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[Bettyboo]

Hi Ladies

I've only recently joined the forum and have been browsing some of the older threads. This site is proving to be a real life-line for me as I have no family or friends with whom I can sensibly discuss menopause. I'm ashamed at my lack of knowledge really and learning more every day. I just feel like my body is conspiring against me.

Apart from my health anxiety, which is off the scale, my biggest meno problem is joint pain/ general pains. I've been having these for about two and half years and consulted numerous doctors (eight in total, well nine now actually). Not one has ever mentioned joint pain + menopause, but it seems that very many of you suffer from it. In fact, one (female) GP went as far as to say that it was not possible to have pains on and off in different limbs. I did manage to get them to give a vit D test and it was a bit low, so had supplement. Since moving to France I have raised the joint/ muscle pain issue again and was told it could be fibromyalgia. No treatment other than paracetamol or ibuprofen was suggested. I was never really convinced it was fibro but thought that the doubt was due to my HA... I'm usually convinced I have a serious condition of some sort.

Recently had pain in upper back, on or below right shoulder blade and pain all round ribs. Diagnosed as RSI/ muscle type thing. I have been takings steps to reduce computer use and it is improving although other places now hurting. I was talking to an American friend the other day, she's older than me - one of these positive outdoor types - and she apparently sailed through the meno in a few months. She reckons that joint pain for over two years isn't normal.

Maybe I am just getting old (51). That's what my OH says. When I get up I hobble about for about half an hour, feet hurt, back hurts, fingers hurt. Then it goes off a bit when I've warmed up. Have one really sore joint on index finger of right hand which I think is from the mouse. Not really sure where to go from here, sorry for the long post and rant. I just wanted to find out if anyone else is the same or has had joint pain for so long? Can you describe your joint pain - is it always in the same place?

Thanks

BB

[CLKD]

You are within normal limits, it is that many GPs that have no idea that a drop of oestrogen can cause various muscles to ache at various times ……… so give OH  …… 

It is about managing the pain in the various joints.  Usually a mix of paracetmol and Ibuprofen eases it as necessary. 

Also the itching, had that yet? every evening for months the insteps on both feet would itchy like fury once I took off socks and got into the bath  …… sometimes I wake with one heel scratching the other instep. 

Ignore your 'friend'.  Joint pain can continue for years due to osteo or rheumatoid arthritis so she is talking garbage.  RA can be triggered by pregnancy so she knows nowt about hormone intervention  .

Browsing the Forum you will see that most of what you will 'go through' is normal, however, it's best not to put everything down to menopause symptoms in case ……..

[Suzyq]

I have developed psoriatic arthritis since meno - very like rheumatoid arthritis but doesn't show up on blood tests! Do you have any swelling in painful joints? Definitely seems to be somehow linked to hormones - lots of people go into remission for example when pregnant and progesterone levels are very high! I am on a drug for my arthritis but try ice and heat packs, fish oil and swimming.... They help a bit!

Try to go easy on ibuprofen which will only really help if there is inflammation, as long-term use of NSAIDs is really not great for you!

[CLKD]

My friend developed rheumatoid in pregnancy and was in a wheelchair for 3 years after delivery ………

[Bettyboo]

CLKD - thanks for your reply, I think you are keeping me sane at the moment!

I would dearly love to give OH a    At last, I think I have got him to acknowledge that it's not my fault - he actually said the dreaded 'menopause' word today, rather than saying I am sulking.

Oh yes, the itching - the mossie bites don't help that either. Earlier in the year my skin just lost all its moisture and turned wrinkly, then my face was covered in eczema, eyelids, ears. looked a b****y mess. All gone now, mind you I did manage to smuggle some Aqueous cream in after my last trip to Blighty - can't get it here, not licensed, they hate it. I know it can be bad for eczema but it does work for some people.

Other symptoms - hot flashes (these have just started), night sweats (had those for several years), mood swings, shooting pains on head, headaches, migraines, IBS, anxiety... shoot me now!

However, just typing this out and posting here has made me feel better. Hugs to all 

BB

 

[Hurdity]

Hi Bettyboo

Sorry to hear you are suffering. I am 62 and get various aches and pains in joints or is it bones or muscles - I can never work out exactly - and they are often in different parts of my body and the aching etc comes and goes. I am on HRT though and I think it would be a lot worse if I wasn't.

What are your periods like? Are they coming infrequently? Have you thought of trying HRT or do you have a health condition for which it is not recommended? It is terrible that doctors don't know enough about the myriad symptoms of menopause caused by oestrogen depletion and try to diagnose women with all sorts of conditions (or nothing).

We're Blighty here aren't we? So where are you?

Yes lack of moisture in skin is one of the symptoms too - have you also had a thyroid function tests as this often goes haywire in women from various ages and the symptoms overlap with menopause and also thyroid deficiency can cause fibromyalgia - one of the causes of the syndrome?

Hurdity x

[bramble]

When I was at the start of my menopause I had pains all the time. It seemed that every day I woke up I had a different pain in a different place. Mind you I have suffered from rheumatoid arthritis since I was in my thirties. Sometimes the pains would hang around for a long time (I had a pain in my left calf for over a year which went one day and never came back; a pain in my right side which was persistent for over 2 years, again it just went and I only feel it now when I am overly anxious).  Anxiety played a big part in my pains experience because when the pains were at their worst, I was at my most anxious. Chicken and egg situation. But I am fine now, just get the odd niggle here and there. It did feel for a long time that I had growing pains! At 50+ years old!
I hope things settle down for you soon,
Bramble

[CLKD]

France ……….. 

[Bettyboo]

Thanks everyone

Yes, I am in la belle France - sometimes an advantage healthwise, but not always. You can get seen quickly here which is a good thing but they are not very keen on HRT. I do speak French but sometimes I think that some of the nuances get lost in translation and if I'm upset it is very difficult to express myself in French. I can't even speak in English properly then! Both GPs do speak good English though.

Hurdity - I agree, never sure whether it is joints or muscles but seems to be more joints now and one finger joint is swollen. As for periods, I have had two in the last year - the last one was April. Before that they were irregular, painful and heavy. I had a scan and was found to have fibroids, but only small ones. Gynae gave me some pills to take - to shrink them, not quite sure - anyway, I had to start pills when period came and of course, period came when I was back in UK for funeral and pills were at home, so still not taken them. Pain has gone anyway (at least from there).

All your comments are really helpful. I can see that my symptoms are actually quite common. I agree with Bramble - the anxiety makes the pains appear worse as you are constantly worrying it is something worse. I have been reading my anti-anxiety book again and gone back to some of the CBT-style techniques to try and stop the constant negative chatter in my head.

BB

[Briony]

Pain has been my biggest peri meno issue, along with accompanying tingling and odd sensations in random parts of my body. The pain around my ribs was so bad I couldn't wear a bra .  My first GP, like yours, poo pooed any link with hormones, so I ended up seeing numerous consultants, having several MRIs and being told it could well be fibromyalgia or MS. I was given a series of nasty drugs to control the pain which came with odd side effects, but helped a little. Took two years before a very low estrogen reading suggested it WAS hormonal after all (just as I thought  ). Six months of HRT/the pill and I feel massively better. I get the odd blip, but I guess that's part of getting old . In general, I feel miles better with more estrogen . The best thing I everdid was swap to a more informed GP .
Good luck xx