Menopause - men beware!!

[Guest guest]

, you are correct - there is a period of time called peri-menopause

during which you may not have a period but some hormones are still being

produced. I have not had a period in 6-8 years (granted 2 yrs was

probably too obese to have them) and my GYN said I still have not

completed menopause as I have no drying of the vagina. I know TMI!! But

as an RN you would have thought I would have know about peri-menopause

and I bet lots of females do not!

Amber/FL

antidepressants and weight gain (long post)

I just came back from my visit with my psychiatrist and asked him again

about the various anti-depressants and weight/gain loss. His experience

has been that there is some weight loss with Topamax but no one seems to

know why. Also often with Welbutrin because Welbutrin cuts down on

cravings (especially carbs) so you are less likely to snack. On the

other hand, sometimes some people will gain weight on anti-depressants

simply because they start to feel better and begin to eat more. His

theory is that those of us who have used food to help us cope tend to

eat when we are depressed and eat when we feel good (Before WLS I

didn't need a REASON to eat) so sometimes just the change in mood can

be a trigger to eat more, even subconsciously.

I found that I did gain weight the time I was on Elavil but part of the

reason was that it made me so tired that when I wasn't working all I did

was sleep so I wasn't burning as many calories.

Right now I am on Welbutrin, Topamax and Lexapro and seem to be doing

well (if it works don't fix it, right?) I take more of the Welbutrin

than he would usually prescribe because he thinks the Welbutrin SR is

better than the regular Welbutrin so instead of taking one Welbutrin

once a day I just take another one about 6 hours later.

His wife just had WLS two weeks ago so he is going to be doing a lot of

looking into how meds affect us and I will be anxious to see what more

he learns.

He also reminded me that as women we have to be aware that our hormones

have a lot to do with our mood swings ... particularly just as we are

coming upon menopause. Sometimes that can be misdiagnosed as bi-polar.

I also recently learned from my gyn following my hysterectomy that just

because you stop getting a period doesn't mean that you have hit the big

M and that you are no longer producing estrogen. The ovaries still

might be producing estrogen on and off intermittently.

B. from NJ

RNY - 6/25/01

313/196/??

PS thanks again to these two groups. Since coming on these lists I have

stopped the weight gain and have started losing again. Proof that you

can still lose after 2 years out.

The smallest feline is a masterpiece. - Leonardo Da Vinci

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