lap band and menapause

Well I guess it is happening to me.

  I have had the band since Feb 2007 and have done well.  The last 4 years I have gained and loss the same 10 lbs.  not too bad, no real problems with the band.  Now I think I am entering into menapause, its like I have PMS for the past 3 mo's.  My band is tighter as if I am getting ready for my period that just won't come.   

I am  48 1/2 years old and I was wondering if loosing so much weight started this menapause process. 

  Any one have simmilar experiences?

The band probably did not effect your menopausal or (more likely) peri-menopausal symptoms.

You should have bloodwork performed by your PCP or GYN to determine your status.

It is also pretty common in the Spring allergy season for our mucous membranes to swell -- and our stomachs fluctuate --- making the band feel tighter.

If you are peri-menopausal and having fluid flucutuations, you might want to get a little fluid out of the band to make yourself more comfortable.

The band is not tighter --- but your stomach is swelling/enlarging.

Thank you for the time to respond to my post.    yes, I have decided to go and have the blood work done. 

 Hi, i am just looking too talk to someone... I am going to have the lap band soon and just want too see how it went thats all .. thank u again cindy

What part of AL are you located in?

How much weight did u lose? I stopped having my period about 5 or 6 months after having my band. However I was told a month prior to getting the band that I was about to enter menopause and that the extremely heavy bleeding I was having was an indication of this. At that point I had lost 30 or 40 pounds. I wouldn't think that just 30-40 pounds could bring that on though?

I lost about 80 lbs, but always had my period.  This was back in 2007  and had it every month up until last year about november.  I had always been a heavy bleader. 

Well I just need to face it that I am not in my 20's or 30's anymore.   I wish I would have done the band or something way back then I was 42 when I had it done. 

Menopause is a depletion of estrogen from our bodies and weight loss causes fat cells to put estrogen into our system.

If anything, the weight loss could mask symptoms of menopause .... That is why it increases fertility.

It is. It uncommon to be peri menopausal at 45 or so ... In your age range, it is quite normal.

There are treatments if you are having symptoms ..... I went onto a sleep aid for insomnia a few years ago and now I am on bio identical hormone replacement.

I sleep and fell better after 6 weeks of those. My mental clarity is better and my mood swings are really improved.

God luck ... Have a good chat with your doctor.
Mine sentme to a local compounding pharmacy .... They interviewed me and made up a batch of hormones especially suited to my body.
Then, they checked on me after 3 weeks to see if it was working, or if it needed to be tweaked.

 
You know, throughout the years I have had WLS I have seen people posting that WLS put them into menopause.  I remember thinking... nawww, WLS can't do that.

Well, guess what?  I went into menopause right after WLS.  I was 44.  I asked my GYN about it and he said yes, absolutely.  Female hormones are stored in fat cells.  When you lose weight you are bound to have issues of one sort or another.  When you lose a massive amount of weight it does weird things with your hormones and in my case, it put me into menopause.

Oh, please do not misunderstand!  I am NOT complaining!!!!  ;o)  I like it.  I never had one symptom other than no periods.  No hot flashes and mood swings are clearly a normal for me.  HA!  But it did do the job.

WLS does a lot of things to the human body, never under estimate it~