Riding and the Menopause

I feel my confidence has taken a dive breaking my ankle also didn't help and for a long time I felt like my riding was terrible, if the slightest thing went wrong I would just cry and get off and get really angry with myself, I still have off days but I do feel a lot better now about riding I think you have come to terms with the fact your not that rider anymore,.
 
Jellymoon said:
Yep, it’s like a fire building up inside, roaring in my ears. And I couldn’t put in writing the thoughts that pop into my brain in those moments, you’d send the police round.
The horses do help with all of this, normally, even though they are making me feel anxious at times.
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O my gosh yes. A fire roaring in my ears. And the scary thoughts. AND the horse helping. He really does help.
 
My Superdrug order arrived on Friday :) I'm slightly unnerved by how easy that was after all the NHS hoops. I have estrogen patches and progesterone pills. Pills are for 12 days out of 30 so I've left them for now and just on my first patch as of Friday, but already I'm functioning better. I'm supposed to get a call from the GP on Thursday so will see what they say before I do more.
 
Alibear said:
My Superdrug order arrived on Friday :) I'm slightly unnerved by how easy that was after all the NHS hoops. I have estrogen patches and progesterone pills. Pills are for 12 days out of 30 so I've left them for now and just on my first patch as of Friday, but already I'm functioning better. I'm supposed to get a call from the GP on Thursday so will see what they say before I do more.
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Brilliant, i will have a look at superdrug. My magnesium oil spray had arrived so i’ll be spraying myself daily and see what happens xx
 
Well, I am proof that you can get your confidence back! I've just taken on a new loan pony, who I hope will be a good BD prospect for me. I need to give her a variety of work so she doesn't get school sour, so I thought I'd do a little cross-pole occasionally, having not jumped for well over 2 years and not competed at jumping for more like 4 or 5.

I signed up for a livery lesson at our yard, which was a flat lesson last week, and got a message from the instructor a couple of hours before the start that it would be a jumping lesson. Oh sh1t! Well, I'd thought I would do a bit of jumping with her, so may as well do it with an instructor there. I resolved to do the low levels and stop at about 2 feet, then spend the rest of the lesson schooling.

Nope! Jump started at 2 feet and rapidly ascended to a 2'3"/2'6ish oxer (which some friends said we were clearing by at least a foot :eek:), then combined with 2 other jumps which were high cross-poles ("high" being a relative term here as you can probably tell). Well, we did it! And I even (whisper it!) enjoyed it :D. And managed to sit a very short stride chipped in with a huge hump of the back to get over it, when I managed to get her to the jump on a shocking stride. Quite proud of myself!

So don't discount the scary things that you used to do and tell yourself you'll never do that again, because when the time is right, and on the right horse, you'll surprise yourself.
 
Red-1 said:
I have no idea how to tackle it...

This was me before perimenopause...

Fearless...

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Competing a very hot mare too...

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Then it hit, this was during, and despite doing nothing higher than 100 once perimenopause started, I burst into tears before this XC as I thought the 100 course was too much risk for my beloved horse. In fact, we never jumped higher than 90 after, despite 100 being a breeze for him!

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Then... It got worse! I simply stopped enjoying it. I started to just do dressage, and often wore a body protector at that!!!

Then, when mum was ill as well, I stopped enjoying even that, sold my posh horse and bought an old cob. I have spent the last 6 months simply walking the countryside!

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If anyone has a 'cure' I would like to know it. Much as I love Rigsby and our wanderings, I would really like to go back to at least the rider who enjoyed BE100!

I scratch my head in wonderment at how I changed. I was the one who was put on the bucking broncs, because I had a velcro bum and could generally train them not to do it. Now, my innards would do a back flip!!!

Thank goodness for Rigsby.
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Red-1 said:
I haven't gone for HRT, was warned off by a friend who blamed it for breast cancer.

I bet everyone will say it isn't linked now.

I also bet, that now I am in actual menopause, my Dr wouldn't allow it.
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catembi said:
I originally got my HRT from my GP but it was oestrogen only & tablets. Free apart from the prescription charge. I had to go there every 6 months & see alternately a dr or a nurse, I complained about poor sleep every time & also every time I got the veiled threats of being taken off it, plus I really hated going to the dr when I wasn't ill.

This is the service I used: Online Menopause Centre - The UK's 1st Online Menopause Clinic When I did it, you could get a free 15 min introductory appt to see if it's right for you. All the prices are on there. Not cheap & all the hormones aren't cheap, but compared with what I spend on 5 horses & running the lorry, and what price can you put on SLEEPING, renewed strength & energy, better skin & vastly improved anxiety? I also take Menopace Night & was advised to take a magnesium powder at night - the one recommended was Nutri Advanced MegaMag Night Formula.
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I just re-awoke this thread to say that I am fed up with it all, symp[toms are worse not better, I actually feel ill.

I emailed the company that @catembi used and had a consultation yesterday. It was £225 for half an hour talking to someone, as opposed to the 6 minutes that would have been available at my own GP. I needed to be able to talk it through. My GP is strained anyway with Covid, and a friend of a friend recently enquired about HRT, to be asked why she thought she was so special to need HRT. I really could not go through that!

The private GP was lovely, I am starting a low dose of combined HRT, body identical, made from Yams. It is the sort that is available on the NHS. I have booked further blood tests, around £150, and a review appointment, also around £150. I hope that, once I am levelled out, I can then simply go to my GP for continuing treatment.

I have also watched the Davina McCall programe today, highly recommend watching.

Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause - All 4 (channel4.com)
 
Red-1 said:
I just re-awoke this thread to say that I am fed up with it all, symp[toms are worse not better, I actually feel ill.

I emailed the company that @catembi used and had a consultation yesterday. It was £225 for half an hour talking to someone, as opposed to the 6 minutes that would have been available at my own GP. I needed to be able to talk it through. My GP is strained anyway with Covid, and a friend of a friend recently enquired about HRT, to be asked why she thought she was so special to need HRT. I really could not go through that!

The private GP was lovely, I am starting a low dose of combined HRT, body identical, made from Yams. It is the sort that is available on the NHS. I have booked further blood tests, around £150, and a review appointment, also around £150. I hope that, once I am levelled out, I can then simply go to my GP for continuing treatment.

I have also watched the Davina McCall programe today, highly recommend watching.

Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause - All 4 (channel4.com)
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.If you are on Facebook can I recommend joining Menopause warriors. Lots of women sharing their different situations, other people who have the same issues offering advice. We also have a lot of useful advice pinned to the top of the page, might not help with the riding to start with ( I was having issues with a deterioration in my Asthma which meant I struggled just tacking up) but so much info, stuff that I never realised was linked to menopause including joint pain for example.
 
I'm well through it now but it was a bunch of mini strokes that did my confidence rather than the menopause.
My main menopause problem with riding was double tampons and a night towel to avoid sudden flooding out on a hack. ?Tmi sorry. At least that's over.
 
Gloi said:
I'm well through it now but it was a bunch of mini strokes that did my confidence rather than the menopause.
My main menopause problem with riding was double tampons and a night towel to avoid sudden flooding out on a hack. ?Tmi sorry. At least that's over.
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I feel your pain. I have fibroids. Riding on my period is completely out of the question!

Sorry to hear about the mini strokes. That sounds frightening!
 
I hope you get sorted Red….the HRT was amazing for me But I know doesn’t suit everyone. Having gone cold turkey last Oct and stopping it I now only have the hot flushes every couple of hours ish and even the tiredness is easing up a bit…I hope I’m coming through it….
 
southerncomfort said:
I feel your pain. I have fibroids. Riding on my period is completely out of the question!

Sorry to hear about the mini strokes. That sounds frightening!
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I had fibroids too, well I guess I still do, but I have now had over 12 months with no periods, so the issues they caused have gone. In my case riding was limited at that time, but could be done with stacks of protection.
 
Midlifecrisis said:
I hope you get sorted Red….the HRT was amazing for me But I know doesn’t suit everyone. Having gone cold turkey last Oct and stopping it I now only have the hot flushes every couple of hours ish and even the tiredness is easing up a bit…I hope I’m coming through it….
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Could I ask why the cold turkey? I was told that the body identical ones could be taken more or less indefinitely? I will make a note to ask about that at my review appointment.
 
Red-1 said:
and a friend of a friend recently enquired about HRT, to be asked why she thought she was so special to need HRT. I really could not go through that!
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WTAF???!!!!
I bloody hope she lodged a complaint!

I am sorry people have had such difficulties with hrt / or getting it - I am on the one the gp prescribed (my only stipulation was I wouldn’t use one derived from mare ‘s urine) and it works great.
Though reading these threads makes me scared I might get taken off it at some point ?

@Red-1 I hope you do well on the one you are trying though it’s a shame you have to pay so much
 
Red-1 said:
I just re-awoke this thread to say that I am fed up with it all, symp[toms are worse not better, I actually feel ill.

I emailed the company that @catembi used and had a consultation yesterday. It was £225 for half an hour talking to someone, as opposed to the 6 minutes that would have been available at my own GP. I needed to be able to talk it through. My GP is strained anyway with Covid, and a friend of a friend recently enquired about HRT, to be asked why she thought she was so special to need HRT. I really could not go through that!

The private GP was lovely, I am starting a low dose of combined HRT, body identical, made from Yams. It is the sort that is available on the NHS. I have booked further blood tests, around £150, and a review appointment, also around £150. I hope that, once I am levelled out, I can then simply go to my GP for continuing treatment.

I have also watched the Davina McCall programe today, highly recommend watching.

Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause - All 4 (channel4.com)
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Never heard of body identical HRT, out of interest I googled mine (combined, taken for almost 15 years) and am pleased to discover it is low dose and bi.
 
Red-1 said:
I had fibroids too, well I guess I still do, but I have now had over 12 months with no periods, so the issues they caused have gone. In my case riding was limited at that time, but could be done with stacks of protection.
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Thats really interesting.

I got an NHS referral to a private hospital. The consultant said I could either do nothing and wait for them go down naturally, have a hysteroscopy and a coil fitted, have them removed, or have a full hysterectomy.

Also been prescribed tranexamic acid but I haven't taken it yet cos I have my covid booster next week and worried about the clot risk.


I initially agreed to have a coil fitted but I have a family history of breast cancer so have ruled it out. Just umming and ahhhing between having them removed or leaving them be.
 
southerncomfort said:
Thats really interesting.

I got an NHS referral to a private hospital. The consultant said I could either do nothing and wait for them go down naturally, have a hysteroscopy and a coil fitted, have them removed, or have a full hysterectomy.

Also been prescribed tranexamic acid but I haven't taken it yet cos I have my covid booster next week and worried about the clot risk.


I initially agreed to have a coil fitted but I have a family history of breast cancer so have ruled it out. Just umming and ahhhing between having them removed or leaving them be.
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I had some medication prescribed short term, to control the bleeding as it was so awful. However, the ultrasound showed large enough lumps that they did a biopsy. The biopsy showed they were fibroids, so not cancerous, but also caused a mega bleed that went on and on, then... nothing since! So, I never used the medication to control the bleeding, so I have no idea if it would have worked.
 
Hi Red ..I don’t know how to include the quote…I went cold turkey because I didn’t know any better…I had run out of pills it was last October and the doctors wouldn’t see me, had difficulty getting the brand I was on and I’d had 3 lump scares in 18 months with associated biopsies etc..so as I’d closed my business due to COVID lock downs I thought I’d stop and see what happened. Not a lot happened to be honest..no periods..lots of sweats and tiredness, some brain fogginess but no anxiety/emotional outbursts or anything else. Right now I feel rather well and can cope with decreasing frequency of the sweats.
 
Glad you're getting sorted, Red-1.

SouthernComfort, I had fibroids & monster periods & also had tranexamic acid & then something else... Nothing made a difference & it was just totally impossible to keep myself clean due to the (sorry - TMI...) spectacular flooding which could come out of nowhere. So I had a hyst in 2009 & it was such a relief to get rid of the whole issue.
 
catembi said:
Glad you're getting sorted, Red-1.

SouthernComfort, I had fibroids & monster periods & also had tranexamic acid & then something else... Nothing made a difference & it was just totally impossible to keep myself clean due to the (sorry - TMI...) spectacular flooding which could come out of nowhere. So I had a hyst in 2009 & it was such a relief to get rid of the whole issue.
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Thanks. My consultant said he was quite happy to do a hysterectomy if I wanted one but the recovery period puts me off.

I think I'm erring towards having the fibroids removed. One is quite large and my stomach looks 6 mths pregnant. ? Like you I'm just utterly sick of them now!
 
Jellymoon said:
In this new spirit of openness, I thought I’d ask how any of you ladies have coped with having horses through the menopause?.
In particular, coping with the increased anxiety coupled with still riding, competing, dealing with young horses, backing horses etc. How many of you have pushed on through the fear and panic attacks and come out the other side just as brave and confident as you were before? Or is it best to admit defeat and trade the sports horses and the eventing dreams in for a safe plod. (Please not yet!)
Also, how the heck did you cope with watching your kids flinging themselves and their feisty ponies round the countryside during the menopause ? My teenage daughter now wants to event, and my hormones are screaming ‘no way, can’t cope with that’ and my rational side says,’ well, that’s what you do, so you can’t stop her!’
The physical symptoms are not too bad, can pretty much ignore them, it’s the mental symptoms I’m struggling with. The ‘what if that happens’ when I’m at the yard on my own, or getting on a fresh horse. Is this just a phase and will my normal self return? Because I quite liked her, she was quite cool (or thought she was) and had many years of riding fun left in her, still dreamt of being interviewed by Claire Balding one day….Not so keen on this new version, reminds me of my mum….horror!!!
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Can't coment on the kids I don't have any.

Menopause - I got thrown into it within 2 days due to having Endometrial cancer. Full hysterectomy. I just carried on despite the flushing so not much change though had to wait after the surgery by keyhole, otherwise life as normal. I was not allowed HRT so had to suffer and struggle on regardless.
 
I had a hysterectomy 12 yrs ago, ovaries left in. I had no idea about the anxiety issue of the menopause. Until I read this thread I have been at a total loss why I have been so worried about riding my youngster. She is now 5yrs old and has done nothing wrong since day 1(I bred her). Yet there have been days when I am physically shaking handling or riding her. I have been beating my self up as I couldn't understand what I am feeling. I've had horses all my life and it just didn't make sense. I'm happy to accept I can't ride like I did but I'm sure as hell not ready to stop xx Off to the Dr's asap
 
SC - the recovery period isn't that bad. I had the open surgery but I think they can now mostly do keyhole unless the fibroids are huge. I was signed off for 12 weeks & felt pretty much normal after 2 weeks. You have to be VERY careful not to over-do it so as not to split internal stitches. I followed the instructions, so was walking slowly on my treadmill for two minutes twice a day, increasing by a minute a day, a week afterwards. By the end of the 2nd week, we went to the supermarket & I was perfectly able to walk about, although no lifting or trolley pushing. (Because it was a bad idea, not because I didn't feel capable.) After the 6 week check, I was cleared to drive & exercise properly, so that was pretty much that, really. And NO MORE PERIODS...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was in a support group & met up with another lady who had surgery at the same time. We went out shopping afterwards (when recovered...) and both bought WHITE underwear to celebrate!
 
catembi said:
SC - the recovery period isn't that bad. I had the open surgery but I think they can now mostly do keyhole unless the fibroids are huge. I was signed off for 12 weeks & felt pretty much normal after 2 weeks. You have to be VERY careful not to over-do it so as not to split internal stitches. I followed the instructions, so was walking slowly on my treadmill for two minutes twice a day, increasing by a minute a day, a week afterwards. By the end of the 2nd week, we went to the supermarket & I was perfectly able to walk about, although no lifting or trolley pushing. (Because it was a bad idea, not because I didn't feel capable.) After the 6 week check, I was cleared to drive & exercise properly, so that was pretty much that, really. And NO MORE PERIODS...!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I was in a support group & met up with another lady who had surgery at the same time. We went out shopping afterwards (when recovered...) and both bought WHITE underwear to celebrate!
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? Thats brilliant!

6 weeks off sounds a small price to pay for complete freedom and white knickers!!
 
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