HRT and Appetite

[kelly_aus]

I currently don't have much of an appetite, which is funny because I'm a chef.. But what I'm wondering is whether my appetite will improve once I start HRT?

[Samantha_Marie]

I'm almost two weeks in and I'm ALWAYS hungry. I feel like I'm 13 again!

Could be just me idk.

Gabby

[Katelyn-W]

I don't have much of an appetite either, and for about like the first 2-3 months my appetite increased quite a bit. It's gone back to normal for me though, I'm close to 5 months of HRT now. I take progesterone (don't cycle), and I've noticed some people say once they started taking progesterone that it caused an increase in appetite. I started estrogen and progesterone at the same time, so I can't say which one (or both) caused my appetite increase for those months. That's my personal experience anyways.

[Stephanie.Izann]

Oh great. Now I have to worry about gaining weight? I've been trying hard to lose my weight. I don't want to be a husky girl (I'm not a linebacker, but maybe closer to a quarterback...LOL). Does this mean I have to think about being more aggressive losing weight?
Just something more to add to my "losing-weight-blues".

[Izumi]

I currently don't have much of an appetite, which is funny because I'm a chef.. But what I'm wondering is whether my appetite will improve once I start HRT?

Yes, and if progesterone is involved, HELL YES.

With estrogen only on my diet i didnt feel that hungry i could easily control it, when i took progesterone... wow, its tough, you wanna eat... its a lot harder.  Dont know if its just me.

[Debra]

I currently don't have much of an appetite, which is funny because I'm a chef.. But what I'm wondering is whether my appetite will improve once I start HRT?

Since starting E, I am ALWAYS hungry. I ignore it sometimes. It drives me crazy sometimes haha

[kelly_aus]

Thanks for the replies girls and guys.. Believe it or not, it's exactly what I wanted to hear..

[Rock_chick]

I've found the hunger usually manifests its self as a massive craving for salt and vinegar crisps

[Nicky]

If you are on Spiro Helena that would be why. It stops you from retaining as much sodium, so you get depleted quicker.  My endo said just watch it on hot days when you are sweeting a lot, if you get low on salt you can get muscle cramps and things, but he said you will have cravings before that happens.

As for the estrogen I think I eat less on it. But then my muscle mass has gone down, and I think my antidepressants have suppresed my apitite more than anything else.

[Ashleyclaire]

OMG! I have been eating so many pickles and eating salt! I didn't even realize it wasn't a conscious choice. Crazy. Yeah, I've been hungry alot and I'm 2 and a half weeks in.

[suzifrommd]

I'm on E and Spiro. I'm hungry all the time. I've always liked my leanness and I'm going to have to get used to having some padding.

[Natalia]

After one month on HRT, well, actually I am eating quite less than I was used to and I am not feeling hungry all the time.

I am on a diet to lose some weight, and I am really trying hard to keep my mouth closed...but I confess I am always desiring to eat sweeties as chocolate and candies! Oh god 

[Eva Marie]

My HRT dose recently got bumped from low dose into a transitioning dose by my endo. I lost 15lbs and I'm hungry all of the time now; I'm constantly on the prowl for some kind of snack. Since I'm actually at a healthy weight now I keep stuff like pre-sliced apple wedges and fruit cups handy for when the snack urges strike.

I never had a sweet tooth before but OMG now I'm finding it hard to walk by the candy dishes at work without grabbing something  ...... my therapist warned me about this and I didn't believe her, but now i do.

[paxi1334]

My personal experience with Estrogen & food cravings is two fold -
-on the one hand, interest in a lot of greasy, meaty type food has gone way down (cheeseburgers, drive thru, etc.)
-on the other hand, interest in chocolate -& specifically chocolate, not other sugary items, but specifically chocolate- has gone WAAY up. 

So, pretty much, my appetite doesn't bother me - until I need a chocolate pick me up - which fixes things & then I have to eat some protein / veggies / etc. along with the chocolate in order to not cause blood sugar fluctuations.  I'm not diabetic and my A1C is fine.  But seriously, there is an Estrogen / chocolate connection -- before starting Estrogen I enjoyed the occasional treat, now I'd eat it nonstop if I could.

As for my weight, it kinda did a yo-yo thing.  Before transitioning at all, I was overweight from being depressed & eating crap all the time.  When I first started transitioning a combination of better diet, happiness, increased activity & not wanting crappy food helped me to lose a lot of weight & I was really thin and looked really good.  Years of Estrogen and chocolate, however, has caused me to gain weight again, which I don't like - but I'm still less than I was before transitioning & I find that with the Estrogen, my body carries the extra weight better.

But yeah, Estrogen and chocolate have some bizarre relationship I do not yet understand...it must be chemical

[suzifrommd]

But yeah, Estrogen and chocolate have some bizarre relationship I do not yet understand...it must be chemical

Actually well known and documented. Chocolate causes us to release the same signals that are released by female orgasm.

[Ms Grace]

I find my appetite has dropped off considerably. I used to be a real snacker but not so much any more... three meals and one snack, and can't eat as much as I used to (not that I over ate). I work with a lot of women, most of whom are pretty skinny... judging by how little they seem to eat it's no wonder!

[Rachel]

I lost 15 pounds the first month. I had hunger (not hungry but hunger) and ate a lot. I regained the weight. I may have been dehydrated too. The hunger went away sbout 3 weeks or so after starting HRT.

[Autumn]

I'm 9 days in on HRT and I find myself eating bigger meals. Really hope my metabolism stays the same and I don't gain anything.

[HelloKitty]

At first I was a hungry hungry hippo, and then it leveled out a few months in.
Since starting a new HRT regimine though, my appetite is fluctuating daily.

Will eat like a sparrow one day and like a cookie monster the next. Also what I want to eat fluctuates too...have been getting some mega food cravings for particular things.


My weight has not changed at all since starting hrt....Idk if thats good or bad.
My body sure doeant look the same as it used to though

[Constance]

I started HRT in June 2011, and I've been Ms. Pacman since August of that year.