Exercise perimenopause & cortisol
Posted , 5 users are following.
I like to take exercise 4 - 5 times a week, swimming, pilates & in the gym and have so for over 20 years. Since going through this horrendous peri and having gained a anxiety panic disorder ( for which I take anti depressants) I struggle with exercise I can only do low impact now but a couple of hours or day after I get heavy airy head, I ache during and after I sweat profusely during like a bucket water has been thrown over me, face goes bright red and itches.
I believe that my cortisol levels rises during exercise which is effecting my progesterone? I am slightly estrogen dominant
Has anyone any knowledge or experience of this, I had my thyroid checked, all OK, not particularly overweight but I am putting weight on round my waist at an alarming rate. I overhauled my diet no processed food, no sugar don't eat sweets etc I take flaxseed oil and bio identical hormone cream
0 likes, 17 replies
jo3674 Woo3353
Posted
HI, I've just been diagnosed as going through menopause (I'm 42) but for the pa 4-years had same symptoms as you (along with the other 'normal hideous menopause symptoms). Always been very active & had a stable weight before but over the past 4-years no matter how well I eat or how've much I exercise I cannot shift a lb ICC the stone & a half I have gained (like you mainly around my mid section). I also go very very red when exercising. My thyroid levels are normal too. Unfortunately I think this may be part of the menopause process.
It might be worth looking at which antidepressants your on though as these are reknown for having weight gain as a side effect (whatever your GP may say) & some are worse culprits than others. I find that I am now intolerant to gluten & dairy & cutting this out has helped to lose a few pounds (not many) but eases bloating & anxiety. Also staying away from high sugar foods. It's not much fun, but it helps. I too like you am too tired to exercise like before but have just started HRT so am hoping my energy levels will return so I can exercise properly again.
See your GP for FSH & LH levels, theyr cortisol Levels If you have a good GP. Hang on in there. I feel for you, along with symptoms having to deal with weight gain that won't shift is soul destroying 😔
michelle_79406 jo3674
Posted
i also out of nowhere put on nearly 2 stone and alot around my mid section. i suffered terrible with anxiety and panic attacks, but i cut out eating choclate and sweet stuff out of my diet. altjought i havent lost weight, i have got rid of my extreme anxiety and panic attacks. but i have migraines that have got more severe and frequent. but my dr wont do blood checks as she says at 44 im too youmg to have meno problems, and i have been having these problem for a few years now. dr s do not have the answers ,
brenda43955 Woo3353
Posted
I'm 43 and this year has been the worst. I to was very active then suddenly excercise of anykind throws me into an anxiety attack. My heart pounds, I'm super light headed, I get very weak and then anxiety. Dr's have done all sorts of tests and all say everything including my heart is great. Dr.s say my hormones are fine also. I've gained so much weight and celulite is now everywhere on my legs its so depressing. I'm told to excercise but I'm so sick afterwards with just basic stuff. I also get a migraine. I'm certain this is premenopause. My periods are all messed up, my hair is thinning, I have anxiety attacks that I have never had in my life. I'm super tired all the time. I have increased my vitamins and try to eat clean. I cut out coffee (oh that was so hard) and I don't drink or smoke.
Woo3353 brenda43955
Posted
I overhauled my diet in August I cook everything from scratch, don't use white flour, pasta etc even make my own muesli I don't take anything with added sugar as it gives me palpitations it's do frustrating my legs from knees to thighs are getting thinner. My anti depressants side effects made me lose weight they are ones where weight lose is common.
I am going to see my doctor next week so will ask about checking my fsh & cortisol but I doubt she'll agree they seem to only want to up my anti depressants which I've tried that it was horrendous
Thanx for responding anyway it does help getting support
brenda43955 Woo3353
Posted
I have an appointment with my naturalpath on Friday. I seem to like his approach of treating the symptoms rather than the blood work. My blood work accroding to my traditional doctors are all fine. After my daughter 9 years ago my naturalpath treated me for thyroid and a few other things and I bounced back within a few months, my normal doctors wanting me on antidepressants. I'm going to try using him to see if I can get some releif. I have thought about taking meds for my anxiety but really feel something is off within my system and trying to figure that out first. I eat pretty clean but with these issues finding that I'm going towards all the bad comfort foods. My poor husband things I'm just crazy and I feel bad because I feel all I do is complain or not feel good. I work full time so I'm just dead tired when I get home. My mornings are the worst. I feel like I wake up with axiety and lightheaded and it last until about mid morning.
Woo3353 brenda43955
Posted
Try to avoid anti depressants if you can the side effects when I 1st took them were horrendous im off work at present took 6 months off when my old company closed down but I wouldn't have been able to work anyway for 3 weeks I was nearly bedridden getting used to them.
I just want to exercise like I used too but i'll keep going little steps as they say
brenda43955 Woo3353
Posted
good to know! I appreciate your feedback. One step at a time is my motto....hopefully this doesn't last 10 years!!!
looloo43 Woo3353
Posted
Woo3353 looloo43
Posted
They DID (past tense) make me lose weight when I first took them I never ate for over a week, yes this was a side effect, now I am heading to a pumpkin shape, all my weight around the middle typical peri characteristics that's why I get frustrated about exercise, I have always kept in shape with it but now it's like I have just started exercising agaib
looloo43 Woo3353
Posted
Do you actually weigh more in pounds? My doc told me that during peri/meno & i found it when i started hrt that fat tends to redistribute itself (as opposed to actual weight gain). when i started hrt in april for several months i felt plumper round the middle & gained 4-61lbs, but it settled again after 3 to 4mths & i now just go 2lbs either side of my pre hrt weight depending on time of the month(water i expect). my fat distribution seems to have settled in that i have more on my hips above my buttocks, but my waistline is back again now! weird what hormones do - who would've thought they could influence our shapes??? xx
Sochima822 looloo43
Posted
looloo, wish it was true. I gained 20 pounds after I started hrt, I was hardly eating too, and I quit it after a year but then I had to work hard to get rid of the extra weight. Every body's metabolism acts differently when taking hormones. My weight was distributed to my legs and breasts. Fat legs, big belly, and big breasts don't make a feminine look. Thank goodness I was able to lose the weight.
looloo43 Sochima822
Posted
yes, you're right about everybody's metabolism being different; i have friends that can eat huge amounts & calories, but they never put on a pound!!! grrrrr!!! i only have to look at a donut & i put on a pound or two!!! it gets harder as we get older too to keep the pounds off doesn't it?.....
Woo3353 looloo43
Posted
I think the saging
'Moment on the lips lifetime on the hips' was created by a perimenopausal / menopausal women and only applies for those aged 40 years and up!!!
looloo43 Woo3353
Posted
definately Woo!
x
Sochima822 looloo43
Posted
Oh I can relate, I know just looking at chocolate made me gain weight. Yes, it took a long time to lose the weight but I eventually loss it. Don't even mention donuts! But thus so far I've been good at staying away from them mostly because I'm not craving sweets these days.
looloo43 Sochima822
Posted
since being on hrt, i don't crave sweet stuff half as much as before, but i do crave salt more than i used to...... bizarre. too much of both are bad for us, but at least salt doesn't make us put on weight, & we all need a moderate amount of salt. it's great you persevered & managed to lose the weight; its so damn easy to put, but so difficult to lose it!