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
nikkilpn31 Lesley998
Edited
Hi I’m 44 and I am suffering so severe with pain everywhere I am also having severe Peri menopausal symptoms I got a biopsy done back last November and it didn’t say anything but they told me I needed to get a hysterectomy because my severe heavy bleeding but I don’t want to get the surgery because they won’t remove my one ovary which is causing the problems anyway so ill still suffer even after surgery. so I just had a biopsy done on 1 September and now it says I’m perimenopausal. I feel do horrible I have the hot flushes real bad and feel like flu everyday, fast pulse, slow pulse, palpitations the list goes on. I also forgot to say I have severe pain in my arms and my fingers they’re my body is stiff and painfull all the time. they treat you like you’re crazy and have anxiety all the time when really you’re suffering with something that they can actually help you with but they choose not to.
toria_07298 nikkilpn31
Posted
couldnt agree more, but i think theyre scared in case what they give makes us worse, for example i have all your symptoms but i have breast cysts and fibroids and high estrogen in peri which has caused me allergies, what does the doctor offer me ESTROGEN no thanks x
a34330 Lesley998
Posted
Hi Lesley,
I am 46 and been experiencing the same thing to the point the pain in my joints is effecting everyday tasks. I am seeing a doctor next month but on speaking to her after my telephone appointment she believed I could be starting perimenopause after a few blood test low folic acid slightly anemic. I have gone from being a 46 year to feeling like an 80 year old. it really is not nice 😦 so glad to have come across this forum x
karen88259 Lesley998
Edited
hello my dear, I was so elated when I read what was happening to you. I also am going through exactly what you are. my doctor says its PTSD together with perimenopause. he put me on antidepressants to help me deal with all of it.
sometimes I can't even manage to get out of bed because the body pains are so bad and a constant tightening of my head. the eyes and vaginal dryness together with hot flashes that never seem to go away sometimes. im also dealing with insomnia which has me real depressed because I need to sleep.sometimes Im so weak i just feel like never moving at all. and these are just some of my symptoms. I do understand you . thank you for sharing. at least I know im not alone in this.
mary76311 Lesley998
Edited
Thank you!
My feet are like destroyed! Doctor says is arthritis.
Reading The Change by Germaine Greer. Says it CAN heal.
God I hope! Can't go out to by milk today! Ahhh!
Trying to quit Diet cola. Aspertame. Might help.
I have another post/discussion on here. When they approve it, will copy to here.
Or link it. Has more info.
trinity03 Lesley998
Posted
I know the original posting of this thread is quite old, but for me it is incredibly relevant.
I started perimenopause about 7 years ago (at age 40) and since then I experienced random and occasional joint pain and slight swelling. My leg muscles were also so sore and tight that I had to see a physical therapist to help with range of motion and loosening them up.
About 3 weeks ago I started experiencing SEVERE and debilitating elbow,knee, and hip pain. My elbows are swollen and inflamed and it's hard to lift my cup of tea at times. It feels like someone took a baseball bat to my outer right hip and lit my inner hip joints on fire.
I feel like a 90 year old invalid 😦
I've had my thyroid tested several times in the past 7 years and the blood work comes back normal. I see a doc again this week and hopefully she can help me get this under control.