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[happyal]

Dear all, I am brand new to the forum and delighted to have found it. I got a merino coil in 6 months ago, 7 weeks later I started dizziness, numbness headaches, visual disturbances, joint pain and a whole raft of symptoms. Prior to the coil I had been getting some palpitations, anxiety and low mood, very out of character for me. Since then I have had an MRI and several blood tests, all clear thank goodness. The neurologist thinks the Merina had triggered migraines and suggested I get it out. As my cycle was finally settling and we decided to leave it another month. My mood has settled quite well but the joint pain is getting unbearable. It travels round every joint & muscle in my body and I am demented. I have read that Merina can cause joint pain too and I don't know whether to get it out and see if the pain settles. I know if I get it out I'll never get one back in again as it was a bit of an experience. I have only turned 41 and GP reluctant to consider peri menopause. Can Merina cause joint pain or is it more likely to be peri menopause? Many thanks all

[Briony]

Hi, and welcome to the forum.

I cant comment on the Mirena as I have never had one, but can comment on what your doctor told you ... which is, to be frank, total rubbish 

From browsing this forum you will quickly see there are loads of members your age (or younger) who are peri menopausal. My initial symptoms (aged 40)  were very like yours, especially the excruciating joint/back pain, dizziness, tingling, numbness and headaches. I realised it was worse before a period, but my GP just laughed as my FSH was 'normal'. If you search posts from people like Sparkle, Dogdog, Holidaylover, English Rose (and more) you will see lots of others with similarly random symptoms. I found coming on here helped me feel 'normal' again and was such a relief !

... thus followed horrible health anxiety, MRIs, numerous different consultants' visits, even a brain scan. I was petrified and lonely. Luckily, a very switched on neurologist sent me to an endocrinologist who suggested it was my estrogen levels. This was confirmed with a blood test, though to be fair, blood tests are notoriously unhelpful in most situations as our hormones fluctuate so often.

If you look at the post in new members about PMS that I added today, you will see how I have gone about sorting things. At your age, if your GP still refuses to support you and offer hrt, assuming that's a route you would consider (it is a very personal choice I know)I would suggest you perhaps ask to be put on a bio identical contraceptive pill like Qlaira which will help keep your hormones regular in a less potent way than a regular pill (it's not dissimilar from hrt, in fact).

Hope this helps. I am sure there will be other ladies who will be around to advise later x

[dahliagirl]

I had nasty joint pains during the progestogen phase of hrt when I first started it.

They went after I had taken VitD3 supplements after a test for arthritis came back ok, but with low VitD.

I changed hrt about the same time so am never sure if it was the change in progestogen, or the Vit D, but if I stop taking the supplement, it comes back in a couple of weeks.

[Hurdity]

Hi happyal

  from me too

It is so helpful to have younger members on here - who are still having regular periods but experiencing increased pms symptoms as they approach peri-menopause - giving their advice and experiences, like Briony and others.

You won't actually know if it is the Mirena causing these symptoms unless you have it taken out - what were your periods doing before you had it put on - were they regular, getting closer together - and I presume heavy?  I would agree that even though you could be in the last stage before peri-menopause (the definition of when peri-menopause starts officially, varies but hormonal changes begin well before, giving rise to symptoms!) which would account for your symptoms, it might be an idea to have it removed so that at last you know for future reference - and you can then see hopefully which symptoms are due to increasing pms and homronal fluctuations, and which may be due to the Mirena?

Hurdity x

[Dorothy]

Happyal, I've never had a Mirena, but all the symptoms you mention have been part of my peri experience.  I started getting period fluctuations and odd hot flushes at 35 and by 38 had every peri symptom on the list, though it wasn't until earlier this year (and a change of GP) that I was officially diagnosed as peri.  I've had joint and muscle pain all my life, but never as severe as it was in the last couple of years.

It's not surprising your GP is reluctant to consider peri for someone your age - a quick read of the forum will show you many ladies in their 30s and 40s who have had the same experience.

[happyal]

Dear all, thank you so much for sharing your experience and words of wisdom, it makes me feel I am not just a health paranoid madwoman! Pre coil I was still having periods, fluctuating between almost nothing to very heavy clotting. Ultrasound showed slightly enlarged ovaries but otherwise 'morphologically normal,' who knew? I am torn between being desperate to get coil removed and fear that it will upset the apple cart and give me other symptoms. Although I have almost a every menopause symptom (except night sweats) I have almost no bleeding now&  minimal abdominal pain. Also, mentally things have really settled over the last month & I've had almost no anxiety and overall mood more balanced. Out of all of the symptoms, the mental ones frighten & distress me the most. While the joint pain is excruciating and I feel like a 90 yr old, although pre this I was physically fitter than I've been in my whole life,think I'd rather that than run the risk of throwing system out of sink again & the anxiety etc worsens. I have started Maca (worth a shot I think) yoga and magnesium cream & oil to try & ease pain, will report back on results. Thanks ladies, only 14 sleeps til Santa

[Dorothy]

Try Epsom Salt baths for the joint pain - it worked wonders for me (still does, but that particular symptom seems to be easing off now so I don't have to do it so often).  I used a large cupful in a hot bath and soaked for about 20 minutes, but I did start off with a smaller amount and worked up, just to check it didn't irritate my skin.  As a bonus, it worked wonders for my psoriasis too