I don't understand the bloating...

Our bodies need estrogen. So why the fark do we bloat up like puffer fish when we get estradiol in menopause? We're not even getting the same dose our bodies naturally produced, and I don't remember walking around like this before menopause.

I've been on HRT for 15 months. I'm post-menopausal. I've tried every form of HRT (am now on the pill after the gel and patches didn't work). If I get enough estrogen to feel better - no hot flashes, night sweats, or debilitating joint pain - then I get super bloated. I gained 15 pounds in the first year. Reduce estradiol to eliminate the bloating, and all my symptoms come raging back. Since switching to the estradiol pill, I lost all the weight I previously gained. But my doctor was underdosing me, and I became symptomatic again. As soon as we bumped up the estradiol dose, the bloating returned. :/

I truly can't deal with this anymore. Why does this have to be so dang difficult?