Dear girls,
it was a relief reading all of these... I'm almost forty and already feel the changes coming fast - fatigue is really frustrating... I prefer diets and fitness than taking hormons - often have totally "fruity" days and then feel great. I also try to follow the motto from here
http://www.fitnesscruises.org/
I like it a lot: Movement is FREEDOM... Freedom is OCEAN...
Enjoy movement, enjoy ocean, ENJOY LIFE!
Don't bother for tomorrow, girls - we're still alive and keep on moving - that's what really matters, don't you think so ;-) ?

The fact that all of you are continuing to train & compete in tri while going through menopause and peri-menopause is awesome. It's so much more challenging to stay on this road when you are sleep-deprived, irritable, and dealing with hormones that are either doing the samba or in a coma. Of course you know that no matter how crappy you feel, you would feel a lot worse if you stopped training. Hats off also to the elite competitors who are having to go from winning races to merely participating. I hope that you are able to take pressure off yourself and enjoy the camaraderie of training with friends for fitness, and enjoy that your years of training have resulted in healthy heart & lungs, amongst everything else. And hats off also to people (like me, ha ha) who have just started to train & compete for tri in our 40s & 50s. We all want more out of life and are getting that by reaching for it despite setbacks. And really, if menopause is our biggest health issue, we should all consider ourselves so lucky, looking at the larger world of athletes competing in paralympics etc. Reading the posts on this forum in itself really gives me a boost, as I realize what I am going through as an older athlete is definitely a shared struggle. (My contribution to the list of insomnia remedies - acupuncture & herbs - ones that have worked for me are zizyphus & Nardova)

Girls, just want to say that I am starting to really notice symptoms of perimenopause. And want to keep training hard. The thing with menopause is that there is not a gradual decline in estrogen and progesterone. Instead, they fluctuate wildly. So they will be out of harmony. But going through menopause naturally will mean it is faster.

Over the last six months, I have figured out some things that work *for me*. Here is a list of what I remember :)
1) Do not eat anything that has touched plastics (e.g. plasticy tea bags). They seem to have a more estrogenic effect than previously.
2) Cut out all gluten and most dairy (butter and whipping cream are okay as they do not have lactose.But remember to eat carbs before, during and after you hard workouts.
3) Do not microwave anything.
4) Take about 3000 mg of a high quality, pharmaceutical grade fish oil every day.
5) Take a big tablespoon of flax seed oil every day. Flax seed oil is a phytoestrogen and seems to protect you from xenoestrogrens.
6) SLEEP more than you think you have time for.
7) Eliminate pesticides.
8) Only eat grass fed meats.
9) Meditate every day - even if only for 5 minutes.
10) Take Natural Calm magnesium in warm water every night before bed.
11) Keep intensity in your training. Do not let every workout be long and slow.
12) In the car, practice breathing in through your nose, holding your breath and then out through your mouth *slowly*.
13) Stretch.
You will be pleased to know I did not give up coffee :)
But seriously, these steps have helped a lot. Hang in there !

I'm 13 days post hysterectomy where they removed everything. No more girl parts. I turned 50 last month, but wasn't having any menopausal symptoms. Now I'm in immediate menopause and starting to experience hot flashes. Taking any form of HRT is not an option for me, as they removed a tumor that proved estrogen sensitive. I even have to take an estrogen blocking drug now, to discourage my body from producing any estrogen at all in the hopes that it will prevent any more tumors.

I'm a MOPer that enjoys competing against myself. Did my 2nd Ironman in November (Florida), blissfully unaware of what was happening inside me and improved my time by almost 90 minutes over my first (Coeur d'Alene).

I'm looking at 4 more weeks of walking as my only exercise and hoping when I am allowed to start working out again that I can regain my fitness and get back to racing. Anybody else training and dealing with menopause sans-HRT?

I'm post, 53, no hormones.

No lie, it was a struggle for two years, and sometimes I'm irked that I'm competing against women whose hormone profile, thanks to HRT, may allow for better sleep, quicker recovery and less stupid ageing issues during training. But that theme has been beaten to death over in the Tri forum so won't reiterate here.

On the bright side, sticking to it through the worst of the symptoms means now I'm stabilised and on a firm platform to start pushing hard again. It was and is tough, but absolutely worth the effort.

Recover up, be kind to yourself, and I think you'll be just fine. As an ironman you know about hard work. Do try to resist the impulse to compare against your past performance. Your machine's going to run differently now and you'll get along with it much better if you go with that. Good luck!

Thank you for reviving this thread last year.

Up until now, I was still believing in the increased breast cancer spook that pointed me against hormone replacement therapy. Someone else posted about the KEEPS study which re-examines HRT for perimenopausal women.

After seeing the findings of the KEEPS study, which was completed in 2013, I am going to see my doctor as soon as possible about starting on transdermal estradiol. I can't believe I somehow missed seeing the results of this study, or even that such a study was being conducted. Particularly since I have been experiencing horrendous hot flashes on and off as my weight fluctuated this past year, as well as interrupted terrible quality sleep.

Be sure to also discuss possible use of anti-depressants instead of HRT. Research seems to indicate can help with both hot flashes and sleep issues.

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No coasting in running and no crying in baseball

Thanks for your suggestion, Tri3. I am reading now that I can take just progesterone instead of estrogen, and it would solve many of the annoying problems I am having such as hot flashes and frequent waking. Then I could avoid any of the non-beneficial effects of taking estrogen such as blood clotting.

So I went to see my family doctor and told her about my hot flashes and horrible sleep. She suggested... anti-depressants! Just as you suggested.

We shall see how this goes. She said that it would help with hot flashes, sleep, and, well, depression. Not that I have noticed any feelings of depression, but perhaps that is why some days I don't feel like going outside to exercise?

Yes, depression can take the form of not caring/wanting to do anything, but you may not be depressed. Here's an explanation of why antidepressants may work:

A good triathlete and friend of mine was having terrible troubles with menopause until her doc put her on antidepressants.

The other piece of advice I have is to pay careful attention to your training stress load. I haven't seen any research on menopause and training impact, but n=1 experience is that I have had a cascading series of injuries concurrent with symptoms of menopause. My hypothesis is that it has something to do with the ability to recover.

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No coasting in running and no crying in baseball

I posted above about things that work for me (no HRT). One thing I forgot to include was maca powder (it is from a peruvian plant). It is NOT estrogenic but helps balance out training stress. It really helps me. Ben Greenfield has a pod cast called "Ben Greenfield fitness". He did a couple of shows on estrogen dominance in menopausal women. I found it really interesting. It was thanks to him that I figured out that the plastic bags used for Starbucks tea made me very estrogenic (sore breasts etc). Now I just buy the tins of tea and cut open the bags...
Also, I have a friend who just had a hysterectomy as well. She is not taking anything and is training (with hot flashes etc). Good luck. I honestly feel much better and know you will too. Hang in there!!

Can any of you girls tell me if in addition to all of the above mentioned problems, anyone developed allergies or arthritis during peri menopause ?

Interesting question and one that Inhave never thought off. I am in perimenopause and I have been diagnosed with Osteoarthritis in my hip. Also as of couple of years I have the weirdest nasal allergies when I go bike riding. Its soo annoying that Imhave to blow my nose or do the awfull snootrockets all the time. Have you read of allergies and arthritis being part of menopause?

I'm not sure spintela....that's why I asked....

I'm 45 & having the most insane hot flashes....day AND night
Skipped period in March & April....had it for 2 weeks in May....skipped June :-(

But in May I woke up one day & my fingers were swollen & painful & have been like that since....the research I've done says that it could be menopause related. I am going to a rheumatologist on 7/15 though...

And I'm having issues breathing on the bike too !

It's as if I can't take a deep breath or get enough air into my lungs !
My throat gets dry, but at the same time I have phlem in the back of my throat that I can't get up & my nose is runny too.

I've been going crazy :-(

I'm going to the OB/gyn on 7/11 for a "hormone consult"

I'm pretty much miserable......

i developed asthma at 50 and at almost 54 am more than a year of hot flashes and all that crap and fuck me but it is actually getting worse...

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http://harvestmoon6.blogspot.com
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/katasmit

yup, it's ridiculous. Stuff like this keeps me going though --

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/...secrets-success.html

You are so right! There isn't any research that the masters athlete, who has hit menopause, can turn to and there is nothing in process that I can see. I am amazed I found this forum about the endurance athlete and menopause. I have spent most of my life in the competitive peloton with a number of years on the Canadian Team. I love cycling and the competitive bug hasn't left me. As many of you have noted, once menopause hit, my health took a turn as it wasn't able to handle any type of physical stress - training, heat, full days of landscaping... Also, I hadn't experienced REM sleep for at least a year, therefore recovery took a major hit without the production of sufficient HGH. Though winning an event at the 2012 US Masters Cycling Championships, I struggled big time.

At a '12 Coaching Summit, I presented my masters athlete/menopause questions regarding the effects of sleep deprivation/recovery/training adaptation, onset of carbohydrate sensitivity/insulin resistance and weight gain... None of the top sport scientists, nutritionists, coaches had a clue. I was given a pat on the head, admonished to brand myself as the US Women's Masters Coach, find the answers and report back. Right. One well-known nutritional scientist, said I could return to my healthy "self" in 3 weeks by making some nutritional changes particularly with the CHO/Protein adjustments but whatever I did do NOT go on any HRT. You will have a heart attack or stroke. No problem. I had never taken any hormones including BCP (which is hormone therapy, sythethic estrogen and progestin), why would I take anything now. I followed her advice to the letter and 3 months later I had a heart attack. Obviously, she thought she had all the puzzle pieces. I decided to take ownership of my health just as I do when I want to see the finish line first.

Get a Blood Test
The biggest puzzle piece that "Dr. Sports Nutrition" didn't consider was my personal information that could be found in a blood panel. Ladies this is the place to start. Most menopausal symptoms are like an aspect of a training schedule that is prescribed - Rate of Perceived Exertion. It varies athlete to athlete. Just like menopause. We don't compare RPE between our athletes but for some reason we do this with our menopause symptoms. My GP told me I was having trouble with the "discomfort." I asked him if he had raced the Tour de France. Get a blood test. It will tell you where you're hormonal levels are. I have always been anemic. How do I know that...I had a regular blood test.

Find a Doctor who Understands Athletes
It's no different than working with your coach to train and race optimally.

Own Your Health
We have different backgrounds, different employment, different health issues, different training schedules...only you can put ALL the puzzle pieces together. It's been a rough go for me but I am excited about helping other masters women to live optimally.
http://www.voler.com/connect/detail/li/RetoolingMastersGears

ok so anecdotally (but there is some data out there to sort of back me up and yes I want to do a study) I think melatonin helps with the sleep and weight gain.

after the Boston marathon I gained 15 pounds over the next several months out of no where.
I started a product that I really like and have used in practice called Tranquil sleep (made by Natural Factors easily found on Amazon and Vitamin shoppe) it has melatonin, 5HTP and Theanine. well now since Aug 30th 11 of the pounds are off and I am sleeping much better. I still wake up from the heat then cold but I go back to sleep and feel more rested.

Now if the fucking hot flashes that happen while running and biking would stop that would be nice I will likely be trying black cohosh and hesperiden to see if they help.... will let you know

Thank you. You are absolutely right.

Getting bloodwork is worth its weight its weight in gold. I don't mean to sound like a beyotch, but ladies, spend a few hundred dollars and get your hormone levels tested. I get my hormone levels tested every 6 months just to make sure everything is on track, because for a VERY long time, it was a shitshow, and yes, I had to experiment with varying levels of (bio-identical) hormones to straighten out the mess. I went 14 months of ZERO testosterone and trust me, you do NOT want to go down this route.

And I just don't understand the reluctance to TRY HRT. Bio-identical means the same substance your body produces. If your quality of life SUCKS because your hormones are whacked, why the heck won't you try something? If you are diabetic, are you going to refuse insulin because its "unnatural"?? I have been on HRT since I was 37. I'm 50 this week. I hasn't killed me yet. And I'd rather have lived a quality 50, than a good 35 and a shitty past 15 years of insomnia and migraines and all the other shit that ruins my life without HRT.

That's it. The 'expertise' that seems to be out there re menopausal and post-menopausal athletes seems largely interested in selling HRT or supplements. I wrote to the New York Times' health editor a few years ago asking for an article on how menopause affects female athletes (because we know the answer is, in most cases, dramatically) and got nothing but cricket sounds. The research on the physiological underpinnings is not being done. So we need to roll our own. Yes, our cohort is relatively small, but this isn't just a triathlon thing, it's masters running, swimming, cycling, Crossfit, high level dance, etc etc.

Uch, five years of this and I'm still ranting! Anyway thanks for posting, and please keep us up to speed on any discoveries.

well I am an assistant professor at a medical school in NYC and am interested in studying this - but I am also interested in studying what safely can alleviate symptoms (and my research area has been supplements) not a matter of selling just looking for relief...thus sharing my anecdote.

sorry i was too broad with my statement -- any scientifically tested supplement would be a godsend.

Yes, a study on endurance athletes and menopause is most definitely needed. My research has shown that those that have done endurance sports for most of their life, and for sure those that have been at it full time for a number of years, do fall into an "outlier" category. Like myself, this group has continued to push themselves physically: work at a physically demanding employment, extreme heat conditions and/or continue training/competition. Menopause is precipitous and plummets us into a chronic stress loop with cortisol continuing to wreak havoc since the hormonal balance is off and is incapable of recovery. For some reason, our bodies are not able to get back into homeostasis. It so much more than finding relief with women who continue to be physical. Our hormonal profile has changed over the years and menopause is not a gradual transition, it is a precipitous cliff which has to be approached differently than the rest. In my case, my hormone levels were so low that the cortisol loop continued for more than a year and I had a heart attack. Cardiomyopathy.

Indeed I took ownership. My OB/GYN said "I know women. I know menopausal women. I don't know women like you." My cardiologist said, "I don't know why you would have had this heart attack. I am not an OB/GYN." My education and profession tell me that if I need to start putting the puzzle pieces together myself. Personally, I am beginning to understand what happened to me and I have taken measures. For me, it's not just about relief. Death is also a natural transition.

A study in finding scientific proof that such and such works for menopausal relief is a good start. Most women fall into that category. There is a whole other group of endurance athletes that has a greater danger to deal with. Like me you've tried everything and every angle. The fact is hormonal deficiencies exist in a more dramatic way with us. I fear that if I wait for science to recognize, verify and answer the question "why," all will not be well with my health.

Haven't read thru entire thread, so perhaps it's been discussed previously but the other important test to have done pre/post menopause is a dexa scan. You need to know where you stand bone density-wise. Mine dropped really quickly in about a year. I'd had a prior scan which was borderline but then suffered 2 fractures in less than 6 months post menopause. Now one was a bad bike crash that would have broken healthy bone but was definitely much worse than it should have been. I was/am thin from years of endurance sports but never excessively nor had amenorrhea. Having a doc that can really work w you on osteoporosis risk/tx is as important as the hot flash issues. Running is not sufficient weight bearing exercise for prevention in some women.

Quote:

At a '12 Coaching Summit, I presented my masters athlete/menopause questions regarding the effects of sleep deprivation/recovery/training adaptation, onset of carbohydrate sensitivity/insulin resistance and weight gain... None of the top sport scientists, nutritionists, coaches had a clue.]

It's SICKENING actually !!!!!!!!!!!!|
You KNOW if men went through this things would be A LOT different :-(

I agree with Sto.

Since I replied to this thread (a couple of months ago) I have done A TON of my own research and I have gone on bio identical hormones. I started in July 12 and I DEFINITLEY feel better. The INSANE (at least 5X a night and throughout the day) hot flashes are pretty much gone :-) I'm certainly not my old self, but I'm better.....

I do estradiol cream and testosterone cream with DHEA and take oral progesterone at night (ALL BIO IDENTICAL) NONE of the synthetic crap the big pharma wants to sell you !!!!!!!!!!!

And ABSOLUTELY- GET YOUR BLOOD tested. And as often as you can !!! Not only will it change monthly, your hormone levels change throughout the day ! EVERY DAY !! So this will all become trial & error to your OWN BODY !

As far as the herbs etc..... in reality they are only like putting a band aid on what's really going on with our bodies.

Did you girls know that we have estrogen receptors ALL OVER OUR bodies ???? We NEED estrogen to stay healthy and functional. 17 beta estradiol is the ONLY way to go. Totally bio identical.