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Muscle aches and pains

Posted , 15 users are following.

mary27278
mary27278

Anyone has muscle tightening, cramps , or pain in their back? Buttock discomfort? Pains are hitting me in legs, arms, butt. Its like my falling apart.

4 likes, 37 replies

37 Replies

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  • gailannie
    gailannie mary27278

    Posted

    Mary, you have perfectly described what I experienced.  The closer I got to menopause, the more I hurt.  However I didn't connect the dots, and neither did any of the physicians.  

    It started with lower back pain, then frozen shoulder, and as I progressed, it became widespread muscle and ligament pain in my hips, legs, back, and shoulders.  I saw a dozen doctors, and had a multitude of tests.  I even saw a rheumatologist who ran every test available and checked for fibromyalgia, etc.  By the end of that  appointment, I went to the car and sat and cried.  He said there was nothing wrong with me, and that I needed more exercise. (I owned a cleaning business and cleaned sometimes 3-4 houses a day.  Exercise was not my problem.)  But nothing ever turned up, and no one ever asked about my menopausal status.  

    I tried so many different things to ease the chronic pain, even including going gluten free for 6 months.  Nothing changed.  I eliminated coffee and all sugar, nothing changed. I was told to take ibuprofen, and I sucked them down like chickletes but it barely eased the pain.   Four years into menopause, I then got vaginal atrophy and dryness and was given vaginal Estrace for the problem.  After using it on a regular basis, all the pain magically went away.  I felt like a new woman, it was more than fabulous.  It was heaven.

    Since that time, I have been trying HRT replacement, which isn't always easy.  However I can tell you I don't have the chronic pain I used to have.  Now whether it was strictly the estrogen my muscles were craving, or possibly that estrogen is an anti inflammatory,  I don't know.  All I know is that estrogen was better than the bottles and bottles of ibuprofen that never worked and barely dulled the wide spread pain.  

    Good luck on this journey, it's not easy.  But I wanted you to know there are other women out here who understand.  You are not crazy, or a hypochondriac.  For some of us, menopause obviously changes and creates pain in our muscles.  I was only in my late 50s and walked like I was 90.  

     

    • amanda59745
      amanda59745 gailannie

      Posted

      Hi Gailannie, i am so glad to read your reply to Mary. I have had lower back aches for the last 2 years and then in June last year i woke with a stiff neck. The stiff neck eventually got a little better but i have been left with an ache in the neck  and shoulders since then, sometimes my hips ache too, i have popped ibru and other drugs with little effect, had massages and 3 months of physio no help. I was wondering if it could be peri symptoms. My periods have changed in the last 2 years sometimes every 3 weeks , at present  nearly 2 months since last one. I grow whiskers and have developed acne and my anxiety  spells are not pleasant. I do not have hot flushes or night sweats though. Thanks again for sharing i am 47. x 
    • mary27278
      mary27278 gailannie

      Posted

      Thank you ! Thank you! I am sitting here wondering Lord what is wrong with me. This started last weekend with the back and progressed all over during the week I've tried everything and nothing helps. It is close to period time and I can tell poor period wants to flow so bad but not enough hormones so instead I'm in all of this agony pain. I have the cream premarin for vaginal dryness and irritation. I used only a bit but got scared from reading about HRT and stopped using it. I also got the patch (ClimaroPro) very low dosage of estrogen and progesterone. Again got chicken again and pulled it off the next day. All of this is happening at one time, I mean its been a year this month , and so many symptoms . My eyes and neck even hurt. The last time i got hormones checked was in Dec and progesterone was 0.8 and estrogen was 23.

  • nancy0925
    nancy0925 mary27278

    Posted

    This forum couldn’t have come at a better time. So I’m 55 and down to getting my period every 3 to 4 months now. The last few months I have had shoulder pain. Feels like I tore something between my neck and my shoulder but I know I didn’t. I also get the feelings in my legs like my muscles are stiff so it’s hard to walk far. I’ve gained a lot of weight within 6 months. I have noticed and maybe you girls can tell me if you noticed it too but eating too much sugar really makes things worse. I get the muscle aches and fatigue. I went to my chiropractor for the shoulder pain but I felt it was getting worse. I was wondering if the reduction in estrogen was causing it.
    • Gypsy014
      Gypsy014 nancy0925

      Posted

      Hi Nancy, your the first person I have read say their legs feel stiff, mine do too, its such a weird feeling like I'm walking through water or something.. Weak and stiff as if I did a bunch of squats but did not! I have had this feeling in the back of my calves, and top front part of thighs.. Horrible feeling especially the tops of thighs, your not alone on this one...

    • nancy0925
      nancy0925 Gypsy014

      Posted

      Gypsy, it’s very weird and I could be fine one day and the next it’s horrible.  I used to suffer horrible anxiety attacks from all the weird symptoms. Even went to ER thinking I’m having a heart attack. That was a couple years ago, then it seemed to get better. My periods come every 3-4 months and now got the shoulder pain and legs feeling sluggish. Hopefully I am nearing the end but it’s crazy how peri affects women in so many different ways!
  • amy341731
    amy341731 mary27278

    Posted

    My back pain is awful! It’s mainly between my shoulder blades and also my lower back. I use a heating pad and a lot of Advil when it’s really bad (which has been for about a week now, it comes and goes every couple months 😕wink. I am also suffering very achy knees.  And yes this all hit me last year at age 45..pretty much out of the blue ..thought I was dying or had some disease..got checked for rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid issues, etc but nope..just getting old! 😧 The only things that help a tiny bit are staying , hydrated, walking for 20-30 mins when I’m up to it, plus the heating pad and Advil..Oh and knowing I’m not alone or crazy by checking in on this forum help a lot too! Stay in touch, we are here!! 

  • bobbysgirl
    bobbysgirl mary27278

    Posted

    A good magnesium supplement should help with the muscle cramps. It worked wonders for me!

    I also use a magnesium and glucosamine gel on my joints. My knees and creaky, clunky shoulders are better with it.

    • mary27278
      mary27278 bobbysgirl

      Posted

      I think thats what im missing. I was taking magnesium and I was not having this problem until I slacked taking it and ran out. This sensation of skin tightening and achiness is really getting to me. Which brand are you taking?
    • bobbysgirl
      bobbysgirl mary27278

      Posted

      Don't think they'll let me post the brand. I take magnesium malate that I buy online. I could pm you with the name if you want.

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