welcome aboard!

There's a common thought that HRT causes weight gain, but I can't find any proof of that anywhere. Some women do gain, but an equal percentage LOSE weight too. My thought is that we have estrogens circulating in our bodies all our lives till menopause, why would taking a small dose of it cause us to suddenly gain weight?? Hate to even think it, but weight gain may be more a function of being over 50, than being on HRT.

Coumadin will have no effect on weight loss.. .. sorry to hear you had to have that surgery (I used to work in ICU, I've recovered hundreds of patients after valve-replacement, both mechanical and tissue. It would sometimes be really disconcerting to stand by the bed and hear the little ball clicking in the person's chest)

You sound like you're doing well with lowcarbing Weight loss can be very slow for some, but it's the improvement in overall health and energy that is so rewarding. Just one point about the Splenda scoopable ... it has maltodextrin as the filler.. .. It has exactly the same carb and calorie count as the packets for the same amount of sweetening power. (each packet = 2 tsp sugar, and has 4 calories and 1 carb gram --- the scoopable, 1 tsp = 1 tsp sugar, and has 2 calories and 0.5 carb) On the horizon is a liquid Splenda, which has zero carbs and no filler. It's not available in North America yet.

Have you ever tried stevia? It's a natural plant extract, that tastes very sweet and has zero carbs. You can buy it at most health food stores. It has a slight anise/licorice flavour that some folks don't like, but I think it's fine, equivalent to any artificial sweetener. It doesn't lose sweetness with heat, so you can cook with it.

Take care, and keep us posted of your progress..

Doreen