How to remedy stiff joints?

[Pegs11]

Hi, I’m 41, went through surgical menopause aged 32… I’m on estrogel and testosterone and have a coil fitted.

For the last couple of years I’ve been getting terrible stiffness in the winter. (I get it a little bit in summer too, but not nearly as bad.)

In winter I wake up most days stiff as a board, with every inch of me aching.

I do a little yoga, just a few minutes a day. It helps a little but not much.

I have the heating on.

I have a hot bath every evening.

I go for an occasional massage but can’t afford to do it regularly and it only gives me relief for a couple of days anyway.

I have tried taking cod liver oil capsules but find them intolerably disgusting - I have acid reflux so constantly burping up the taste of fish 🤢

Is else that might help me…? I want to prepare early this year!

Thank you 🙏

I'm interested in any responses you get, im exactly the same. So very stiff and in a lot of pain with it, that stops me from being able to do things easily.

Turmeric in my food. Ginger tea / ginger in food.

Taking a supplement of glucosamine and turmeric has helped my joints a lot.

I found my stiffness was much, much less after starting oestrogen patches

Maybe you could ask for your dose to be adjusted?

oestrogel has made a big difference to my joint pain/stiffness. I have just increased my dosage as I noticed some symptoms (including this one) were beginning to reappear. I was previously on 2 pumps daily. Now on 4.

Other than that, gentle stretching/movement throughout the day ie making sure I don't sit still for too long, doing ankle/wrist circling & stretching my back, also helped and I would gently massage over the joints with a blend of lavender, black pepper & lemongrass essential oils. I feel for you OP. At its worst, the pain would reduce me to tears and I found it almost impossible to use my hands/thumb joint in particular.

And try magnesium salts in your bath & essential oils (diluted in either a base oil or in milk).

Glucosamine and MSM supplement. Get a high strength one.
I really notice the difference if I run out - within a couple of weeks.
I even have my horse on it - recognised supplement that actually works.

Mine are much better now I'm on evorel patches.

4 months into HRT. Joint stiffness has magically vanished.

Get checked for rheumatoid arthritis or other inflammatory disease. If all clear then try any of the above herbal remedies but don't diagnose yourself, it may not be menopause.

@DotBall thanks for the recommendation,
does it take long to start helping?

Glitterblue I found it worked quickly, a couple of weeks, but every body is different.

Oestrogen patches - started at 25mg, went up to 50mg. Stretching and strengthening exercises- yoga, pilates, ballet barre type thing. Loads on YouTube - I recommend Kathryn Morgan or Lazy Dancer. 15-20 minutes twice a day, every day, for the rest of your life. This has the advantage of making you feel very good generally as well.

@DotBall thank you, I'll give it a go. I'm in so much pain, I'll try anything. I'm going to have to try to get an appointment with the GP - if only it was normal times and I could choose who to see, rather than a phonecall with whoever I'm given. There are a couple I really really don't want to see.

Vit D helped me very quickly.

Yes, Vitamin D spray fixes me.

Time for an oestrogen dose increase maybe?

@DramaAlpaca

Taking a supplement of glucosamine and turmeric has helped my joints a lot.

Thank you @DramaAlpaca. Is it glucosamine sulphate you take?

@Tightwad2020

Oestrogen patches - started at 25mg, went up to 50mg. Stretching and strengthening exercises- yoga, pilates, ballet barre type thing. Loads on YouTube - I recommend Kathryn Morgan or Lazy Dancer. 15-20 minutes twice a day, every day, for the rest of your life. This has the advantage of making you feel very good generally as well.

@Tightwad2020 thank you for the recommendations 😊

@HowManyMoreTimes

Time for an oestrogen dose increase maybe?

@HowManyMoreTimes I’m getting my oestrogen levels checked next week… I’m on 8 pumps of oestrogen per day but still feel about 70 years old

@HowManyMoreTimes I mean Estrogel

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor

Vit D helped me very quickly.

@MrsPelligrinoPetrichor thank you, will try this

@DotBall

Glucosamine and MSM supplement. Get a high strength one. I really notice the difference if I run out - within a couple of weeks. I even have my horse on it - recognised supplement that actually works.

@DotBall thank you. Do you know if it’s ok to take MSM with magnesium?

@DotBall

Glucosamine and MSM supplement. Get a high strength one. I really notice the difference if I run out - within a couple of weeks. I even have my horse on it - recognised supplement that actually works.

@DotBall which brand do you use please? So many out there …

Pegs11 I use Simply Supplements glucosamine and find them good quality. I’m not qualified to say whether you can take mag with MSM sorry.