Pain in joints at night - your thoughts?

[cleo333]

I’m 57 quite active but have pain in my back and knees at night which wakes me up . I’ve just realised that I’m taking pain killers most night now but wake when they wear off . Yoga and Pilates make my back worse. I’m on hrt 50 mg Patches and 200 progesterone . I’m waiting MRI results on my back now but wonder what others think , also and any supplements I could take as the lack of sleep due to this is affecting my life

Do you go to bed with the pain or does it come on during the night? How long does the pain take to resolve in the morning? Whereabouts in your back is the pain?

I have this as well, in my ankles in particular. 45 and I am absolutely sure menopausal, but GP disagrees. I’ve tried magnesium before with no noticeable improvement. Just ordered some tonic health, rest and recovery (might have been influenced!) I am the same with pain killers, although sometimes some deep heat or an ice pack helps.

The pain can be starting when I go to bed but definitely gets worse as the night progresses so I have to get up early too , rest is a misery to be honest

Back pain lower back , sitting is often uncomfortable

I’ve suffered with terrible joint pain for years which would wake me up nightly. I think it’s caused by a combination of menopause and autoimmune disease. I’ve been taking Jointace with omega 3 and glucosamine and have noticed a huge improvement. I also think alcohol makes it worse so would recommend cutting that out to see if your symptoms improve.

Thank you I will try that

Vitamin d is supposedly good for joint pain.

Do you do anything to improve bone density and muscle like weight training? It might help in the longer term.

id pay to see a physio to see if they can suggest something, building up supporting muscle in glutes, core and large muscles would probably help.

you could also try a very good collagen, people get some great results from that. Can’t recommend one, but I’m sure someone else will or Holland and Barrett.

Oestrogen does help with joint pain so maybe ask to up your Evorel dose to 75.

I was just at the gp this morning discussing the same thing! Been on evorel 50 patches for 2 years and my joint pain had come back these past couple of months so I'm upping my evorel.

https://www.nutravita.co.uk/products/glucosamine-sulphate-enhanced-with-turmeric-ginger-vitamin-c-rosehip?variant=32526979793033&currency=GBP&tw_source=google&tw_adid=&tw_campaign=21294651262&tw_kwdid=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21290730875&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqebEBhD9ARIsAFZMbfxqrLZ6DV76v8JKWml6j63Yp-scEDE5QMq7By9E1i-hTlJqJOpFb9oaAhwnEALw_wcB

DH was recommended this for ? arthritic pain in his hands but his GP. Apparently it works for some and not for others...but was told to give it a go. It worked.

I have recently lost some weight and my joint pain has improved beyond belief.

I’m post menopause and was previously waking with joint pain. I now sleep through.

If the pain gets worse with rest it might be something other than wear and tear and aging. I was diagnosed with Axial Spondyloarthritis in my late 40s. I'd obviously had it for years and had been palmed off with age, hormones, too much sitting blah, blah, blah.

It is good that you've had an MRI because if there are any underlying inflammatory issues, they should be able to see them on that. I hope they can sort you out.

I was also diagnosed with Axial spondyloarthritis recently (in my late 30s) and one of the key symptoms for this was back pain that worsens with rest and wakes you in the second half of the night.
The MRI should give you some answers.

What is your treatment ? X

I was just coming on to say take glucosamine also. Good luck x

It could be to do with diet. I used to have bad joint pain in feet, hands, ankles. I struggled to come down stairs in the morning. I drastically cut down on OPF about 4 years ago and pain has completely gone. I don't take any supplements. I also have a bit of a sweet tooth - so I do still have sugar in diet - so its not that. Hope u find what works for you OP.

My joint pain from hyper mobility syndrome is very like that (also called ehlers Danlos Syndrome). Mine is also very affected by hormones. Have a look at the Beighton score. I can't do yoga but Pilates helps massively; but I have an instructor who is a Physio and knows what to recommend and avoid for me.

It may be my imagination but my joints seem to hurt more when I am not taking omega 3 and evening primrose oil.

@cleo333 I take cox inhibitors, which are essentially incredibly strong ibuprofen style anti-inflammatories. The difference for me has been phenomenal and so far I have not needed to take DMARDS or immune suppressants, which is great.

This is very similar to me tbh. I have lower back issues and find sitting so uncomfortable especially under my upper thigh. Have had an mri in the past and have 3 bulging discs but its sitting that I find so so uncomfortable. Anything like driving or a train / plane journey is just awful.
About a year ago I started to get pain in the other leg but only when I lie down in bed at night time. Like an achey very uncomfortable pain down the whole leg. I side sleep so would always have to chop and change sides etc..so hard to feel comfortable.
I went to a physio and have had mnths of physio and she feels the pain at night-time is almost certainly from my Glute muscle. She also says the pain on sitting in the other leg is probably a longterm hamstring issue and like yourself I am awaiting an mri result to confirm this.
We have been working on the Glute problem every week with specific exercises on the reformer machine and it has actually completely gone and I am pain free in bed at night-time now.
However , like you also the other leg has been made much worse by the reformer pilates and I have decided to stop the physio altogether for a while.
Its so horrible having all these leg issues so your post really struck a chord with me.
I have just turned 60 btw but am otherwise very fit and healthy.
Good luck with everything!

Have you had a vitamin d test? I had excruciating shin pain and it was really low vitamin d

I’ve just started taking a whole concoction supplements including collagen powder and vitamin d and K2 as I have achy limbs and and painful joints.

Mine is worse when I wake up which never makes sense.

also take magnesium glycinate to help with sleep and Ashwaranga at bed time to calm the mind

also take biotin, iron, b12

all except B12 came from by tritokn geeks who were recommend but word of mouth from 2 people

im 45 and perimenopausal

All your comments are so useful and really interesting , I will let you know the results of mri which I’m getting Friday ; it’s got to show something as this is now quite miserable and I’m irritable as hell due to the pain - thanks everyone so much

@cleo333 I take an anti-inflammatory called etoricoxib which is basically a very long acting version of ibuprofen. I also do a lot of physio and mobility work alongside generally keeping active and strength training. Like a pp I haven't needed biologics.
I'll be honest, whilst the anti-inflammatories help they haven't got rid of the pain but they have made it more comfortable. But during a flare or if I get ill or rundown I do wake early or during the night with pain/stiffness.

I feel I need to chat to my gp about better anti-inflammatory meds. I’ve got naproxen and I was taking gabapentin but don’t really feel the gaba does much.

ive got my third tear in my right hip with impingement and my left hip I’ve just discovered I have osteoarthritis. Pain is just part and parcel of my life at the moment.