Joint pain and nocturia

[DoubtfulCat]

Hello, I’m on the gel and utrogestan tablets. They’ve helped massively with hot flashes and insomnia and also with brain fog and libido- BUT my elbows are so sore and holding heavy things in my hands is getting harder and harder. At the same time my back is very sore, sometimes my hips, and I have lately been waking in the night for a wee despite having last drinks earlier and earlier (last night it (last tea) was at 5pm, apart from a sip of water with my tablet at bedtime). Should I go back to the doctor? They directed me to the physios a month ago but I’ve heard nothing from them and this is really impacting now. I’ve lost some weight but that won’t help with the elbows!

Forgot to add, I’ve also given up alcohol recently (2 weeks) and massively cut down on caffeine and sugar. And increased my intake of oily fish.

Dehydration is far worse for your body than peeing in the night. You’re going more than 12 hours with nothing to drink.

It’s absolutely worth showing your GP this: https://nass.co.uk/about-as/what-is-axialspa/

I’ve just spent the last 5 years with my GP, physio etc throwing all we had at my “menopausal legs”.

We were all on the same page, assuming it was peri/meno. You name it, we tried it both woo woo and pharmaceutical treatments.

This condition is pretty much totally masked by meno in women of our age. (Check out the list of symptoms, aches, pains and sweats). Some research suggests its oestrogen sensitive and gets kicked off/flares with hormone changes.

I’m now on lifelong meds and it will probs get worse as I age but at least I know and currently, with meds and exercise, feel better than I have in years.

It was diagnosed by a rheumatologist via 5 MRIs and bloods 😮; it’s not the most well known condition.

I hope your issues are not this, but please do ask for a referral. Tennis elbow is one of the most common symptoms of this condition.

Good luck and hope this info helps.

Peeing at night is very common with Utrogestan- it acts like a diuretic. You may find it helps to use it vaginally.

Your GP needs to do some blood tests and refer you to a rheumatologist as you may have some form of arthritis, (not the sort that's wear and tear) which needs catching soon to stop it damaging your joints permanently.

Thank you, I’ll make an appointment and take along the results of that questionnaire, and maybe ask about the progesterone as well.

@footle, I know but our bed is fixed to the wall and quite high up, so I have to wake up enough to gymnastically clamber over DH and climb down a ladder to go to the loo so it’s a real pita and a literal pain with my sore back! I rehydrate quickly in the morning, starting with 2 mugs of hot water, and then try to stay hydrated as best I can through the day.

It's worth knowing that drinking less can make you wee more. This is because the urine becomes concentrated and irritates the bladder.
You might also benefit from vaginal estrogen to help this.

I can't believe your GP hasn't run blood tests to see if this is a rheumatoid /inflammatory issue and has just sent you to physio! The 1st thing you should have is a blood test for inflammation.

Coming back to this as my doctor’s appointment is still a fortnight away and nothing I’ve done has helped (cutting out alcohol, losing weight, taking joint supplements and eating more veggies and oily fish), I can’t identify a trigger, and some mornings I can’t even do my laces up without pain in my back. I do notice that after I warm up it eases off, so I can move quite easily, but if I do any real exertion or even stretching (in yoga class, for example) I feel much more pain later on. We went for a fairly easy walk the other day- a couple of hours, some gentle up and down, not at all excessive for me- and afterwards I felt as if I’d spent the day before playing rugby- stiff and sore in my hips and back. And the elbows!!

I’ve always been strong and fit, I love my yoga, and it’s really upsetting to feel weak (eg when I carry shopping) and that yoga movement isn’t helping and my hobbies that I love are causing me pain. Does it suggest to anyone else that this is something in the fascia? @JinglingSpringbells @Falifornia do you have experience in this area? Any tips for what I should say to the doctor?

I can’t even remember quite how long it’s been but I think I started feeling the back and hip pain round about last February or March.

Yep mine started in my back probs about 5 years ago and for me the stiffness and muscle/tendon pain continually developed until it became borderline unbearable. I love hiking etc and I was permanently knackered and in pain. When I got out of bed in the morning, I felt like I was about 90. Which made me think, right this is more than menopause so I requested a rheumatology referral.

I had tried anti inflammation diets, turmeric and all manner of herbal stuff. As a result of the diagnosis of AxSpa, I am now on Etoricoxib for life (a new anti inflammatory/ NSAID) as long as it doesn’t shag my kidneys. I am stiff in the morning now but some bed physio to loosen up, a coffee and my meds and I am normal within about 45 mins.

Now on Pilates and weights a few times a week. Also I was warned away from Yoga (or being super careful) as my ligaments are affected by the disease and are really easy to overstretch. Both my hamstrings have been torn by overstretching so I’m now trying to “load” them and only stretch gently.

If you do have AxSpa, one of the main symptoms are pain that eases WITH movement and exercise. Plus back and soft tissue pain that strong prescription anti inflams ease. Within 36 hours of my first dose of Etoricoxib, I was out of pain for the first time in years. Which consolidated the diagnosis.

I know I keep banging on about it but it’s such a little known condition and your experience doesn’t half sound like mine….. x

@Falifornia thank you, it does sound similar. I have had a stressful 20 years (chronic stress response and a number of high-impact life events) and I do wonder if it may have triggered something. Mother was coeliac so inflammatory response is in the family as well. I will be graphic in description for the GP and not hold back. 🙏

I should have added that I’m glad you have found something that helps, and I do hope it doesn’t affect your kidneys.

All I can stress is your GP needs to take this seriously.
You need referring to a rheumatologist.

Get checked out for this.

www.nhs.uk/conditions/ankylosing-spondylitis/

Hello again. I saw the GP and she did some investigation and orders bloods for inflammation, full blood screen etc and they’re all normal so NFA. What do I need to do now to get a scan or something?

I started a turmeric supplement which is helping with the elbows and hips and my night pain/sleep, but I still wake up and have to be very guarded in my movements for a long time. Also carried something heavy which a year ago would have been well within my easy range and I was really sore after. I would like to know if there is something mechanical going on around my lumbar/sacroiliac area, but my notes just say do physio and Pilates. I’m skint at present and can’t imagine when I might be able to afford private physio, and apparently have another 4 weeks at a minimum to get an appointment with the NHS physios (I self referred in august). Advice to be investigated more is very welcome!

I had a call from GP today and in fact one of the markers for inflammation was raised so combined with the ‘worse in the morning’ information, she’s referred me for an X ray. Fingers crossed!