Burning skin sensation /perimenapause

Debra, I’ve been perplexed by this crap too. Mine seems to be amplified by anxiety, which is ironic since the burning sensation itself is what is making me anxious…! I’m 56 and 6 years post. Are you using any hormones? I wonder if falling Estrogen can be at least part of the burning culprit. 

Hi Roseburg - I am 61, 6 years post...interesting that it hit us both @ this juncture - I am not on any HRT, but after this doozy of a year am almost tempted.  I am so tired of feeling like Caa Caa & every little thing sets my anxiety off - Can’t figure out the burning thing either because it seems to come on at night, when I am asleep & less anxious - I read somewhere on one of the posts that it is falling progesterone that causes it because progesterone is what protects the sheath covering the nerves???? I also seemed to be aching before an episode - I don’t know anyone who has been thru this hell & back except for the ladies on this forum - I guess we are the chosen few - Ugh!

That’s interesting Debra, because it happens sometimes during pregnancy where progesterone is supposed to be ultra high 🤔 I wonder if it’s not just the amount of hormones but the sudden drop or increase in progesterone and/or oestrogen.

Debra, I wake up with it too! And that’s when I am not the least bit anxious. I’ll wake with something that feels like a burning collar or where the yoke of a garment would lie. And a smaller area somewhere of a patch of sensitive skin that hurts to touch-as though it’s been sandpapered😑

As far as progesterone, that can actually CAUSE muscle aches in some women...it’s a known side effect. Low Estrogen can also cause muscle aches. Have you found out anything that indicates hormones taking a role in the burning sensation? Also, do you get migraines of any sort? I developed a strange type of migraine at peri menopause that isn’t severe with pain, but has been a ride with the neuro-cognitive BS. These seem to correlate time-wise with the burning skin.

By the way, what tests are you having? My strong hunch is you’ll be found to be perfectly healthy, even though we may not feel that way!

HI Debra

Did you ever get the results of that scary syndrome you speak of?What was the outcome... I cant seem to find anywhere that you speak of it again... let us know hey.. hope it was all ok though...

Tams

Marilou, I agree! Let’s keep this thread alive and share with one another what we learn. I, too, believe anxiety plays a role, but the burning sensation happens when I’m not the least bit anxious. The anxiety increases the sensation with me, however. It’s hard not to tune in to it! 

Hi Roseburg,

I have read somewhere that when you have a panic attack or a skyrocketed anxiety level your brain can get stuck in that situation even when you feel the anxiety has gone. It seems that this is my own experience because the first time I had this burning/numbness/weakness sensation in both hands and feet I was anxious and very hot and probably dehydrated. Now it comes and goes but temperature definitely plays a role. It can be different for others, but what matters is that the brain associates the anxiety with that particular trigger. 

I forgot to say that I also suffer from migraines and I have Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and Asperger’s Disorder which can play a role in the opera 😩.

I forgot to ask if any of you had/have back discomfort/pain, 

muscle twitching/spasms, heartburn/reflux, wilst having the burning sensation or around the same time.

Marilou, I have migraines too. The skin burning sensation seems to happen in conjunction with them, but I think there’s a deeper connection to hormones and anxiety too. I don’t experience panic attacks but can get keyed up and am easily anxious. My shoulders will sometimes get achy, sometimes down my arms too. Everything sensory seems amplified. How are you managing your Ehlers Danilo’s? My mom very likely had that, and I have a friend in London with it as well. As far as the Aspergers, you are certainly not alone! So many bright and successful people are on the spectrum.

I really appreciate your input on these issue(s) and hopefully we can begin to sort things out. I always wonder if downline there will be others searching for answers who may benefit from those of us looking for clues!

Hi marilu,

I have that it comes and goes last, month I had twitching in my eye.

What I have that started is the burning sensation and also jaw and ear pain it's very uncomfortable. 

Today my stomach started acting up and my back. 

Hi Marilu,

YES! When my feet start burning, that's when I will get a host of other symptoms like upper back pain (next to left shoulder blade), stomach pain, nausea, flu malaise feelings, etc.. And even when I start feeling some depression coming on I will notice that my feet are burning. 

When I first noticed my feet burning last April it was only in my left foot and it felt like the top of my foot had sunburn. Not it's worse, and the other foot burns too, tingles as well sometimes, and sometimes it goes up in to my legs.

My sister, who is post meno, has burning all around where she wears her bra. When she was peri she had burning gums. When she went to the dentist complaining about her gums he called her a hysterical woman. How nice is that?

But you are the first one to ever ask about the other symptoms correlating with the burning, I've been saying this all along and haven't found anyone else who has the same!

Suzanne- it must be affirming to have a sister who shares similar experiences. Yesterday my bra was bugging me too. As far as the burning, did she ever learn the root cause, or did it eventually lessen?

Glad to have your shared insight- incredibly helpful to know we aren’t all by ourselves!

Jeez Jacqueline!! Jaw and pain behind ear too! The burning started on 12th February and the jaw/ear pain around two weeks ago.

I had a pimple on my gum for the first time in my life one month ago! I think we’re onto something here! 🤔 

Hi jacqueline, I’m really sorry to hear about the jaw and ear pain.  You know, that may be a migraine, especially given the stomach issues you’re having. I’ve had oddball migraines and have a daughter in law who kept thinking her migraines were an ear infection because it hurt her jawline, ear and side of her face. Just a thought.

Regarding Ehlers -Danlos, not managing really, just praying (well, hoping) that my arteries and veins don’t rupture like my capillaries... I have the vascular/mixed type, but don’t  have the joint hypermobility.

Thanks for your kind words, very reassuring 🤗

I hope we can sort this out, I have the conviction that we are the masters of our body/nind and no doctors know us better than ourselves. 

This is so frustrating, I don't have a headache it's just this ear and jaw pain apart from the burning sensation, the ear feels like someone is pushing in ,but the crazy thing is that it comes and goes during the day 

Suzanne, thank you for mentioning your sister’s experience. I’m convinced that menstruation ceases = menopause, but menopause NEVER ceases until we die...

I have the same problem with bras, can’t bear to wear them more than 3 hours or so. Bought bigger sizes and nothing has changed.

I’d like doctors to be aware of the Menopause Syndrome Disorder 🤬

I have thought about migraines too, Roseburg. If this is migraine, the hormonal imbalances may be influencing it because all my previous migraines were the throbbing type, always left sided. My ear/jaw/headache is in the right side and headache feels like chronic daily headache instead of migraine.

My main migraine trigger has always been sudden weather changes, particularly thunderstorms!

Migraines don’t necessarily have to be accompanied by headache.

I never heard about that. 

She never found out, but it did happen around the same time she developed panic attacks. Even tried jumping out of a moving car. 

It’s got to be lack of hormones but she won’t listen to me, what does a younger sister know? 

Migraine is a complex neurovascular disorder. It’s never experienced exactly the same by 2 people and even by the same person. Headache is just one component but not always present. Sometimes they call it Silent Migraine. 

Have you ever experienced visual disturbance like zigzags, brilliant or black dots? Nausea, vomiting, tingling in hands, arms, face and tongue, feelings of impending doom, ear ringing/buzzing/pressure and a bunch of other weird symptoms can occur before, during or after a migraine attack. The headache happens during the attack, sometimes there’s no headache at all.

No just the ear and jaw pain.

So we can rule out migraine. It can be a complication factor but not the main cause. Thanks Jacqueline!

Sorry to hear that, Suzanne. How's she now, regarding panic attacks?

It seems that anxiety/panic plays a definitive role then.

It's related to perimenapause 

Do you mean the panic attacks/anxiety? I had extreme anxiety during the final years of perimenopause but the burning sensation just started now 1.5 years after menopause. My anxiety now is mostly related to family issues.

I have anxiety and depression. 

Sorry to hear that , I have them too, all signs were there since childhood, but these things were not recognized in children back then, at least not here.

In my family we suffer from anxiety and depression, I just feel that this all started in perimenapause, I sometimes over think snd start to wonder if there's other issues. 

I also have hashimoto.

I think that perimenopause makes any other previous conditions worse and also trigger hidden issues. It’s a huge hormonal withdrawal syndrome.

I think she’s always on the verge of having an attack if she’s not driving herself. Last time she drove with me she had her hand on the door handle the whole time but I talked her through it. She refuses to take anti anxiety drugs, but I think if I were jumping out of cars I might be inclined to take it. 

Hi suzanne,

How's your sister doing.

My sister had a knee replacement done in January, and she's still in extreme pain. I think she might be allergic to the metals they used. Her doctor isn't taking her seriously. And she said her anxiety is at an all time high. I told her about some of my new symptoms and she said I was following completely in her footsteps. It's funny, because back when she was having these things I never equated them with her going through meno. I'm going to be spending time with her this summer, hopefully have a good sit down talk about everything.

I think I may be getting ready to get my period again, anxiety is back, especially at night when I'm sleeping, so weird, my lower back is killing me. stomach hurts, loose bowels, headache, burning legs. I'm just so off on my schedule, I don't even know when to count from the last period since it lasted three weeks! Good news though, my mammo and u/s looked OK (cysts were starting to shrink a bit) and my pap smear was normal. Next week vaginal u/s to check lining of my uterus. And best news, my daughter surprised me yesterday, flew in for Mother's Day! 

How are things with you?

Hi suzanne, 

That's awsome.

I'm still having the burning sensation on and off feels weird sometimes I can't wear certain clothes been having stomach pain and I'm tired alote. 

Yeah, me too. Makes me wonder if this is how we will always feel from now on. 

I have cramps and have been feeling pretty bad, getting anxiety in the middle of the night for no reason, burning legs, and low and behold I have started spotting a little. And totally don't know if I'm mid cycle or starting my period? Hard to figure out since I had that three week period last time. 

This weird feeling comes and goes ,can't even wear jogger I have to wear a dress,

Are you taking hrt

Hi all - I was just wondering if any of you experience a really hot flush/body temperature before you get the burning sensation - I haven’t had the burning sensation for about 2 weeks, been feeling actually pretty good then yesterday I was shopping & I thought they had the heat on in the store...started sweating & then bam while sleeping, woke up with the burning sensation again.  This just has to be connected with hormone imbalance - 

I agree. When I get the burning in my feet and legs it coincides with other symptoms. I can feel the adrenaline rushing, or I'll get pains here and there, my face will get hot. I don't actually sweat with a hot flash, but I do feel hot. It went away after my period was over. Then a week ago it started again, and lo and behold I started spotting again going into another period or whatever. It's definitely all connected. 

Hi Suzanne - Well it sounds like you are still getting your period...I am six years past that & experiencing this nonsense...crazy!!! I spoke with my friend who said she experienced burning sensation when she was pregnant so I guess it is all tied to hormones - man, I was finally feeling normal for two weeks & then it all started up again...I want to get off this crazy ride!!!

Debra, did this just start? Or have you had it all along? I just keep hoping that all my symptoms will miraculously go away once my period stops. Uggggghhhhhh

Hi Suzanne - I had all the typical symptoms in my early 50’s (peri period) insomnia, flooding, night sweats etc. after I stopped menstruating @ 55 years old began a very intense stressful period of my life taking care of both of my parents & I think I was either too stressed out to even recognize anything going on with me OR my body hadn’t kicked into menopause yet...I just don’t know.  Roughly around 3 years ago I started having weird symptoms like tingling in my hands & feet, electric shocks in my extremities, flushing, headaches, episodes of blurry vision, reflux, bloating, gas, indigestion and the list goes on...at the time I was also on a bad blood pressure RX & when I googled the side effects it sounded like the drug was causing my issues...now I am not so sure, now I believe it was delayed menopause symptoms. I also think I suffer from adrenal fatigue syndrome from all the intense stress I was under for so long & now my body is just a mess.  I started having the burning calves/tops of feet, back, chest, throat, arms about 2 months ago. Go figure.  This has been the least stressed out that I have been in 11 years, so I don’t know if this is my body finally catching up to all the stress or just delayed menopause symptoms.  All my friends just think I am a hypochondriac or a nut job because they can’t believe I could still be experiencing symptoms like this @ 61! I am tempted to go on bioidenticals to see if I get any relief, but I keep praying it just all goes away & I wake up with my pre-40 year old body too...I guess I can dream, right?

Well it sounds exactly like my symptoms. If I was post meno I'd be more inclined to try the hormones to see if it helps. Why not give it a shot? I keep asking if taking hormones now will prolong going in to meno, I'm told no, but it seems like that wouldn't be right because you go in to meno when your hormones deplete. It's so confusing. But years into post meno, at least you know you are already there. 

Hi Suzanne - I know this whole menopause/hormone replacement thing is very confusing.  I keep thinking we’ll, , if I ride it out now then I will be done with it.  The thought of going on HRT then coming off of them only to get symptoms again does not thrill me at all.  I have had 2 completely horrible nights with burning back, chest and almost nausea like feeling.  Does anybody else experience that? The nausea feeling is new -   Why do you think does it come on so much when I am sleeping as opposed to being awake.  I do have it during the day, but nothing like nighttime.  I feel completely wrecked from the two nights I just have had.  I guess I don’t truly know what’s going on...is it the nerves that are being attacked?  Ugh!  I think it’s time to make an appt with a hormone dr. Of course, while this is all happening, my anxiety is on overload. 

I know, I get symptoms out of the blue when I'm asleep. Sometimes they are like brain zaps that jolt me awake, and then I feel anxiety. Some night I wake up and my pillow is just soaked. Other nights I'm fine. It must be the rise and fall of hormones. I was talking to my friend who is 82 and she said she still gets hot flushes. 

Dear Suzanne - Ok, just stick needles in my eyes! I don’t think I could make it another 20 years feeling this way...there has got to be a better way!!! Ugh!

LOL!! I hear ya!

YES!

Hi MarieLouise that is me.. when I am at home I don't wear my bra anymore... not due to burning though... my ribs hurt too much... today I feel all lame in the legs and arms and dead dog tired... and a little burny.. but I ain't gonna let this get me down..

Tams

Hi Tamsin,

Maybe menopausal women are not supposed to wear bras any more. Maybe we're turning into men LOL. I think this is a sort of evolutionary joke!

Well, the burning sensation comes and goes, main trigger for me is definitely heat : hot weather, cooking, hot flushes, hot gadgets! Holding my iPhone is impossible on a hot day (I live in Brazil).

I think this is definitely hormonal, but I don't think the culprit is low oestrogen. I blame hormonal withdrawal (both oestrogen and progesterone) and in my particular case, also testosterone.

I know we're all different and the withdrawal syndrome will affect each women in a slightly different way, just like any drugs have different side effects for different people.

For example, during my fertile lifetime (40 years) my hands and feet were always cold, no matter the season or the measures I took to warm them). I guess oestrogen influences thyroid hormones and cold hands/feet are one of the hypothyroid symptoms.

When perimenopause began (last 10 years), my feet began to feel hot, initially at night, I was always tossing the sheets and duvets out of my feet, but the other parts of my body were cold. My doctors thought this could be a vascular issue (runs in the family), but now I suspect this was the beginning of oestrogen and/or progesterone withdrawal syndrome, probably affecting thyroid hormones as well.

As the years went by, other symptoms appeared on a daily basis: acid reflux, mood swings, low libido, irritability, hypersensitivity, allergies, migraines, itching, prickling, tingling and finally burning (paresthesia) amongst others.

The hot flushes began around 2-3 years before menopause. I didn't have night sweats, just the adrenaline/cortisol surge and the hot wave disrupting my sleep.

That was a very stressful time, lost mum, dog, partner, job. I tried HRT for 3 months, bio-identical compounded and then Estradot patches and Utrogestan. They made no difference to any symptoms and also caused new ones, migraines came back with a vengeance and suicidal thoughts, so I stopped them.

One year after my periods had stopped (menopause at 51 ) I began to get better regarding adrenaline/cortisol surges and anxiety attacks (around 4 am) and was able to cope a bit better with family and financial issues. I also had learned how to avoid triggers and cope with the hot flushes. That's when my hands and feet started burning.

I guess the hot sensation has somehow evolved to the burning sensation. Maybe the oestrogen, progesterone and androgen receptors are slowly being down-regulated and this process takes place at different rates in different types of neurons, making our brains feel the withdrawal syndrome in slightly different ways.

I'm 3 years post menopause and the burning and hot flashes are still plaguing me, but I feel they are less frequent and less intense, to the extent that they don't prevent me from doing things. Anxiety has gone, well, the hormonal sort, anyway. I still have family and financial issues, but they don't drive me insane any more.

I'd say there is light at the end!

Much love to you all, dear fellow sufferers!

hi MarieLou - As a fellow charter member in the "Burning Body Parts" menopause group, that was a wonderful explanation as to what the heck is going on with us - i think it also goes on to explain how we are all so different & also how symptoms hit everyone at very different times in their journey - its not necessarily the imbalance, but more like the non existence of hormones - i am 7 years post, but my really wretched symptoms didnt start until 3 years ago - i am hoping that the burning body parts is the last hurdle, but who knows - i too feel like my heat sensitivity triggers so much & i also have the cortisol/adrenaline rushes @ 4:00 am - oddly enough when i was pregnant, 4:00 am was also the magic time i would wake up -thank you for your reply, it is much appreciated - be well -

Thank you MarieLouise for your reply..I did not have a good night last night... burning all night on and off... I am so tired this.morning... my right arm took the brunt of the heat.. my energy levels are way way down...

And its gonna be another very hot day...37 C.

Sending hugs

Tams

Hi Tams,

Poor thing, 37 C is extremely hot, no wonder you had a bad night! Temperatures over here can be that high as well, Last Summer I had to buy a portable air con, a chill pillow and lots of ice packs to cope with the heat and burning. This year there's been a lot of rain so temperatures are milder, thank goodness.

What do you do to cope with the heat?

Sending a cool breeze across the pond ,

ML