight not coming off? :confused:

I am seriously thinking about taking the Meridia.

Any thoughts?

Menopause is very different from perimenopause. With all respect intended, if you haven't been there it's hard to relate. The drugs(HRT) and end of the menopause cycle change everything. If you perimenopause woman think you are having trouble with your weight now, wait til the hormones!!!!
Menopause symptoms;
1).Your weight increases without changing anything after hormones.
2.)You start getting thick around the middle like men do.
3) You lose bones and muscles which contributes to weight gain.

I could go on and on... hair changes, your breast change, skin, vaginal area, memory...... yada yada yada.
It is not a pretty sight. And i don't want to make this a foren a bitch session about menopause, just a place where we can share what works and what doesn't in the weight loss process .

Pam

I take a pretty high dose of premarin and I am losing weight very slowly I also take bp med and thyroid as well. maybe you are taking in some hidden sugar or salt?
shoshie

If I'm reading this right, none of you are on HRT. How can you talk about something you are not a part of????How can you really relate????I not saying that perimenopause is not a trying time, but it is different from menopause!

I wish some one would join this that can speak from experience with taking hormones.

Pam

easy now.
I know for me that just in the past 6 weeks have I started to lose weight and inches. I have been on meds since dec 2001 . I have found it much harded to lose weight since I was on my meds then before. So I work much harded at it.

Pam,
I am on HRT. I have been for some time now. I personally was throw into with emergency surgery. I am 41. I know how
hard it is to lose weight. Like I said before I just started to lose weight again. I thought that I would never start to lose again and I am surpriseing myself. I understand your frustration but until you are in menopause you really don't know how bad it can get. You think that the things that you are feeling and the night sweats that you get are bad but until you are in it full blown you are really clueless. Kind of like labor you think it is not to bad or maybe that it is but by the end you are really in pain. It is the un see what can I say. But I will share my woes with anyone I can maybe help or even inspire.
Shoshie

i have a story just like many others here.