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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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  • JaggedStar
    JaggedStar Lesley998

    Posted

    Hi Lesley,

    I woke up this morning with aching elbows and decided to ask Dr. GOOGLE why my joints all of a sudden started aching. I recently had surgery - within the past 3 months. It involved my right ovary and appendix being removed. I haven't made my three month follow up appointment but am going to after reading your thread. I think I am invincible but my age is trying to tell me, No, LoL.

    I just wanted to say thank you to you and all the ladies on this thread, you have helped me! I thought I was still just needing to get in shape to run a marathon. One of you ladies said you felt like you aged 5 years in a few days. I been feeling like that since this whole ordeal came on strong. I will take with me all the possible symptoms I have to discuss because I'm only 37 years old and I'm hurting so bad. My hips, pelvic, knees, elbows, shoulders, right thumb, and even my bones are starting to hurt. I'll be back with an update just in case it happens to be something totally different. smile

    • BellaRubia
      BellaRubia JaggedStar

      Posted

      Hi JaggedStar, welcome.  It is awful. I had a phase with all the symptoms, I felt like I had aged to 80 in one month! Be prepared for more, at least for a while.  After that things will improve.  As you might have read, doctors not always help for they go by the book and the only thing that shows in their book is hot flashes and depression, so... rolleyes
    • kim94523
      kim94523 JaggedStar

      Posted

      hi JStar!  I was dawn to this tread too because of pain, especially because exercise made it worse (for the first time in my life) and I was feeling very weak and depressed about it. I have had that thought, "if I just do more (exercise, running, yoga, weight loss, therapy, take vitamins, eat healthier, etc etc etc) THEN I will stop hurting. And then I would do those things and hurt MORE. Then I would really get down on myself and think, "Well, I'm just weak or old or getting a disease".... That is the worst thing in my opinions... Blaming oneself for not being able to FIX this.  Then I found these forums and I took that "monkey off my back," so to speak. Whatever it is you're about to face, do not blame yourself! Do what you can to be sensible but do not despair if things you try don't always work or stop working. And don't think that this is "it," that you're stuck in this physical condition. These women on here say it gets better and I believe them and some remedies I tried brought relent for months at a time. Just keep repeating the mantra: "it's not my fault. I am not weak. It's not forever"  keep us posted how you are!
    • kim94523
      kim94523 BellaRubia

      Posted

      I agree! One must be one's own detective! Most docs do NOT understand the myriad of symptoms!
    • carol38532
      carol38532 JaggedStar

      Posted

      Hi, I spent 2 years going through the menopause without anything but found the flushes and night sweats too much to cope with at that time so started HRT, life became normal again! After 4 years I felt it was time to go it alone, I came straight off without any weaning.. Over night I became a cripple, everything hurt, I had the deepest ache in my joints, mainly right wrist, right elbow, left ankle, I had random cramping pains in my arms and legs.. It was the most frightening thing to go through not knowing what was wrong with me, I googled and scared the life out of myself until the 3rd Eve when I came across this site.. I really believe it saved me! Went back to the doctor and she suggested going back on HRT which I've been on now for a year, the pain is bareable ( now in my knees and hip )but still ongoing, I've noticed there are so many different types of pain and stiffness, could anyone else elaborate on their type of pain as most people just say they are in pain but don't really discibe it. Thanks to all the ladies who take the time to tell their story and send on advice. X
    • kim94523
      kim94523 carol38532

      Posted

      Hi Carol, sure!  I would be happy to elaborate... so from head to toe, here is what I feel... my lefts shoulder pops and cracks and the muscle between the shoulder bone and neck is so sore I can hardly move sometimes.  And my pectoral muscle on that side feels like I have done pushups.  My elbows have sharp, electric, shooting pain.  "Tennis elbow" or tendenontis.  My wrists ache and my fingers ache and it's hard to write with a pen, although I can still type superfast (thank God).  My knees have that same sharp, shooting, electic pain.  My calves ache like I just went on a 10K run even when I barely walk.  My feet bones too -- they just feel like i have worked them out to hard.  And my ankles ache.  Besides those specific areas, all over - from head to toe - I am often stiff.  Hope this helps... ((hugs)) Kim
    • Sandy07
      Sandy07 carol38532

      Posted

      Hi Carol, I get stiffness and pain in my jaw, neck and between my shoulders on my upper back. My fingers are sometimes stiff on waking but not all the time. I get lots of headaches, relating to the jaw and neck stiffness I think. Also my left foot and ankle is giving me a problem at the moment too. Xx
    • shaznay96184
      shaznay96184 carol38532

      Posted

      Carol

      Thanks so much for posting your experiences.

      I hope your ears weren't burning earlier:  I was talking to my husband's friend's wife about your situation. 

      We're both in Peri but not currently taking HRT. I  was warned by the Nurser Pract'r that if I took HRT, it'd only defer symptoms, which would start up when I eventually weaned off HRT.  You sound a classic case of what she was telling me, and the precise reason I want to stay off HRT for as long as I can physically cope without it.

      I cannot honestly say when my Peri symptoms truly started. I think a lot of them got caught up in recent years with the stress of 3 bereavements, selling a Business and our family home.  That was bad enough dealing with that then: I certainly don't relish the thought that I'll have all that crap to deal with again! 

      Both myself and my new best 'Peri-Friend' D, have so many similar symptoms. Only difference is she's a mere kid of 50 while I'm 54. 

      But I think my Peri journey changed a lot for the better for me personally when I started taking Menopace Original in January.  Honestly, I can't tell you when I felt better, but I'd guess within a fortnight.

      Your reference to feeling like a 'cripple' resonated with me (as well as made me giggle!). I'm left-handed so all my issues were on the left: shoulder, elbow being the main prob (actually changed my car from manual to auto as changing gear (in UK) was getting really painful).

      I've never had an illness in my life, and definitely no ailments that have required me to take regular meds, which is good:  I hate taking any tablets!!  But I had to get over my own hatred of this because the joint pain was getting too much; the terrible fatigue,  low mood, rage and very occasional tearfulness (generally when I was in a really OTT rageredface!!) also needed kicking into touch, but I didn't want HRT just yet, so taking these One a Day min/vits supplement works for me.

      And I defo didn't want the ADs that the Nurse prescribed to me (stupid cow; all she bloody heard was me 'joking' about welling up during an episode of 'Dont' tell the Bride'!! My husband just could not understand why she'd prescribed them:  and considering he's been married to this nutty cow for 32yrs, I felt great that he too didn't think they were for me).

      One of my sisters is 62, been on HRT for 7yrs, loves it! Her GP tried to wean her off it:  she went back to looking like Hagrid, sweating like a pig!  Hence her DEMANDING to be put back on it, demanding a quality of life......and walking back out with a 'script for some more HRT!! 

      I am very concerned about my bone health as my dear ol' mum had to have 3 hip replacement ops post-Meno.  She was tiny (4'10"), had 5 kids, no HRT and lead a very full, active life till she died (happy birthday mum: she would have been 95 todaysmilex).  I don't want the health probs, but I'd love to still be doing the Orlando white knuckle rides when I'm 72, like she did tee, hee!

      The specifics of my aches and pains:

      - cruching\grating of left shoulder when I lifted it up above my head

      - when reaching out/stretching out left arm randomly without thinking, shoulder felt like it was 'catching' on a nerve, so that I'd flinch/groan

      - pain in bones tracking down from left shoulder to left elbow, like a 'catching' sensation

      - main joint in big toe, left foot looked like it had 'collapsed' and ached such that I thought I must have dropped something on it, damaging it, years ago.  This made buying shoes that required me to angle my foot to put the shoe on really painful. Hence I live and die in flat or very low heel shoes/boots

      - clicking in both elbows, wrists, hips, knees, ankles, toes (yeah, really!)

      - when waking felt left side of neck leading to shoulder was really 'tight':  in need of a good massage.

      - really restless legs when I was tired, generally telling me 'time to go to bed' or if I couldn't get comfortable in bed

      The vast majority of these symptoms have improved 100% since taking Menopace and the restless legs are behaving themselves completely (taking a bit of Magnesium for this, amongst other things: think its working for me personally). Also the neck-thing has completely gone. I can only assume that I was almost depleted in a lot of the vits/mins that I'm now taking, to make me feel this much better. 

      I still click in all my joints:  have for as long as I can recall. Because you've asked for specifics, its made me realise the improvement I'm feeling in that left big toe joint!  Really, when I say it was a pain, I wasn't joking:  thought I'd an old break/fracture that I'd ignored when I was young and reckless, as you do......or developed bloody arthiritis.  Its so much better nowsmile.

      Carol, I hope you're feeling better back on the HRT. Shame that you're aches and pains are still around.  Do you take any vits/mins at all for bone/joint care, etc?  I'm not the best placed to ask, given my aversion to all-things medicinal, but there's a multitude of women posting the most wonderfully info on here.  Have a look through a few more discussion threads, or post your own discussion as to what to take for your aches and pains.  You'll be amazed at the response/advice you'll get!

      Sx

       

    • carol38532
      carol38532 shaznay96184

      Posted

      Hi, thank you shaznay and all the ladies that took the time to write back in. You asked if I took anything to help with my sympoms.. I have been taking menopace original for 2 months and more recently topped up with calcium and magnesium, also been using the magnesium spray which I have to say really helps take the edge off it! I thought the pain would go away since I'm back on HRT, although not as intense, it still dominates my life and thoughts as every day there is a new one to contend with.. Now REALLY scared to even contemplate coming off in case it's unbareable 😁

      Thanks again to all who tell their story.. Was wondering if it would be worth a few of us meeting up if in the same area, I know I would personally love to speak to someone who is living with this.. A support group of some description??

    • sheri54049
      sheri54049 shaznay96184

      Posted

      Thank you for posting i have so many if not all of the symptoms i have read on this post and others...i just started dealing with the "catching on a nerve" in my right shoulder (front) and shoulder blade (backside) felt like i was morphing into a creature from another planet....
  • Lesley998
    Lesley998

    Posted

    Hello JaggedStar and everyone....

    So glad you found us JaggedStar.  I remember well the relief i felt when I read someone elses account of their symptoms, and realisied I probably DIDNT have some awful disease, and I WASNT going mad, as my GP would have me believe. I genuinely felt like I aged overnnight.  In every way.  Not just aching bones and joints, but skin, hair (whats with the thin lank hair??) and I just generally felt like an old woman, a dried up aching prune.  After years of being a lush plum!  Haha!  

    Doctors and the medical profession DO not know everything. We women know our own bodies, and I now realise what a MASSIVE impact hormones and brain chemicals have on our lives.  Hunderds of years ago, when a woman reached menopause she was probably thought of as being mad, or burned at the stake as a witch. This damn phase in our lives can ruin our physical and mental health, and we need to be our own detective, as Bella puts so succinctly.  I feel 'almost' back to normal now.  I think the sudden drop in hormones, when I made my first post was just too much for my body to deal with.  Gradually, with the help of diet and some meds..I am feeling...not young again, but less like a wizened old crone.  Stil have problems with (ahem) dryness in certain areas and aching bones, but nothing LIKE I was two years ago.  I found the whole thing affected me mentally more than anything else recently...anxiety and panic being horrible symptoms I just can't seem to shake.  Im also dealing with quite a lot of other stuff... being responsible for two aging parents and a son who has gone off the rails... so the worry and anxiety come with the job I guess!!!   

    Best 

    lesley x

    • kim94523
      kim94523 Lesley998

      Posted

      Hi Lesley, my husband found your post desperately helping me to find point why I was having severe joint and muscle pain--thank heavens he did!!! Thank you for posting that over a year ago!!! What a great and comforting legacy you have left! Wanted to ask you... You said "with the help of some meds..." Can you share what meds helped you? Thank you!!! Kim
    • KatN22
      KatN22 Lesley998

      Posted

      Hello Lesley and all the Ladies. Something amazing happened to me, and I need to share this with you! My pain suddenly stopped. I have not had ANY kind of pain for 3 days. First day I thought I was imagining it - I have been in excruciating pain since April 2014 (I can remember the day it started). Second day went by without pain - I comb my 11-years old daughters very long hair every morning, and to put it into  a pony-tail was a torture for my fingers! I could do it this morning, like a normal person!!!!! My elbows and knees - unbelievable, I am wearing jeans (I could only wear leggings toghts or very loose/soft trousers as any pressure on my knees hurt). I don't know what it is - there is nothing I did different. The pain came suddenly a year ago, and went suddenly. I want to jump, run, smile, go out - I don't know which way to run, like a puppy let loose!!! Sorry for being all over the place. I keep laughing and crying (you should see the reaction of my husband!). maybe it will come back, but I am going to take it all, until then! Went to a pub with friends yesterday (after work!!!!!!!) I could only lie down after work before. Shoking. I wish the same to all of you, I hope you get better!!!!!
    • kathy8894
      kathy8894 KatN22

      Posted

      So happy for you!!! you have given me hope that things will get better for all of us. Enjoy yourseif and thanks for sharing that wonderful news!!!!
    • Sandy07
      Sandy07 KatN22

      Posted

      Kat, that is wonderful news. So pleased for you. It gives all of us hope of a recovery. Bless you. Enjoy! Xx
    • buddah_girl
      buddah_girl KatN22

      Posted

      Just brilliant, so happy for you, enjoy and live life to the max, hopefully this will be me and the rest of us soon xx
    • kim94523
      kim94523 KatN22

      Posted

      Kat!  OMG!  This is amazing!!!  So happy for you!!!!  Is there anything you think you did differently?  Anything you began doing or taking?  Truly so happy for you!!!!!!!!
    • kim94523
      kim94523 Sandy07

      Posted

      Yeah, I could use some hope today... been crying all day off and on for random reasons and shoulder/neck popping and seizing up... ridiculous.  
    • KatN22
      KatN22 kim94523

      Posted

      Hi Kim, no I did not do anything different. It's totally out of the blue. As I said, the bad pain came suddenly about a year ago, and I've been in limbo ever since. And suddenly stopped this Monday, as if never there. I chopped cabbage yesterday - I could not do it before. I am 44, so maybe at the end of the day my hormones came to their senses? I will keep you all posted. I wish you all get well soon!!!!!
    • kim94523
      kim94523 KatN22

      Posted

      Awww that is just so great!  I am so happy for you!  I did Acupuncture Wed. Yesterday, I felt worse - excrutiating pain in all different places.  Today, though, I didn't have pain.  It's late afternoon here and I'm starting to get stiff and very tired, but sharp pain is gone for now and I'm grateful for the reprieve!  Maybe your good luck wore off!  
    • kathy46259
      kathy46259 KatN22

      Posted

      Dang, there is hope.  My pain started about the same time you did.  Just woke up one morning and there it was.  So, if it can come on that sudden then it can go away suddenly.  Glad to hear a success story, if you figure out what helped let us know.

      Congratulations.

      Kathy

    • sheri54049
      sheri54049 KatN22

      Posted

      Very very happy for you, hope i get a chance to feel good again
    • sheri54049
      sheri54049 Lesley998

      Posted

      Thanks so much for posting, you have given me hope, i knew hormones did a whole lot but never to this extreme..
    • KatN22
      KatN22 Lesley998

      Posted

      Hello Ladies, as promised, I am updating you on my 'bulge' in the spine. I went to the spine doctor, and he confirmed that the 'bulging disc' I have is not sinister. He said that because of the hormonal changes everything is sore, and that the 'bulging disc' is the one right next to uterus. He said that once a mirena coil is fitted, which I am waiting for, it's due to be fitted next month, it will help with my symptoms. To remind everyone, I had no pain anywhere for 2 weeks. It was heaven. then it came back. My usual pain is in my spine, flu like pains, plus labour pains, lower back, hips, head, neck, jaws, and I can go on... knees, any place not hurting? can't think of one..... and I am only 44, not 90!!! Anyway, as I had reported to you ladies, my doctors did a very thorough check on me, and MRI scan showed that 'bulging disc'. Otherwise, nothing thanks God! But the pain does go sometimes - which is encouraging. I hope the coil will help me. Yoga apparently is good for me - you ladies might want to look into it. It does relieve some of my pain. I just thought I ought to share. And I cannot stress more - do keep checking!!!! make sure you are safe. I hope you all feel better soon x
    • Sandy07
      Sandy07 KatN22

      Posted

      Thanks Kat. Glad it's nothing too serious. I too get the jaw pain and neck pain , upper back, foot pain........ I too think it's hormonal, just got to find someone who takes it seriously. Xx
    • kathy46259
      kathy46259 Sandy07

      Posted

      My doctor who is a specialist in womens medicine sent me to a Compount Pharmacy.  All of the joint pain, nect, back knees....all of it.....is not being lubricated.  Evidently the hormones lubricate all of the joints.  I still need to sit with the doctor at the pharmacy to see what she believes I should be taking instead of straight premerin.

      Hope you have some good days, I know haw hard it is not to be able to walk freely in the mornings.  I am dangerous in the morning, cannot get a cup of coffee or even juice without spilling or dropping until the pain receeds.

      kathy

    • BellaRubia
      BellaRubia kathy46259

      Posted

      it is wonderful that your doctor is not straight minded and sent you to someone that can help.  Please, let us posted after your appointment.  Maybe you will have some important information for all of us and good luck there :D
    • shaznay96184
      shaznay96184 kathy46259

      Posted

      kathy

      I'm in Peri, but can't tell you how long I've been here, or imagine how much longer I've got to endure it!  I'm not taking HRT (yet!), as I don't feel too bad.

      But I ached like a 90yr old up until the New Year.  Because i started taking a very run-of-the-mill Menopause vit/min supplement:  Menopace Original.  Widely available her in the UK. 

      Can honestly say that I feel 100% better for taking it and would fight tooth and nail with anyone who wanted to take my supply away from melol!!

      Works for me personally, and I'm sure there's something similar to it in other parts of the world. I know a lot of women swear by using Magnesium, Vit D supps. 

      There are also many, many ladies on here with an encyclopedic knowledge of vits/mins and alternative meds/procedures to aid these aches and pains.  Why not have a good read on this wonderful forum. I'm sure there's some advice that will really suit you.

      Sx

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