Aching everywhere - why??

[ChipInTheSugar]

Elbows (feels like tennis elbow), upper arms, lower arms, hands, fingers, hips, thighs (feels like period cramps), shins (feel like shin splints), heels, feet, toes. It all aches - sitting, standing, driving, moving my arm to scratch my nose or reaching to lift a cup, lying in bed at night (stops me getting to sleep). I was bending over changing a binbag and could feel my 'undercarriage' aching!

I'm early 50s, on HRT patches for approx 10 years and feel my GP will fob me off as per any female my age and put it down to (peri)/menopause. Not had any virus/cold etc recently.

Any suggestions please on what I could look at it being before I cry from the pain. Thank you!

Bump

Have you considered fibromyalgia?

Yes I've looked at that, but realistically what's my chances of getting it recognised by my gp? (Rhetorical question!)

I ended up seeing a rheumatologist. My GP is prescribing meds to help now. And they are.

Thank you - I'll push for that too if blood tests don't show anything else.

Do you do enough exercise? I went through this just before Christmas but I’d stopped exercising because I was too busy. Got back into it since Jan and feel completely different!

I don't do much at the moment - single parent, work p/t, SEN child, no support network = no regular free time. But that might be about to change.

I've had some magnesium and a hot bath which has had a little effect I think.

I'd try high strength vit d if I was you, I was in a similar state last year and this helped a lot.

I had something similar this autumn, I ached all over for about three months. Some days I was so bad, I thought there was something seriously wrong with me.

I had blood tests with GP looking for thyroid problem, Vit D deficiency, inflammatory related markers, fibromyalgia was mentioned too.

Bloods came back fully clear on two occasions, and felt at my wits end. I kept up the pressure and pushing them for help!

I did then all of a sudden get better in January. One GP I saw thought it could be a post viral 'myalgia' as I was initially ill with a virus in October.

I'd definitely start with bloods, but bear in mind it could be something as simple as viral.

Sorry though you mention you haven't had a virus. Do you feel generally run down at all?

I'll pick up on the Vit D - I've got those in the cupboard too.

Nope, no obvious virus at all; I would say I'm a little more tired than usual at the mo, but nothing desperate.

Lying in bed now, and can not get comfortable - like Ritz says, it get to the point where you think there MUST be something definitely wrong - it can't be normal for my limbs to feel like I've run a marathon - even bending down for a couple of seconds makes my thighs and backside ache. TMI, but trying to poo hurts along the sides of my buttocks and thighs.

And I've got a crappy old bobbly sheet on my bed which is NOT comfortable for wriggling my legs around on!

I echo the vit D have a blood test, mine was very low I had a booster course and couldn’t believe the difference, the pains disappeared. I need a high dose to keep the pain away.

That's spurred me on to go back downstairs for a couple of capsules!

Might be worth asking for a blood test , gp had me on 20'000 dose a day for a few weeks to start with. That's a huge dose compared to chemist usual version.

Take Vit D but high strength, not the bog standard ones.
I was on high dose supplements for about 4 months last year and it really helped (60000/wk)
Now I use this one from H&B: www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/product/betteryou-dlux-3000-vitamin-d-oral-spray-60012895

Bloody hell, what a ridiculous night trying to sleep - the pain is constant, like tiny buzzing cramps I think is a good way to describe them. Literally have no idea what to do to stop it before it drives me crazy (apart from lie in the bath all day!)

Definitely get blood tests done. I find a heavy blanket helps. It is horrid OP. I hope you find a solution soon.

Thanks Wolfie

Does your fibro feel like this?

If you get bloods done, ask for the tests to include a full blood count. Especially if you have night sweats, bleeding gums, fatigue, or easy bruising

vampire - peri-menopausal so nightsweats'r'us

The menopause doesn’t help. And you need exercise, it sucks but if you exercise through the pain it will help in about 4 days. Meanwhile Voltarol (few days only) to get you through.

Exercise will help night sweats also. Seems to regulate the system.

Oh and make sure your oestrogen levels are adequate. Might have to up your patch strength.

Sounds really horrible, I hope you get it sorted soon. I'd ask to get your thyroid checked too. Before my diagnosis I felt like I had been run over

Sounds like fibromyalgia. I kept going to the GP and he did blood tests to rule out anything else then sent me to a rheumatologist. I had to push for it though. The rheumatologist asked loads of questions, checked pressure points etc and diagnosed fibromyalgia.
My Vit D was low.i took supplements and it is now in the normal range but doesn’t seem to have helped