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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

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  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    I just turned 45 and have been 2 years period free. Shortly after turning 40 I began experiencing hot flashes and severe mood swings, extreme fatigue and began finding I had a harder time keeping weight off. My sleepi g patterns were crazy as well. Would fall into bed exhausted at 9 pm and wake up after sleeping a few short hours and be up all night. My periods were quite irregular and I began having one every couple of months. Stopped completely at 43. I always exercised, but began experiencing severe joint pain as well. Now, at 45 I feel crippled with pain many days. My feet are sometimes so sore I can barely walk. My hands throb and my legs feel like heavy tree trunks. Exercising is excruciating. I cannot lose the extra 40 pounds I have packed on and it is so frustrating and overwhelming. All blood work comes back normal. No sign of RA. I thought I was going crazy.......then I saw this forum. I teach and sometimes my hot flashes are so bad I think I am going to have a heart attack. My heart races and I feel dizzy. Not doing any kind of hormone therapy......should I be?
  • kerry91
    kerry91

    Posted

    Hi Leah79436,

    I sympathize with you as i'm a teacher like you and I'm suffering at the moment (it would have been my period this week and it's always worse at this time of month). However, I urge you to try the natural methods before resorting to hormone therapy, because at some point you have to come off HRT. My mother took HRT when it was relatively new and she was one of the unfortunate ones who developed breast cancer; this may have been due to the initially high doses women were given. if you look back at the posts you'll see that some of us have had some success with diet. My doctor is amazed that I weigh just 51 kilos and yet I'm in the menopause; I eat an anti inflammatory diet; essentially no sugar, no grains, just veggies, white meat and fish. The weight drops off you and you're not hungry. i'm convinced that my symptoms would me much worse if I ate differently. I'm also supplementing with Vit D3, omega 3 and oil of evening primrose. I'm determined this won't beat me. Don't let it beat you!

  • page10537
    page10537

    Posted

    Wow!!! Thank you everyone for writing here! Its amazing how so many of the symptoms of menopause are similar. I am 49 and completely done with my period for a year and a half. I first had hot flashes for awhile along with the irregular periods, my aches and pains started maybe 8 months ago, I also try to eat organic whole foods little sugar and take various vitamin supplements including evening primrose. its not the first time I have heard about cutting out dairy and grains! So hard for me to give up cheese though! Ha I do not want to take hrt's just because I feel every drug has a side affect and really believe as awful as some of the symptons are, the long term affect of prescription drugs is worse. I have also had the whole achy hands, elbow joint, knee's and lately the neck thing! Even the tingling at times. It just seemed that it has been connected with my hot flashes many time, so i decided to look on the web. amazing! I do feel exercise helps me, and I think I better try to cut out more food items. Is there anyone that has come out the other side ( the end of menopause) and seen their symptoms lessen or disappear ?Thank you to all who shared and a few that made me laugh!! misery loves company and information!
  • sookqeaw
    sookqeaw

    Posted

    I just happen to find this blog and want to write about my pain which I have been experiencing the past four

    years since I menopaused at the age of 55. I will be 59 this year. The pain that Lesley experienced is exactly what I am having. Gone to so many doctors and found nothing wrong and the GP only deduced that it is all

    in my mind. I thought I am suffering from some kind of cancer and am too afraid to go for further tests. After

    reading the blog, I am convinced that I am experiencing what most menopause women would experience.

    As I am typing out this, my fingers joints are aching, my hips joints are aching.

    I probably will go and try out on traditional chinese medicine as a last resort.

    • BellaRubia
      BellaRubia sookqeaw

      Posted

      Sookqeaw, hi.  About the cancer and dying part, I realized that afther some months of this, if the doctor did not find any wrong and I am still feeling that and alive, It is nothing TERMINAL.  

      Keep positive, it will end.  I feel now that our bodies, ladies, are ADICT for hormons, and once our hormons are dropping down because the closiness of menopause, our bodies react like that.  We will feel fine, once the balance is restored. Cheers.

  • suz1964
    suz1964

    Posted

    Feel for you ladies I really do. . Ive only been on clonidine for just over a week now after finally been diagnosed with post menopause last week. But these last two days ive felt soo sore. My whole body aches. I dont know if its the meds that ive just started or the ones ive just stopped. Was on pregabalin for almost 2 years for FM but felt as though they werent working. Have I done wrong at coming off them at this time or should I go back on small doze? I know if I go back to the doc he will say its up to me. Hes off on holiday for a week so any advice would be appreciated. Suz x
  • kate63723
    kate63723

    Posted

    Hi

    I had a complete hysterectomy in October, I was 48 at the time. Before the op I had joint pain and didn't relate it to the menopause, but was really pleased that during my recovery I was taking morphine and had no joint pain, I had forgotten what that was like. I have found that my whole body is sore but particularly my right hand side - shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, hip, knee, ankle and foot. I have since linked it to being right handed, whenever I have fallen over it is my right side that has been most hurt because it is the side of my body that is put forward for protection - right hand out so wrist, elbow and shoulder suffers the impact damage. This is where my body is most painful and anywhere else where I have suffered damage. I have been told to take paracetamol -doesn't help. So now take ibuprofen which just takes the edge off but I have put on weight because I just cannot move as I used to. It does make me feel really old but have to keep positive. I just hope it does get better because the rest of my life with this pain just is not that appealing! Doctor has taken a blood test but results are all ok. It really is quite depressing but just no one to talk to about it. Thanks for reading if you get this far and thanks to all of you who have posted your stories they have been useful to read. xx

  • joy95671
    joy95671

    Posted

    Went to the rheumatologist today about my joint pain. He was amazing and explained the link between PM

    and joint pain. Just so happens i have an appointment with my Gyn. day after tomorrow. Cant wait to discuss with her! In the mean time he put me on Gabapentin (Neutontin) to clam down my nerve endings and to help

    me sleep. Anyone else on this med? I will update after I see my Gyn.

    • barbara54087
      barbara54087 joy95671

      Posted

      Hi Joy!  I was just reading some posts from everyone and noticed yours.  I too take the Gabapentin!  It has been a life saver for me!  I think since my sleep is going so well I'm going to come off the Progensa Plus Cream.  I really think I can manage if I keep taking this for my insomnia since that also helps some w/the pain.  I have a couple of posts if you want to read them.. one way way back and then one a few posts down.  What did your doctor say about the link between the PM and joint pain.  Ask to be referred for physical therapy/exercise sessions.. that has just about got me pain free along w/all the other things of course!  Good luck!
    • Sandy07
      Sandy07 joy95671

      Posted

      Hi. I took gabapentin for a while for nerve pain. I noticed that it stopped the night sweats. Not taking it now as I'm back on the amitriptyline but it was good for pain.x
    • BellaRubia
      BellaRubia joy95671

      Posted

      Hi Joy, I am very interested in what your rheumatologist told you.  Would you mind telling a little more?  Thanks a lot!
  • kate63723
    kate63723

    Posted

    Does anyone know whether joint pain is likely to go or is it now a life long thing? I don't seem to be able to get straight answers from my GP she just tells me if I take HRT now it will be the same in 5 years time when I have to come off HRT. I haven't ever asked her for HRT just wanted to get some help for the joint pain which is sometimes too depressing.

    Any ideas?

    • kerry91
      kerry91 kate63723

      Posted

      Hello Kate 63723,

      First of all let me reassure you, my mum ached all over in the menopause (it lasted about two years) today she is as fit as a flea and pain free; she does however take a lot of supplements and eats well (see previous posts about diet). 

      This week I was thinking about last summer when I enjoyed a pain free period and wondered about the connection between D3 (the sunshine vitamin) and inflammation. I looked it up and some of the studies are amazing. I took 2000 iu the first day and noticed an instant improvement, I increased it to 3000 for the last three daysand every day my inflammation has decreased. I've just  had my two best nights sleep in six months. Even though the RDA is 400 according to articles on the net you need to take about 50 times this amount to have a toxic effect, that said I'm going to ask my GP to test my D3 levels to make sure. I've also been bathing in magnesium salts. 

      This is the way I'm doing it but I know some people prefer to take a pill, and as we're all different (one thing will work for one but not another) we just have to go with what works

      Lets hope we have a good summer ladies it may do us some good!

    • kate63723
      kate63723 kerry91

      Posted

      Thanks Kerry.smile The D3 thing is really interesting because last summer I was hardly outside due to illness, then in the Autumn, again hardly outside due to a complete hysterectomy, and I'm now, 10 months are the start of my staying inside just starting to go outside more and want to do work in the garden. It sounds like this will really help with D3 intake and exercise. I feel so old because I'm so sore even through Ibuprofen which I take once a day so I get some time off the pain to allow me to do things. rolleyes

      So I guess it's a lets get outside and get some air. I'm really lucky I live near the coast 15 min drive and I'm on the beach. Actually I have noticed although it started as painful, walking on the sand made a huge difference as did paddling in the sea.

      Wishing you all a pain day and if not at least part of. smile

    • Sandy07
      Sandy07 kerry91

      Posted

      Hi, I have some vitamin d3 in my cupboard but have been too scared to take it in case I have too much. Reading what you say, it looks like you would have to have loads to do that. Is that your understanding. Wondering whether to give it a try to get rid of some of this pain. Xx
    • kerry91
      kerry91 Sandy07

      Posted

      Hi Mooma28,

      According to the packet I've just bought I can take up to 4000iu per day which corresponds with the upper safe limit recognised as 10000 iu per day (My sister in law has MS and she takes this with no ill effects) so I wouldn't worry about taking too much. Look up toxic levels on the net and you'll see you have to take massive amounts to have a toxic reaction. I have definitely seen an improvement since I began taking it; it could be that our 'ageing bodies' are just not assimilating enough, some researchers estimate that the vast majority of people are defiecient to some extent especially those who live in a northern climate. 

      Hope this helps.

    • Sandy07
      Sandy07 kerry91

      Posted

      Thanks. Might give it a try for a few days and see how it goes xx
    • Sandy07
      Sandy07 kerry91

      Posted

      Hi Kerry, I just checked my multivitamin and that has 300iu and my vit b3 tabs have 400 iu so well within the limits so think I'll give it a try. Thanks.xx
    • BellaRubia
      BellaRubia kerry91

      Posted

      Thanks Kerry, I have just joined the group and It is good to know the joint pain is not permanent.  My vitamin D is low but it looks like I have some reaction to high doses, so I stick with 400 UI twice a day.  I agree with the summer thing, my joint pain is coincident with my moving to a colder city. 
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