I lost 40 pounds originally, in 5 months. I went from a size 14 & gaining, to a size 6, and enjoyed two years of pure bliss on Atkins. Suddenly, in the last three months, I have inexplicably regained 20 #s, no matter how strictly I adhere to induction, I even did the Keckwick. I have increased my exercise seriously(now an hour on the treadmill, high incline), and incorporated weight lifting(400 lbs on the squat machine - I'm not wimping around here). I keep gaining, almost a daily gain. I started at age 49, I will be 52 next month. I can no longer fit in my size 6, it is not the 'losing fat, gaining muscle' weight gain. It's gaining Inches! It's fat, and it's ugly! It's out of control!

Shortly before my sudden weight gain I experienced a quick weight loss of almost 10 pounds in Jan/Feb of this year, without changing my diet in any way. Then the steep climb from 125 to (now) 143 began. I had my thyroid checked. It's fine. I quit having my period November 04, then started up again April & May.

Please help. A few weeks ago I started using progesterone creme, after reading it might help. It hasn't so far. A few days ago I began a very low dose of dhea. So far it's resulted in another few pounds and another few inches.

It seems no knows the answer to this. Perhaps keeping a food diary would help or maybe changing programs to shock your body. I know when I was younger I would lose about 10 lbs on Atkins and then start gaining w/o changing anything. I'm not doing that now.

Pregnant???

I just read this thread -- how are you doing now (about a month and a half after your post)?

I gained some weight with menopause, but nothing this dramatic! Ouch!

Questions: have you started any meds? I was put on HRT (because of menopause -- the doctor said "every woman should, whether she's displaying symptoms or not...." and started putting on pounds -- and when I quit taking the HRT, I couldn't lost the extra weight -- sort of started my weight gain pattern (I put on 30 pounds, after maintaining for many years).

I finally lost the extra 30 pounds, but I had to curtail calories as well as carbs -- and now that I'm once again in maintenance, I'm watching everything carefully....

Good luck!

Well...the metabolism slows down when we get older....I know that's partly my problem....