1. Community
  2. Women's health
  3. Menopause

Perimenopause and SEVERE joint pain - any one else??

Posted , 512 users are following.

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

Prev Next
  • barbara49965
    barbara49965 Lesley998

    Posted

    I take vitamin D310ug – B6 150mg in the mornings. In the evening I take Osteocare original by Vitabiotics it has (Calcium-Magnesium-D3 & Zinc) the magnesium is for muscle pain & D3 is for bone pain. I have researched this as I had pain all over especially in my arms & neck & couldn’t bare the pain any longer it was driving me insane! I am so happy this has worked for me, it took a good couple of months to kick in but I feel like my old self again! I would take HRT but not allowed as I have high blood pressure!
    • Carolmayhew6
      Carolmayhew6 barbara49965

      Posted

      Hi

      Can you take HRT with those vitamins as I've just been prescribed estradiol 1mg

      But I've got knee pain n muscle pain in my legs

      I feel like I did when I was getting ready to start my periods feel at times I'm going to pass out n get palpitations n heavy head awful feeling along with anxiety n nausea

      I'm fed up of seeing my GP think I've been weekly for passed 5mnths sad

    • barbara49965
      barbara49965 Carolmayhew6

      Posted

      Hi - I'm sure its ok but you could check with Doctor or you could Goggle the question? sorry to hear your having a hard time. I also take B6 which helps with my mood as I did feel quite down too! I have strarted taking menopace plus. I just want to help my body get through this horrible menopause! Remeber that is what the GP is for, to help you!!
    • Carolmayhew6
      Carolmayhew6 barbara49965

      Posted

      Thanks Barbara

      I feel I'm going mad at the min 1 day fine can do anything n everything n then another can't do damn thing

      I have beta bloka propanalol n thinking of taking them as I have terrible anxiety n nausea at present and I was given the propanalol for that 2yrs ago n it helped but not sure if I can take alongside the HRT. !

  • jillann
    jillann Lesley998

    Posted

    Hi Lesley.

    How did you get on going back to the GP? I've been the same to the past 12-6 months and feel like a hypocondriact. I started taking Magnisum and Menopasuse about two months ago but don't feel any different. I feel like I'm going mad, My mood is up and down with me feeling like I can fly one day and can hardly manage to do anything others. 

  • liz28780
    liz28780 Lesley998

    Posted

    Hi I am new to the forums and am hoping that it will give me some valuable support as at least twice monthly I believe I am going mad. I am 48 and am peri I think. With regard to joint pain I experience severe pain in my knees whereby I often find myself struggling to walk upstairs. The pain can be extreme. I also ache generally all over. I experience the whole spectrum of other peri symptoms which completely knocks me off my feet. I am also diabetic which complicates matters even more. Even though I try and rationalise that it's the dreaded hormones again , each time it happens I become so anxious and believe that I am going to die of some horrible illness. I am usually very active and motivated I work full time and also look after my three kids and the home ( single parent ) so when I am hormonal and am unwell with it I cannot cope and just want to retreat to my bedroom. 
    • kerry91
      kerry91 liz28780

      Posted

      Hi Liz, I started to feel bad around your age and it's been a learning curve to this point. I'm now 52 and just going into the menopause, for the last four months I've been taking vitex agnus castus and the difference has been so gradual at first I hardly noticed it but reading your post I remembered how it felt and I don't have stiff knees any more. My digestive problmes have also settled to almost normal, of course I have blips but generally I'm doing great, I also eat a low carb diet which keeps the hot flushes in check. I take vit E, evening primrose and zinc, I can't tolerate B vits or I'd be taking them as well !! I hope this helps (Agnes caustus regulates your hormones its not a phytoestrogen)  
    • shaznay96184
      shaznay96184 liz28780

      Posted

      Hiya

      Would appear the World and his Wife are low in Vit D!!

      My joints ached so bad that after a particularly cr*p Xmas, I decided to sort myself out.

      I hate taking any meds (fortunate, at 54, never been ill enough to have had to), joined this wonderful forum, and read up on what we need at this time.

      Because of my aversion to taking meds, I found Menopace Original good for me as only one-a-day. Has Vits B6 & B12 (great for moods/rants/anxiety - for me anyway!).

      Others love a bit of Magnesium for aching muscles/ restless legs. Some of our more knowledgeable/experienced posters (Jayneejay in particular) will give you great advice on which types to take as some are kinder on the gut (except mine: Mrs Cast Iron Guts, that nothing 'shifts', sadly!)

      Good luk. Keep posting how things go

    • alison_94436
      alison_94436 shaznay96184

      Posted

      I,m on menopace too Shaz and my mood is 100% better.

      Need something now for muscle pain :-)

  • ruth09950
    ruth09950 Lesley998

    Posted

    Thank you everyone. This forum is fabulous & it has really helped me feel like I'm not alone. I suddenly stopped my periods 15 months ago & haven't seen anything since. Does this mean I'm perimenapausal or in between? I have had the usual hot flushes, insomnia, lack (or none!) labido for the past year but am now having weak & excruciating hip pain plus a burning mouth. I can deal with most of the usual symptoms....to a degree but not these 2 awful ones! I am due to see my GP in 2 weeks & instead of forgetting my symptoms I have typed out a letter so that she can read it. I have suffered from depression & anxiety for nearly 7 years but am now wondering if in fact  some of my symptoms overlap & that I am being treated for the wrong thing. I take so many drugs for my depression, mood swings, insomnia & anxiety that I was hoping that maybe I can reduce these drugs & treat it as the menopause (with permission of course!)

    Thank you, Thank you. Thank you to you all

     

    • LMHO
      LMHO ruth09950

      Posted

      I also stopped taking my 2 anti depressants thinking that was causing my pain. In the past after 2 years on a med, I would get nightmares and body aches. The medicine is out of my system now and no more nightmares but still horrible back, shoulder blades, hips and neck pain. I also have discovered that my PTSD related depression is now better after 14 years. Tried to come off of them before with no luck. I wouldn't recommend just coming off anti depressants without a doctor's help, though.

      I plan to have my hormone levels checked now and ordered some menopace vitamin supplements aswell.

      Hope you get this all sorted out!

      Lisa

    • liz28780
      liz28780 ruth09950

      Posted

      Hi not to discount that you may be suffering from some depression and anxiety But I think there is some scope in some of your symptoms being hormonal. I am a psychiatric nurse but also a sufferer of depression. I actually started taking anti depressants about 17 years ago  2 years after the birth of my first child. I attributed my symptoms for two years on the fact that  it was normal to feel the way I did having a child etc. I have since had two more children my youngest now 13. I continue to take the same anti depressant however I believe that some of us suffer more extreme affects of our hormones than others and if your life is stressful this plays a part because again the interaction of stress hormones and all the other hormones can be a complex thing. I think I am going on a bit now but for the past ten years my fluctuating mood has been more evident particularly around my period, and about three years ago I experienced a particularly long spell of depression and as a consequence I lost my job of 25 years as a nurse due to this. Having researched considerably about hormonal imbalance and peri menopause/ menopause I am convinced that at the time of this depression I was starting the peri menopause so rather than a clinical depression I believe it was more to do with hormonal changes. I seriously believe that many GPs disregard the fact that symptoms of anxiety/depression could be attributed to hormonal imbalance and just prescribe medication for mental health disorders. I appreciate that HRT is prescribed also for similar symptoms but again what if you are unable to take HRT or like myself reluctant to because of being diabetic with history of heart disease ( I suffered a heart attack at age 38 ). Menopause is a natural process and women throughout time have all experienced it . I actually think that for some women in history they would have been incarcerated in asylums because of their symptoms. Today however we live in a faster paced and stressful world which increases pressure in our lives but we are also better informed of many things including health and our bodies so why are us ladies in our transitional phase still having to suffer and made to feel by the majority that we are just neurotic souls and should just get on with it. In my first post on this forum I stated that I am normally a very motivated and happy person and yet each month ( at least two weeks out of four ) I am incapacitated by a host of physical and emotional symptoms that even with the best will in the world prevent me from functioning at my best leaving me frustrated and disheartened. Think that's enough ranting for now . 
    • alison_94436
      alison_94436 ruth09950

      Posted

      It,s a relief isn,t it Ruth to know what your going through is normal.

      I don,t take any prescribed mens and I,ve felt like he'll.

      But I have known that it,s age related.

      I think that drugs get in the way.

      I hope you get on top of all your symptoms and start really living again :-)

    • alison_94436
      alison_94436 liz28780

      Posted

      No Liz you are not ranting. I agree with every sentence.

      I,ve been a force of nature all my life, still am.

      But I feel like that part of me is watching the other deteriorate, I,m going down fighting.

      I always have a project in my mind, the garden, the house, even and you,ll laugh, when I am just too knackered to move, it,s all in my mind. I mean the home improvements not the pain and things.

      I really hope all this passes, I would love to talk to someone who has come out the otherwise of this. :-)

Back to top
Prev Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.