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Author Topic: painful joints  (Read 5184 times)

AgathaC

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Re: painful joints
« Reply #15 on: February 11, 2019, 09:51:00 PM »

Hello Joben, my joints are suffering - hips, feet, shoulder, neck, back and now my hands. It tends to be one in particular and then that one gets better and another one gets worse! My hands are bad at the moment and my feet. I posted a couple of weeks ago that I was struggling to peel potatoes  ::). Worst in the mornings. I'm taking Vitamin D and I think there is a slight improvement. And of course I may have to switch to OVEN CHIPS  ;D
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Joben

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Re: painful joints
« Reply #16 on: February 12, 2019, 03:55:31 AM »

I've had 4/5 physio sessions. Hasn't made any difference. I've also had a cortisone injection in my shoulder which has helped slightly but it's still painful on certain movements.
The more I look into it the more I'm convinced about lowering oestrogen levels
Other symptoms include, night sweats, thinning hair, moods,dry skin, complete lack of sex drive the list goes on.
Also I haven't got a thyroid (taken out 10 years ago) which I think might also contribute to a lot of my symptoms. Although I always get told my thyroxine is at the ‘right level ‘

I've lost a lot of faith in NHS doctors as they always seem to want to treat the symptoms rather than finding the cause.  However I really want to give the HRT a shot. 
Would it be better to ask for a referral to a specialist menopause clinic or do I put my trust in my own doctor initially. 
Starting to feel really fed up with it all


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CLKD

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Re: painful joints
« Reply #17 on: February 12, 2019, 12:55:21 PM »

Sometimes menopause clinics don't know much either  ::)

Do read our threads on vaginal atrophy  ;).  Forewarned is forearmed.

You could get a referral to someone who knows more about thyroid function than GPs often do, they tend to go on the within normal limits blood results where some sufferers require a hike in medication.

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Ladybt28

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Re: painful joints
« Reply #18 on: February 12, 2019, 02:53:03 PM »

My joints are still sore sometimes but are now much better than they were.  They got so bad at one point - especially my knees ankles and elbows that the pain kept me awake at night just the weight of them leaning on the mattress.  I think my oestrogen levels are back up enough to have stopped all the "wobbly" muscles as CLKD says.
I too used to be really bendy as I was a dancer nearly full time till I was 26 and always kept it up as a hobby but since I got really bad with meno at 46 I've lost a lot of it and now I am a bit afraid if I do something I might do myself a mischief!!

Joben - there is a bit of discrepancy and discussion about "symptoms" and "cause".  Ref meno some consultants will do bloods but only a few, to see what the hormone levels are like. The majority I would say and GP's too go off of symptoms and controlling them.  Sometimes when we are given hrt our symptoms get better but it is not always reflected in what happens with the bloods.

I would start with your GP first and find out what they know and what they suggest.  You may be lucky and find a knowledgeable one.  If not and they are not helpful then ask for a referral to a specialist meno clinic as your second line of attack.  Your lack of thyroid will have quite an impact on your meno journey.  There are a few ladies here who have trouble balancing their thyroid meds against their hrt.
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Katejo

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Re: painful joints
« Reply #19 on: February 13, 2019, 11:16:04 AM »

I've had 4/5 physio sessions. Hasn't made any difference. I've also had a cortisone injection in my shoulder which has helped slightly but it's still painful on certain movements.
The more I look into it the more I'm convinced about lowering oestrogen levels
Other symptoms include, night sweats, thinning hair, moods,dry skin, complete lack of sex drive the list goes on.
Also I haven't got a thyroid (taken out 10 years ago) which I think might also contribute to a lot of my symptoms. Although I always get told my thyroxine is at the ‘right level ‘

I've lost a lot of faith in NHS doctors as they always seem to want to treat the symptoms rather than finding the cause.  However I really want to give the HRT a shot. 
Would it be better to ask for a referral to a specialist menopause clinic or do I put my trust in my own doctor initially. 
Starting to feel really fed up with it all
I have eventually got round to replying to you. Since my my first comment, I see that you have had your thyroid removed so we have that in common too. Mine was removed due to an enlarged goitre but i had already been on Thyroxine since I was a baby.

I am a bit older than you (approaching 56  and no periods for 5 years). Aching calves and feet were one of the first symptoms but i was never sure whether they were more meno linked or thyroid. However my thyroid has been checked many times and I suspect that the aching is more to do with low oestrogen. I haven't had any HRT up to now (except the local Vagifem to try and prevent recurrent UTI's). However I did recently have a referral to a urogynaecologist and she asked my GP to give me a referral to a meno clinic. My first appt. is in April and i am particularly going to ask about aching calves/feet/joints. I will report back on that.
I haven't had much trouble with night sweats/mood changes and thinning hair.
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Jillm

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Re: painful joints
« Reply #20 on: February 14, 2019, 06:02:10 PM »

Hi Joben & welcome👍
I am fairy new to this forum, but have found it to be a great help in keeping me from losing it completely.
I too have aching joints, regularly in the small of my back, especially if I don't move enough at work(my own fault).
My neck can also be very stiff, my left elbow, strangely not the right.
Just now it's both my knees. These aches seem to try out a new position every week or so. Should be glad they don't happen all at once.
Something I noticed last year was when flying and not particularly long haul, my feet and ankles were swollen, never had this problem before even on long haul, flight socks from now on, managed to find nice pink ones instead of black. Roll on summer☀️✈️😎
Oh I find Epsom salts baths quite helpful.
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Jillm

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Re: painful joints
« Reply #21 on: February 14, 2019, 06:09:39 PM »

Oops sorry I also get aching hands especially my thumbs, forgot about them as it's the pesky knees just now👍👎🦵
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Joben

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Re: painful joints
« Reply #22 on: February 15, 2019, 08:56:31 PM »

Thankyou all for your replies.
It's helpful to know about this forum and read about others experiences

My appointment is not until the 28th (nightmare getting into our local doctors) but I'm just collecting as much info in the meantime to hopefully go in fully prepared.
Wish me luck  :)
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Katejo

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Re: painful joints
« Reply #23 on: February 16, 2019, 09:46:57 AM »

Thankyou all for your replies.
It's helpful to know about this forum and read about others experiences

My appointment is not until the 28th (nightmare getting into our local doctors) but I'm just collecting as much info in the meantime to hopefully go in fully prepared.
Wish me luck  :)
good luck! Also hard to get appointments at my GP but in a different way because they will not schedule any appointments beyond the coming week. Sometimes i'd be willing to book one 2 weeks ahead. Once the coming week's slots are full, we are told to try again next week. There are a few same day slots but you have to ring between 8 and 9 am. no good because I am on the tube to work then. I once woke up around 2am and checked the booking app then and managed to get one....
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Kathleen

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Re: painful joints
« Reply #24 on: February 16, 2019, 07:18:46 PM »

Hello ladies.

I'm not particularly troubled by aching joints ( irritability and tearfulness are taking up all my time at the moment lol ) but I wanted to say that a friend of mine manages to get next day doctors appointments and I wondered why. It turns out that she always books online at just past midnight so she is  first in the queue for same day appointments. So all we have to do is be wide awake during the early hours which, thanks to the menopause, shouldn't be a problem!

Take care everyone.

K.
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Katejo

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Re: painful joints
« Reply #25 on: February 16, 2019, 08:36:04 PM »

Hello ladies.

I'm not particularly troubled by aching joints ( irritability and tearfulness are taking up all my time at the moment lol ) but I wanted to say that a friend of mine manages to get next day doctors appointments and I wondered why. It turns out that she always books online at just past midnight so she is  first in the queue for same day appointments. So all we have to do is be wide awake during the early hours which, thanks to the menopause, shouldn't be a problem!

Take care everyone.

K.
That one occasion when i booked early in the morning only gave me an appt. several days later.
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Moanybreeks

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Re: painful joints
« Reply #26 on: April 10, 2019, 03:19:19 PM »

When I was younger, I could get my toes up to my face......
Thought everyone could..?.

Not anymore now.....can't seem to get my leg to bend enough, maybe too tight hamstrings...  lol

This made me laugh so much. ;D ;D. ..        I also was able to do 'the telephone'.. a yoga move my mum told me.. one foot to the ear and the other to the mouth..  not these days sadly...  maybe paying for it now as also suffer with painful knees and hands particularly thumbs.. HRT helps but doesn't eliminate it totally.
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