I'm New :-)

[Wahine]

I saw this doctor towards the beginning of March, as my resting HR had doubled overnight (normal is around 40-50, was over 100 when I checked).

This sounds like a change in HR from electrolytes (which you already thought of), acute change from overtraining or infection.

I might see if I can get another doctor to order a bone density test, but I feel horribly guilty asking for something I don't "need." I am not worried so much about my current health status, but more of what damage may have been done in the past. I think I might ask my PT about exercises to help build up bone density. I did used to run a lot, but with my recent knee injury, I have been cycling more (and I am aware that it can have a negative effect on bone density).

If I was working in Africa and did not have access to a bone density scan, I would assume that you have bone density issues based on your history. So do you *need* a bone scan, maybe not. But I would still expect you have bone density problems. All the test would do is confirm it, or less probably, disconfirm it. So I would move ahead with a plan of attack to increase your bone density. You've got nothing to lose and a lot to gain. Starting by talking to your PT is a very good idea. It would also be a good idea to find another doc, maybe a sports med doc because they will be more familiar with atypical presentations of bone density problems in young female athletes. Your ammenorhea is a very important sign that needs to be mentioned. You should also keep a food diary so that you can start observing what you eat and communicating these things to your healthcare professionals.

You should take a look at this and this.

[athena]

This sounds like a change in HR from electrolytes (which you already thought of), acute change from overtraining or infection.

I did not think of infection. I was under a lot of stress at the time (end of the academic quarter and finals to take), so maybe my immune system was a little suppressed. I was not exercising at all during the time (I took a "break" from cardiac exercise in an attempt to heal my knee and weaken the exercise compulsion a little), so I think overtraining can probably be ruled out.

Thank you also for the links. I am well aware of the female athlete triad, but unfortunately did not use this knowledge to my benefit. I have just started this year to really try to fix things. I have been seeing a nutritionist weekly since September and made progress, although I do still struggle sometimes.


On a semi-related note, I had a frustrating ride today. I was looking forward to it a lot and the weather was fantastic. I got home in the evening and because of time constraints decided to just run at home, instead of biking to nearby running trails like I had planned. I forgot my knee brace in the rush and ended up cutting my run short. My knee was bad, my stomach was cramping, and I just was not having fun. I figured I'd bike a little longer instead.

I felt so slow on my bike. I don't know what was wrong. By the time I left, it had started to rain a little and it was pretty chilly. I forgot padded shorts, so my seat was a little uncomfortable and my knee was bothering me. I ended up deciding not to push it and just pedaled at a leisurely pace. I ended up at school, but I'm disappointed. I am trying to remind myself that I'll likely have "good rides" and "bad rides" like in running, but it's still frustrating. I really need to work on my fueling. I ate poor-quality foods all day because "it was my birthday" and I'm sure that must have contributed at least a little, as well. I'm hoping to get back out tomorrow and have a much better ride tomorrow.

[bounceswoosh]

Athena,

Just one thought on health care. It's your body. Your doctor may have the best of intentions, but doctors have their own points of view and blinders. If your doctor's views don't align with yours -- get a new doctor! And do research online. If they screw up or miss an opportunity to help you, they won't suffer for it -- you will.

My GI doctor completely poo-poo'd the idea that eliminating gluten would make me feel better. "You have Crohn's, your blood tested negative for Celiac, just take your pills and deal with the fact that your gut hurts most of the time." Um, yeah. Wait, no. I decided to try it anyway, and hey, the results are fantastic. Hey, it's not the solution for everyone, but for me it's been huge.

Does your insurance cover a bone density scan? That's the only reason I can see for hesitation, is that you might not be able to afford it. If you can afford it through your own resources or if insurance will cover it for you, with your family history, you should definitely do it.

[athena]

Just one thought on health care. It's your body. Your doctor may have the best of intentions, but doctors have their own points of view and blinders. If your doctor's views don't align with yours -- get a new doctor! And do research online. If they screw up or miss an opportunity to help you, they won't suffer for it -- you will.

You are completely right. At the time, I was anxious to find a doctor to deal with the heart and knee problems and didn't really invest much time researching different ones. Maybe now that I'm not so rushed, it might be a good chance to find one that would be a little more thorough.

I think the doctor mentioned that insurance would probably not cover the bone scan for "people like me," but my parents have offered to pay out of pocket. I know it wouldn't fix anything, but it would be nice to at least have an idea of the current density. As I've started to gain a healthier outlook, I've really become worried about any damage I may have caused in the past.

[bounceswoosh]

You are completely right. At the time, I was anxious to find a doctor to deal with the heart and knee problems and didn't really invest much time researching different ones. Maybe now that I'm not so rushed, it might be a good chance to find one that would be a little more thorough.

I think the doctor mentioned that insurance would probably not cover the bone scan for "people like me," but my parents have offered to pay out of pocket. I know it wouldn't fix anything, but it would be nice to at least have an idea of the current density. As I've started to gain a healthier outlook, I've really become worried about any damage I may have caused in the past.

I know what you mean about rushing. Despite my advice, I'm still seeing a GI doctor I think is "okay", not as bad as my last one, but not perfect for me. It's hard switching doctors -- mentally, anyway.

I have no history to suggest any bone brittleness -- in fact, I've never broken a bone -- so my experiences don't really relate to yours, but my doctor (my main one, whom I really like) said that a bone density test on its own wouldn't help me much. She said what matters is change, so for example comparing the test results when you first hit menopause vs. two years later. She said, if the bone density test comes out low, she would say to take calcium, which is what she would say anyway.

BUT! If there is a family or personal history that indicates a problem, there may be more indication for taking the test, even if it's just to plan for another test in a couple of years to compare. It may be that there *are* treatments out there for people with aggressive bone loss issues, and they just wouldn't be appropriate for a person who has never broken a bone or had any issues. It may even be that there is newer, better info out there since when I talked to my doctor about it several years ago.

[athena]

That's interesting, bounceswoosh. I am thinking I might try to search for a new doctor I am comfortable with, as I am less rushed now. I still haven't gotten a chance to talk to my PT (appointment is this Friday), but hopefully she'll have some suggestions about a sports-oriented primary care provider.

I have gotten two more rides in since the not-so-great 19th birthday one.

Yesterday, I biked back from school to home. It was the first time I got passed on the trail. These two men (looked to be in their 30s) passed me and then proceeded to ride side-by-side. I didn't really feel like I could make it around them safely and they were going at a comfortable speed, so I stayed behind them for a couple miles. I remember one of them looking back at me and he had this look like, "aww, that's cute. That little girl is trying to keep up with us." Eventually, the one on the left moved over a little and there was room to pass. I wanted to put a little bit of distance between myself and those guys, but it only lasted a couple miles. Soon, it felt like somebody was right behind me. I looked back and one of the guys said "We're drafting off you. We need somebody strong... Preferably somebody taller." That lit my competitive fire I wanted to show them I could still hold my own, even if I'm not very tall. So, I started pushing myself to go faster and it was really cool. They helped motivate me so much, but eventually they turned back about 10 miles from my home. I used the rest of the ride to recover mostly, but also biked up the giant hill by home, which was an awesome workout I'm mainly used to long-distance running, so the strength & endurance combo. from cycling is a little different.

Today, I biked down to work and back (maybe 40ish miles round-trip). I really need to read more about bike-commuting, I think. It was raining all day and I wore my regular clothes, instead of more exercise-specific ones. I realized the jeans choice, in particular, was very not smart I also had a little bit of a mishap with the gears on my bike. On the bright side, I found out how to get into a higher gear (I think). I'm pretty sure that's what the small, unmarked levers on the handlebars are for. I think I must have shifted entirely wrong though because my bike started to make a pretty loud creaking noise (it's usually almost silent). I kept biking for a couple miles and felt like such a newbie with my loud bike and blue jeans. I eventually stopped at the side of the trail and played with the chain a little, although I had no idea what I was doing. I was really lucky because this super-nice cycling boy stopped to ask if I needed help. I wish I would have taken more notice of his jersey now because I'd love to have a way to thank him for the help. He got some sort of tool out of his jersey and spun the tire around a little, shifted some things, etc. Fixed my bike perfectly and was completely non-condescending about it! He explained that the chains might have stretched a little since it's a new bike and that's probably why the chain probably slipped off. He said I should take it back in to get it tuned up. I still was so amazed by how nice he was though. To not only stop and help, but explain simple things in a non-condescending way. It was pretty awesome. There's some really nice people in this world

Hoping to get another ride in this weekend before I have to go back to school.

[VeloVT]

he was prob'ly flirting with you ...

Being a helpless female isn't ALWAYS a bad thing ...

(I usually try to avoid it when I can though ).