Perimenopause and SEVERE joint pain - any one else??
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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
glenys01549 Lesley998
Posted
My aches don’t seem as bad at the moment so I am hoping I’m coming out the other side.
Someone once told me they do eventually go. Theirs had disappeared after a couple of years. Fingers crossed.
nicola48213 Lesley998
Posted
alioopidoop Lesley998
Posted
I am so glad I have come across this site. Its a relief hearing so many of you are suffering with joint pain too. Only today I had lunch with my friend & had a chat about the pain I am in daily. If I'm not sweating in bed at night, I am groaning each time I turn over because of the pain.
My neck has been so painful I began to think the worst, but now I am finding pain in my hands unbearable. Ironing or anything they would seem to cramp, but now even in the morning it is so sore.
I went to my doc who told me my dizzy spells, painful headaches& sore neck were all to do with my sinuses. I honestly think it's the menopause.
Now trying to get an appointment with my GP is awful. It would take your leg to be falling off before they would bother seeing you.
I'm wondering should I start glucosamin for the pain. This is ruining my life. I life on my own& at night you start to imagine every worse scenario when you are on your lonesome. Friends have told me to go for HRT, but all the scare mongering has embedded itself in my head& I think I would worry myself even more being on it.
Oh I don't know, I need to do something as it's seriously getting me so so down. Just glad to know it's not just me being silly & imaging it all.
Thanks to all you ladies for all the info.x
Eralc1968 alioopidoop
Posted
Hi Ali, we feel your pain! I agree it’s comforting to know you’re not alone. Read through the thread (it will take a while so grab a cuppa) and make note of all sorts of hints and tips. I use magnesium in all shapes and forms (bath salts, cream on feet and spray oil also on my feet) and it has definitely helped. My sister (5 years older than me) had similar symptoms to me ....sweats, aching joints etc and has an HRT patch. She swears it’s changed her life! I’m going to give the magnesium a fair trial and see if I can ride the storm but will not suffer unduly. It’s just not worth it. Life is for living! Unfortunately our mother has passed so we are not able to ask her how things were for her. She was a trooper with a high pain threshold and hardly ever complained so we are not sure if she also suffered this way. Do you have sisters or a mum you could ask? Keep moving and good luck 🤗
alioopidoop Eralc1968
Posted
Hi Eralc, Mum passed away 6 yrs ago& to tell you the truth menopause was never mentioned. She went through a lot, probably like your mum, but that generation was different. My sister, 4yrs my senior, had the sweats, anxiety& temper!
I would say I'm pretty fit. I walk my dog 3 times a day, BMI is great& I work in a shop so on my feet a lot. It is all fault of the menopause lol.
I've been painting my staircase today& popping painkillers to get me through it. After reading all the posts today I know I am not on my own, we are all in the same boat. I will try a couple of things mentioned in the posts that other ladies have tried& if the pain still persists HRT will be considered. I want my life back, not feeling 90 every day instead of 52! As you said life is for living.
Thanks for the reply, you don't know how much you have helped.
Eralc1968 alioopidoop
Posted
Hi again Ali, I was just reading some fresh comments on this thread and thought I'd take a minute to see how you are 7 weeks on? You mentioned previously about your sister....how long did her symptoms last or did she give in to HRT like my sister did? Interestingly my symptoms have subsided and all that remains is aching feet (plantar fas) which I relieve with pilates, magnesium cream and shoe inserts. Having not had one for many months, I had another period too (normal flow, not the EXTREMELY heavy, mother of all periods, like the one I had back in the summer!). I turned 50 a couple of weeks ago, I danced all night at my party and I feel great! I hope you are too?!
alioopidoop Eralc1968
Posted
Still the same unfortunately. Went to doctor and explained everything to her. She then referred me on to a nurse who straight away wanted to give me HRT.
While I'd been waiting I had one of my palpatations episodes so by the time i got to her my heart felt like it was bouncing out if my chest! She did an ECG there and then and had to show a doctor! He wanted to see me as he was concerned. So i am not allowed to go on HRT because of this and no matter what i do or what i have tried I'm still so sore . Feel just miserable all the time.
The male doctor told me to 'ride it out', but its hard when you can hardly get out of bed in morning with sore back and legs. Even the poor dog doesn't get her long walks like she used to cos i feel I'm dragging myself along.
My sister has been put on HRT there on Monday, but she's having different symptoms to me. Shes 8 yrs in and just on it now!
Glad to here you are feeling a bit easier and you have give me hope that there will be an end to this sometime....
Take care and thanks for asking me how I've been.
Eralc1968 alioopidoop
Posted
Oh I'm sorry to hear this. Please try FLORADIX (orally) and MAGNESIUM cream to rub in your legs daily.
I had a heart issue too. Was sent to specialist, various tests...treadmill, heart monitor etc all came back negative. I'm sure its heightened anxiety (another menopause symptom) so try to accept the feeling rather than fight it and it will soon dissipate. Try some breathing techniques.
I wish you well.
Clare x
alioopidoop Eralc1968
Posted
Thanks Clare, have been taking Magnesium orally, but will have to get the cream. I hate feeling like this , but it will leave me sometime & i hope to get back to the old me. Thinking positive as you say will help & i know there are a lot of people with far serious problems & illnesses.
Have a lovely Xmas.
Alison.x
Eralc1968 alioopidoop
Posted
Alison, I read that magnesium is best absorbed through the skin, particularly the feet. I buy mine from AMAZON and the make is BetterYou. I also buy the flakes to put in the bath, oh and swim in the sea (a great natural healer) as much as possible in the summer! The floradix will help with your energy levels too. One day, some day soon you will see an improvement.
Best wishes,
Clare x
jgo Lesley998
Posted
All these comments make me so angry that gps refer to this as 'aches and pains' when in fact it is disabling , i was disabled until i self diagnosed with low eostrogen and insisted on the gel
rose98598 jgo
Posted
I'm with you on that Jjo!! It's totally disabling - my body does not function without estrogen. The fatigue is overwhelming and the body pain is difficult to describe-it's not like " Oh I have a backache " and deal with that only--the pain and fatigue together makes it so hard to move my body-sometimes my legs can't make the proper motion to walk-I've even had episodes where I couldn't straighten out my pelvis to stand up straight...my arms would just burn holding onto the steering wheel of my car. When I have these pains my brain is also connected as I have no mental desire for life or care about anything and I cannot make -force myself to move and I end up bedridden. Now after increasing my estrogen for 5 weeks-I'm feeling so much better and it's just amazing the difference in my body and life. Here is something else-when I get that burning-body-joint pain....my joints will hurt and pop and crack like crazy and my right knee is affected the most-I can almost gauge my body pain by how often my knee joints pop and when I'm feeling good by upping my estrogen---the popping is almost non-existant. I wish I knew why we are so sensitive to the decrease in estrogen. As I stated before-my bloodwork looked fine for my estrogen level but I was disabled in bed for almost a year until I finally was prescribed hrt by a nurse practitioner who went off my symptoms and not bloodwoork. I have seen about 10 different doctors due to insurance changes and also because all are jerks-but they just scuff at me and act like -I'm making this up and there is no way that this is from lack of estrogen. It's so sad to be treated this way in this day and age!!
mrs_susan74280 jgo
Posted
HI how are you getting on, how many pumps aday do you take thanks
mrs_susan74280 rose98598
Posted
HI what one are you on please ,
rose98598 Lesley998
Posted
Hi mrs_susan7,
I am in Florida and I get my estrogen from a compounding pharmacy it is called Biest which means it is two estrogens mixed together-it is more gentle for me as one of estrogens is very gentle. I use a cream and the dose is 0.6 MG 50/50 cream-(which is a very low dose) and I swipe it on twice a day. You can also get it in pill form. The price is $36 a month then you have to take progesterone pills to make you have a period to shed your unterine lining so it doesn't thicken to cause cancer....Gjo says it can be done once every 3 months. Some may do this once a month or daily- progesterone is the hormone that gives you pms symptoms and causes you to have a period. Make sure you get natural progesterone -I also get that from my compounding pharmacy.....$36 for 30 pills. Progestin is not a natural progesterone and it is in the combi patch-estrogen/progestin delivered daily-I tried it and it made me so sick....I also tried the vivelle dot $150 a month with coupon at walgreens. I got adverse side affects with both patches because it is a strong estridial and that's why I prefer the compounding estrogen. Everybody is different and different things may help different woman-I highly suggest watching menopause Barbi on youtube-it's free and she teaches you so much with the most accurate information I have found......there is a lot and I am still trying to watch them all.
I also want to mention that when I first started on HRT-it was Biest capsules .03 -the lowest dose and it was a fantastic/nothing short of a miracle but as time went on my dose was not strong enough and my symptoms returned and I was doubling up with-out getting results/then I got confused as I believe you can have too much and too little at the same time. Too much can give you symptoms too-it has taken me a long time to get this balance right for my body-I needed more but I had to gradually increase it into my body-it takes a while for the estrogen to build up into the cells. I know this will be a battle for me for the rest of my life as we are never static. I hope this helps you and anybody else reading it!!
rose98598
Posted
https://surmeno.blogspot.com/p/introduction.html?m=1
This is also a great wealth of information and it pertains to every woman not just woman that have had hysterectomies. I highly suggest reading this too.
2chr2015 rose98598
Posted
Thank you for sharing all of that information. does a gynecologist prescribe the bhrt?
rose98598 2chr2015
Posted
Yes-a gyno can and any family-or regular Doctor can also prescribe it. You may find some resistance as many are so clueless even gynos. There are also many "Hormone" clinics opening up as Doctors have found a way to make it a cash cow for them. I have not gone to any of them because they are expensive and want to put you on a monthly program and some use pellet insertion-and tons of bloodwork to pay for. You can do a google search for compounding pharmacies near you and ask what Doctors prescribe to them-some compounding pharmacies will ship your monthly supply to you and also check the NAMS website for doctors that deal in hormones near you.
Good luck as I too keep searching for a decent doctor. Try to be educated by watching menopause Barbi-that will really help you!! No woman should suffer this way from a lack of something our bodies need and so much scare about hormone replacement. I hope this helps everyone who reads it!!