The Menopause and Exercise Thread

[lorajc]

Oh T...my love, I've always felt a connection with you.. I started peri-men bad - symptoms of insomnia and nite sweats with gyn complications at age 47 with blood work to back up due to the complications...needless to say at about age 49 or 50 I started with horrid mood swings or what I described as constantly wanting to rip someones face off...Estroven OTC helped a bit......and I would be soaked at work, head to toe....it was so embarrassing, nothing helped....I was miserable....this lasted about 5 years and then tapered very quickly and stopped. now I only have hot flashes occasionally.

What I learned about exercise for the first time is that I finally learned to listen to my body. When my back hurts and i don't feel like working out, I do kundalini yoga.....actually I practically do it daily and then workout when i feel strong, usually 4 to 5 days a week....or if not....its okay....as I've finally learned this journey is more about being healthy and kundalini is so good for that and the closer I get to 60... the more important it is ti keep my BP under control and my organs healthy.....not about beating my body into the ground.

Please take it easy on yourself....your body is going thru a lot of changes.

[c4ward]

Thank-you so much for this thread and all your contributions. I'll be reading it regularly. This is a complain comment. I just want to be honest about my experience, in hope someone else will be comforted.
I know this is ridiculous, but I'm ashamed I'm in menopause. Excess exhaustion, night and day sweats, balance problems, yuck...the list goes on. It used to be a given that I'd exercise before work. I haven't been able to peel out of bed for many months.
After staring menopause, I broke my right ankle December 2014. Eight months later, my ankle still hurts. My right hip has been diagnosed with arthritis and a permanent running injury from years of marathons. I miss running terribly and am not supposed to do any high impact or it will worsen. It's so strange. I always assumed staying in shape would be no problem.
Thank-you again for this thread!

[lorajc]

To the above poster....please....don't get me started on injuries....I fell using my TRX about 2.5 years ago....then shortly after that broke my ankle and foot severely......then I fell off my Rebounder (balance issues) and fractured a rib.....then I went to the foot doc after already having to go in constantly for bunion injections and he told me I have horrid arthritis in my great toe and may need a toe fusion if I don't stop ALL impact....so I'm not allowed to do any impact.....life sure is different....thus the reason I do Kundalini Yoga so much!!! It's a workout....but an effective workout with stretches in between...so good for this age! Oh...and yes, my ankle did not heal correctly...healed with a chip loose....so I still have pain all the time in it!! I tell ya!!

[Gibbee]

Had TAH in early 2008 at 42. Meno didn't bother me a whole lot until the last two years and then BOOM. Weight gain, moodiness, etc. I've never had a spare tire or a totally flat tummy but now I look like a too-fluffy version of me with over 25 lbs too much weight and am SO not happy with myself. Just can't seem to find the right thing to try and (1) make it work and (2) make it stick. This stuff is s.t.u.b.b.o.r.n.

[lorajc]

Originally Posted by bee

My husband has horrible PF. I've gotten him many things to try. The latest thing I'm eyeing for him is the Fascia Blaster -- has anyone tried that for PF and had any luck with it?

I had 2 sets of cortisone injections of my feet and was going to have the 3rd, but they pretty much settled down. I have severe spurs on my heels that's causing my PF and it was so severe for a while I was constantly icing my feet, taking Advil (which I take now for my back and neck anyway) but Advil helps......rolling on the foam roller helps also, or one of those foot rollers.

However, if you could get him to do the injections, it may just heal him....has he had them? They do sting a bit....but my doc spray's with a numbing agent first that helps SLIGHTLY. .....don't tell him that.

[BunnyHop]

Balance issues? I had no idea this was part of it.

I'm so sorry that so many of us are having such difficulties.

The worst thing to me is that my sense of normal life shifted so gradually that I didn't realize I was in trouble til I was exhausted. The exhaustion, in turn, kept me from seeking help and implementing changes.

Guess I'm mostly feeling very lucky that I'm in kind of a good place psychologically these days.

I'm in a holding pattern, holding off on a hysterectomy as long as possible because of some other issues, and for now, things seem okay. Whew.

My GYN says that if/when my hormone levels drop low enough, the fibroid I have might shrink, which might make surgery unnecessary. Here's hoping, right?

[andtckrtoo]

Originally Posted by c4ward

Thank-you so much for this thread and all your contributions. I'll be reading it regularly. This is a complain comment. I just want to be honest about my experience, in hope someone else will be comforted.
I know this is ridiculous, but I'm ashamed I'm in menopause. Excess exhaustion, night and day sweats, balance problems, yuck...the list goes on. It used to be a given that I'd exercise before work. I haven't been able to peel out of bed for many months.
After staring menopause, I broke my right ankle December 2014. Eight months later, my ankle still hurts. My right hip has been diagnosed with arthritis and a permanent running injury from years of marathons. I miss running terribly and am not supposed to do any high impact or it will worsen. It's so strange. I always assumed staying in shape would be no problem.
Thank-you again for this thread!

Oh boy, I know this well! Until I hit 48 I had NEVER broken a bone. I've tumbled down mountains with a mountain bike, etc, and still have not broken anything. I hit 48 and promptly broke my ankle hiking. I stepped wrong on a hiking trail and SNAP! Oy! Then 49 I had knee surgery for a torn meniscus 3 year ago. It's better now, but it took a good year to heal. This year, I dropped a mason jar of smoothie on my toe, and you guessed it - broke the darned thing. Then I started training for a walk/run and now I have PF. I'm so tired of hurting... I'm only 51!

[Gibbee]

Originally Posted by c4ward

I know this is ridiculous, but I'm ashamed I'm in menopause.

Yup!

[lorajc]

Originally Posted by TinaT

I know I originally posted about menopause, but I am in the Peri stage right now. Went a full 6 months without "aunt flo" and then, BAMM! I just want to feel good about walking, then I can get excited abou other forms of exercise.

Tina - don't worry T - you'll stop soon most likely. I probably did that for 1 year before I stopped......but it WILL happen......but I'm just a bit worried for you....as I THOUGHT I was having hot flashes when I was in peri- and then I quit menstruating...........and then BAM.....I started having heavy duty hot flashes. I don't want to scare you, but I highly recommend you go buy some Estroven -- and see if it helps you. It has Black Cohosh in it and maybe it will help. They also say not to drink things that are hot or eat spicy food as that gets them going. Also, I KNOW that the Estroven was a lifesaver with the mood swings for me....it made me a more stable person at work! LOL I'm sure there are better things than this to take, but I didn't want to do hormones....and I didn't go into detail looking for answers ....I just grinned or should I say, growled and beared it!!


Just know ....that life ebbs and flows....and this too shall pass!! You are a strong, vibrant woman and you will get thru it....and believe it or not, I didn't at the time I was flashing, you will get chilled again and be cold again when you come out the other side!! I am again! I actually get cold sometimes again. For a while there....I used to walk outside in the Winter without my coat when I left work. I'd want to peel every layer of clothing off at work. I wore Summer clothes for 5 years straight!! I wore them out!! I wore summer PJ's for 5 years.....I never wore socks on my feet!! I was like -- who is this human? I used to be the little thin girl sitting their freezing at work when I was younger.....I had some difficulties going thru menopause that caused me to put 45 pounds on.....so I think that contributed....but I thought I'd never get over being hot! Hang in there sweetie!! You can do this.

I also am still going thru the exercise thing you describe....I had to just walk for a while. I used to love working out.....and I got to the point that I couldn't drag myself out of bed....I didn't want to sweat any MORE!!! I was like no, I can't do this. I just walked some times and did yoga....but I got thru it....and you will too!!

[bee]

Originally Posted by lorajc

I had 2 sets of cortisone injections of my feet and was going to have the 3rd, but they pretty much settled down. I have severe spurs on my heels that's causing my PF and it was so severe for a while I was constantly icing my feet, taking Advil (which I take now for my back and neck anyway) but Advil helps......rolling on the foam roller helps also, or one of those foot rollers.

However, if you could get him to do the injections, it may just heal him....has he had them? They do sting a bit....but my doc spray's with a numbing agent first that helps SLIGHTLY. .....don't tell him that.

I can't honestly remember if he had those injections -- I'll ask him. I know he's been to multiple health professionals/doctors about it. Thanks!