I've been taken off estrogen after a total hysterectomy over 2yrs ago because of finding out that my father who passed away a year ago had breast cancer. Suspected having had fibro a few years before but didn't pursue for other personal reasons. Pain had increased but didn't put 2+2 together until going off the estrodial. The pain and the other symptoms of which I didnt even realize also were attributed to firbo have gotten thousands times worse. More intense and so much harder to deal with not counting the emotional part. I am in so much pain or shivering so bad with my hands and feet so cold they are tingling and feel like needle just with the air touching them. I can't think straight, I'm so tired and don't wnat to move my body hurts so bad, All I want to do is cry... I get so hot I feel the guy from Fantastic four saying flame on, then I have to chill myself down to try to sleep haha but it hurts.. Restless legs, arm than feels like its burning from dry ice and weights 100 lbs, my feet hurt so bad cant walk barefoot. All this sucks and it all hit at the same time so fast. Im not sure how to deal with it. anyone else go through this like this or kinda even?
Pick me. My menopause started in my 40's due to lupus. I'm 53 now and it's still going strong. I dress in layers so I can peel them off fast. I'm in a lot of pain right now too, due to falling off the back step and the normal fibro pain. Your the first one I've met who can't stand to walk barefoot either. I have to wear slippers, even sock feet hurts. And once in a while I give in and cry, it's like a release or something. I'm sorry i really haven't found anything that truly helps. Coming to this site and finding people like me helps, it's comforting to know I'm not alone. I'm sorry about your father, the added stress doesn't help I know. I hope your feeling better soon, Charlie :)
Thank you, I live in apt so i walk barefoot at home I have to, but on the normal ground I can't. At home though i can't wear socks I can't wear hats i get to hot and it brings on the hot flashes within seconds then Im opening windows. im in shorts and tank most of the time to keep my body cool so I dont have the hot flashes, otherwise im dealing with that and all the pain and i can only handle one thing at a time or I am trying my best to anywayl
Hi Anna,
I'm wondering the same thing, but because I had a total pan hysterectomy at 23, even though I use hormone replacement therapy, I am wondering! Been getting some major temp swings from freezing cold to tearing clothing off dripping with sweat! I'm 57. Oh no, not the crying fits, don't they just suck! Not sure I'm getting more than usual, but will have ot pay closer attention!
I had some BIG problems with Restless Leg Syndrome, was telling my trusted Chiropractor about this and here is what he gave me, worked like a charm, no more RLS, and it's a vitamin, instead of another drug. This is the brand, it's the best! It's worked for the last 7 years, wish everything was cured so easily and completely!
http://shop.lifetimefitness.com/Nutritional-Products/Douglas-Labs-C... He told me to take 2 in am and 2 in pm, but you may want to just try 2 in am and see if that's enough. Always check with Dr or pharmacist to make sure it will not interfere with a med!
Hope you get some answers and feel better very soon!
Love and hugs,
SK
I am 49 and from the sounds of it I would have to say definately yes.. but with mine the pain intensified tremendously and sensitivity too. It magnified and well I went from some pain to hit me like a brick HARD.
Im just now getting the restless leg starting. Didn't realize some of the other symptoms that go with fibro before. I am already just so tired of all of it. My daughters and I got invited to a inside waterpark and I couldn't hardly walk, much less move. That's not me, it hurt so bad not being able to do stuff with her.
Can trama affect fibro in you?
I had wrote a long email about different ideas for original post plus the woman who has been in menopause for many years. I realize that first person possible might be younger person and how you would deal with with it would be completely different than if you are in average age for woman to go through menopause.
So i think both of you need to do a bit of homework. You might go on forum that is just for women going through menopause. Plus, i know there are drugs they can give you for hot flashes if they are extreme. I will say this that i do live in snow country so gets down to single digits here at night and does not get above 30's during day. So i just go outside in summer clothes for about ten minutes and get good and freezing..plus i kept my house on cool side that winter...it really worked for me!
But you sound more severe...so for both of you, i would do a bit of home work than go see different OB doctor.
I do know that none of my chronic diseases got a lot worse after i went through menopause. It is not fun to have both going on of course. I also hope first person will possibly see a pain specialist since your pain has increased. I know I had no idea that there just doctors to deal with pain...as my rheum and my GP did great job of handling my pain issues until i moved and had to get new doctors.
The pain doctor literally made my life much more enjoyable. You both might try seeing Natropath doctor..they just use alternative plus believe in treating you both emotional as well as physical...they look at you more completely than just individual symptoms. I do know i used supplements when i went through menopause and they did really help....i also was on folic acid at prescription strength by my old rheum for lupus and was taking evening primrose that he had me get as well and both helped my menopause be easier...my ob said.
I am very sorry for both of you that you are suffering so much and for such a long time. If anything, try a new ob doctor if your one now has just been saying that this is just how it is. I know that is not true and there are many things they can do now. I sincerely hope you both find some help soon and are feeling better ASAP!
Anna - I am 49 and started having pre menopausal symptoms last year. I was diagnosed with Fibro 15 years ago and have been relatively lucky, it took a year for Dr. to find the right medication for me and since then I have been relatively pain free except for a few minor flare ups, that was until the pre menopause symptoms started. Dr and I decided to switch to Cymbalta which is supposed to not only help the fibro but also help with menopause. Had horrible side affects from it, It put me into menopause full swing, bled for 3 months straight, hot flashes, cramps like I was in child birth, just an awful experience. Went back to old med, menstrual cycle is back to "normal" as much as it can be during this time. But I am in a fibro flare like I have not been in before. My pain is mostly in my shoulder, arms and neck area, like you pain is so intense that it is affecting my day to day life. Sleeping pattern is messed up, can get to sleep but am up within a couple of hours and unable to get back to sleep. I have had several anxiety attacks that have come up out of the blue. In my mind I know all of this is due to hormonal changes but that doesn't help the never ending pain. Want to go back to dr. but really what can he do? I do not want to "experiment" with any other drugs so I am trying to take things day by day and hopefully this flare up will ease up eventually. Your right this sucks! God bless
Thank you, yes, you got it. What most women dont know and for a lot dont experience and I have done my research on this is that when you have had a total hysterectomy and your estrogen levels drop it affects the muscles and bones and can cause pain. We as women are told about hot flashes, night sweats, weight gain, but not this. It also leads to fibromylagia. If you take the time to do research you would be surprised.
NCGal63, you totally understand.. but i was forced into menopause. I had a hystertoctomy 2 yrs ago and have been on estridol until a few months ago. I have been in pain for a long time but once I was taken off the hormones it flared up as say and got much worse. The reason I am off the hormones is because it contributes to causing breast cancer and my father had breast cancer which puts me at a much higher risk than someone whos mother had breast cancer. Thank you for a min there I was afraid I was in the wrong forum, thank you for letting me know I wasn't.
My pain is mostly in the same area, can't sleep either, get hot, have to get myslelf cold to go to sleep.
WOW this is incredible and really nice to have someone else who idenifities with the same feelings. Are you on some hormone replacement theraphy?
NCgal63 here is a article on estrogen and fibromyalgia and how they are linked. There are more but I thought this might be helpful. And it might be helpful for anyone else who is asking the same question. Let me know what think.. Hope it helps. Please keep in mind, everyone is different, their pain, tolerance for pain, family history all of this matters so each of us have to make the desicion that is best for us, not others.
Hope to talk to you and maybe some others too soon. :)
Thank you so much - I have apt with Rheumatologist next month and will print off this article and ask about what supplements he suggests I should take. I think I am going to also ask for a full panel blood screening, he usually just runs a cbc and thyroid scan but if a blood screening can tell me what I am lacking in that may help maybe tell him if I should be on some sort of hormone therapy. Ready to try anything, but yet at the same time scared to since I am so sensitive to drugs. Would rather use homeopathic supplements to prescription drugs. Good to know I am not going crazy and that it is not all in my head that others are also feeling intense fibro pain during menopause. Glad I found this support group, many great suggestions.
Wow! same here. I am 48 and think I am in pre-menopause (missed periods, longer, heavier than normal...) A few months ago, I started waking up with stiff, painful neck and shoulder. Can't sleep at night because it hurts to turn my neck. It feels like I have whiplash. Went to Chiro, he said I now have arthritis in neck and shoulder area.
I have had a horrible fibro flare-up since Thanksgiving. Pain all over--almost always a 10! I am having anxiety attacks, fits of crying, and am extremely depressed. My gynecologist just says that if I go without a period for a year, then I'll know I've gone through menopause, so he won't check my hormone levels.
I have also started to have pain in areas where I didn't have constant pain before--like my right hip. This all sucks...don't know what else to do. And no one seems to understand. I don't complain about my pain at all, but when someone needs something, I tell them I can't because it hurts here or there (depending on the hour of day or day of the week), and then it sounds like I'm just making up an excuse to not help. You are damned if you do, and damned if you don't.
You need to complain and find out about your hormone levels, it's your body and I think the whole idea of this forum is to be proactive for yourself. If that doctor won't do it find someone who will. Also check your family history for cancers particuarly ones that could be related to hormones. All of this makes a difference. I have researched a lot but found out a lot from my new doc. Hope this helps.. Hint, talk to a female doc, it seems to be more important to them.
Thanks, I will!
just a note, just because your hormone levels are ok one minute doesn't mean they stay that way. In other words, you might have a blood test with normal levels, but might not be normal an hour from now. God now I'm confused, LOL. Charlie :)
I think your right on that. Yesterday I had a normal relatively pain free day. But overnight the pain came back and today was agony. I am pretty sure that hormone levels are intensifying the pain. I have all the symptoms of starting again, since I am not on a "normal" monthly schedule anymore it is hard to know. I am having the severe cramping, pms mood swings, feel like crying ect. so maybe this is contributing. Anyone else in more pain just before you start your period? If this is the reason I am in so much pain I wish I would hurry up and start already.
I am so sorry NCgal, I feel for you. But I can not tell a lie.. I am so glad I don't have to worry about that again.. I went to the doc today and she has put me on Nortriptyline.. anyway else on this?
Well went to the doc and she put me on Nortriptyline 10 mg for pain and for sleep too. The doctor is working really hard to help me with this. She is also sending me to a PT, we'll see how it all works. Have a good evening everyone.
This is good news, hope this is of trememdous help to you!
Keep looking up!
Love and hugs,
SK
Have you read Christine Northrup's books on Menopause? I do know women who got great help by what she has to say and what to do. Here is link on her site about hot flashes and what can help. http://www.drnorthrup.com/womenshealth/healthcenter/topic_details.php?topic_id=130... but please look at entire site and I even go to amazon and check out her books on menopause.
She is one doctor that explains in very easy to understand about hormones and how they are different, good and bad etc.What attracted me to her is she believes in treating whole body/mind not just symptoms like many western doctors though more and more and combining and realize that if we are not happy, our pain levels will go up.
I did a quick search about soles of your feet hurting ...have you had them check for psoriasis? Not all people have the obvious signs of it but reason i thought of that.is my older sister had it severely on soles of her feet and palms of her hands. She could not wear nylons or her feet would bleed. It all changed when her brother in law, Natropath Doctor at that time, (he went on and became full MD) did a complete work up while visiting her. He sent her a list of Vitamins ..mainly B's. She has never had any severe issues since. I know this is extreme long shot.
I have a very good friend how had a complete hysterectomy when she was about 30...so she has had to be on hormones for most of her life she is my age so mid 50's. They did start reducing certain hormones in her mid 40's to mimic menopause and I know that was hard to get it regulated correctly. My mother was terrified to go on hormones since both her mother and and her had uterine cancer but she did in her late seventies on small dose and it made all difference in the world as to her depression.
If they are extremely worried about breast cancer than you can go in twice a year for your mammograms I can say this...that basically a year of mild chemotherapy..since odds are they catch it very early if you went in that often...maybe only 6 months..is nothing compared to what you are suffering now and there is no end in sight. Cancer often is nothing compared to what people are suffering from their chronic illnesses.The word scares them and yet many are suffering much more than people who have cancer...look at all research on it,etc. Which is good.
I am in support group for women with chronic illnesses and most have breast cancer....so far out of going over 4 years now...2 have put it together that they are about ready to start having their lives back...jobs, able to support themselves and most of all be healthy. Where I am still going and with all the diseases I have it most likely is not going to end but i carry a bit of hope for remission for all at same time!
I know Seattle has some of the worlds best doctors ..you might try even to call the Fibromyalgia Center in Bellevue and ask them if they have OB there that can work helping you with both issues at the same time. BUT no matter what OB you find they need to work hand in hand with your Fibro Doctor. Makes sense, both hands are working together rather than left hand not knowing what right hand is doing.
Thanks for reminding people about the magnesium supplements for restless legs...it is also good for twitching and other muscles problems...but just always check any new symptoms with your doctors.
I really hope you get some serious help....this is really insane how you are suffering. You might print out your discussions on here and just hand them to your doctor show what you life had been like. I really hope you find a doctor ..be OB only or Fibromyalgia Group that might treat both...try support groups to ask other women about who are the great doctors or if you have a doctor you love than ask them. I am very sorry you are suffering.I hope it is resolved soon!
Please really check out the Christine Northrup books....most you might have heard about but the way she says it just makes more sense and she gives you direct ideas how to make changes necessary.
I actually believe what she says about menopause can be applied to any illness. This just occurred to me since I know how hard it is to even make phone call when feeling horrible. You might be able to get Health Advocate to help you find a new OB doctor etc. If you go to doctors tied into a hospital, most have them, or even group of doctors in one office. Your health insurance is another possible source. I just had LFA(lupus foundation of America,Oregon) not only email list of Rheum doctors in my area but called and said they will help me find the right one for my needs. Support groups in your area and if you have not idea, Women's Bookstores are excellent place to find resources, classes etc for women.
I am sorry so long...i just keep thinking of possibilities that might help you and i so know you need it. Please keep in touch.Hope you know that there are many people behind you...many who are but do not post. Much hope to you!
I have seen Christine Northrup speak on PBS, she is fantastic!