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
linda39
Posted
Two months ago very suddenly I had awful joint pains to both of my inner elbows, after a few days the pains were in my knees but a lot worse, this also seemed to be attacking different parts of my body as in shoulders, neck, whole of legs etc. Then three weeks after it first started I was in agony with my ankles and my feet were very swollen.
So with both my knees and ankles I was having trouble walking at times.
I decided it was time to go to the doctor: he intially thought it was arthiritus and done blood tests, these all came back as normal. I was then sent for knee & ankle x-rays, but once again -normal.
Further blood tests were carried out for Thyroid and Vitamin D - to which he intially said were all ok, but has since called me to say I need a vitamin D supplement.
He suggested referring me to a rhuematologist to which I have an appointment at the end of this month.
On reading all these messages above I have gained a great insight to my problems.
I hadn't ruled out a virus due to the way it was attacking the whole of my body and lingering.
But now I have more information from all you other ladies in the same situation this has really helped.
Carolmayhew6 linda39
Posted
You just sound like me
I had sudden onset of pain in my right knee which in turn went to my left n I was crippled with walking very short distance could not even stand for longer than it took to boil a kettle, I saw my gp n had MRI scan that shows degenerative arthritis the pain went worse over a few days n I'm now at the end of my tether constant pain in both knees n down my legs excruciating at times
My sister mentioned my menopause as she had googled joint pain in menopause n found this site 1 if the posts may have been me writing it exactly same symptoms
I saw my gp after speaking to my sister who is on HRT j had simular probs but then they subsided after starting HRT so I went j out my case to him he was slightly neg at first but did bloods LOW N BEHOLD my FSH stimulating hormone was high at 95 n shud be 35 or less so therefore I need supplement which I've started yesterday so fingers crossed I'll get some relief
now
grac1eg Carolmayhew6
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josephine74086 Carolmayhew6
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marli310
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terri16632 marli310
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josephine74086 terri16632
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marli310 josephine74086
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Sorry you are going through this. I feel your pain. It's 2 years now for me, (age 52 when it all started). I had crushing fatigue, nausea, bloating, and was diagnosed with Lyme. I found a tick on me. But I had the tick tested, and went on over the course of several months to have 6 separate different Lyme and coinfection tests. All negative or inconclusive. Still I was treated for Lyme with 10 months of antibiotics and other supplements. None of which "cured" me. The knee pain came months after the bite. Anyway, I'm not totally convinced I had Lyme, but I'll truly never know. But, I am the perfect age for peri/meno! My knees hurt so bad, I couldn't stand for more than 5 minutes without crying. I was in bed or on the couch for weeks. I cried over every little , I had dark thoughts, I got upset easily. No hot flashes, or night sweats in the beginning, but muscle pain and the other stuff I mentioned above. I'm much better now, but I've done a lot to get here. I still have more to fix, but I feel that if I made it through that, I can most likely make it through this. But, it is exhausting, mentally, physically and spiritually. I feel for you.
marli310 josephine74086
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josephine74086 marli310
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it certainly is so comforting knowing that other ladies truly understand what i am going through and that i am not 'just going mad'. i have never been someone to just sit around but some days it has been as much as i can do to get from the bed to the sofa. As well as the pain around the body it is the dark feelings that suddenly hit you and the tears just flow. I find night time the worst and do find myself getting anxious before even getting into bed as i know what it is going to be like trying to get up in the night for the loo and turning over in bed can be such a challenge! on the plus side i have changed my diet completely and have lost a stone as a result ( some of the weight loss probabaly due to loss of apetite though), if i m honestI needed to lose about 1.5 stones altogether to get to my ideal weight, Now i am going through this it has made me reassess my lifestyle ( i dont drink or smoke but do have a sweet tooth!! ) and i have stated swimming. Ironically I have had quite a good day today and although the stiffness is there it has been less painful so i am wondering whether stress is a major factor for me. Finding this forum has definitely had a major lifting impact for me
jodie52910 marli310
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katie13
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Interesting that you mention Vitamin D. I have been taking supplements of Vit D since I read research on the benefits in reducing risk of Multiple Sclerosis and how low the levels of Vit D are in British people because of the lack of sun in our climate recently. It certainly has made my nails and hair grow and made any of my SAD symptoms less severe this winter. But I wondered if taking the supplement had made my joints ache, so stopped it for a week, but no change so have started it again.
I will be very interested to know what the rheumatologist says. I have not been to the doctor. I am a retired nurse and hope to heal myself!! ( or may be bury head in sand!?)
shaznay96184 katie13
Posted
Just noticed your post was from over a year ago, but still very topical.
Today I read in the Daily Mail (online version) about the possibility of systematically prescribed children in the UK Vit D to ward off the rising numbers of them suffering from Rickets.
Can't do right for wrong: we slather kids with Factor 50, cover them up from the rays, and put them at risk of Rickets!
I am not a fan of the sun: fair haired/skinned. Have used Factor 30+ on my face/arms for years. Don't think I have too many wrinkles - creases, yes, especially when I wake up, often finding a new one on a daily basis! - for 54. Thats all I've got going for me tho'!
I'm the only one of 4 sisters who HASN'T yet had a skin cancer removed. Hopefully, I'll keep taking the Vit D/Calcium/Magnesium, and carry on with the Factor 30!!
Sx
linda39
Posted
Well I only started taking Vitamin D yesterday, I had to buy the 1000mg dose and he wants me to take it for 2 months.
So in my case this would not of actually affected my joints initially as my pain has been for 2 months prior.
Glad it did not affect your joints as it seems to be helping you somewhat!
That was my problem I kept burying my head in the sand saying oh it'll pass, but in the end I had to give in.
Although I did have nearly a whole week last week where I wasnt in actual pain, but it has started to creep back a little now along with the stiffness.
Yes the rheumatologist visit will be interesting, although I am not holding out much hope!
linda39
Posted
For the past 3 days I have been getting awful pains in my kidneys, mainly my left one, so was wondering if this was also part of the same symptoms.
I have had this type of kidney pain on and off in the past two months of my other ailments, but this period is quite severe and constant.
2chr2015 linda39
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mamamia03 linda39
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I thought it was just me! I've got kidney pain almost every day for a number of weeks. Among the other symptoms I've got pain along my spine and the health anxiety is driving me insane. My doctor has say it could be perimenopause and I'm having bloods done next week, but from reading everyone's symptoms on here, I've calmed done because I realise I'm not a Raving lunatic hypochondriac.