So tired but running is faster?!

[MrsRossPoldark]

I'm now officially perimenopausal & while my times are getting faster all the time thanks to recently joining the local AC (I'm 51!), I am so tired afterwards that I have to take a nap or go to bed early!

I'm not talking mega fast, but reduced from 9:50 per mile to 8:45. I run 3/4 times a week but this week had an awful training session with the club on Tues and ended up skipping Thurs altogether. I'm running half an hour 3x a week and a 45-60 minute run 1x week when I can, so not high mileage / time. I gave up running 'for miles' in favour of 'for time' ages ago!

I had bloods done in the last month which confirmed perimenopausal, I'm not anaemic, no thyroid or kidney problems, so no idea where the tiredness comes from. GP is if the 'well you are middle aged dear' variety & I can't use HRT due to breast cancer history.

Any advice / comments please?

Well I get tired after exercise too - I'm early 60's and do several exercise classes a week, but I'm on systemic (full) HRT.

Unfortunately tiredness is common at this age but no reason to be fobbed off - it can be due to all sorts of hormonal and other reasons eg low oestrogen, low testosterone, low thryoid as well as iron, various vitamins etc. Sometimes the ref range of what is normal doesn't actually reflect symptoms women are feeling.

Are your periods stll regular or are they becoming erratic.? There is loss of muscle mass following menopause so I imagine this can contribute to tiredness. I would ask for a print-out of your blood tests and look at your readings in relation to the ref range and perhaps see from t'internet if other women are finding similar. Maybe one of the tests shows values close to the limit of the ref range ie too low/too high etc?

If you are still feeling tired after what seems moderate exercise - which doesn't improve over a couple of weeks then I would go back to your doc.

Unfortunately if you can't take HRT due to breast cancer, then in terms of tiredness the best you can do is make sure your diet/vitamin levels are tip-top, if the doc cannot determine any other reason. Perhaps pace yourself and not try to keep increasing your times - if it's causing fatigue?

Thanks bellaciao: I haven't been shown my blood results so will ask for them.

As it happens, I have just got myself on to the Vets team at my athletic club! Planning to try a 400m. I found the time of the slowest finisher in last year's race; then decided that if I could get close to it, I'd compete.

Hubby timed me at the track & I did it in exactly the same time! At least I can't get lapped!!