Post meno and doing fine but don’t assume every symptom is meno related
Posted , 6 users are following.
Hi all. I haven't been on here for a long time as, basically, I am post menopause (had my last period about 2 years ago). I have been through it and came out the other side fine. All those nasty meno symptoms (e.g. hot flushes, night sweats, brain fog, unpredictable and heavy periods, exhaustion) had gone post meno and I felt good. I, however, would like to warn women going through menopause not to just assume that all symptoms are meno related. After about a year of feeling great again I started to become extremely, overwhelmingly exhausted. I knew this was a symptom of meno and assumed it was not quite over yet. Months later I got a painful, swollen toe and assumed I must have banged it and forgotten I had. Then the swelling spread to my whole foot and my other foot. I looked this symptom up and sure enough swelling is a symptom of meno. But, I thought, just in case I'll get it checked - by this time I was having problems wearing shoes. I went to the GP, they did a blood test and it was positive for rheumatoid factor - I had rheumatoid arthritis. Within a matter of weeks it has spread to every joint and I was shuffle walking, unable to use my hands and spent all day lying on the sofa because moving was so painful and I had the horrible fatigue that does with the condition. Turns out the fatigue is often the first symptom experienced. But seeing the GP when I was just at the swollen foot stage got me into the NHS rheumatoid arthritis service and on treatment within the 12 weeks recommended - if you get treated within that time you are more likely to achieve permanent remission. It took 5 months but I am now in remission - not completely back to normal, the RA lets me know it is still there, but not in pain, able to move and the fatigue has gone. RA is more likely in women and is often triggered by menopause.
So don't ignore symptoms and assume they are caused by meno - get them checked.
4 likes, 9 replies
Gypsy014 Suki_girl
Posted
Hi suki girl. yep totally me all my symptoms started with the fatigue and joint pains , I too shuffled along, went in and tested positive for RA. its been 6 long years living with this and Hashimoto also not uncommon to have more than one autoimmune disease at a time ( lucky us) diet specifically low histamine and anti inflammatory is key to feeling much better while living with all of this menopause is like gasoline on the fire.. its a struggle everday.. I think it all feeds off each other and once hormones settle I'm hoping everything else will too as long as diet and exercise is in place.. ❤
Suki_girl Gypsy014
Posted
Sero positive (detectable markers in the blood) rheumatoid arthritis is genetic (my grandmother on my mum's side, grandfather and auntie on my dad's side had it). It is a genetic time bomb waiting to go off, triggered by menopause.
Gypsy014 Suki_girl
Posted
I am sero positive also in fact my factor was suppose to be under 12 and was 8n the 300s very high rheumatologist said.. nobody in my family on moms side has RA all though I suspect my mother may have it.. my real fathers side I never knew him or any relatives on that side so they could all have it for all I know.. my RA most definitely reared its ugly head at perimenopause time..
Kadija1966 Suki_girl
Posted
I also believe we should have our symptoms investigated if it continues for more than two weeks.
Michelle1144 Suki_girl
Edited
Hi i noticed that you shared all your menopause symptoms where gone in 2 years. please share if you took any supplements or if you went through with no supplements. Also please share which month you felt relief from which symptom? for example by the fifteen month i notice this do not bother me , and by the eighteenth month this other symptom no longer bothered me . thank you for sharing .
Suki_girl Michelle1144
Edited
Did I say 2 years? It was more like 5 and that was a few years ago now. I can't remember symptoms on a month by month basis. I really only had 2 symptoms, hot flashes and dry vagina. Hot flashes came and went over the 5 years. Dry vagina was solved with oestrogen cream. I took lots of supplements but can't really say if they made any difference. e.g. zinc, calcium, magnesium, vit D, B vits.
Michelle1144 Suki_girl
Posted
thank you so much for sharing. I'm sixteen months post menopause. And I'm hoping to move to the next phase of symptom free ❤
moira93059 Suki_girl
Edited
Thank you for sharing your experience and for checking in Suki 😃
now that your RA is under control, would you say that you feel better than you did when you were in peri?
Maybe this is a trivial question in the big scheme of things, but in your experience does libido come back?
Thanks again ❤️
Suki_girl moira93059
Edited
I felt much better post menopause until the arthritis hit. Even when my joints aren't too stiff I am chronically fatigued (people who don't have it dont know about this symptom). I never lost my libido, I just wish my hubby was up to the job!