Hormones?

[KTeach]

Last weekend I had a tough time keeping up with my group, and felt physically lousy. I got some tips about how to improve which I'm trying but I was still thinking of dropping to a slower group. Well today I rode with my same group & felt great ...perfect weather and an easier warm up helped. But in retrospect I realized I was "PMS-ing" the week before my lousy ride, which included eating poorly... Does anyone out there (esp in the 45 + age group) notice monthly changes in performance related to there cycle (menstrual that is!)?? I never even had any PMS symptoms til I passed 40!

[Irulan]

yes, ,I'm 43 and my periods have gotten a lot worse. This is the stuff they dont' tell you about "peri-menopause". I have a lot less energy, worse cramps, much heavier/shorter flow.

Irulan

[KTeach]

I just ordered aa book Could it be Perimenopause? at Amazon! You must have been reading my mind! SO ... How do you deal with the perimenoupausal symtoms and riding?

[Irulan]

I just be aware that I have less "pushing" energy so I ride mellower. Worse for me is that I have a lot of totally unexpected heavy breakthrough bleeding, I have to make sure I never leave the house without supplies.

As for the other PMS type symptoms... general crankiness etc I'm much more aware than I used to be and take ownership for letting my family or whoever know that I need to be left alone.

Irulan

[Cdalekat]

every single month!
Though I actually have a problem the week *of*, not the week before. All of my energy is sapped. :-(

Additionally, I find that contrary to popular advise, exercising during makes my cramps worse and makes me feel worse.
So I just use it as my excuse to go easy for a week and I stick with lighter exercise.

[drvogt]

Good to see I am not one of the few with these post-40 periods from he--. As hard as it is to get on my bike during that week, I actually get relief from cycling when I have cramps. I actually am on prescription pain meds for cramps...so I find cycling ot be a relief. I think the blood flow and muscle movement actually helps remove the tension from the pelvic area. When I get off my bike (or spinner fro that matter), they come back!

Try and ride thru, if you can...

I do find my energy zaps right after my period...for a few days, maybe it's iron and red blood cells rebuilding!

[Terry]

Everybody varies on this stuff but we all get some sort of symptoms...

For cramps--one of my clients tried an over the counter muscle spray on her cramps one night and it worked! My PT clients are encouraged to have "Stoppain" around in case they wake up sore the day after we work out...apparently the stuff works on cramps. It's at Walgreen's and it's about $8.00. The good thing about this product is that you spray it, wait about 5-8 minutes and the smell is gone with no smeary or oily stuff left on the skin and doesn't hurt clothes.

Calcium--there is a new calcium product that a rep was handing out at my local bike shop called Sportslegs (www.sportslegs.com).
I take it the day before and morning of a ride. Seems as if it helps me with the leg-lag thing. I like it.

Drinking--yeah, yeah, I know a little wine helps thin the blood and I've been known to take a jigger to feel "normal" during my period, BUT, drinking the night before a ride really messes with your liver balance. The liver stores the glycogen and helps with the sugars so that when you wake up, you can move your muscles without cramping. So, if you drink, the liver is dealing with more than it's usual stuff, plus the period. I find it makes a difference to not have any wine and rely on asprin, rest, plans for the ride.

As far as age goes, oh heck, we're all gonna' dry up someday!
And I never had problems, PSM, cramps until my late 40's either.
In fact, I never had ANY of that stuff until just recently...it sucks.
Terry

[LovesFrance]

OH, BOY, have I been noticing hormonal changes in the last year or so. YOWZA! It happened as soon as I turned 40. The stuff that affects my physical activities these days seems to be EXTREME fatigue that I get the week before and first day or so of my period. I never felt this zapped of energy in the past. What my doctor has told me in the past was that as we age, our body gets in a little panic to use up all the eggs, so sometimes we release two. (This is why the chance of twins increases for women in their early 40s.) This increases the amount of progesterone (from TWO corpus luteum cysts instead of one) and increases the PMS. I'm still finding exercise to be helpful with cramps, but I do have to slack off due to fatigue.

[MightyMitre]

Interesting reading. I'm just a youngster ( only 28) so I've got quite a while to go but doesn't sound like something to look forward to. The things we women have to go through...

Anyway, just recently I've noticed that the day before I'm due on, my riding seems to be stronger and more gutsy. I've done a couple of rides that have really suprised me - being longer and harder than normal. I'm not normally a very aggressive person but maybe the PMT gives me some extra 'grrrrrrr'!

[elevenpointfive]

This *is* interesting reading. I'm in the younger set in this thread (I'm 27) and I feel worst the week before my period starts. No energy, draggy feeling, I need more sleep, any exercise is a real chore--though I do feel a little better after I exercise, if I can force myself to do it. Definitely "less pushing", as Irulan said, only in my case I often feel like I can barely push at all. Just a sad little 13mph spin or so, and usually a short ride. I feel hugely better the day after my period starts. Then I'm strong, raring to go, all's well with the world. 20mph? Great! Let's go!

I do wonder what all's going to happen when I hit 40, when things are this bad for me at 27.

[VenusdeVelo]

Terry -- I looked for that website but got an error -- are they still around?

[Terry]

Gosh, haven't looked lately. I'm going to my local bike shop before the weekend and I'll find out where the rep is located.
I really liked the stuff and want to get more myself. I'll let you know.
Terry

[coolbeansbikes]

try www.sportlegs.com

[Terry]

I went to my local bike shop today and bought a bottle of Sportslegs...I was living off the samples the rep gave me.
Anywhoo, they come 90 to a bottle and are they EXPENSIVE!!!

$36.00!!! (The ower gives me discount as a trainer; busniess expense)

The shop owner did say that competitors are eating the stuff up, and, all who try it says it works...I agree. The display did have the little sample packets for sale, but I couldn't tell you the cost.
Terry

[SportLegs]

Terry- We'll work on getting the price down. But for the next 2 weeks, how about FREE?

Women racers seem way more willing to share their performance secrets than men. We sincerely thank NORBA Pro mountain bike champions like Gale Dahlager (winner of the Durango Iron Horse Classic last month) and Missy Giove (2-time World Champion) for freely sharing their discovery of SportLegs with their teammates and fellow competitors this summer. Guess they feel if everybody enjoys riding more, maybe they'll ride more often. And maybe more women will join them on their rides, and at the races.

So in their spirit of sharing, we'll share a half-dozen single-dose samples of SportLegs ($12 retail value) with any curious Team Estrogen participant who sends a name and mailing address to us at info@sportlegs.com by July 15th, 2003. We'll even pay First Class postage, and we promise not to e-mail, call or otherwise bug you. It's just that we recognize it's a little hard to believe that special forms of healthy calcium and magnesium can help your body reduce the "burn" and help turn it into extra natural energy, until you try it yourself. Big-hearted people like Gale and Missy think people deserve to find out about SportLegs. Here's your chance.

###

NOTE FROM FORUM ADMINISTRATOR: SportLegs has been notified that commercial posts are inappropriate in this forum. We're leaving this post in-place for those of you who may be interested in this product -- however, Team Estrogen currently has no experience with this product and therefore the presence of this post on this forum should not be construed as an endorsement.

[Dogmama]

Wow, I'm so glad I'm not the only one! I've always had some PMS, but lately I've been terrible. I finally gave in and went on an estrogen patch. Felt a lot better, but had yeast infections from hell. I went to a compounding pharmacy and they prescribed two pills: estrogen/testosterone and progesterone. They said that stress kills testosterone in our systems and we end up with crushing fatigue.

Believe me - I am the original flower child and hate to take any kind of meds, but the grumpiness, fuzzy thinking and fatigue were too much. I like to "ride my age" on my birthday and this year I'll be 49, so I have to start to feel better soon!

[Terry]

Woo-who! Thanks a lot Sportslegs! Very generous offer. And I did read the research on the product and liked even more what I was reading. Price wise...sigh...Designer Whey used to be a VERY pricey product when it first hit the market, but, the cost of manufacturing came down as the processing became more advanced...so, I understand and I know that good products need support or they go away.
Thanks again.

Terry

[VenusdeVelo]

Here's another subject thread I would love to hear from you on.

I have had problems in the past year, including some surgery to address cramps that double you over and lay you out for 2-3 days. Since that time we were also trying to conceive so I went off the pill...and that's when all he__ broke loose.

In any case, I am back on the pill after about a year long hiatus (Yasmin) and exactly since the time I started taking it, my riding has tanked. My heartbeat is higher, I feel like I have little left in my body to give on a regular ride. I was steadily improving since April, doing 50 milers with no problem....now, when I try and attack some hills, well it's depressing! Not sure if it is just pure coincidence with something else.

Any feedback? Many books say birth control pills sometimes show an increase in performance in women -- would love to hear any experiences and also, whether it has affected you differently "after 40". Thanks!

[Yasmin]

Last weekend I had a tough time keeping up with my group, and felt physically lousy. I got some tips about how to improve which I'm trying but I was still thinking of dropping to a slower group. Well today I rode with my same group & felt great ...perfect weather and an easier warm up helped. But in retrospect I realized I was "PMS-ing" the week before my lousy ride, which included eating poorly... Does anyone out there (esp in the 45 + age group) notice monthly changes in performance related to there cycle (menstrual that is!)?? I never even had any PMS symptoms til I passed 40!
Yes, I sure feel it 1 week prior to my periods (I'm now 49).. I get overwhelming tiredness...almost feels like I've been drugged! When the family & life allow me, I will let my body rule. Now I take cat-naps in the afternoon pre menstrally when I can. This I have NEVER done before. I'm fighting the guilt of mid afternoon naps & am so embarrassed I've told no one except the girls here at TE. Thank goodness I can let it all out here.
KTeach, you're not alone!

[anne_77]

I went off the pill about a year ago for purely lazy and financial reasons and suddenly started experiencing utter exhaustion during my period. But recently, on the advice of a thread I read here, I started taking iron supplements during my period. They have definitely helped for the last two periods. Something to think about.

[crazycanuck]

I've been on the pill for a while however i do wonder if i skip the non hormonal green ones (to have a romantic night with the OH..) for a few months am I doing any damage to my body? I'm one of those women who thinks having thier period gets in the way of cycling, running n swimming, life in general and it's a nuisance. (no desire for young uns tanks)

IF i go off it completely, how much weight will i gain? Is it harder to keep the weight off???

I'd ask my doctor but i can't be bothered as i feel like she's rushing me out of her office each time i see her....(at least i don't have to pay to see her....some other taxpayer does...hahah...)

c

[CorsairMac]

actually - more years ago than I can count I went off the pill and Lost weight when I did. I had always heard you gain weight on the pill.

Corsair "thanks the Lords of Kobol she doesn't have to deal with that anymore" Mac!