I swear, three days before TOM, my workouts are crazy hard. After it starts, I am fine. However, to try to run the week before seems to get progressively harder the closer it gets. I don't have any severe PMS symptoms, just the usual.

Anyone else? Any remedies?

I was wondering this too. I have an IUD so my AF is kind of sporadic, but I've noticed a decline in my workout mode those few days before AF starts.

I have an IUD too, but my cycles are like Swiss timing, so I can equate mine pretty easily.

I just finished today's run, which sucked BTW, and I sweat more than I have ever, even in childbirth. I am more of a glistener who gets a fire-engine-red face that makes people ask, "Do you need to take a break?" (V embarrassing) Today, the amount of water that flowed from my body was really crazy. I actually worried about shorting out my iPod and took it off.

ABSOLUTELY! The three or four days before and the first two days of my period, I feel like not running at all - and then when I run, I get so tired, so fast... it's a real slog! It's hard work, and it wears me out - most of the time, I love running - not then!

Of course, I am one of those people whose weight drops stupidly AFTER my period, so it's worth it

Heather

I do sweat more but don't see changes in what I can do.

There's been some research done on hormonal cycles and women's athletic performance-- maybe in the Olympics? The research found no correlation between menstruation and performance, anyway.

i always find myself more sluggish before my period...maybe its just my body being "witchy" in its own way since i really don't have pms signs LOL

maria - i wonder about those studies???? it seems weird to me...since eveything i've read about high training athlete (esp for olympics) says that most females don't cycle as much when they are in heaving training...hmmm weird, you would think if you didn't cycle you wouldn't see the effects????? At least that's what i've always learned......so to me if a heavy training athlete doesn't cycle i wouldn't think they would be a good candidate for pms symptoms. At least that's the way i think of it.

but i think for the average no olympic athlete...several factors may play a role in making you more tired...1 hormoens of corse. 2. if you have increase in carbs or sugars may trigger lethargy...and my belief that if you uterus is trying to vacate the building...that's got to utilize some of the bodies needs LOL...but that's just my take and i'm only an animal dr..not a human dr so i can't give medical advice to human LMAO

Okay--for those women who have an IUD? I just got a Mirena two weeks ago. I know it's kinda off topic for this thread, but if you don't think it's too personal--how long did it take for your spotting to stop and regular periods begin? I've been spotting constantly since the procedure. It's not a lot, just enough to be annoying. I was on Depo before this, so I'm not sure how that'll effect it.

I had an IUD for 3 years...ouch!

Spotting was like a week then like clockwork I got my period a few weeks later.

Here is a really interesting article:
http://www.thinkmuscle.com/articles/...strogen-03.htm


Personally, I think it is like any differences among women and their cycles. Some women cramp, some have light bleeding, some have irritability. I think some must be affected by their cycles.

I have a standard copper IUD and not a Mirena so YMMV, but it took about 4 weeks for me to stop spotting completely. After that it just settled into a normal rhythm. My SIL, on the other hand, never stopped spotting so they had to remove hers. She went with something a bit more permanent after that.

I'd say give it another couple of weeks and if it doesn't stop call your GYN.

Thanks, Margaret. I just wanted to see if what I was experiencing was "normal" (as normal as anything can be when different people are involved). I'll probably give it about 3 more weeks before I give my GYN a call. I actually wanted something more permanent, but being 22, by GYN said it would be next to impossible to find a doctor who'd do that for me. Seemed like a IUD was my next best option.

And now back to your regularly scheduled thread...