Perimenopausal - intermittent aches and pains and stiff joints. Anyone else?

[fortyfifty]

I've been on hrt for over a year. Prior to hrt I had the odd few mornings of stiff ankles. Since taking HRT I've not had that happen again.

Just recently I've had a stiff back. It came and went after a few days. Repeated again a month later. It went again but since I've been plagued with the stiff ankles and back ache and knee ache and just generally I feel ancient!

Does anyone else get this? Coming and going? Even on hrt? Anything else I can take to help?

Ah, snap! I came on here tonight to specifically look through the menopause symptoms again - as I’m in my second month of getting terrible back pain during what would be ovulation time. It’s a distinct pain, has happened both times around day 8 onwards of cycle. The pain feels like I’ve been for a long walk in flat shoes and also goes down my pubic bone. Is your pain cyclical @fortyfifty ?

Before I started HRT I would get terrible joint and ankle pains, but that has definitely been helped with oestrogen, but obviously isn’t working any magic on this new back pain.
😫

My cycles are long now so it's often difficult to work out a cyclical pattern unless I track on a calendar for a lot of months. It seems likely if it comes and goes. Yes to feeling like I've been walking all day in the wrong shoes 😄

I'm constantly stiff and achy, I feel like I'm 80 years old. I'm on Hrt and have been for several years but when I get up after sitting or lying down for any length of time, I'm staggering about with everything hurting for a few minutes.

I'm ok once I get going and can walk for miles. I just don't know what the answer is, I feel like I need some internal WD40.

Maybe your estrogen dose needs increasing- how old are you?

Are you doing any exercise? Everyone gets a bit stiff as they get older if they don't exercise.

If it gets worse you should see your GP to rule out something serious like rheumatoid arthritis, and also decide if it's 'just' osteoarthritis, but if HRT helped at first why not consider increasing the dose?

What are you on now?

I'm not quite 50 and on 75mg dose of estradiol. If the stiffness continues I'll revisit dosage and rule out other things. At the moment it is just every so often.

I've done Pilates for many years. It's the most consistent exercise I do. It's not making any difference now but I have added in specific daily stretches.

I’m nearly 47 and my back aches really badly before my period for at least a week. I’ve read it’s due to low oestrogen / high proglastin affecting the muscle tissues or something. Unfortunately my mother had breast cancer at 50 so I’m not looking at HRT. I also do a lot of back strengthening exercise like Pilates, yoga, weights etc and have done for years. I’m stupidly flexible but it’s not helping my back. :(

On my third month of HRT. Aches and pains are much reduced during my 12 days of progesterone each month.

Oh interesting. I had a month without progesterone as I messed up my prescription request then had a faff to get it. I'm now taking it as 1 tablet per day for most of the month as it is better for my mood, but perhaps it needs to build up again and that's why I've got stuff joints again.

I'm almost exactly like this. I was on HRT for 3 years, then came off it for some tests (that I'm still waiting for ) but the aches and pains have stayed the same, so I'm not convinced the HRT was helping.

I mean, it really could be from anything. Low vit D, need a new mattress, bad posture, Lyme disease, thyroid, arthritis etc. I wouldn't immediately assume it's from peri

Yes! Try upping your oestrogen.
Also go gluten free and swim yoga swim yoga swim
Yoga .....