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Perimenopause and SEVERE joint pain - any one else??

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Lesley998
Lesley998

Hi

I am 50 and have been in perimenopause for some time. I just wanted to post here to see if anyone else has suffered extreme joint pain as a result of fluctuating estrogen.

Quick history: regular as clockwork from the age of 13 - up to and after the two pregnancies in my thirties.Then aged 47 I started to get very heavy and irregular periods. Then I went for six months with no period at all, then two very scant light periods in quick succession. I have had nothing now for two months but I do feel as if it might happen soon as sore boobs etc.

I have never had a hot flush. I do however have lots of other peri symptoms, including insomnia, heart palpitations and skipped beats, and a strange 'rushing' or whooshing feeling which starts in the abdomen which I think is an 'adrenal' surge. I also have other vague and odd symptoms, dry eyes and inside my nose, and a really vile taste in my mouth sometimes - I mean really vile, like a chemical taste, unrelated to anything I have eaten. I also have odd tingling skin sometimes, which I can only describe as feeling like 'cold' sunburn!

However, about the joint pain. Three months ago I literally woke up one morning with a sore left arm/elbow. Over a few days, the pain then moved into my shoulders, and I got really worried as if was incredibly painful, and showed no signs of going away, it just got worse and worse. It is worse in the morning when I wake up, I am as stiff as a board. It is on my mind 24/7. Doing normal things is almost impossible - I have problems carrying shopping, drying my hair,walking the dog, driving...everything seems to hurt . I have never suffered from arthritic pain, and I went to the doctor thinking I had some awful bone disease, or even polymyalgia. I was told I had nerve pain!! The GP was terrible and made me feel like a hypochondriac and it was all in my mind. I was told I had good range of movement, and no inflammation. But I am in agony, and i am not imagining it.I made the mistake of asking Dr.Google too, which is never a good idea as I scared myself half to death. I never even thought it could be related to hormones or menopause, as the pain was just SO bad and I had never heard of joint pain being a symptom.I mean I have read than meno can be bad for some women, and I expected hot flushes etc, but I didnt realise it meant pain like this.

Anyway - for the last few weeks I have been having worsening pain which has spread from left elbow and both shoulders, into left hip, both elbows and now my knees. All my joints are cracking and popping loudly and even my husband can hear the awful grating in my neck and my knees....I sound like a one man band as I go up and down the stairs!

I went In for my three yearly Cervical smear on Monday, and could hardly get up on the examining couch I was so stiff and sore. Womans health is dealt with by the Nurse Practitioners in our large practice (15 GP's) and when the NP saw my discomfort she asked me what was wrong. It turns out she has a real interest in womens health, and has been involved in HRT trials and research for many years. She informed me that my symptoms all point to fluctuating estrogen, and possible thyroid involvement. She told me a load of stuff about estrogen and cartilage, dry mucosa etc, the details of which I can't remember now but which made so much sense when she explained it - even down to the foul taste and tingling skin I have also experienced on and off for months which are both known side effects of estrogen surge as the ovaries go a bit haywire. Asmall percentage of women are very receptive to estrogen fluctuations which involve cartilage, which mainly manifest as abnormally severe joint pain/menopausal arthritis but it is not an 'obvious' symptom of perimenopause.

I asked why the GP was no help, and she just raised her eyebrows when I told her which male GP it was, and told me to make another appointment as soon as possible with a specific GP (who must be more knowledgeable about womens health.) Going in tomorrow to see her.

I can't do HRT as I have a heart condition, but maybe I can do estrogen cream, or phytoestrogen/soy.) It could last for a long time I guess until I come out the other side !

So i have not yet been diagnosed, but it sounds like it could be caused by estrogen. Sorry this has been so long....but anyone else out there feel the same way I do???

Lesley.

85 likes, 1485 replies

1485 Replies

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  • helen95
    helen95

    Posted

    Hi ladies,

    I first came across this site in 2012, at the time I was in severe pain as the other ladies have posted, I am

    now almost pain free, I found Macca Root tablets really helped, I could not take HRT due to a cancer scare years ago, at the height of my pain I was taking 4 tablets a day as well as normal painkillers, I took them

    for 8 months, after this time I started to leave one off and see how it went, until I was not taking any, the

    pain stopped but was replaced by other symptoms, hot flushes at night and a few in the day, I would wake up soaked, then they started in the day, at this point I took sage tablets and found they helped. Even now I get the odd day when the pains come back but they don't stay, its usually in one spot, like my elbow, I have taken my Macca for a few days and this seems to stop them. I have also noted other symptoms, a very

    sensitive mouth, I only have to eat a bag of crisps and my mouth comes out in lumps which usually go

    away over night. I would like to say to everyone suffering that there is light at the end of the tunnel, now 2

    years later I have odd days but mostly I am pain free, keep trying things, these tablets worked for me.

  • helen16248
    helen16248

    Posted

    Thanks V much to you ladies for responding.

    I have to go back to my GP next week in relation to pain in my right arm. He wants to give me a steroid injected into the joint of my right arm to ease the pain. I am not going for this, what is the point. I don't fancy having to have all my joints treated in this way. I am defo going to give the Macca Root tablets a go, it sounds much better than having chemicals put into my body. Or than having to run about like a zombie with the pain killers.

    And I do think it is a shame that there is no professional advice for us ladies in regards to pain resolution!

  • carol38532
    carol38532

    Posted

    Hi, I started the menopause at 46, I tried to get on with it but felt after a year and a half I wasn't in a good place to be dealing with the night sweats, hot flushes and mood swings so started on HRT and stayed on it for 4 years.. This Christmas I decided it was time to stop and go through the menopause naturally, again I expected the same symptoms as before but almost straight away I started getting a real ache in my right wrist which I couldn't shake off, then it was my left ankle and heel, my elbows hurt, I have constant moving pains around my arms and legs along with little shooting pains all over randomly.. I admit I was and still am petrified that I have something sinister and spend hours looking at what I may or may not have. Thank god I stumbled across this site as it's given me the courage to go to the doctor and start investigations.. I am now waiting for some blood results but it sounds like I have a long road ahead of me. Thank you to all who have wrote in and helped women like me feel not so alone in this time of our lives.
  • sandra42053
    sandra42053

    Posted

    Hi all you suffering ladies! My partner actually found this site for me, i must have been getting on his nerves with my constant complaining of my ache and pains. It's such a relief to know there are other ladies with the same symptoms as me. I am 49 and about a year and a half ago i developed severe elbow pain and had the usual painkillers which had no effect at all. then a steroid injection which made it a million times worse! Im thinking of trying accupuncture but the nhs waiting list is so long i will have to pay for it.I was also diagnosed with hypomobility in my shoulders around the same time but all my joints can ache some days and i definately think it is all linked to menopause as im in early stages of scanty periods a few hot flushes and moments when im getting forgetfulness. Im going to trythe hrt if i can and i just want to say how gratreful i am for been able to read all your similar stories.
  • Kensington
    Kensington

    Posted

    Thank you to Helen95 for suggesting Maca Root tablets. I started taking them and I could tell right away (the first day) that my stiffness was much much better and my knee pain is almost all gone. I am taking two pills a day. Thank you, thank you.
  • lisa326
    lisa326

    Posted

    Hi everyone....pain pain and more pain...what we go through is horrendous...but at least we are not alone...thankyou everyone x
  • sheryl37154
    sheryl37154

    Posted

    Joint pain like that is not normal for peri/menopause. It is something else, I am afraid. Just because so many women are suffering from it, does not make it normal. I hope you chase up your drs for tests and answers.
    • sweet_pack_fan
      sweet_pack_fan sheryl37154

      Posted

      I have had every test under the sun and even gone to the world famous Mayo clinic.  It is menopause and only menopause.  I saw various specialists including a rheumatologist.  I had X-rays, CTs ,other scans and as I said, hundreds of blood panels.  I was told by one specialist that the decrease in estrogen is the cause of these joint pains.  I was worried it was something else, but after all these tests, I am no longer concerned....even though it is still painful.  Good luck to you all....get checked in all aspects, but in most cases, I bet they won't find anything.
  • lisa326
    lisa326

    Posted

    It does seem to be quite common....normal?...well i dont think it is abnormal....i think its a case of self management,unfortunately,we cry,we struggle,we cope....and any bit of help ie...comming on this site...is good and positive..thanks.
  • helen16248
    helen16248

    Edited

    Hi Sheryl

    Just read what you said about the pains not being normal for us during meno or peri.

    I have had numerous amount of tests done by my doctor and they have all come back clear.

    I keep a diary of when I have my periods etc ... Normally every 23 days. I know when I am going to skip a month because when it is due the pains in my joints are unbearable. I know then that I won't be taking a period that month. When I finally do take it ALL pains leave my joints. I have been tracking this for a year now and it is always the case.

    It must have something to do with the decrease of estrogen it has to.

    Does anyone else out there feel like this

    ........ !!!!!!

    • sweet_pack_fan
      sweet_pack_fan helen16248

      Edited

      I was finally seen at the mayo Clinic as I had other strange issues as well, but yes, it is due to the decreased estrogen.  Some people try HRT and it goes away, but as soon as they quit the HRT the same thing happens in most cases.  I am trying to tough it out.  I also developed sensitivities to food, cleaners, smells, chemicals, etc.  it was quite serious for months, but thankfully that passes.  Hang in there everybody!
  • cindy19636
    cindy19636

    Posted

    Hi,

    I also have had terrible joint pain since perimenopause kicked in a few months ago. I did read that omitting nightshade vegetables would help a lot so I tried it and YES I am much, much better. I still have some aches now and then but oh, not nearly as bad as before. I thank the Good Lord for this information and I pray that it helps all of you too.

  • Lesley998
    Lesley998

    Posted

    Sheryl.

    Joint pain like we are describing IS COMPLETELY known in peri/menopause, it is called menopausal tendonitis or menopausal arthritis. These are known conditions which shown no raised inflammatory markers or ESR.

    Please do not come onto this forum and make random statements like "Joint pain like that is not normal for peri/menopause. It is something else, I am afraid" without factual information to back it up as you are showing your ignorance.

    • sweet_pack_fan
      sweet_pack_fan Lesley998

      Posted

      Well said Lesley.  I have been checked for everything and that is exactly what it is.  Thank you for speaking up.
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