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
Sparky341 Lesley998
Posted
Hi Leslie, I, too, just turned 50 and now feel as though I am 90!! I have been tested and I am definitely post menopausal and I do not have any auto immune disorders. I have also had a dexiscan(sp?) and my bones look pretty good for my age. My back, knees, hands, shoulders, and feet(particularly the balls of my feet) hurt all of the time, but they really hurt in the morning upon waking. Have you had any luck finding out what causes it and any fixes? My estrogen level was 8, but due to cancer issues, I have been advised not to take HRT. I appreciate any help or guidance that anyone can give me at this point. I have increased my Vitamin D3 (currently on prescription dose once a week for 8 weeks), I take Omega 3-6-9, and Magnesium w/ Calcium. The doctors really don't understand how bad I hurt and have really never heard of menopause causing this, but I know that it is the reason.
cynthia00141 Sparky341
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Sparky, it sounds like your taking the same things I'm taking. I'm 52, and this started a year ago. I take 400 mgs. of Magnesium and I try to remember my calcium but sometimes I forget.
. I also take 5000 mgs. of D3 daily and two tablespoons of fish oil daily. I'm not sure Lesley who started this post will answer since she posted a year ago. It's frustrating because some of my friends going through menopause haven't experienced this achiness. My mornings are bad, but I get a little better as the day goes on.
jeanette15619 Sparky341
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barbara49965 cynthia00141
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Hi Ladies I take magnesuim/calcuim/zinc/D3 combi pill called Osteocare & very good price. This tablet has been amazing for my joint & muscle pain & I would never be without them. I also take B6 & Omega 3. I am on HRT which has taken away the hot sweets, good luck & love to you all XX
Lesley998 jeanette15619
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Very few GP's understand about menopause, meopausal tendonitis, menopausal adhesive capsulitis....OESTROGEN is the oil and lubrication of the body and whne it is suddenly no longer produced...like an old car, like the Tin Man... we stiffen up. Be assured the body does right itself. it takes a long time. But I am out the other side, and never felt better apart from being plagued with occasional anxiets..again, hormonal and cylclical like PMT.
Lesley998
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Apologies to the moderators.
jeanne60273 Lesley998
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Jeanne
tammy71906 Lesley998
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I know it's been well over a year but I'm SO curious to hear how you are doing and what has worked if at all. I'm 53, horrible pain for 7 mos+, tried everything and presently on bioidentical HRT pellet as of June...haven't seen any relief from it yet. Have also tried magnesium, tumeric, and vit D (for well over 2 yrs).
Lesley998 tammy71906
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Hi Tammy. I am doing really well, apart from ongoing regular cyclical menopausal anxiety. A bit like PMT...for two weeks in the month I know when it is coming and just deal with it. Who would be a flipping woman! But, I NO LONGER have any joint or pain problems. Occasionally a bad neck, and suffer with arthritis pains in my hands and finger joints, but I am 54 and thankfully no longer the woman that posted here all those months ago. I no longer think I have some terrible undiscovered illness. I no longer feel like the Tin Man. My frozen shoulder has gone. I am not on HRT. I take Omega 3 fish oil, I eat flaxsee/linseed daily (make my own microwave one minute muffins) I use Vitamin E by mouth and on skin and vag. pessaries as well. (They do wonders for your sex life
I use home made vitamin C serum on face and also dermaroller! I dont think any of these things cured me, I think it was just 'time' that did it. It took almost two years for me to be free from pain. It just takes time for the body to get used to the lack of oestrogen which is like the lubrication of the whole body. Take heart. One day you will post on here and be free.
cynthia00141 Lesley998
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Lesley, thank you so much for responding! I've been thinking about you and was wondering how you were doing. There were so many posts (over 1000) to your original post. I'm glad you're doing better. Like you said, the body needs time to adjust to all the new levels. Hopefully I'll get there soon too.
Lesley998 cynthia00141
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2chr2015 Lesley998
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tammy71906 Lesley998
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Thank you for your quick reply Lesley! I'm not used to it.
Yes, I have had all sorts of "issues" starting back in 2009 which led me to finally quitting my teaching job. I suspected, soon after becoming more homebound with facial edema & tormenting eczema, then stomach, then dry eye disease, yadda, yadda, yadda...that hormones could be the underlying culprit. I was finally put on an immune suppressing drug for 6 yrs, but had a recent cancer scare, so after getting off the drug, the body pain started to increase. (I go back and forth wondering how much is auto immune or hormonal.) I have had severe asthma/skin/allergies issues since a child, and was diagnosed with Lyme Disease in '92 through testing. But, my body went CRAAAAZY, in '09, and I have done all I can to hang onto my sanity, quite frankly. But in my years of 48+ research, with hormonal research being added, in the last 10, I believe I now have a lot of knowledge, helps, tips...maybe just be a listening ear, and I hope to pass it all along, eventually on my blog site. I would like to help as many as possible as I now see so many are suffering and searching for answers as I have all these years, Back to how I came here...the muscle pain, twitching and stiffness has been so severe I can't walk or sleep at times; hence, I came across this page when researching it all. Thanks again!!
tammy71906
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jodie52910 tammy71906
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just saw your post and wondered, out of all your research, what did you find that helped you most with the joint pains? how are you doing now with them, better i hope, thanks v much
tammy71906 jodie52910
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Hi jodie,
Well, actually my research has been in regards to most all other symptoms I've dealt with since '09. The stiffness and joint aches I've dealt with, most my life, I chalked up to genetics or the Lyme Disease. But in the last 7 mos., it became so excruciating and I'm bedridden some days...not much has helped. I noticed the pain intensifying after I came off my immune suppressing drug. Initianlly I thought I had herniated discs, again, so got an X-ray/MRI and then went for back therapy. I had already been on D3 for yrs and know there can be some issues with absorbing correctly and causing joint pain and stiffness. So, one has to add calcium and magnesium. So, I've presently played with adding in more magnesium, and also added tumeric, and more of the other vits as I also deal with severe dry eye. I'm trying ginger tea, also. I feel hot/cold packs and magnesium soaks help some, but overall only Ibupropfen or stronger meds help the most...little to no pain of course. However, I've pushed through the pain, most days, as I've seen disasterous effects come about due to long term use of Ibupropfen and opioids, with family members using them, SO I try to avoid them like the plague and go as natural as possible. Not much help in this area of joint pain, yet; hence I came looking for tips as well!
tammy71906
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PS..And presently I've had 3 bioidentical/ hormonal pellets inplanted in my hip. since June, but I haven't seen relief from the joint pain. The follow up tests showed I needed more estrogen, but not sure if that will be added next round or if I will even try another go at it...pretty expensive.
jodie52910 tammy71906
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