Perimenopause and Performance: What’s Happening?

If you’re like me you have been going through the issues that arise during perimenopause, but maybe didn’t recognize that’s what was happening. You might not have known that the reason you aren’t sleeping well at night, having difficulty feeling comfortable in mild to moderate temperature changes, having GI bloating, or a slew of other things were actually associated with perimenopause. Or, maybe you have noticed your body’s ability to train at a performance level you had last year which is another issue related to perimenopause.

Recognizing the Signs of Perimenopause

I didn’t recognize the signs, even though I work with women and tell them about this stuff all the time. Can you believe that? Why did this happen? Why did I not know when it was happening to me that it was perimenopause and not just stress related, or as many people say, it’s just in your head. Yep, women are given that response so often it’s infuriating. 

I didn’t realize the issues because I was so focused on other things, as so many women are. I didn’t have time to really feel into my own needs. And, when I did all I had time for was catching up on sleep, or trying to. Another perimenopause related symptom is difficulty getting to sleep and or staying asleep, I had the not able to stay asleep issue. 

The Dismissal of Women’s Symptoms in Healthcare

All this starts for me near the end of 2022. The things I remember happening were having very irregular periods. Irregular in both amount of time they would last, to amount of blood loss, to the increasing pain getting so bad I was getting migraines, vertigo and nausea from them. I just figured it was because I wasn’t sleeping well. So I ignored it. I did mention to my doctor my lack of sleep issues, and I was just told to take some melatonin. I was NEVER asked about any other symptoms, nor did menopause come into the conversation. 

A year later, summer of 2023, I was noticing my body getting smaller. And not in a good way. I’ve always been lean but muscular. My muscles were getting smaller with the same amount of lifting and training. To top all this off, I was having debilitating hot flashes. I was having about a dozen or more a day, and they were so bad that I would pack extra clothes with me to work to change when I needed.  What the hell!

This was when I knew something was wrong. Again I went to my doctor, and again I was never asked further questions, nor was I told it might be perimenopause, keep in mind I was 45 at the time, so well within the range for it to start. Instead this time I was told to take black cohosh (supposedly for the hot flashes) and keep taking melatonin. I never started taking melatonin, and was never asked if I had started it. 

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Searching for Answers: My Journey to Understanding

At this point it has been over a year of suffering. I had enough of no one caring, and no one with knowledge to help me. At that point I met with a friend of a client. Unbeknownst to me this person just happened to be involved with Midi health. After my meeting with her, I filled out one of their intake forms and got set up with an appointment. This was the beginning of some major changes. 

At first I was resistant to taking hormones. Not because of any fear of cancer, but instead I feared how much it would cost to go on this, and what if the US took away my ability to access the hormones. I didn’t want to have to go backwards. So my goal was to see if doing more conservative things would help me. During the next 10 months, we tried several different protocols to deal with the hot flashes, inability to sleep, brain fog/memory issues, and muscle loss. It just wasn’t working. I also passed the point of no period for 12 straight months and was now considered to be post menopause. 

What Are My Options?

I’d had enough and chatted with my amazing health care professional who understood me and my issues. We did a full blood panel. I’m telling you they took 12 vials of blood. I learned that in addition to my hot flashes, muscle loss, and memory issues, I also had high cholesterol (high on the bad stuff and low on the good stuff), low iron, no estrogen or testosterone, and had huge platelets that were causing my lightheadedness and a couple other things. At this point it was time to make a decision on hormones to help even all those issues out, or take nasty medications that have so many other side effects it makes your head spin. 

Hormones, Nutrition, and Strength Training: A New Approach

I’ve now been on low dose estrogen and progesterone for 6 months in addition to daily creatine, BCAA’s, no processed food (this one is hard), more protein, Omega3 and Iodine, and have had a complete end to the hot flashes. Yay, no more multi outfit days, unless I’m riding, running and lifting. I’ve also stopped losing muscle mass, but not yet put any on. My brain fog is nearly gone, and I’m sleeping again. 

We will do another blood test in 3 more months to check in on the cholesterol and other issues, but for now I’m feeling back to normal. Or my new normal. I’m still training hard, and in fact am lifting more than I have been in the past, 180 pound deadlifts and 160 pound squats. I’m also putting out more power on my bike and in my runs because of my gym lifting sessions. 

If you’re like me and are having trouble with not feeling yourself, don’t let a doctor tell you you’re fine and just take melatonin or whatever they try to pass off on you. Look for someone else, someone with the training and knowledge in peri and post menopause. You wouldn’t go get a coach that only coaches soccer to train you as an endurance sport athlete, so why get a doctor who isn’t trained in your needs to care for you. Perimenopause will not just impact your performance in sport but it will impact your life outside as well.

Advocating for Yourself: Finding the Right Support

I’m looking forward to this coming year’s events. I’ve set a few goals for myself at 48 years old that I have never done. I know I can make them happen now, and so can you. I am not allowing perimenopause to derail my performance. Rather, I am using perimenopause as a strength to improve my performance.

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