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Original poster

Joint Pain - side effect of hrt. Anyone had this experience?

60 replies

PeterSpots · 13/09/2015 14:13

Hello. I was on here earlier with a rough ride with bladder/urethra pain & an awful time after a Cystoscopy & face spasms/pain. Seen a gynaecologist who finally examined me who sid I had VA, painful, boggy uterus. The ultrasound showed adenmyosis and a white inflammation area around my urethra. Started on evoral 75, climagist 1mg 1 week ago. Bits feeling ok but my ankles, knees, elbows feeling achey. Don't know if this would happen anyway or if it's a side effect & if this wears off? Thank you. I could just wait another week than contact consultant. Just would like a break! Face is feeling so full of pressure

A week on my joints are aching & some of my muscles could this be a side effect from the hrt? Has anyone experienced this & does the side effect go away

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Original poster
PeterSpots · 17/09/2015 06:40

Still waiting for a call. I hope today. I am in so much discomfort with my joints and muscles. I am hoping it is a side effect otherwise I don't know what's going on. It's almost all of them.

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Original poster
PeterSpots · 17/09/2015 07:06

All the crap I've had this year & now this. I'm now going to have to wait if it is the hrt for things to settle & put up with more horribel stuff. If it's not the hrt then I don't now why I would wake up & my joints hurt & some of my muscles for no reason. this is so sh**

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Original poster
PeterSpots · 17/09/2015 17:10

Had my phone call with consultant & I am to stop the 1mg climagist & the evoral 75 and replace it with evoral 50 & hope the side effect goes.

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Original poster
PeterSpots · 20/09/2015 08:59

I'm down from the 175 to the 50 but I don't feel any better yet. I know no one has experienced this but my joints are hurting and my legs and my hands and feet are fizzing. Don't know whether to come off all together or if this will cause me more problems. I don't know how long to wait and contact the consultant again. It is a really horrible strange feeling.

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pinkfrocks · 20/09/2015 09:36

You are assuming there is a connection between this and HRT- why? It may be coincidence. You posted months back about tingling and pains in your face and that wasn't hormonal. Ask your GP to refer you to a neurologist and get tested for other conditions. This is not- in my experience- related to HRT.

Original poster
PeterSpots · 20/09/2015 10:19

I've had sensations in my face since January. Had all the neurological checks and been told my maxilliofacial consultsnt that it muscle cramps from clenching. This has not really changed or affected any other part of my body & is quite common to have TMD. The joint & muscle pain came a week into the hrt & it is a side effect. I'm glad you haven't had this experience as it isn't pleasant. All drugs can have side effects and hrt does too. Only time will tell but I did not have any problems with my joints or aching legs 3 weeks ago.

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pinkfrocks · 20/09/2015 11:56

Let me explain more clearly...'my experience' meant what friends have said and what I've read on this and other forums. I've friends who have had joint pain with meno and which has been helped by HRT- never known it the other way round. However, where side effects are listed, it says that you also need to give any HRT 3 months at least by which time side effects should lessen. Chopping and changing the dose won't help though still a bit odd that your dr has given you such a huge dose to begin with. I know she is a dr but it's not 'mainstream' prescribing to do that - and from what other posters have said it appears you have gone to the female consultant (private clinic) in Surrey (yes?) who is slightly unconventional in her approach. You need to stick with it and give the side effects time to wear off, or also do exercise which is one tip on the NHS website for easing joint pain in meno with HRT.

Original poster
PeterSpots · 20/09/2015 12:57

It is listed as a common side effect but I am not sure that this side effect outweighs the benefits. I will see how I feel next week but I do not want to feel this bad. I will take the advice of the consultant over the next couple of weeks. I'd anyone does read this and has had this side effect I would be interested to see how you felt after a couple of months

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pinkfrocks · 20/09/2015 13:37

Have you researched this online at all? I had a quick google before I replied and the NHS site mentioned it (on HRT info) and said take painkillers and possibly exercise.
Dropping down from your high dose won't make an instant difference. Women who come off HRT completely say it can take 3-4 months before they notice symptoms coming back, so even if you stop the HRT completely then it may take a while for it to leave your system.

Original poster
PeterSpots · 22/09/2015 07:04

Thank you for looking. I don't know what to do for the best. The aching is horrible and making me really miserable. Could be a coinicence but it has all haooened so suddenly when I haven't had this before. My VA has improved but I am also using Vagifem. It would just make me feel easier if there was one person who has experienced this & that it gets better

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pinkfrocks · 22/09/2015 08:11

Are you seeing your consultant privately? I think you said you were. In that case, you should ask her because she's the expert and that's what you are paying for. Even if someone comes on to a forum saying they had the same and it went or it didn't , it doesn't mean you would have the same experience- everyone is different. I suspect the fact that you have asked around on forums and no one has said they have had the same experience suggests it's quite rare, so talk to your doctor.

Original poster
PeterSpots · 22/09/2015 16:18

The consultant said 2 weeks for the side effects to ease with the reduced dose. It's listed as common on the leaflet so maybe someone may come along. I will speak to the consultant but posting here was in the hope of finding someone who experienced this particular side effect. I will see how it feels after the weekend and call the consultant then.

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olliecollie · 24/09/2015 06:49

I was on hrt just over a year,I also had terrible joint and muscle pains as a side effect
In the end I was so stiff I could hardly move.
I stopped hrt beginning of July and tried natural supplement.
I'm feeling so much better now.
My dr said hrt suits most women but not all.
I hope you get sorted and start to feel better soon.

Original poster
PeterSpots · 24/09/2015 16:24

Thank you. The consultant wants me to call her tomorrow for an update. It almost all came on over a couple of days. I've reduced the dose a week ago but I still have the problem. Glad you are feeling better. How long did it take for the side effects to go for you once you stopped

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olliecollie · 24/09/2015 17:11

I would say I started to feel a bit better after a couple of weeks .
Its been a slow process,it's the last two weeks that the pain and stiffness is mostly gone.
I started taking glucosamine 1500 mg after I stopped hrt so think that's helped.

Original poster
PeterSpots · 29/09/2015 19:53

Tye joint pain has eased a bit but the hip ache hasn't. Getting another call from consultant this week. Bits not so good this week. Don't know why. All a bit battered & bruised from aching :(

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Original poster
PeterSpots · 08/10/2015 16:23

Now down to evorel 25 but still aching. I think it's time to change hrt

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Original poster
PeterSpots · 11/10/2015 07:44

Stopped Friday evening. Woke up still with sore knees, legs, wrist, elbows, hips. Holding it does ease soon. Trying to go with it but I am so sore in top of my original problems

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voluptuagoodshag · 17/10/2015 00:50

My menopause symptoms started around the same time as a pain in my hip joint. I'm now on HRT but the pain is still there. Tried physio, osteopath and now doc suspects bursitis so am being referred to an orthapoedic surgeon for a steroid injection into joint. But ........... I can't help thinking the pain is connected with menopause. It's much worse when I have my (irregular) period.

Bellaciao · 17/10/2015 14:34

voluptuagoodshag I can't comment on hip problems and the precise causes of pain etc but just to say I started getting hip and knee pain I would say 8 - 9 years ago (in early 50's) which is probably when I started becoming peri-menopausal. I was also a little overweight. I never went to the doc about the pains but I lost weight, started taking more exercise ( ie walking and classes) and then when the flushes/sweats became really bad, went onto HRT (still on it in early 60's). The pains disappeared and knees and hips are fine now. Not saying this is the only cause but seemed to be the reason in my case.

voluptuagoodshag · 17/10/2015 22:20

Thanks Bella but I'm in my mid 40s, very fit (or at least was until the pain started) and exercised by walking, dancing, cycling, running most days (not all at once mind you Wink. That would just be nonsense

Original poster
PeterSpots · 18/10/2015 19:07

A week off the evorel but still achey :( maybe a coincidence or I've got to wait a it longer. Really not happy. Aching face (not side effect), aching bits (not side effect) aching hips, legs, knees, elbows (? Side effect or I'm just up shit creek without a paddle) seeing gynaecolgist on Tuesday.

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Sage44 · 19/10/2015 07:29

Whilst on HRT, I had awful hip pain particularly at night. It would wake me up, and I could have cried with the pain.
At the time I didn't associate it with the HRT.

However,due to a breast cancer scare, my doctor has advised that I stop HRT which I have, and now hip pain has completely gone. ( wish I cold say the same for the hot flushes..)

Anyoldusername1 · 19/10/2015 08:30

Have you had any investigations for other conditions? This may be nothing to do with menopause or HRT. It could be one of those odd coincidences.
Joint pain etc could be arthritis, either osteo or rheumatoid, or an immune system related condition, or even a virus. Has your GP done any blood tests for any of these?
Have you considered trying something like acupuncture which is very good for pain relief and can also help menopause symptoms? You'd need to try a course of 6 sessions to see if it would help.

Original poster
PeterSpots · 21/10/2015 15:46

Almost 1 1/2 weeks and the joint pains have almost gone. Looks like hrt side effect.

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