Burning skin sensation /perimenapause

not thought about food elimination Debra! it's certainly something to think about. I love chocolate and coffee, both are things I suppose I should be avoiding, not sure that I'm ready to give it up just yet. I agree with the burning could be inflammation, I used to worry about it, thinking that inflammation can't be good, but my AS is all about inflammation and when I asked my doctor if I was wrong to not take any anti inflammatory medication for it and was I causing more damage, he assured me that I wasn't causing any more damage and that taking medication was up to me, so I don't worry about it, and if it's post meno or not I still don't worry, so yes give yourself a break it might eventually lead you to start feeling a little better in yourself, says she who is little mrs anxious!! 😃 I do wonder why though as to why some of us continue to gain new symptoms as we go along, post meno certainly is something of a mystery, it's either that or age, chose what, we're better off just trying to live with it. Let me know if you decide to go down the elimination route.

Don't forget that anxiety can also be the cause of a lot that is going on! My symptoms definitely lessen when I'm distracted!!

Finally, someone with burning skin and no sweats!

Have you had any thyroid tests done?

hi Ling - i am also a fellow burning skin person with no sweating - i am post menopause, but have been suffering with this for about two years. in the last year, my legs have become so achy, burning & stingy. i developed fatty deposits below my knee joints & overall i would describe my legs as "puffy" but ankles are not swollen. My legs hurt all the time & i get burning in my chest, back, front of chins, & occasionally forearms - i have tingling in my hands & feet. i have had the extended thyroid panel & everything checked out, but now i am still wondering if this isnt linked to thyroid or adrenal issues...i am exhausted trying to figure this all out - & my GP just rolls her eyes when i ask for another test or referral - i would love to find out if anyone else has this & what they discovered - i can do exercises like yoga & swimming, but struggle to walk or stand -

Hi debra, thanks for sharing.

Your thyroid test was normal?

I think you give a very specific description of your symptoms so I'm surprised you've not yet gotten any diagnosis.

hi ling - Yes, my extended thyroid panel was normal, but then i have read that the only accurate test for your thyroid is a CT scan - i am not sure how i can even get that if my thyroid markets check out - my dr wont order it & i could pay out of picket for it, but really cant afford that - i have read where the "puffy" leg thing is a menopause symptom & of course, woman on this forum complain about the burning sensation...who knows -

Re thyroid tests. CT scan - that would depend on what you are looking for in the thyroid, otherwise blood tests are pretty accurate as far as TSH and thyroid hormone levels are concerned.

Re fatty deposits below knee. Was a diagnosis every made? Given it developed after menopause onset, I would say it could be something related.

Re burning skin. Am pretty sure this is hormone related, but possibly a separate issue from the lower legs condition.

My first attack I'm sure has something to do with my fluctuating thyroid hormones and the bad stress I was experiencing at the time. My burning sites are all on the upper body. The initial episodes were the worst. I could literally see my skin crinkling from the internal heat toasting my skin. Truly a nightmare.

hi ling - thanks for your response - yes, when i went to Rheumatologist he ultra sounded my "fatty deposits" below knees & said they were just that "fatty deposits" but why did they come on overnight? & develop around the same time i developed leg muscle weakness - ugh!

i have just had 4 nights of pretty intense burning back symptoms which wakes me up at night - i am really so over all of this - i wish i was certain what was causing all this discomfort i keep questioning it all - thanks for your concern, & your burning skin sounds awful - did it ever stop?

Hi debra,

I also have the puffy thing but mine is near the collarbone. I have acquired this thing during the final days of perimenopause. Rheumatologist said this is common in fibromyalgia as well as the burning, tingling and prickling sensation (paresthesia and dysesthesia). I'm sure hormones play a role but I think it's not just sex hormones and menopause.

Many hormones are affected at the same time by imbalances and one hormone affect others.

As the ancient medical wisdom say, treat the patient, not the disease. I think a holistical approach is necessary when it comes to hormonal imbalances.

hi Marielou - thank you for responding - my rheumatologist said i did not have fibromyalgia - he tested my Sed Rate? so i am so confused - also i dont hurt where fibromyalgia patients generally hurt - ugh!

Yep, very complex!

I think many conditions could be lurking around by the time of perimenopause when hormones go haywire and symptoms begin to appear on a daily basis. Some of them are the direct results of oestrogen fluctuations, low progesterone, high FSH. When you approach menopause low oestrogen seems to be the main culprit. All these changes affect thyroid, adrenals, digestive, immune and nervous systems. If you have genetic predisposition for certain disorders and/or environmental stressors that can trigger those disorders, then you have the perfect scenario for a health disaster.

Good news is that once the body resets and rewire the systems to function on a different environment (low sex hormonal levels), things begin to calm down and symptoms improve or disappear. It takes time though. Many women can't or won't wait so they start HRT during perimenopause. Some of them have instant relief, some don't feel good on exogenous hormones and some won't have their symptoms controlled because they have underlying conditions like thyroid issues, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, migraine, autoimmune disorders, irritable bowel syndrome, etc and many of these conditions will overlap each other.

Most women on HRT feel that symptoms return 'with a vengeance' if they stop HRT. They will probably have to go through the same withdrawal syndrome of perimenopause/menopause. Their bodies will need time to adjust to the new environment. Many women won't be willing to go through that hell again and decide to stay on HRT for life, probably increasing the risk for breast cancer.

Regarding fibromyalgia, I don't think there's any test that is diagnostic. The diagnosis is made based on clinical symptoms and not all patients have exactly the same ones, not to mention that the diagnosis is not consensual amongst medical professionals.

hi Marielou - Well, you sound very knowledgeable - you must have been doen this road - well, the unfortunate thing for me is I am 7 years post & am still dealing with loads of issues that dont seem to resolve - i dont believe there is a clear test for Fibromyalgia, but trsting the Sed rate shows if you are predisposed to it i believe - my Rheumatologist really didnt feel i had it, but then again, i have lost confidence in many drs & their knowledge of menopause -

Hi debra,

Not knowledgeable, just experienced I'm afraid. : (

So you don't have a proper diagnosis and your symptoms are all caused by menopause, according to the doctors?

I've followed many stories over the years on menopause forums and many ladies with persistent symptoms years after menopause turned out to have other health issues, mainly thyroid related, that didn't show up in blood tests initially.

I'm not saying you have an underlying issue, but it's wise to keep that in mind.

I will read your previous posts more carefully, I haven't been on here for a while, maybe we can figure out something to help you.

The burning has decreased a lot, in my case, but it's still lurking around, I can feel it when the weather is hot, while cooking, if I type for a while on the phone or notebook (the reason why I don't post frequently), all related to heat, which sounds like a weird hot flush, but it doesn't seem to be accompanied or followed by a hot flush so who knows... I still think it's migraine related, but I have to gather more evidence or perhaps try one of the new migraine medications to see if it helps with the burning. If it's peripheral neuropathy caused by whatever, maybe the nerve damage is permanent and I will never get rid of it. I've been taking B12 sublingual tablets for years and it seems that they help a bit, because when I forget to take them the burning gets worse.

Is the leg puffiness growing?

What did the doctor say about the leg muscle weakness?

Really sorry to hear about the burning back. Do you have any gut or tummy or intestinal issues?

When u have the burning, have you tried moisturising the area where it is burning?

My burning skin is still ongoing but has lessened in intensity. After the first attack last year, there were continuous bad attacks for the next couple of months and my body skin became so dry I could see the drying-out tracks on my skin surface : (

Currently, what I've noticed is that usually after washing up or bathing, the skin dries out completely and causes my body to start overheating. Applying moisturiser all over alleviates the overheating. Really odd. Changing soaps has also helped some.

Does your burning affect your skin?

hi Ling - No, my puffiness doesnt seem to be growing (thank you god) I have not been to one dr, homeopath, specialist that can explain why i suffer from leg pain/aches. The only explanation validation i get is from this forum, so i keep going back to the fact that it is hormone related.

AS for my burning skin, it is internal, so my skin is not affected in anyway. when i have episodes of the burning, i ask my husband to touch where it is burning to see if he feels it being hot & he always says "no" - so its just an internal burn -

Re puffiness. I think not growing is a positive sign.

Re burning skin. Is it all over your body? How does the burn present? Is it always at the same area/s?

hi ling - my burning travels, i can have it in my upper back, chest, nape of neck, forearms & front of chins & a little bit on the tops of my feet - i have also experienced it a bit in my face but generally it appears in my back. It doesnt last for long periods & i have gotten so used to it that i am not even alarmed by it anymore, but i have been suffering with it for 2 years!!!!

I can identify. I get it a lot in the upper back and with the area being so close to the neck, it does make me wonder if these instances are related to the thyroid??

I do note as well, that if there's inflammation inside the body, it can trigger these burning episodes as well.

Do you do anything to alleviate an episode? Say sit in front of the fan maybe? I used to ice the areas where the heat felt the worst and bathe with cold water