Perimenopause and SEVERE joint pain - any one else??
Posted , 512 users are following.
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
KatN22 Lesley998
Posted
BellaRubia KatN22
Posted
I never heard anybody saying was retested and it came out different but I would not be surprised for it is a phase of hormonal unbalance and one month is not like the other :S. For what you say about the scarry, owfull noises, and all tests being negative, I would say you are lacking progesterone... Needless to say I had the same, and more, all together at the same time. My neck and shoulders made uncredible sounds, as every joint in my body. I was afraid to turn my head and no doctor to the rescue! Everything diminished and desappeared by itself, TG. All that happened during the time my period was more regular than is now, what makes me belive that hopefully when it stops, things are going to get on track.
Enjoy your food and drink WINE. All the dieting and eating will not make miracle for what you feel now, unless of course you are a bad eater and in urgent need of discipline. Otherwise, it will be more importannt for your health on the long run... It is personal experience and opinion, but I did diet and all, and nothing changed much, the difference came with time, I believe more due to hormones than to the rest of it.
YOGA, YES, I AM A BIG FAN, it makes a lot of difference and on the spot.
debwestmids Lesley998
Posted
I am extremely glad that i have found this forum.
I had never heard of Perimenopause, obviously i had heard of Menopause,but i associated it with hot sweats and thats about it.
I strongly believe we should be educated about them at a much earlier age,so that we know what to expect,after all there seems to be a huge lack of support out there at the moment.
When i was 45,my periods started to become highly irregular and only happened about 3 times a year.i just put it down to my age and that was it.
Next;A year later i started getting headaches and after tests and seeing a headache specialist it was put down to stress.
Next:About another year later,the sleepless nights started,i sought medical advice but it still continued.
Next:Came the itching sensation all over,went to drs tried allergy tablets,had tests,eventually it went with no explanation.
During all this time my periods still were few and far between.
Next:2014,i went to drs complaining of discomfort in my ribs and tightness which felt like it was actually around my breastbone,i had all the necessary tests to rule out other possibilities and i was diagnosed with costochondritis of which there is no explanation or cure it goes of its own accord although after recearch it remains with people for years,mine waxes and wanes ,its more uncomfortable as opposed to painful especially the feeling of tightness.
Next.I went to the drs complaining with a pain in my foot,which was put down to Plantar Faciitis.My dr booked me an appointment at the hospital for further diagosis.
Next;in the meantime,because of all my symptoms my mood became very low and so i saw my dr and he prescribed me with a low dose 20g ofFluoxetine which i had taken successfully and came off 10 years previously.For some reason,this time they affected me adversely,i was in a zombie like state for most of the time.
Next:my appointment came through for hospital,the specialist gave me some insteps for my shoes as she said my one leg was slightly longer than the other,she said to wear them in gradually for an hour a day to break them in,i was then passed on for an xray where it was established i had a little arthritis in my foot where the bone ha become infused.
Next:Part of my job means that from time to time i have to stay on the premises of the pub where i work and do relief work for up to 2 weeks at a time.It was this particular time that i had to do this and because i was feeling washed out and still trance like,wrongly,i abruptly stopped taking my Fluoextine because i had to take over pub within the next few days.
This is the precise time my total nightmares began!!!Of which i put down to a mixture of the discontinuation of Fluoxetine and wearing my insteps for too longer periods as you will understand why as you read on.
I got up the next day and i felt absolutely terrible.The best way i can describe it is i felt like i had been run over.Every limb and every internal part of me ached and felt sore.I couldn't get comfortable in bed and struggled to sleep.I then started getting gassy stomach noises,internal tremors,neck ache and was completely short of energy.Maybe this was a coincidence that this all occurred when i stopped taking Fluoxetine,either way i needed to find out.
I went to the drs and told hi about everything,he said that if it was Fluoxetine i should feel better in a few weeks.I didn't so i went back.He started to treat me for IBS because of the stomach problems of which i took peppermint for,but nothing worked.I was taking ibuprofen for my aches and pains which did help for most of the time.After about 3 weeks of feeling really poorley i went back to drs and he eventually sent me for loads and loads of tests which all came back normal.He sent me for more and more and they were still normal.After extensive research it would seem i could have something called Fybromyalgia which did have symptoms that mathed mine.At this point my husband said he had been listening to a gaenocologist on the radio who had advised someone to have a hormone imbalance test and said perhaps i should ask for one?
Next:I was sent for the fsh test.I waited a week for the results and then i rang drs receptionist for results.Finally,it came back menopausal changes.Aparrantly,the normal range is 1-15 and mine was 29.I was told hrt or herbal ?its up to you.And that was my support!
If i hadn't of specifically asked for the test,goodness knows how long the different tests would have carried on for.At no time did anyone of the several drs i saw ask me my age,or what my periods were like.I booke an appointment witha different dr as often as i could because i genuinely felt like i was a nuisance and thought they would think it was in my head!
Next:I tried lots of herbal remedies including well woman and none of them did anything for me,so i just had to get on with it.I was really struggling to do my job as a cook in a very busy kitchen and found everyday things hard to cope with.
I had always been againt HRT because of the different stories i had heard,but i thought,you know what i'm going to give it a try.I decided to wait to see a female dr because i felt she would be more clued up and so for the privelidge i had to wait 3 weeks because she was on holiday.How wrong was i?
She never even read my previous notes espcially the bit about my "menopausal changes" blood test results.
I asked if i could try hrt and she was totally against it she said i was too old(I'm 50)and said that it carried greater risks because of my age and i was overweight(fair comment!)she asked me what my symptoms were,i briefly explained about my aches and pains,she said that wasn't menopausal i had oesteoperosis.I mentioned about the lack of sleep,she said that was insomnia,she totally dismissed my claims and gave me a sheet on menopause of which i had already read off the patient.info website.She said it was up to me if i wanted to think about it for a week go back and she would prescribe it.But do you know what?I left feeling totally disheartened,there was no support at all.I even looked for local clinics but found nothing!
So back to present day,the symptoms disappear for a short while and seem to return in groups,like one week i will have an aching neck and foot and then tyhe next week i can't sleep and the stomach noise comes back.
I,ve been off work for 5 days so i haven't been very active.I've overdone the caffeine ,ate not so healthy and had a little more alcohol than usual,so needless to say i feel quite poorely again at the moment,so its back to healthy eating and back to work.It seems like you just have to get on with it.But it does help a little knowing that others are having the same experiences and so know what it feels like.Sorry i have gone on and on,but i needed to explain my full story and feel like i have got a load off my chest x
shaznay96184 debwestmids
Posted
!
I don't know what it is with females working in healthcare at any level. I don't always think they're that sympathetic towards other women. Almost like 'I've had to cope, now you should just get on with it!' - totally 100% less sympathetic than males. Also found that with male midwives and gyne's: maybe we represent something else to men!!
50! Old?! My GP better not tell me that (54 and still got a fight in me!). Go see a male GP. I bet you are treated so differently. And take the whole of your 8-mind allocated appointment to TELL them about YOU, in case they don't read your notes!
Good luck gel - there's gotta be a light at the end of the tunnel - go find it and let us know how you get on back at the GPs. X
Sandy07 debwestmids
Posted
thanks for sharing. I can sympathise with you on lots of these points. My story is quite similar. I started having night sweats, feelings of doom, head aches and odd dizzy spells a few years back. Then 3 yrs ago I got vertigo which was put down to labyrinthitis. After that I developed a constant swaying and movement and a pain in the back of my head/ neck. I was checked at ENT twice, seen a neurologist 4 times, 2 physios, acupuncturist, had numerous tests and all comes back normal. Still have an odd off balance feeling, tightness in head and neck, also now jaw pain. In the past ive had a painful elbow, back and plantar fasciitis, sometimes I feel about 90, but I'm only 50. Havnt had a proper period since June, just a little spotting one month. Everything I have tested shows normal but I still have the pain. My Dr will let me try HRT if I want but I'm trying to lose some weight first. Hoping the weight loss might help the other things too. My foot pain seems to wax and wane as do the other symptoms although they are always with me😔. Xx
debwestmids Sandy07
Posted
I saw a young gentleman dr who is new to our local practice,i felt like he actually listened to me today.I told him that i had been a few weeks ago and that the dr completed dismissed the fact that my symptoms were menopausal related,she obviously hadn't read my earlier blood test results which stated i had an horme imbalance and was described as "menopausal changes"
The dr explained to me that because i didn't get hot sweats,maybe the HRT woudn't benefit me because thats what it mainly relieved.Also there wer many side effects and he had to decide and understand whether it would be beneficial.We established and agreed i was actually in perimenopause,which was a big achievement on my last visit.I explained that i had tried the herbal route,but it was of no help at all.
He then suggested that anti depressants had been proven to help with perimenopausal symptoms and asked if i wanted to give them another go?As mentioned in my previous posting i had taken them earlier this year and they had made me feel very sleepy and thats when i wrongly abruptly discontinued taking them because of my future responsiilities.This is when i started to feel really ill with lots more symptoms.Maybe,this was coincidental,maybe the fact that they effected so badly,maybe i would have developed these symptoms anway,after all, i had taken the same medication,the same dose years earlier and they suited me fine
Any way,i have read this previously on several occasions that Fluoxetine can play the role in helping peri symptoms,so,i have decided to give them another go.After all,i cant feel any worse than i do now.Funnily enough,i was speaking to a customer at work today and she had been prescribed the very same for her menopausal problems and she could't praise it enough,saying its completely improved her quality of life.
So it was agreed,i would try the medication and return in a few weeks with a follow up appointment to see how i was feeling.if i still felt the same,then we could discuss the possiilities of trying a form of HRT.So i'm just deciding now whether to take my tablet of a night or morning.I will do updates as to how i feel in the next few weeks.
My plantar faciitis has returned in the last few days and because i have costochondritis i always have to wear a bra,but because i am an odd size i can't get a normal bra and i can't wear underwired so i wear the cropped type bra.Even these are uncomfortable at the moment.I feel like i have a belt fastened underneath my bust and it is far too tight.It comes and goes,but its extremely bad at the moment.I feel the more tense or stressed i get,the worse i feel,so maybe the fluoxetine will help.Fingers crossed.I too am trying to lose weight at the moment,i have also had two periods in about 4 months where as i was only having two a year since 2009.The body is a total mystery.My symptoms wax and wane also and some of the symptoms are always with me at one time or another.We ladies have a rough time and the more i read on these forums the more i learn how we have just had to get on with it.
What diet are you following hun?
I wish you well and will continue to read about your progress in managing this horrible part of the female life x
Sandy07 debwestmids
Posted
naisygriff Lesley998
Posted
I am getting joint aches,shoulders, hips, they are literally locked when I get out of the chair or sofa at my friends' house just for a short time as they are too low, I walk like a crab.
My arms and whole body is stiff when I get out of bed, I cannot lift my arms. I am getting pain in my palms. I work as a nurse in the UK but after 33 years I am finding it a struggle both mentally and physically. I work in a small private hospital and the boss is younger than me and they don't understand the menopause. I am now being referred to occupational health, and signed off sick for a week so that I can start Citalopram, which I put off for a year as I felt too weird initially and too many side effects, I decided to try 5HTP instead but is no longer having the desired effect.
I live alone so have no support and only me to earn money.
I have felt suicidal as I feel I have no future, my Doctor made me feel like I was being a nuisance last time I was there as I have had so many niggly things wrong in last few years, I have tried to avoid going back.
I had no periods for a year and now 3 in 6 weeks.
The only support I have is from a friend at work who is going through similar joint pains, but not the mental stuff, she has her family to distract her and stops her from dwelling on things that I do.
shaznay96184 naisygriff
Posted
Blimey! Someone other than me who makes reference to 5HTP!!
i had it in my mind to give that a go, alongside some Progesterone Cream to see if I can take myself along the more 'natural' route. Shame 5HTP not now working for you. Like you, I was given nothing more than a 4wk course of SSRIs to 'see how you get on with them'. After recognising the name as one of the meds my long-term psychoisis-suffering eldest sister gobbles up every day, I thought, out of interest, I'd look up their side effects. I recognised most of them from the irritating habits said-sister experiences, namely the random need to get up/sit down/walk about.P-lease!!! There's no way I'm going to entertain them at this stage in the game. Haven't even bothered with them as it'll take me 3 times as long to wean myself off of them! Think I will give the 5HTP a go tho' - got to be worth a try before I succome, and go begging to be given HRT!!
Nurse Pract'r did listen to me when I talked about all my aches and pains. Had a blood test, go back in new year for results. Think must be v. low Vit D/Calcuim . I'll now bore her with my dear late mum's bone history (TB in bones and 3 hip replace''t ops: kept her sense of humour in tack tho'!) and talk about my physical needs as opposed to any mental needs she thinks I may have. Besides, I love having a 'Victor(ia) Meldrew' moment as much as anyone else: at least I can say I have an excuse now!
Had the mother of all aches for the past couple of days, so no sleep. Shoulder pain crept down to my elbow which was and still is so bloody painful, likes its broken: I swear by bones must be strung together with dental floss. I feel like I'm wearing a suit of armour - under my skin!!
Don't like to read about anyone feeling suicidal, so do hope the citalapram gives you a break from your obvious black cloud that's following you.
Are there any Consultants at your place of work who's ear you might like to chew on? I would (not backwards at coming forwards, me!). Failing that, go back to your GP and ask for some blood tests. Talk specifically about MENOPAUSAL SYMPTOMS, don't let them steer you down the 'nutter' route, and maybe the citalopram and some HRT might work wonders for you.
Me: I think I'm destined down the HRT route mainly because of my joint aches/family history etc. Talk about preparing for the inevitable: I'm customising my Zimmer Frame as we speak - think '60s Lambretta/Vespa bullseye-stylie, with loads of headlamps and a fox's tail on my aerial
!! (anyone outside the UK will have the funniest, vaguest look on their face right now!)
Seriously, Come On Gels of this Site, looks like we've a Sister in Need of a bit of support here! We all know the world and his wife don't want to know anything about the peri,meno- or its sufferers, so looks like we'll have to try to cheer each other up. i've only been on this site less than a week, but it feels like it could my saviour!!
Keep posting naisygriff - you'll get so much help, support and advice on here
x
naisygriff shaznay96184
Posted
One consultant did say he would write an xray form,but xray will want to know who to charge it too, don't think m GP would be too happy if the bill turned up on her desk. Don't think I can get HRT yet as was taking pill thou stopped as kept forgetting and have started bleeding again, last time they wouldnt unless stopped bleeding for a year!
Had gotton some 5HTP again, after stopping mid year, but thats why am trying Citalopram again, thou dreading the side effects!
Thinking of setting up a support group in Bath and for those women who don't feel confident to go out anymore or don't have anyone to go out with. Basically I am reall lonely and my friends are busy with young kids.
I still love music and dancing, but if I am getting arthritis have basically wasted last two years not going out!
I don't want my life to be over, but feel soo unable to change anything, exhaustion is not helping.
BellaRubia naisygriff
Posted
naisygriff Lesley998
Posted
I am getting joint aches,shoulders, hips, they are literally locked when I get out of the chair or sofa at my friends' house just for a short time as they are too low, I walk like a crab.
My arms and whole body is stiff when I get out of bed, I cannot lift my arms. I am getting pain in my palms. I work as a nurse in the UK but after 33 years I am finding it a struggle both mentally and physically. I work in a small private hospital and the boss is younger than me and they don't understand the menopause. I am now being referred to occupational health, and signed off sick for a week so that I can start Citalopram, which I put off for a year as I felt too weird initially and too many side effects, I decided to try 5HTP instead but is no longer having the desired effect.
I live alone so have no support and only me to earn money.
I have felt suicidal as I feel I have no future, my Doctor made me feel like I was being a nuisance last time I was there as I have had so many niggly things wrong in last few years, I have tried to avoid going back.
I had no periods for a year and now 3 in 6 weeks.
The only support I have is from a friend at work who is going through similar joint pains, but not the mental stuff, she has her family to distract her and stops her from dwelling on things that I do.
naisygriff Lesley998
Posted
Meant to say also, that its easier to go off sick with a physical illness than a mental illness, everyone will know why, there is no confidentiality.
It doesnt look good on your record, I did ask for my remaining holiday time to be added to my days off so I could have a week off at least but that wasnt supported and now the boss isn't happy I am going off sick instead, even though she suggested it!
viv1960 naisygriff
Posted
do not despair, there is so much help,advice and support on this blog. I found it about 6 months ago, so pleased Leslie started this discussion. I read all from the beginning in 2012, which gave me the understanding and support to recognise that these symptoms were peri menopause. Like you I am a nurse, and had never heard of it. I regularly see ladies in my chest pain clinic with chest pain, aches all over, palpitations etc, the knowledge I have gained from this website has enabled me to support women of a similar age,who have non-cardiac sounding chest pain.
I totally relate to your fatigue and pains, I only work 3 days/week, and I struggled until I found Accupuncture, although quite expensive £75 for first session, with follow-ups £55. I had an intensive course weekly for 5 weeks, and noticed a difference, I now go monthly. At the height of my pains I was taking co-codamol 30/500, TDS, I now only take it some evenings to prevent shoulder pain when lying in bed. I did see a rheumatologist back in the summer who diagnosed fibromyalgia, which I thought I had before I found this website, when I asked if it could be menopausal, he said hormone unbalance heightens any ache's & pains already present. He did prescribe hydroxychloroquine which I have taken since the end of July, but I was already experiencing relief from the Accupuncture, so I'm planning to stop this tablet in the spring.
Anyway, try not to let these symptoms get you down, I know it's esier said than done, but take some time off work, find something that helps you, then see Occ Health and get phased return. The symptoms can be eased somewhat with supplements and other suggestions found on here. The main thing is, you're not alone.
take some time to rest and take care.
Viv
naisygriff viv1960
Posted
Happy new year. x