Do I think it was caused by estrogen dominance? No.

Do I think it was caused by hyperinsulinemia? Yes. Do I think hyperinsulinemia & excess poundage contributed to my sex hormone imbalances like PCOS? Yes.

Keep in mind that fat is metabolically active, so when you talk about hormone problems causing weight gain you also have to consider that weight causes hormone problems. It is a viscious cycle. The fatter we are the worse our hormones are the fatter we get, and repeat...

We all have to figure out what the ultimate catalyst for our weight problems are, because once identified only then can you begin to address all the secondary factors.

Did you emotionally eat first, which then lead to insulin/hormone problems/insulin resistence, which then led to weight? If you only ever identify the hormone problems, but neglect to see that eating emotionally caused the former, it is unlikely you will be successful maintaining/losing. Even if you do lose you'll always be falling off the wagon due to emotional binges.

For me, I believe the primary catalyst for my weight problem was insulin resistence. Insulin resistence made me fat which then caused a whole boat load of secondary factors (such as being rejected & lonely & using food emotionally, and the IRS/fatness exacerabating hormonal problems). However, once I identified the main cause of weight gain I was able to really deal with the secondary problems.