I've just turned 55 and never had any peri-menopausal symptoms. Last year I stopped menstruating and my body went crazy. Besides the continual hot-flashes (day and night), which also resulted in total loss of emotional control and feelings of suffocation, I started to binge uncontrollably. Have put on roughly 15 pounds. After seeing a doctor for the hot flashes (upwards of 25-30 a day lasting up to 2 mins. each, with profuse sweating and the other symptoms mentioned), she suggested HRT. I rejected that and she put me on a low dose of Venlafaxine (essentially an anti-depressant designed to control the hormonal fluctuations that were causing my symptoms). Works pretty well (still get 5+ flashes a day, but not as severe; just the flushed face and sweating). However, I haven't been able to control my weight (such as getting it back down to normal). I've never had to deal much with weight issues in the past, having been a pretty consistent exerciser (lots of running, gym time, weights, biking, swimming etc.), but don't laugh now.....I have two children (age 6 & 8), and work full time, so there's little time left for the level of exercise I used to do. Does anyone have a similar experience with weight issues and hot flashes as me and with restricted ability to get in consistent exercise? I'd really like to know if there is a particular type of diet or assistance that would allow me to get the weight loss I'm looking for and that might also help with the hot flashes. Thanks for any suggestions, particularly if they've worked for you.
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I am so glad to hear about everyone's experiences with menopause. I too was an athlete my entire life. Over the last couple of years noticed weight gain around my belly and hips. My skin changed. Less sleep, more fatigue...all of it. I got help with bio-identical hormone therapy (the cream that can be adjusted throughout the month--very important if you haven't had a hysterectomy) and it is working like a charm. I feel even, balanced. It doesn't hurt that I am a yoga teacher. Yoga and meditation help in every way whether you want to increase your strength, flexibility or calm your nerves. Also read a great book called "Younger Next Year For Women". Excellent book for all us girls and comically written so you will most certainly be entertained. Notice the title isn't Young Next Year. It's "Younger". All about how your body works as it ages and a huge emphasis on health and fitness. Working out hard every day for the rest of your life is the key. I have been following that rule and it's working. And....I stopped lying to myself about what I eat. I stopped eating crap. I don't deprive myself, but I sure do make better choices. Less fatigue, less weight, more energy, feeling good, feeling sexy again. I know I am not 25-30. I never will be again. But I know by doing certain things every day, I can feel sexy now at 46 or whatever age I am, forever. So can you. I am looking forward to my life now. Since I have a new understanding and a new found appreciation for my body and how it works, I am actually really enjoying life more than ever.
June 25, 2011 - 6:16amThis Comment
GET OFF THE MED!!!!
I could have written what smanonb wrote. I, too, had horrific, frequent hot flashes and was put on the same drug. I'm a therapist with over 30 years in the field, and have watched clients gain weight while on this drug for depression. When it was initially prescribed for me to deal with hot flashes, I weighed a healthy 130 pounds, and had already been a runner for over half my life, and have always been very conscious of what I eat. I noticed the weight slowly coming on, and after a few months on the drug, its effectiveness began to wane. My MD increased the dose, and again I achieved a measure of relief, but noted more weight gain. Again, at the higher dose, after a few months, began to lose effectiveness. Another dose adjustment and still more weight gain followed. I became very concerned,as I'd piled on 20 pounds, while still running. I researched, and remembered seeing my clients get heavy on this antidepressant drug called venlafaxine, also known as EFFEXOR. I spent 3 months slowly weaning myself off of it, and had to take a week off from work at the very end, as I was so sensitive to the drug and its withdrawal effects. Why they continue to prescribe and tout this drug as a method for controlling flashes is a mystery, as it clearly has side effects that are, in many ways, worse than the relief that it may provide for some women. The short spans of relief I got were NOT WORTH IT. In fact, as it wore off, it made me sweat even more, and I've heard from clients that one of the side effects of the drug, ironically, is SWEATING.
June 25, 2011 - 4:52amThis Comment
Hi, Smanonb,
Welcome to EmpowHER, and thank you very much for your question.
I hear you on all counts. I am 52 and am also menopausal. I didn't have the horrible time with hot flashes that you are having -- mine were calmer and farther apart, though it came and went for a couple of years, which got tiresome. However, I have the same weight-gain issues, and I also was used to being lean and fit and not really worrying about my weight.
Metabolism bites us all in the end, doesn't it?
Here are some things that might help. Here's a thread of posts that began when I asked other women to write about their experiences with menopause without hormone treatment. There are some natural remedies for hot flashes that might be able to work with the medicine you're already taking (but be sure to ask your doctor about interactions):
https://www.empowher.com/community/ask/menopause-no-hormone-treatment
We also have some things in our library that might help:
https://www.empowher.com/media/article/weight-loss-not-exercise-helps-night-sweats-and-hot-flashes-during-menopause
https://www.empowher.com/media/article/ongoing-debate-value-black-cohosh-hot-flashes
In terms of the weight gain, can you tell whether the extra eating you're doing is because you're really hungry -- or because it's comfort eating? (In other words, I'm wondering if the meds you are taking might have a side effect on your appetite). But menopause seems to be somewhat of a weight-gain party: the body puts it on more easily and it's harder to get off, especially around the middle.
There's a book out from the editors of Prevention Magazine that helps with this. It's called "The Flat Belly Diet" and it's based on calorie control AND monounsaturated fats (the good fats, which the authors call MUFAs.) I write about it here, and give you a lot of links:
https://www.empowher.com/community/ask/i-had-complete-hysterectomy-6-years-ago-and-i-am-now-44-i-battle-belly-fat-even-after-
And have you ever tried to just get in 10,000 steps a day with a pedometer? It's a fast-growing accepted way of getting some weight-loss in for folks who just plain don't have a lot of time. Basically you wear a pedometer, see how many steps a day you take, and then try to increase it over time until you're walking 10,000 steps a day. That pedometer has the effect of making you see all the little things that add up: parking farther away in the parking lot, chasing those two little kids around the house (!), taking the stairs instead of the elevator, walking around the block once for a breather. Get a good one -- a cheaper one won't count your steps consistently.
And do you have Dr. Christiane Northrup's book, "The Wisdom of Menopause" ? It's a fabulous book. Thorough, well-written and easy to understand. Divided into sections so that a woman can look up something particular. And very current. She writes a lot about all of our menopausal symptoms, ways to combat them and ways to see the good in them. (Well, not hot flashes. She just helps us cope with that part.)
I hope some of this helps!
January 8, 2010 - 8:48amThis Comment
Thank you so much for your very comprehensive response, Diane. While I have done some research and also tried some of the natural remedies (none of which worked for me), you've provided a number of resources I had not run accross. I'm eager to check these out and see if any make sense for me. Will provide an update of my progress as soon as I've had some time to try whatever I've selected. I did wear a pedometer for a while, but as you mention, if it isn't a really good one, there's not much value as even sitting down in a chair with a bit of a thud will trigger the counter. I'll look for something better. Best guess is that through normal walking in a day, I get in around 6000 steps, so obviously need to find ways to add the rest. This past week I've been successful in getting in 3 20min. sessions of combined weight training and aerobics. Not enough, but a start. I've also gone to drinking my breakfast (not as bad as it sounds)....home made fruit smoothie, with a variety of fruit, 1/2 cup yogurt, 1/2 cup acai juice (or low sugar grape or pomegranite) and lunch has been chicken or salmon chunks mixed with 1 tbls mayo and eaten with 7 reduced fat Triskets. Dinner has been salad based, with different proteins added (ham or farmers cheese or grilled chicken) with a side of a cooked vegetable (squash, sweet potato, broccoli). I've also added two snacks during the day. The first is a Kashi Honey Almond Flax bar and the second is approx. 3/4 cup of Fiber One shredded wheat cereal. Not sure if this will show results week after week, but for week one I did lose 3 lbs. Proof will be the next two weeks, as I suspect the initial loss to come easily given that I put on a few pounds during the holidays.
Anyway, thanks again for the resources and will give some return comments in a couple of weeks.
January 8, 2010 - 9:21amThis Comment
You're so welcome, Smanonb. I'm really glad if that information is of some help to you. Don't be a stranger to us -- come back and let us know how you're doing on your eating plan (which sounds wonderful, by the way) and your overall feeling about your health and weight. Be sure to work some variety into your diet so that you don't get sick of it! It's really important to balance the comfort of routine with the variety of foods that are out there. But with the different fruits and veggies you're eating, perhaps that won't be a problem.
Do you find it hard to keep up with the grocery shopping? To always have the right amount of fresh foods in the house? If so, will you share your tips? How often do you shop? Do you wash, chop and prepare all your fruits and veggies when you bring them home, or do you do so as you eat them? Any special hints on how to keep this effort part of the routine?
Thanks in advance! And keep up the good work!
January 11, 2010 - 9:16amThis Comment
Trust me you are not alone! There was just a small study that showed excellent results with the hotflashes using accupuncture. My advise is to not beat yourself up and try to do a little exercise as your body gets used to this new phase and then build up to a more frequnet level, even walking with the kids is a plus.
January 6, 2010 - 10:54amThis Comment