I was thin all my life, until beginning menopause 2 yrs. ago. Since then, I have gained 30 lbs. I am only 5 ft. tall, so it really is a big change! Anyway, I most recently started Biest and have gained an additional 10 lbs. in 2 weeks! I remember reading on here somewhere but can't find it now, about the different types of Estrogen and that one of them would help to prevent belly fat?? I really have not found myself to be feeling a lot better with Biest either. I started having night sweats/hot flashes when I started BHRT and raising the Biest seems to result in tremendous bloating. My stomache is huge, fingers swollen, etc. My new script says that I will be starting Estradiol Pump. I am hopeful that I like it better than Biest. I would appreciate any advice or others experience with the different types of E and also there effect on weight. Thanks!

Hi there

I have no experience with the bi est formulation, I take estradiol only but it seems that there are a lot of similar complaints about that combination on here. I wonder if it's the estriol (that's the additional e, right?) that causes these problems. I found that I was fine using 1 mg. of estradiol until my body got used to it, then I began to have some breakthrough night sweats which I was able to get rid of by upping my E very slightly.
Regarding the weight gain, I have only had real problems with bloating and big weight gain when during the periods that I dropped the progesterone (for various reasons). That put my in a completely unbalanced situation and it wasn't good for many reasons.
Over the summer I took a break from P for a few weeks and I ballooned like you wouldn't believe! Once I added the P back in, the weight came off just as quickly.
You don't mention that you are taking any P, you don't need to?


c

Are you taking progesterone, and Testosterone, too? If you are low on Testosterone, then this might be why you are gaining weight.

Shebee

I am taking T. I am not taking P. When I tried to go on P I had MAJOR anxiety and panic attacks. I am hoping it is because my E level is too low. I was told to try to get the E level up and then try cycling in the P again. So far though, I am not having much luck getting the E level up without symptoms. I have been miserable for about 2 yrs. now! :-( My last labs showed E, P and T all very low.

Hi there...If I may ask, how much E and T are you taking?
Do you know your last test results & ranges?

That will help us all; perhaps we can figure out what is wrong.

Shebee

Hi! I wonder if that is why I have gained such an incredible amount of weight! My Progesterone has measured .01 ever since menopause began. Usually, my E is in the basement also, but has had a couple of spikes. I attempted to take P, but had major anxiety and panic attacks from the tiniest amount. Tried 3 different types and bases. So.....I figured that I just couldn't use P. Then at one point my E spiked and I was hemorraging. Desperate to stop the heavy bleeding, I tried P again, only to find that I could tolerate a small amount of it. I am now hoping that this means that I can tolerate P as long as E is high enough???? So now I am attempting to raise the E and getting incredibly bloated and gaining weight. I can hardly stand to try P again, as my reaction is so frightening and lasts 4-7 days after stopping the dose. I hope if I get the E up high enough, I will be able to tolerate P. If not, then I guess I will not be able to do BHRT.

Sounds like you need to balance with some P. I know how you feel about it, I feel the same way. I am one of those whose body does not like it! But, I also know that if I want the benefits of estrogen supplementation I need to get some P in there somehow.
Maybe you need to try some estradiol on it's own and see how that works for you. YOu may have to try different forms (gel, oral, cream) to see how they work.
But, I would recommend experimenting with different type of P so that you can find a good balance.
Right now I'm trying vag P (sorry if I mentioned this before....no amount of BHRT will help my memory....;-) and the jury is still out on it.
I've also just switched back to Estrace which I find much more convenient and "mellow" for me.


c

My latest labs showed E <28 Progesterone 0.5 Testerone %free 0.76 (ref. 0.50-2.00) Testosterone Free 1.8 (ref. 0.1-6.4) Testosterone Total 24 (ref. 2-45)

My Biest is 1.25 mg/ml Testosterone is 0.5G/0.1 ml Proesterone is o/c Progest Emerita


Most recently, I started using P very, very slowly. After only 2 days with the tiniest dab, I totally freaked out. It was really bad. Uncontrollable crying, panic attacks, anxiety, detached, etc. I stopped using P but got no better. Since it also seemed to make me start having night sweats/hot flashes, I thouht possibly it dropped my E and that was what was causing the problems. I put on some E and within a couple of hours, I settled down considerably. I was then instructed by the dr. to use 1ml E in morning and 1 ml E in evening for 2 wks. and then begin to cycle in the Prog. I started slowly with the E and have not been able to get past 3 tiny marks on the syringe in a.m. and 3 in pm. This totals a bit over 1/2 ml for the entire day. I am incredibly bloated! So bad that I really do look like I'm pregnant and I've also gained another 10 lbs! I have also been using the Testosterone 0.1 ml a day. I've used T in the past and have never had a problem with it. I can't say that it's done anything for my libido :-( but it does seem to give me an overall better sense of well being, less fearful.

I am so envious for those that have been able to get their lives back with BHRT. I so much miss me, both physically and mentally.

I recently spoke with Pete from Bellvue and if the doctor is willing, I am hoping to switch to Estradiol. I didn't know that there was a vag. P??? How is that working for you? I wonder if it has less side effects than the topical cream? I've never heard of Estrace, will have to look that one up. As far as the memory goes, mine is totally gone!! LOL

I recently spoke with Pete from Bellvue and if the doctor is willing, I am hoping to switch to Estradiol. I didn't know that there was a vag. P??? How is that working for you? I wonder if it has less side effects than the topical cream? I've never heard of Estrace, will have to look that one up. As far as the memory goes, mine is totally gone!! LOL

Hi there,

The vaginal P seems to give me less of the nasty side effects I felt from the Prometrium and the transdermal cream. If I had my way, Prometrium would be made is smaller doses because I think that would work best for me. The vag cream is supposed to do a good job at protecting the uterus, I do believe it goes somewhat systemic and therefore slightly protects the breast. My doctor is a bit suspicious about this and has suggested I continue to use the cream (just a tiny dab) on my breasts daily. I should probably up my E a bit also to balance the P.
Estrace is a tiny pill of estradiol. I have used Estrogel for a long time but am tired of the time it takes to use it. After a year of trying different things, I'm trying to streamline the whole thing and the Estrace is so convenient. It also seems to "feel" better than the gel if that makes sense?
I know for me that if I don't have the correct balance of E and P, I can feel terrible, gain lots of weight and bloat like I look 6 months pregnant also. It's all so frustrating some times....
Try to be patient and persistent. It is worth it when you "hit the sweet spot"!!!


c

Feeling a bit confused! I think that your saying that you can get really bloated from using E without P? This might be my problem! What confuses me though is that you are using only vag. P, right? But it doesn't absorb very much systemically, right? Therefore, you don't get the bad side effects, but then how does it balance the E if it's not absorbed systemically? Hope that makes sense! I have not been able to tolerate P cream. Maybe vag. P cream would be a good option for me too?

You said above if you don't get the correct balance of E and P you feel terrible, gain lots of weight and bloat like your 6 months pregnant. That's me!!!! HELP??? Does this happen when your E is too high or your P too high? Do you only use the Estrace and vag. P? I don't feel like my E level is very high, as I'm still having hot flashes, night sweats and vag. dryness. Ugh!! So frustrating! But I am bloated terribly and look pregnant!

That Estrace pill sounds nice! I know what ya mean about all the time it takes! After my shower, I put on E, T, cortizone for adrenals, iodine for thyroid! I am running out of skin space!!! LOL Would be very convenient to swallow a pill. I suppose if I could ever get an established dose, I could probably switch to that.

Yes, in my case when I have too much E in my system I put on a lot of weight and I bloat. I suspect a lot of the weight gain is water because when I started to use MORE P, the weight came off very quickly. Like I said, I have also stopped all my hormones and lost weight very quickly as well (which unfortunately without some E leads to anxiety about weight loss....
But, in a nut shell for me too much E leads to those symptoms and side effects. I believe that the term estrogen dominance simply means that you do not have enough progesterone in your body to balance the estrogen in your body.
Too high P for me translates to headaches, lethargy, depressed mood but not weight gain.

You will more than likely get relief of your night sweat symptoms etc. by using more E, probably estradiol.

You can talk to your doctor about Estrace. Doses are different between the creams and oral but like all of them, you can start at a certain amount and work your way up or down according to how you feel.

If you would like to continue to chat just PM me.


c

Thanks so much for all the information! I appreciate it! You said if I would like to chat to PM you??? Not sure what that is? LOL

click on my name and click on "send message".... i think that's all you do.....;-)

I have not had much success with the bios, and I gained weight, and my thyroid got messed up. I believe it's because I was using the estradiol and that slowed down my thyroid. I started the bios because I had muscle and joint pain, anger rages, and no sleep. My doctor wanted me on Testosterone only because that level came back in the negative range, however, I knew it was not wise to take that w/o little estrogen to balance the male side effects, and I can't take E without P or risk uterine cancer. So I did all three. I gained weight and I still had pain issues. After 6 months I stopped the T for good as I didn't notice any benefit. I stayed on Estrogel (estradiol) and Prometrium (14 days a month) for 5 more months and within that time found my thyroid was all screwed up so I'm now on Synthroid and Cytomel too.

What I want to say is this. Where are you in this phase? Are you cycling regularly but have some symptoms, like flashes, or mood/mental problems? Because if you are cycling regularly, I don't think it's wise to use the hormones. I think when women do, that is why they can't tolerate one or the other. Also most of us will be E dominant most of the time. Our bodies continue to make Estrogen from fat and a little bit from the adrenals, but once the ovaries are done, I think the P is gone for good.

If you are peri stage and skipping cycles, I would say P only and for 12-14 days a month and the lowest dose possible for the first 3 months. The progesterone will also convert to Estrogen in some people (I think I read that) so taking E and P together and if the P converts too you become even more E dominant. It takes 3 months on the P to see how it's working in your body, so you may have to tolerate some minor side effects. But weight gain is one no one wants to tolerate, myself included, but I'm up 30lbs since getting on this bio train.

If you have no more cycles, I think that is the wise time to take small doses of estradiol and continue with the P.

It is all so confusing, isn't it!! I'm feeling really angry about it all today! It seems so **** unfair! I was single for 10 yrs. Then, I finally find a nice man to marry, and 5 months later, I go into menopause! I've gained 30 lbs., have NO libido, am cranky, tired, whiny, anxious, sickly, etc., etc. I am not sure how much more of this that I can take! I've been messing around with the Bios for about a year or more now. I have not really had any luck so far. I really wish that I would. I still cycle, but it is very irregular. At times I will go months without a period and then might have it for a couple months. Am really beginning to think that I should just stop trying the Bios and try to ride it through, but then I don't know if libido ever returns without hormones??