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
karen62974 Lesley998
Posted
Hi I to have symptoms the same as you I haven't had my monthlys for over two years I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia maybe worth asking your doctor to check for fibromyalgia
Guest karen62974
Posted
Hi Karen..
Jus' wondering what your symptoms were for your diagnosis for fibromyalgia?
brenda420 Lesley998
Posted
MarieRainey Lesley998
Posted
Hi Lesley!
When I stopped my period 6 years ago, when I was 50 it was like night and day.
I was diagnosed with Lichens in my vaginal area and prolapse in 3'areas! As time went on I would once in a while get back pain, it was always once a month. After I didn't get my period I never kept track of any cycle. One month I got buttocks pain for a week, it was like I did workout overload. This pain has continued for the last 6 years and I never could figure out why. I have always thought because it was only one week per month I could deal with it. This month my symptoms we for 3 days and I got pain in my neck, shoulders, all over my back, down my right arm and my butt. Today I only have right butt pain. Strange but...
take care
Marie
sharon96214 Lesley998
Posted
Hi Lesley,
I am experiencing the same symptoms alongside under active thyroid. I am still awaiting test results as my throid has stablised in the last couple of months but the joint & muscle pain is getting worse. Mostly affected in mid cycle (where pain is at its worse) and start of cycle. I have more rest around these times but as a teacher this can be difficult at times. Thank you for sharing as I know I am not alone.
maria369 Lesley998
Posted
Hi,
I have been going through these same symptoms along with lots of anxiety because I'm scarred it's something else. I'm 42 I had a hysterectomy 1year and a half ago kept my overies.
Thank you for posting your story because it's giving me piece of mind until I see my doctor later this month.
How are you doing now?
MarieRainey maria369
Posted
Last Monday the pain hit me like a ton of bricks, lower back, middle, shoulder on the right and neck. Plus what scares me was I was having trouble with climbing stairs and getting up on a stool! Of course this is gone except for lower back is slightly sore! Weird stuff and I have had it for 5 years now without a period but I too feel it is getting worse! I will let you know what my Dr. says.
Marie
Guest Lesley998
Posted
I had this hit me at 51 when I stopped taking birth control pills. It was like getting the rug yanked out from beneath me. It started with hip pain, moved into shoulders and insead of me typing a novel here I went on HRT and tried it for 6 months and felt GREAT. I decided to wean myself off and I have to say after 3 months I am doing good. But at the same time, I am getting more exercise, eating better and doing yoga. I have a stressful job so I think that compounded things. I still have wicked shoulder issues. That started in the right, upper arm, and then moved to the left. Frozen shoulder! And then it started in the left. Went to PT, Ortho Surgeon says it takes 2-3 years for some people to fully recover. So I suggest everyone with these symptoms get a good physical, do your blood work, make sure you don't have anything else going on and maybe give HRT a try. I am hoping I can continue on a path to cruise thru this period. I did have night sweats and that went away on HRT and has stayed away. I have to say that Yoga and getting routine exercise works wonders.
Anna_Fraser Guest
Posted
I first started following this thread over a year ago with all the common symptoms. I am 46, my last period was around 18 months ago now, so I would have thought that by now I am through menopause and I would get back to normal...alas! Anyway, I have basically come in and out of symptoms for 3 years now, ranging from light to severe. Most definitely things all flare up at once when (1) I'm not eating overly healthy (2), I'm not exercising (3) I'm unders stress and not sleeping well. I find that once all my symptoms start its a downward spiral resulting in 1, 2, then 3 and on we go! So hard to break myself out of the cycle again. I was doing quite well for a while, then 4 months ago we moved the family to the other side of the world to start a new life, new jobs, everything was very stressful for while, and sure enough, the pain flared up and along with a creeping depression, its horrible! My symptoms, like so many of yours are; hip pain, shoulders (frozen, have had injections 2ce in one of them but its returned), mild osteo arthritus in toe joint flaring up, greying, thin hair, and this annoying spot of acne/rash on my chin. Soo.... my conclusion is I simply HAVE to push myself harder to get out of this rut I have slipped back into and where stress was the trigger. Exercise is key for me (I was a marathon/long distance runner and struggling to replace it with something I love), once I do that regularly again I feel better mentally and therefore crave less rubbish food, my mood is better, I am more productive and sleep better. I have tried so many pills including natural stuff, even HRT for a while, nothing helps, just exercise, good food and minimal stress, and belief that there is light at the end of the tunnel :-)
MarieRainey Anna_Fraser
Posted
Marie
ann1265 Lesley998
Posted
Lesley-
Reading your post and others in this forum has opened my eyes!!! I am 51, have always been regular until mid-late 40's started becoming less regular, hot flashes, night sweats, etc.. didn't think too much about it as was natural and common. About 2 1/2 yrs ago got horrible muscle-like pain in hips, knees, groin, quads..lower extremities, plus thinning hair. I had been very active, played tennis, swam.. Went to doc (woman) who ran bloodwork finding slight anemia, low vit D. She referred me to rheumatologist-had full work-up that showed nothing (thankfully) but was put on low dose prednisone (which helped immensely). Went to another rheum for 2nd opinion..same thing. Pain spread to upper body-shoulders, arms, neck. Have been on prednisone 2 1/2 yrs!! Tapering off now! Went to Gyno & got on Lo Loestren birth control for help with irregularity, hot flashes, etc..feeling much better!! Also started taking Menopace. Still have pain & stiffness but I believe it is totally related to hormone changes and cannot believe of all the docs I have been to not 1 has clued into this!!!
Guest ann1265
Posted
ann1265 Guest
Posted
Guest ann1265
Posted
Ann.. pls keep in mind tht Vit D is not just a vitamin for our body it's a hormone that impacts so many factors in our body.. I too suffered with/body soreness, muscle aches, neck hip pain..etc and was shrugged off and told it was menopause. Vit D defic causes low estrogen whch means low sex drive, it causes depression, anxiety, muscle aches and brain fog.. etc-
Vit D level should at the least should be 50.
My level was only 24 so I was prescribed 50, 000 1x a week for 8 weeks. My joint pain, and body aches are now gone, no more anxiety, brain fog, nausea (I was utilizing herbs thinking these were all from menopause ) Our bodies are all different true, but mayb this is why some breeze thru and others have such a hard time managing? Ijs 😒
Stay Well~
ann1265 Guest
Posted
Thx so much for your input! Called doc to get VitD checked again as it's been a while. After the 8 wks of 50,000iu did your pain subside? I have taken same dose but didn't feel difference.
Guest ann1265
Posted
Ann my extreme fatigue was the first symptom that I noticed that lifted gradually in 3 -4 weeks, I noticed that my lower back, my stiff neck and shoulders, achy hands had subsided by 4th week-
Im still taking the Vit D (but I reqstd D3 nstead of D2)
I even started taking cod liver oil 1 teas every 2 days ; -)
My low spirits, mood and depression were last on the list ( I finally feel like laughing again) No more feel'ns of doom and anxiety or chest palpitations. I so hope others request and get checked instead of just letting Dr's treat us for arthritis, fibromyalgia or worst...