Surgical menopause
October 18, 2009 - 11:06pm
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Hi, I had a hysterectomy when I was 31 but my ovaries were left. Two years later, my right ovary was removed under emergency then the same happened with the left ovary a couple of years later. I was 36 when this put me straight into the menopause so was put on HRT. After gaining 2 stone and horrendouse migraines, I came off it and have had nothing since. I am now 44 and still haven't lost all the weight. I rarely get hot flushes but still very hot at night! I wonder how long before it will end?
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Hi, Buddha2310,
Gosh. So many of us would love to have the answer to that question!
Your "menopause" symptoms actually began when you came off the HRT, correct? How long ago did you stop taking it?
Generally, even though we are all different, the process of menopause takes a few years. It takes that long for all our hormones to adjust themselves. Your experience was intensified by your surgery, of course, and later by coming off your HRT. I hope your temperature issues at night will resolve themselves sooner rather than later. It sounds like they are not hot flashes but you are just hot? Or do you wake up sweating?
There are some natural products that can help with such symptoms. Black cohosh and natural progesterone cream (made from wild yams) may alleviate the night sweats especially.
The weight gain is harder. Our metabolism slows, and it takes less to gain a pound and more to lose one. However, from the way you wrote, you have been successful in losing some of it. Is that right? What have you been doing? Are you an active exerciser? Have you changed your diet?
Hi Diane,
My menopause symptoms started immediately after my last ovary was removed and continued even when I was on HRT.
I do wake up sweating sometimes but I'm always really hot at night. This has been since the surgery - 9 years now.
I have lost some of the weight but, typically, it's all around my middle (my waist is 38 inches). Not only does it look odd as the rest of me is not that big but it puts me in a risk category for heart disease etc. I walk/jog nearly every day and have tried the gym but hated it! I eat small, fairly healthy meals with my family so not sure what else to do. Possibly stress is a factor as I am a parent carer for one of my daughters who has bipolar disorder.
Yes, stress would definitely be a part of it. Stress puts more levels of the hormone cortisol in our blood (the "fight or flight" syndrome), which does make us gain weight if it happens over and over again.
Belly fat is a big problem with menopausal women; we get quite a few questions about how to move this incredibly stubborn fat. Like you say, it often is a double frustration to those for whom it's the only "fat" place on their bodies!
You want to try to get your waist to 35 inches or below -- that's where the risk of heart disease increases quite a bit.
EmpowHer HER writer Mary Kyle wrote about this:
http://www.empowher.com/news/herarticle/2009/08/26/woman%E2%80%99s-heart...
and she also writes about that dang belly fat:
http://www.empowher.com/news/herarticle/2009/05/07/menopause-belly-fat-w...
Prevention magazine has a book called The Flat Belly Diet, in which they talk about the effect on the body of MUFAs -- monounsaturated fatty acids. They are the "good fats," which are present in healthy oils, olives, avocados, nuts and seeds, and chocolate. Here's an article about this:
http://www.prevention.com/cda/article/meet-the-5-flat-belly-foods/bea4682e373c6110VgnVCM10000013281eac____/weight.loss/flat.belly.diet/flat.belly.diet!.foodhttp:/www.prevention.com/mealbalancer/?cm_mmc=MSN-_-We+Lost+14+Inches+of+Belly+Fat-_-Article-_-5+Flat+Belly+Foods
I have this book, and am going to get back to it as soon as I find it in the midst of all of our moving boxes! It is also full of recipes, and has a four-day jump start that WORKS. Thanks for reminding me that I needed to get back on the program. ;)
Thank you for that info Diane, it's really helpful.
Buddha,
You're so welcome. And I notice that one of the links I included yesterday is all messed up. Here's a shorter link to that page:
http://www.prevention.com/cda/categorypage.do?channel=weight.loss&catego...
Please write back later on and let us know how you're doing!