I am experiencing a very uncomfortable feminine transition, which has sent me reeling with migraines, fatigue and muscle aches. The treatment I've been given (low dose progestin) prevents the headaches and improved my energy level, but these days when I race, I feel more like a pack-a-day smoker than Hercules, which is killing my motivation to compete.
I'm wondering if any of you have had (are having) similar experiences and how you're handling it. I look forward to hearing your thoughts and experiences :)
At 53 I am having my best year ever as a masters swimmer. The hot flashes are annoying and sleeping is more difficult but I am swimming faster. I attribute it to having more time to train (a la empty nest) and more resources to put into my swimming but also a year ago I mentioned to my health care provider at a check up that my allergies were exceptionally bad that year and I was actually wheezing. She listened to my breathing and confirmed it and put me on a steroid inhaler that I use every day (not for acute asthma attacks but a preventive). Within a week I felt 100% better! I never realized how much air I wasn't getting. I have been able to train better in the last year because of the improved airway. I think you should consider addressing your breathing issues that way rather than attribute them to menopausal symptoms.
I don't think I'm having any breathing issues different from before. For year's I've taken Allegra on race days to subdue any allergies. Some of the back halves of my races recently are ridiculously slow, though, and I feel like it takes me forever to recover. And I've never had hot flashes or sleeping trouble, just daily migraines that wouldn't subside until my doc put me on progestin. Don't know if the progestin somehow slows my recovery...
At 53 I am having my best year ever as a masters swimmer. The hot flashes are annoying and sleeping is more difficult but I am swimming faster. I attribute it to having more time to train (a la empty nest) and more resources to put into my swimming but also a year ago I mentioned to my health care provider at a check up that my allergies were exceptionally bad that year and I was actually wheezing. She listened to my breathing and confirmed it and put me on a steroid inhaler that I use every day (not for acute asthma attacks but a preventive). Within a week I felt 100% better! I never realized how much air I wasn't getting. I have been able to train better in the last year because of the improved airway. I think you should consider addressing your breathing issues that way rather than attribute them to menopausal symptoms.
I don't think I'm having any breathing issues different from before. For year's I've taken Allegra on race days to subdue any allergies. Some of the back halves of my races recently are ridiculously slow, though, and I feel like it takes me forever to recover. And I've never had hot flashes or sleeping trouble, just daily migraines that wouldn't subside until my doc put me on progestin. Don't know if the progestin somehow slows my recovery...
