Perimenopause and SEVERE joint pain - any one else??

Well, as previously said I thought I should develop good relationship with my GP. I got as far as a phone consultation,........rather embarrassing to explain about vaginal dryness over the phone!!! He said its normal, try KY jelly and if that didn't work then make an appointment for a lady GP to examine me.

Um... think I still have a way to go on the relationship bonding with the GP! So next time I will make the routine appointment and start to reel off the aches etc and hope for at least some murmuring sympathetic noises. I have been taking Chrondroitin and Glusosamine but not sure if they are doing any good, probably wouldn't know unless I stopped taking them.

ps. Husband's response to the KY jelly was 'Well that certainly takes the spontaneity out of it'. Needless to say it was an hour or two before I felt I could talk to him without brandishing a weapon of choice. Lol,

Sorry dont mean to make light of it but I have to see the funny side or it would be even worse.

Lol Thanks girls sitting here feeling sorry for myself aching all over after a hard day at work -don't do anything physical enough to feel like this, hopefully I will feel better over the weekend. By the way does anyone else feel like they can predict a change in the weather by how their joints ache?

Paula - KY is beyond useless. And it stings. There is a product called Sylk, which is much better (and pricier) but it is almost exactly the same as out own natural lubricant. However, the best thing of all is Vagifem, which I mentioned above and actually plumps up the tissues down there. I felt like a dried up cardboard tube until I started on it, and hubbie is certainly a lot happier too.

If I were you I would go to GP and demand it. How dare HE recommed KY jelly.Perhaps you should tell him to try it himself, and see just how lubricated it makes him!!or even better, get a female GP, or at least a sympathetic male. If dryness carries on, you can get vaginal atrophy which is awful, and very very sore.

*jumps off soap box* lol

Hi all from Sydney, great that so many others are joining in. As a matter of interest, I went to my female GP and queried the aching and she looked at me like I had two heads so I said go online and look at this forum! Interestingly, she is approx the same age as me but she took HRT the minute she turned late 40s, because she said she did not want to experience any meno symptoms... how bizarre I thought. Anyway, I am still going along having daily aches and pretty much living with it now. The only time I get really really sore is when I hold a heavy shopping bag, then my inner elbows ache like hell, the rest of the time I just live with the aches, still in the inner elbows mainly but other areas have their time too! As another aside, I took myself off my cholesterol tablet about 2 months ago, it was a mild 5mg, and while the aches have not totally gone, they have certainly lessened I believe. I am going to have a blood test shortly to see how the cholesterol is going now I am being so so careful with the diet, eating so much fish I think I am a seal; hopefully I can stay off the one reknowned for giving muscle aches and pains.......

Ladies please do not stop taking medication prescribed by your Doctor without first discussing with them particularly blood pressure and cholesterol medication as this could literally be life or death, by all means discuss a change of meds.

Dolly if you are on the latest statins the side effect should be minimal at such a low dose you will probably find that when you re introduce animal and saturated fats to your diet that your aches and pains increase, stick with the fish and the omega fish oils after all you have some amazing fish down under

i take evening primrose- for my menopause helped with the darn hot flushes and mood swings also E-200

viamen D I have osteoperosis in my back so i always take vtamen c =having a stroke and a heart attack i am not allowed to take hrt = but i love my herbs i take s lot of herb teas = sage i pour on my hair when i wash it for some reason my hair has got greasier just drips =thought it was bad before but since my menopause it has got a lot worse i -find boiling sage up wait for it to become cold- pour into a jug then pour into a large bottle i use the large water bottles then leave by the shower its really good for greasy hair

Hello, I'm 54 and 2 years ago started my menopause.

I suffered initially from hot flashes and took soya isoflavones which stopped them.

Then I had cardiovascular problems (hands numb during the night and swollen feet in pain amongst other things). I took Ateronon and it helped. Also I started garlic (raw garlic in as much meals as possible) and it helped too.

Then I had the shoulder joint pain, and was diagnosed for tendonitis.

The doctor said nothing about having something to do with menopause.

My tendonitis insisted and was transmitted to the other joints (other shoulder, elbows and knees) which I read in the net is something that happens with tendonitis generally.

The doctor said I needed physiotherapy but I could not do it for several reasons.

All my body is cracking too.

I looked in the net and found Prevention and treatment of tendonitis & repetitive strain injury for treeplanters (pdf)

I studied it and invented a personalized therapy for me, I used comfrey cream on the shoulder in pain and for preventive reasons on all other 5 joints, for some 3 months now.

Also I took BFC pills and added kayenne, ginger and turmeric in all my meals.

Result all pain is gone for good and I even start to move the shoulder that had initially tendonitis, which could not raise at all.

But recently I started to have this bad taste in my mouth.

I could not imagine what is about, I thought about some bad tooth I have, about my stomach that accordingly puts more effort to deal with food, due to the bad tooth that is meddling with right chewing food, or even diabetes I am not sure I do not have.

Reading this thread I learned the bad taste could be related to menopause.

If it is then phytooestrogens might help (I stopped soya isoflavones 2 years ago, after hot flushes stopped).

In my case money is an issue and I try to do all things that are not too expensive.

But if anybody else is not like me then I hope my info will help you out there.

Good luck!

P.S.: Did not read the whole thread, just the first page, when I'll have time I'll study the rest of it.

Hello Ladies,

I am 57 and for the last 7 years have been on BHRT, Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy. I have learned over the years that during menopause my hormone levels have fluctuated and there is no one cure all answer. The answer is to take blood tests every three or six months, chart the results and adapt the treatment accordingly.

I have always taken bioidentical estrogen every day (Days 1 to 30) and then bioidentical progesterone Days 14-30. This follows a woman's natural cycle as it happens in one's younger years. That is my goal of bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, to replace what is missing in a woman's body so my brain and bones don't dry up.

I started my BHRT by applying twice daily, a little dab of estrogen and progesterone cream on my arm, that's morning and night. They were compounding for me at a compounding pharmacy in the US. Compounding pharmacies are found all over the world. My health insurance doesn't pay for it, but it costs me about $200.00 every three months and I feel it is a small price to pay for sanity.

I started have some sleeplessness and the first batch of creams gave me headaches, so I worked with my GP to find the right amount. Patience is key. After about a year, I found my periods were becoming irregular and my moods fluctuating. By checking my blood levels and occasionally saliva.. I just kept tweaking the amounts, until I found the amount that worked. Over time, my Vit B levels changed and I would supplement, as well as Vit D (now at 10K units per week) and thyroid ( a small amount of Amour) daily. I have switched my natural estrogen and progesterone supplementation to troche delivery, which is a small candy under the tongue morning and night.

There was a time when I experienced severe elbow pain for several months, couldn't hardly bend it.. went to an arthritis doctor who took xrays and told me he thought it was cancer. I knew joint pain was associated with menopause so I thought I would work with my GP first to slightly up my estrogen and

to my surprise, I got rid of that pain.

I went through a time of severe depression for about three months, when I found out my son was severely ill and with other things facing my personal situation, could hardly get out of bed. By noon I was hardly functioning. Throughout this period of time, I stayed true to my hormone replacement therapy and had my GP check my adrenals through a saliva test (spit in a tube 4 times in a day) and other testing and found my adrenals hardly registered on the chart. I allowed my emotions to overtake me... which affected my cortisol levels to a place where they hardly registered. I can't believe I did that to myself. Absolutely no get up and go and she put me on hyrdocortisone for about 6 months until they were working and then weaned me off and put me on a natural adrenal supplement and now I get up early every morning with no problem, no dragging myself to life.

I still have a period and a great sex life. My husband is 13 years older and very active. I have found that cutting out sugar and breads, reducing bad carbs, keeping a low calorie intake, some light exercise, not getting upset about anything.... is key to my hormones working correctly. We do have a glass of wine a couple of times a week. I sprinkle my salads with kelp flakes (which helps my thyroid).

From time to time when I am have joint pains, I know my estrogen is off and I'll self adjust a little of my estrogen troche under my tongue. Or I'll take extra pycnogenol. I take extra pycnogenol when I'm flying or taking a long trip where I'm sitting alot. I do take some MSM/Sulphur as well for joints. 95% of the time I have no pain. When I do, I know something is off.. too much sugar, fluctuating estrogen.. etc.

I still have an occasional sleepless night or a little weight gain or an ache, but for the most part, I am convinced that BHRT has kept me young and healthy and will keep my brain and bones from drying out. The test results tell the whole story and I don't settle for one set of test results. And I didn't settle for one doctor... I kept trying until I felt good about what they were telling me.. and experienced good results.

Don't give up. The best is yet to come.

CH

I've just found this thread and it's made my day.

I'm 49 and haven't had a period in approx. 2 years. I'm having hot flushes regularly - counted 8 in an hour and a half driving to work one morning!

I've discovered that having a flush in the car is fine as the air con is perfect to sort it out

I've been struggling with sleepless nights because of the flushes. Plus complete loss of libido which is leading to problems with my partner who thinks I'm just fed up of him. Joint pain is becoming a problem. I have a very sedentary job and do a lot of driving - approx. 3- 4 hours a day.

Standing up after sitting for a while is terrible. My dad who is 80 is more stable on his feet than me.

I was diagnosed with depression about 2 years ago as well and was on antidepressants for about 18 months.

It looks like everything is linked which sort of makes me feel better.

I was told that Sage extract was good for the flushes and have been taking it for 2 months now along with enormous doses of Oil of Evening Primrose. Combined it seems to be sorting the flushes and reducing the joint pain. At least enough to work!

I've seen my Doctor who told me it wasn't the menopause at all and I'm too young for that, although from the comments here it would be spot on.

Maybe I'll have to try another doc in the practise but he was fantastic with the depression. Very supportive and helpful. Still - not a woman though!

I've also just passed the notes about the terrible taste people are getting to a colleague who is getting exactly the same thing. She's got an appointment with a consultant this week so she's going to bring it up then.

It's good to share despite the whole thing being horrible.

Thanks ladies!

Hi girls (and guy?),

Wow!! This is amazing! Why don't GPs, and even websites (NHS or other) that 'give you advice' on menopausal symptoms mention the joint pains? The world knows about hot flushes, dryness etc... Where does it mention (aside from this forum - and perhaps others like it) about joint pains? Also about the speed at which symptoms occur?

I am 52 now - (still feels weird saying it!!) Here's my story (it's a bit long, so feel free to cut to the last couple of paragraphs...):

I started symptoms around 3-4 yrs ago - palpitations and dizziness was the onset - and I fainted. I found that sweet things like honey or peanut butter 'brought me round' when I felt dizzy... This was a shame as I'd recently lost weight (dieting and exercising - nothing major, sit-ups, press-ups and other toning stuff...) and had been feeling great - but once the palpitations/dizzyness started, I sadly succumbed to having 'safety' sweet things... and this broke the good eating pattern... No one told me dizzyness/palpitations may be menopausal symptoms....

That calmed down, then I got major elbow pains. I had just moved house, and it was all put down to that, though to be honest, I didn't feel I'd lifted anything excessively.. I had cortisone in the worse elbow, which eased it...Then the flushes kicked in. Boy - I didn't know what hit me! It was the flushes that made me realise I was going through the menopause (though my periods had been getting less and less and had by then stopped for a year!) And this is where the speed thing happened.... I couldn't believe it, but it appeared to me that my skin aged about 20-30 years almost overnight! Suddenly, I noticed it creasing when dragged. My face looked old - my breasts felt like balloons about 2 weeks after the party! I felt so low. Some friends said it was probably due to my weight loss maybe being too quick - but it wasn't THAT quick - and that was a while back anyway... I also started having weird thoughts - I don't know if anyone else had this - or if this was my paranoia.... I started noticing young girls and their virility - and feeling quite jealous. So many changes in such a short period of time. I felt like I just couldn't cope!

I have always been against taking medicines unless absolutely necessary, and always opted for self-healing and/or alternative treatments/remedies. I saw my kinesiologist, who gave me treatment and also prescribed some very specific herbal pill combinations. These actually helped the aches a bit, but not the flushing (nor the mental stress!) I felt I had seriously turned into an old woman, visually, mentally and physically - it was horrible!! I tried other stuff like magnetic-sort of contraptions you place on your stomach... Pointless!

To my dismay, I had to give in and go for HRT (Prempack-C). This sorted the flushes and took a tiny bit more of the pains away.... I tried without the herbal pills at first, but found keeping on with those helped the pain more. HRT sorting the flushes was an incredible relief to me - I actually felt a little more like 'me'! With this under control, my 'jealousies' calmed down - took nearly a couple of years though! I was, however, starting to put on a lot of weight - which I find now is proving ridiculously difficult to shift - there appears to be NO shortcuts anymore with this - it's all or nothing comes off!

Back to the aches - I still have them, and I have often wondered what is wrong with me. They're not as bad with my HRT and natural pill combo - but they're there - and they're real, not imagined. Wrists ache - and cracking, elbows still ache, almost feels sometimes like I've leant on a small stone (anyone else get this? I get that in one knee too!). I also have been recently getting Reynaud's Phenomenum like symptoms in my fingers in the winter - and general stiffness! And then there's the awful awful neck and shoulder pain, messing up my sleep (and life in general!) and which comes and goes.... I must admit, my neck has never been a strong point with me - and I've always had to chop and change pillows, including those special orthopaedic ones - but this past 3 years have been worse than ever. I have regular physio treatments for what he says is over use of the computer and bad posture... but these threads (and including the other one on frozen shoulders!) has made me wonder otherwise!!

I am so glad I found this site, as the threads have made me realise my aches in my joints are 'normal' - (ok maybe not felt by everyone...but) not imagined, or by me suddenly becoming an old crabby woman... So with my story now thoroughly vented (I mean where else can you say all this!?!) I would like to say thank you to you all - for your enlightening insightful confirmations into what it is to be a (slightly) older woman... and also for the tips.... more things to try

P.S. On a slightly off topic note: I started more intense exercising to lose the weight, and in a bid to feel better about myself (the weight has been making me feel pretty lardy!) - but then developed an abscess on my tooth. Root canal and a crown later, the tooth next to it got infected - really badly - and I've been on tons of antibiotics and painkillers. Knocked me for six! Next step is to have that bad boy out so I can get my strength back - and get back to the gym... I am serious about getting the weight off and feeling sexy again so I can stick that in the proverbial menopausal pipe!

Hi there! I am 48, from NC,USA. For the last year or better, I have experienced severe arthritic type symptoms and blurry vision. I went from a job that I had me on my feet most of the day to sitting in a call center 8 hours a day. My feet started swelling, along with my calves about two weeks ago . I also missed my period. My calves get so hard, it's like feeling a rock by days end. I have gotten very exhausted along with this. I have made a doctors appointment for next week but tonight something happened that makes me think it is menopause. While on a call, I had this unexplained heat come over me that started in my feet and go to my head. I thought I was going to combust right there on that call. On the way home in the dark, I noticed my blurry vision was gone. This had been a problem for the last year or more. So strange but, that's hormones. I don't think I'm dying so much tonight, but I sure do hope this goes quickly! Hang tight ladies, I hear good times will come!

Lisa - you are lucky regarding your vision - I found mine went suddenly a lot worse when the thing kicked in! Noticeably most on my long-sightedness, (close up stuff) - a problem I hadn't previously had.

OMG I am so happy I have found this site . I have been postmenopausal for 9 years and have had severe joint pain most of this time I do not now even have a doctor as I gave up with them not understanding what was happening to me. I woke one morning and I could not walk my whole body felt heavy and I hurt all over in my joints. Does anyone have the same pattern , if I have an odd week where I feel ok it then starts again with the stiffness and the pain works upwards from my ankles . I push myself to walk my dog between 4 & 8 miles a day but I do have days when my body feels so stiff and heavy. I'm not going to go on as all of you have helped me so much thank you .

Hi All, sorry to hear about everyone's conditions/symptoms and physician's limitations. My story fits into most of yours, however my OBGYN just laughed when I inquired about being PM, and replied "who isn't?" I am just turning 50, no children, very physical career for 20 years. Diagnosed type 2 diabetic 8 years ago, however am 5'4 140#, non-smoker and light drinker. Diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 2 years ago, and until recently, thought everything was under control. One month ago I started waking up with numb arms and feet. I have rotar cuff issues in one shoulder and the other is "Frozen"- haha. I had a cervical fusion of C4,5 and 6, 20 years ago and actually my neck and spine seem fine. The last two weeks the numbness has turned into pain and includes all the joints in my feet, toes, knees, hips, elbows, hands and fingers. So severe the pain that I am having problems sleeping, driving and walking. Since I'm already seeing a Rhuematologist, I think I'll visit my GP and ask about the low estrogen. That's one area that no one has paid attention to. You would think that we would know more about the human body's regular function at this time. Quite discouraging that we have to still be guinea pigs!!