[3fcuser291505109]

Since losing the weight i needed to lose (roughly 90 lbs). And i've shed A TON of hair.

Now i turned 50 last June and i did all this in a year or so's time so i know i'm also perimenopausal and i also have hashi's thyroiditis so there are other factors here but i also have been told that weight loss is a major shock to the system esp. with concurrent health problems (i also have CFS/fibro although those have improved w/the weight loss) and that hair sheds *can* be a side effect of weight loss for some (according to physicians) and i did have periodic sheds throughout my 40's followed by regrowth but not as drastic as this. As far as i know my diet is sound, i eat very healthily and take vitamins/minerals as a precaution and am on thyroid meds....
but my sex drive has plummeted to just about nothing. Has anyone else had these types of things happen during major weight loss? Maybe it's just my age and the added shock of the weight loss?

[Arctic Mama]

That can be an issue with weight loss, definitely. Especially if your diet is causing a large calorie deficit and is fairly low in fat, functional hypothyroid symptoms like cold intolerance, hair sheds, dry skin, low sex drive, sleep disturbances, etc, can all manifest.

Given that you are experiencing metabolic stress already with your androgens and thyroid hormones, your best bet would be a diet that is only lightly calorie restrictive and heavy on nutrients - particularly fat and protein. Low fat and low calorie, combined, will exacerbate those symptoms faster than anything. A whole foods diet with maybe a 200-300 calorie deficit from your activity adjusted BMR is a much safer bet for losing without intolerable side effects.

[3fcuser291505109]

Thank you, Taryl

I have been thinking about my fat intake and how to up it w/out dramatically upping calories..

A sample of my daily intake

Breakfast:
2 scrambled egg whites topped with 1/4 cup cheddar cheese on Daves 65 calorie bread (couldn't find the link to the 65 calorie one http://www.daveskillerbread.com/kill...eed-light.html)

Lunch:
2 cups fat free unsweetened Greek Yogurt sweetened with stevia and cinnamon and topped with strawberries, handful of almonds and walnuts

Snack: anything from whey protein shake to turkey sandwich to mashed sweet potato topped with 1 teaspoon butter or EVOO

Dinner: HUGE i mean mixing bowl huge bowl of mixed baby spring lettuce greens and romaine with broccoli, red cabbage slivers, one half of an avocado, grilled chicken breast, small handful of cheddar cheese and fat free Italian dressing

Snack:
homemade cocoa made with unsweetened almond/coconut milk, stevia, cinnamon, 2 heaping T. dark cocoa powder. and maybe an apple or orange, etc.

Fridays are my calorie free zone in which i eat anything i want and i usually have a lot of carbs on that day

it seems to me from the above sample menu that i'm getting plenty of macronutrients, protein and maybe fats given the 1/2 avocado, almonds, walnuts, and cheese?

[Arctic Mama]

All the fat free and reduced fat products are the easy changes - cut some of the sugars out (reduced calorie products are quite high in sugar, as are things like yogurt). Why are you just eating egg whites, when the nutritional powerhouse of the egg is the yolk? Off the top of my head these are the simplest changes to make - WHOLE foods and products, not reduced fat or partial products (unless there is an allergy). Most of what you're eating is great - solid framework. But you may find by upping fats and cutting sugar/starch your calories are less changed than you think

[Song of Surly]

I just wanted to say that I am actually having quite a bit of the same problem, and that through a little research, I also just found out that upping my protein and good fats (which I REALLY don't get enough of) would help. I lose hair every time I start to lose weight, but I was frantic that it had something to do with my PCOS and slightly high cortisol levels. Taking stock of my diet, though, I definitely don't get enough fat and lean protein, the latter of which I found out actually helps with cortisol levels. Who knew? Can't tell you if upping my protein/fat has helped much yet, but I just thought I'd add in that I've came to the same conclusion for my problems.

Thanks for the additional info, Arctic Mama. I seem to have quite a few of the other symptoms you have mentioned as well.

[astrophe]

How's your testosterone/estrogen balance?

I'm hypothyroid/PCOS with high androgen (male hormones like testosterone) and my drive is thru the roof!

So while the thyroid thing and the PCOS thing OR too much wheat thing could all explain my hair shedding issues... I think my libido is more on the hormones balance.

Since you are perimenopause age -- had anyone run your hormones in a lab or anything? I'd look there as the logical place.

HTH!
A.

[3fcuser291505109]

Originally Posted by Arctic Mama

All the fat free and reduced fat products are the easy changes - cut some of the sugars out (reduced calorie products are quite high in sugar, as are things like yogurt). Why are you just eating egg whites, when the nutritional powerhouse of the egg is the yolk? Off the top of my head these are the simplest changes to make - WHOLE foods and products, not reduced fat or partial products (unless there is an allergy). Most of what you're eating is great - solid framework. But you may find by upping fats and cutting sugar/starch your calories are less changed than you think

Yes i used to eat whole eggs every single day but i'll try switching it up with a whole egg again, just trying to keep my calorie intake under control as i do not think i under eat so to speak. The sugars are pretty low in my diet (given the Greek Yogurt is relatively low in carbs and is unsweetened, PLAIN albeit non fat) and yes i'm very aware of fat free, low fat items compensating with more sugar but it is just a few Tablespoons, as i said, trying to keep the caloric load under control as my portion sizes tend to be larger than the "average" female dieter, i just am not satisfied with tiny portions of food but i do add 1/2 an avocado in. I am wondering just how much symptoms are due to dietary fat and protein as it seems my protein is adequate and there IS fat in my diet although i could probably up it a bit.
I am just wondering if plain old weight loss has thrown my endocrine balance into upheaval not to mention the perimenopausal issue and i have always suspected i have PCOS. My diet is FAR more sound and healthy than when i was overweight so it's kind of depressing!

I have not had any labs done as i do not have insurance and am struggling with finances right now, alas

[Arctic Mama]

I hear you on labs, I'm delaying my own thyroid panels for the same reason!

Dieting, alone, could definitely be the cause. If you've already lost a significant chunk of weight and are obviously dealing with pre-existing endocrine issues, calorie deficits could be the tipping point. Making your diet as gentle as possible, in terms of being anti-inflammatory, not exacerbating your adrenals or spiking insulin, and maintaining a VERY modest energy deficit are really your best bets. But it is entirely possible some hormone replacement therapy of either androgens or thyroid/adrenal hormones may be needed to ease the worst of your symptoms - age and diet alone could do it to a healthy woman, but add in your specific biology and you may just need more coddling than the average woman your age.

I hope you get some answers, keep us posted!

[shcirerf]

Interesting.

I did menopause a long time ago due to health issues.

Tried HRT for sex drive, it made me grumpy and aggressive.

Fast forward, Dh has had so many serious injuries and health issues, (heart problems), that sex has simply become one more chore.

When he is in the mood and ready, I am supposed to be "on demand" kinda like renting a movie.

Don't get me wrong, I do enjoy lazy Sunday mornings in bed, and I am empathetic to his health, but it can be tough when I'm supposed to just STOP what ever I am doing and turn on.

For the record, I am 53, had a total ovariohysterectomy at age 30. Dh is 54 a double finger amputee and is dealing with A-fib, and has one heart surgery and is on meds, and most likely needs another heart surgery.

Given his health, he does still work, but, spends his time at home, napping. I get that. He was a prince when I was having my female issues, he stepped up and stuck that out with me and I do love him.

However, given his heart issues and his meds, performance in the BR is sometimes hit or miss. I'm ok with that, if it works great, if it does not, there is another day. He does not see it that way, he feels like he is failing me in some way. In the mean time I am picking up the slack on a lot of little errands that he used to do along with working, and cooking and cleaning and so on and so forth while he is sleeping on the sofa.

One of the things that I've told him over the years, is that when we are old and crippled, is that I would still be happy to hang out with him and drink coffee and tell stories, and hold hands and enjoy each others company. He will try to not dribble his over easy eggs on the placemat, and I will try to beat my girls to my bowl of oat meal!

So, to me, while intimate relations are important, in the long run, there are other things that are more important.

[3fcuser291505109]

Oh, bless you, Janelle!

What a lot on your plate and add in early menopause and all the stress and worry that go with normal life, let alone the severe health issues your husband is dealing with.

I've been married 31 yrs to a man 13 yrs my senior and he certainly has his health issues and i think we went 10 years only having sex maybe once a year because of health problems. It certainly is doable and i would take a deep abiding love for my best friend (husband) over a passionate sex life if i had to choose because i've had both and right now it's thankfully somewhere in the middle despite my issues. i think i want to know why more than putting it at the top of the list in importance, just more of a question of what's going on with my body... i do suspect it is endocrine exacerbated by the stress of weight loss even though my diet is MUCH more sound and healthy than it has EVER been. But i really will never know w/out labs and especially a knowledgeable physician and that's out right now due to no insurance and lack of money so i guess i'll just keep the diet (fats, proteins,) as even keel and healthy as possible and see what i can do i'm also sure the perimenopausal hormonal roller coaster transition isn't helping matters any...

thanks so much, everyone.

[evarolla]

It could be an effect of weight loss, because I’m sure it’s causing a major shift in your hormonal levels. A change in hormonal balance can cause all sorts of issues, including poor sex drive, so please visit an endocrinologist for proper evaluation. If you were a guy, I would have asked you to go through Ageless Male supplement reviews because they enhance libido by raising testosterone levels, but I think you’re better off visiting a doctor who can guide you better than any of us here!