Menopausal muscle pain - any tips?

[AcuQueen]

Hiya

I'm 47 and began getting perimenopausal symptoms last year. Arthralgia kicked in earlier this year, starting in back and arms and now it's all over. Slightly better just after my period but generally there's no let up and I always have background aches and pains - very stiff in the mornings!

I've had a Mirena fitted and am now on Elleste solo 80 patches (having tried the lower strength). These have improved the length of my cycle and hot flushes/sweats. However, the pain is as bad as ever. I've had bloods checked and the GP can't find any other reasons for this. I also take Menopace Plus, Vit D3 and magnesium supplements and try to keep my alcohol/sugar intake down as far as possible.

I've got two questions:

1. Does anything else help at all? Exercises from a physio? Massage?

1. Will these pains ever improve or go away?

Am getting used to them but feel that they're limiting me a bit. Plus it's exhausting being sore all the time!

Thanks in advance :)

what is arthralgia?

I had pain in my Achilles but I've recently been taking the ALDI version of fizzy vitamin c with zinc and vitamin b energy and it just struck me yesterday that I'm not getting the pains anymore.
Not sure if it's a coincidence

Bertha - really hope you continue to be pain free!

Polly - menopausal arthralgia is joint pain. However, am getting muscle pain too!

Are you sure it's not osteoarthritis, AcuQ? You're not too young, 50.5yo is mean age of diagnosis. HRT does not help & may even make it worse.

Try going gluten free. The being able to skip about first thing in the morning rather than hobble off for my morning wee and unbend on the way was a very unexpected and welcome side effect.

Thanks so much for the replies...

lljkk - it has crossed my find and asked the GP but she didn't think so. Will keep that in mind though.

Have been reading about dehydration and how drinking adequate water is even more important during menopause and can help with pain. As someone who mainly lives on brown tea, I've started upping my intake massively at the start of the week and feel tons better. Back still very tight but my the aching in my arms, legs and hands is far less. Maybe a coincidence but it's an easy change to make I guess.

Joint pain is a symptom of menopause.

See NICE info here 1.3.2
www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/Recommendations#diagnosis-of-perimenopause-and-menopause

HRT can help but it may take a bit longer. How long have you been on it?
Have you had any tests for any other conditions?