One of the possible consequences of endometriosis, which occurs when endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus, is weight gain. This can happen mainly due to 3 factors:
- Hormonal changes;
- Medication treatment;
- Removal of the uterus.
Generally, all women with endometriosis go through one of these problems, but not all of them show an increase in weight, since the tendency to gain weight also varies according to the body of each woman.
1. Hormonal changes
Endometriosis is characterized by hormonal imbalances, especially the estrogen hormone, which is primarily responsible for the growth and development of endometrial tissue.
When there is a change in estrogen levels, more or less, changes related to fluid retention, accumulation of fats and even stress levels are very frequent, which can lead to a significant increase in body weight. woman.
2. Drug treatment
One of the first forms of treatment for endometriosis is the use of hormonal drugs or devices, such as the IUD and birth control pills, because this type of treatment helps regulate the levels of hormones in the woman's body, avoiding the exaggerated growth of endometrial tissue which causes the symptoms of severe cramping and bleeding.
However, one of the possible side effects of using these medicines is the possibility of weight gain. Sometimes this effect can be controlled with pill exchange for example. So if there are side effects it is important to inform the doctor who is guiding the treatment. Here's a list of the 7 most common side effects of birth control.
3. Removal of the uterus
Surgery for complete removal of the uterus, also known as hysterectomy, is used only in the most severe cases of endometriosis and when the woman is no longer having children. Normally, the ovaries are also removed to treat hormone level deregulation.
Although this treatment helps to alleviate the symptoms of endometriosis very much, due to the withdrawal of the ovaries, the woman enters a phase of early menopause in which several types of symptoms can appear, including the increase of the weight due to the diminution of the metabolism.