Are anyone's calves getting bigger?

[OnlyMakeBelieve]

Has anyone had trouble with their legs - mainly their calves? My weight is stable but all my jeans are very tight around my calves now. I've always had big calves but over the last three weeks I've noticed a difference. Nothing else has changed. My legs also ache like crazy a lot of the time. Is this normal?

I'd see your GP. if you calves are swollen or ankles are puffy ( water retention?) it needs looking into as it can be a sign of various things incl some serious illnesses. It's not a meno or peri symptom on its own.

My ankles are fine. It's just my calves seem to be getting bigger. I have to see him for a follow up to discuss HRT (I have the classic menopause symptoms) so I'll mention it then. Thanks.

I thought water retention was a symptom of Peri and menopause?

Yes, water retention is a definite symptom of premenopause, and is very common especially during estrogen surges. Where are you in your cycle? I'm all swollen today on day 70 of my cycle and my flushes have died down, shown all the signs of another surge.

Peri not pre !

Any water retention below the waist ( legs) needs looking at. Most women bloat with PMS but not just their calves and you would also notice weight increase.

I agree it needs looking at but water retention is a symptom of Peri and meno as well as other health issues

@ParisUSM I've never kept a log of my cycle. I'd been feeling so good with peri over the last year that I didn't give it a thought. The last couple of months have been hard, though. My last period was three months ago. This happened last year and then I went back to regular 28 day cycles.

I think all of my legs feel bigger but I'm noticing it more on my calves because they were always quite big and snug in my skinny jeans anyway.

@ParisUSM Oh and my flushes have died down recently too!

It does sound a bit like an estrogen surge to me, everyone always assumes that symptoms are down to estrogen declining but for me my worst symptoms have been when it surges. There's a cocktail of hormones involved so no-one really understands what's going on fully. Headaches and bloating are part of it for me - I can see the indent of my socks when I take them off when I'm like this.

You might or might not have a period in a couple of weeks, I think at this stage the body just throws everything into a last ditch attempt at fertility!

I think you should start keeping a note of symptoms as it might be helpful. It sounds like you're near the end like me - once you go over 60 days without a period you're in late perimenopause.

Hopefully you'll go back to a quieter time soon

There is no mention of peri bloating causing fatter calves- all the sites that cover peri symptoms talk about abdominal or breast/enlargement/ bloating as part of PMT due to possibly increased estrogen as part of irregular cycles in peri.

If your calves also ache is sounds more like circulation and venous issues- do you have varicose veins at all?

@QueenoftheNights No problem with varicose veins but I am going to mention this when I see the doctor next week. I do wonder if it's just a general bloat and I'm noticing more on my calves because they were always slightly tight in my skinnies anyway (knee length boots are impossible for me)

I think at this stage the body just throws everything into a last ditch attempt at fertility!

love this!

I had to move to larger size skinnies :).

Did you ever get an answer to calf problem?!

I don’t think there was an answer but I have the same problem , my calfs are much bigger after menopause :( (aside from gaining weight Ofcourse which is now is so difficult to drop)
So is it normal that your calf’s gets bigger after menopause?