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[keancy]

Hi all,

A bit about me first, peri about 3 years now at a guess, last 7 months now I am on Sandrena Gel 2mg a day and I have Mirena Coil.

Until recently I have managed quite well on this combination and a few added Suppliments, Magnisium, B Complex, Vitamin C & D aswell as Omega 3,6,9 complex and Evening Primrose.

Over the last 10 days now I have increasinly got more painful, it started with just sore knuckles which gradually spread to the rest of my Handbones, Toes various other joints and then muscles to a point where I am now unable to move without pain. At the same time I constantly want to sleep and have absolutly no energy at all. I have stayed off Work yesterday and seen my GP, he immidiatly took several blood samples to run tests and advised me to stay of work for at least a few days. The Blood results will be back Monday and I have to go back Tuesday morning. When I asked him if this could be just something else peri/meno related he said it could well be.......when does it end?? 

My question is, have any of you experianced this degree of symptoms or is there something more sinister going on? Can all this really be down to peri/meno?? I cannot cope like this and I need to be able to work because my Husbands wage alone isn't enough.

Thanks for any feedback

[Annie0710]

Peri can be an awful time.  I do remember lots of pains in joints during that phase but of course there are other possibilities like rheumatoid arthritis, I was tested for all that as mine too literally came on overnight.  My only good thing during meno was that peri only lasted 3 years for me but even 3 years day in day out is so draining

X

[Joaniepat]

Have you had any infections recently? Joint inflammation can be something that comes on afterwards. It's known as reactive arthritis. I had it once after a throat infection.
JP x

[Rosie63]

Hi, I'm quite a bit older than you so very post meno. However, I've been on HRT since I was 50 and my main meno symptoms were and have been since then joint and muscle pain and fatigue.  If ever my oestrogen levels are low they are always the symptoms to show themselves first.

I'm not an expert in these things but I'm thinking maybe as you get further into your menopause, you may need a bit more oestrogen to boost your levels.  Just a thought.

Rosie63 x

[keancy]

Thank you Ladies for the replies. The GP is rechecking all Hormone levels, I only upped the Sandrena to 2mg 3 months ago it was 1mg daily before.

No infections lately now, I am hoping this is the mother of all colds brewing rather then something nasty.

I have mentioned to GP weather I ought to introduce a small amount of Testosterone but he didn't seem to open to it. 

[CLKD]

The other thing that is common is polymyalchia rheumatica - which is usually treated with steroids which may cause the face to swell.  Mum had it, she was unable to move as her fingers locked and shoulders became stiff.  Steroids eased symptoms.

[Hurdity]

Sorry to hear you are feeling rough keancy. Is your doc giving you general blood tests not just hormones? eg thyroid function, and other vits and minerals? Underactive thyroid would cause fatigue and joint/muscle aches, but you would also be putting on weight and feeling cold too. Also are you perhaps taking too many vitamins and supplements - not sure what effect these have in such quantity but far better to improve your diet if you don't think you are getting enough and if you have not been shown to be deficient. eg instead of vit C - eat lots of fruit and veg, Omega stuff - eat fish and seeds etc - look up what foods contain the vits, minerals etc you are wanting to replace and eat more of them!

If you have low libido in addition to all of this maybe a low dose testosterone would help - but this is the primary indication for prescribing it off licence on NHS (ie low libido despite being on adequate dose of oestrogen replacement)  as there is no licensed product/dose currently available for women?

How old are you and do you know whereabouts in menopause you are - maybe you don't know if you've had a Mirena for some time?

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

Also as oestrogen levels drop then muscles may become lax = aches and pains.

[keancy]

Good morning.

I am 48 and I think 3 years into Peri. My last period was last year in September when Mirena was inserted so not sure where I am at present.

As for libido I have zero and haven't had for months which I have mentioned to my female GP more then once now but she is still reluctant to let me have a small amount of testosterone. 

The GP (male this time) I saw Friday is checking all hormones but also Thyroid, liver and kidney functions amongst other things.

Supplements; I have cut out L-theanine a few days ago because I started to wonder if they are making me ill and I am feeling slightly better today so perhaps these were the issue??

I will keep you posted after Tuesday's results

[Toodle Pips]

I have suffered with arthritis of my fingers for quite a few years now but am lucky that high strength glucosamine helps the pain. It was a rheumatologist who told me to take it. However I came off it for a while over summer as I was having some stomach issues and wanted to see if any of the supplements I take were contributing to the problems.

Boy, did I start aching all over. So much, that it began to get me down. Whole body aching is something I have never had problems with before, but as i do have other peri symptoms, I put it down to that, and concluded that the glucosamine was helping my whole body, and not just my arthritic fingers.

I have gone back onto the high strength glucosamine and most of the new aches and pains I was getting have now gone, thank goodness.

[Jenna]

That's very interesting Toodle Pips - it's great that you have such good results.

Please would you tell us which one you take as I would like to buy some myself!

Thank you. 

[Toodle Pips]

Hi Jenna, it's Tesco own brand. Glucosamine sulphate, 1500 mg, one a day. I was diagnosed with arthritic fingers in 2010, and was in a lot of pain, especially in winter, but these tablets have really helped over the last eight years, and I am not really in any more pain than I was back then.

However, I did recommend them to my friend who has lots of post menopausal aches and pains, and she said they made no difference. You do have to take them for a couple of weeks before they kick in though.

[Jenna]

Thank you so much for the information, Toodle Pips, I will definitely give those a go. 

[Ladybt28]

From my own experience my aches and pains and boy was it painful were really down to meno originally.  But after loads of investigation neurologists, rheumatologists and a few other "ologists" I ended up diagnosed with Fibromalgia (even though I didn't think it was that.  Then I discovered that the type of HRT I was on also made a difference and the strength of it.  Premarin 1.25mg caused mega joint pain all over but the oestrogel I'm now on - no joint pain except for my shoulder which I hurt in a car accident and my right ankle where I chipped a bone years ago.  Couldn't take Everol, nor Tridestra they both increased the pain levels but nowhere near as much as the Premarin on its own (Prempak C discontinued and that has Premarin in it but the pain levels were just mildly discomforting).  It is really trial and error.

Until you stop and start on different things and go back to ones you think were better, its really tough to get a picture of what is causing or aggrivating what symptoms.

[Annika]

Have to agree with you Toodle that Glucosamine makes an enormous difference both my husband and I take it for arthritis it does kill the pain and makes getting around a lot easier. I also take B6 for my tendons as I have tendonitis in both elbows and trigger thumb which is so painful at night. I guess if its not one thing its another...no fun getting old.