Some new research about menopause symptom and inflammation

[Braecoon]

My RA journey started during menopause. I spent 7 years in perimenopause with severe symptoms and the year I transitioned into menopause was same year I was diagnosed with RA. A lot of self-righteous women in my life, denied that menopause could be problematic and made out it was all in my head!!!!! New research is finding that menopause is not so benign - food for thought…..

apple.news/ABCPMvXGzRuCvwwf...

[Deeb1764]

One thing my mum could never say was “ it’s all in your head” she went completely crazy for 6months (this was a teens outlook) and so though she never discussed it with us we were very aware on how it can change you and your body. I was horrendous with the flushes and then a year later RA diagnosed.

🥰

[Braecoon in reply to Deeb1764]

Yes, the physical symptoms which can be a nightmare in their own right and are what people are more aware off. The mental and cognitive symptoms are not so well known. I have managed to steer friends, nurse work colleagues, and students to checking if it might be perimenopause for their memory, brain fog, anxiety, depression or out of control mood swings that arrive out of the blue (90% of time it turned out to be perimenopause or menopause and they have successfully been treated by their GP). 9 years post menopause, I still get some hot flushes and night time temperature elevations, the joys of being a woman

[J1707-]

rings true for me .. severe perimenopause then diagnosed with RA

[Braecoon in reply to J1707-]

The increased inflammatory markers in women with hot flushes in the research article seem to be the start of new research, hope this is developed further to shed a light on the hormone mysteries and the vast effects oestrogen that has throughout all our body systems.

[Amnesiac3637]

Just a comment. I’m 71 and I still sometimes get all the perimenopausal nasties outlined in your post 🤬🫨 No hot flushes - shame, cuts down on the heating!

Just shows, you never escape your hormones. Ever. Those and RA and I’m like a piggy in swill. 😄🙄. One day………..

[FredaN]

I've been having terrible night sweats since my mid-late 30s - I went to the GP about it at least 5-6 years ago, but my hormone tests always come back normal. I gradually had more problems with joint pain, which became very severe since last November, yet still don't have an answer. They say it's not menopause or an autoimmune condition, "just Fibromyalgia" (which I understand is just as offensive to people struggling with Fibromyalgia as it is to me, as the symptoms don't match mine). I suspect there are elements of peri-menopause and at least one autoimmune condition, but I just don't know which one. Maybe it's all something else.

What I don't get is why so many of us are still getting the whole "it's all in your head" nonsense in 2023?! Everyone pretty much thinks it's absolutely wrong that women were thrown in asylums for lifetimes and labelled "hysterical" for things decades/centuries ago, but at the same time this type of thing is still going on. It's presented in a different form and people use different words, but it still feels like a lot of us are labelled with modern versions of hysteria, made to feel like we're silly women who just need to calm down. I don't want to belittle any experiences men have too and I'm 100% certain some men get this too. It's just that when I've been reading in different communities on here, trying to find answers, I've come across a huge amount of frustrated women facing the same issues.

My mum mentioned the recent rise in discussion around menopause recently, saying "women have been going through it for centuries, I don't understand all the fuss about it". I think there's an element of "I struggled through it, so you should too" mentality there, pulling up the ladders behind you kind of attitude or a competition about who has had it worse. I don't know whether it's just me, but I've had more sensible conversations with male doctors about menopause, so maybe it helps to have some kind of detachment from it.

[Braecoon in reply to FredaN]

Hi FredaN, you are describing an all too common theme regarding women’s healthcare and indeed historical ingrained attitudes from fellow women. This does need to change and it is shameful in this day and age that we have to fight to be heard and challenge outdated views/opinions/attitudes that health professionals have never mind those who do not have any medical knowledge so have an excuse. Training does not adequately cover menopause. I recently taught a whole lesson to a group of mental health student nurses (especially focusing on anxiety, depression, and memory symptoms) and one of them complained about why they had to learn this. Thankfully, there was a mature student in the class who vehemently defended why this was so important to know as mental health nurses in the future.

Some women can go into early menopause transition in their 30s. I started at age 45, this was completely missed by an Occupational Nurse doing a routine health check despite the fact I was sitting in front of her dripping in sweat with soaked clothing. Blood Hormone tests at this stage are not very useful and they would need to do several over a period of weeks to capture the dips. Thankfully my GP went on symptoms alone as my one and only blood hormone test was inconclusive. HRT immediately restored my sleep which had been 2 to 3 hours a night.

Please do not be fobbed off by ‘blood hormone test’ says ‘No’, insist they focus on the symptoms. Ask to trial HRT if your family history precludes cardiovascular or breast cancer, to see if symptoms are brought under control. One size may not fit all, you will be started on low/medium dose but if symptoms are severe you may need to increase or increase as oestrogen levels become more erratic. I did not do well on oral HRT, and eventually succeeded on oestrogen patches and oral progesterone. Sorry to say this, but you have to be very proactive (some women have had to give up work because of the severity of symptoms).

[Weejenny]

I’m at the moment waiting for an appointment with rheumatology my doctor is thinking maybe fibromyalgia. I just know I’m miserable right now and don’t want to share what I’m going through with anyone as they’ll probably think I’m just this mad hypochondriac 😔 I’ve had my oestrogen patch upped to 50 yesterday, I also have a mirena coil. At the moment I don’t feel safe to deal with everyday life the brain fog as awful. I’m 55 and have felt like this for the last 4 years steadily getting worse. I’ve a lovely doctor at our practice now, the last one didn’t agree with Hrt, she was young give her 20years she might think differently!

Jen

[Braecoon]

Hi Jen, sorry to hear how miserable you are feeling and feel your sense of frustration. Please know that you are not a hypochondriac. Women know their bodies and when things are not right, so do not give up in trying to find the answers, which is easier said than done when you feel you are not being listened to. Fibromyalgia is now recognised as a an autoimmune disease in its own right but unfortunately it still carries the past stigma (it’s all in your head) label. 3 years after being diagnosed for RA, my rheumatologist added fibro. I kind of ignored this, but I am now suffering from muscle spasms, muscle knots, and random stabbing pains in my muscles, which is not in my head.

To prepare for your Rheumatology appointment:

1. Consider taking someone with you for support and to take notes (a lot of information is sometimes given) and if your brain fog is bad you will not retain much.

2. Make a written list of all your symptoms (it is easy to forget key points during the consult). I only get random swelling in my joints which is usually gone by the time you have routine follow-up appoints. I take photos of any swelling to show the rheumatologist or RA nurse. I am not typical with some of the RA symptoms, as RA tends to play more havoc with my tendons in fingers, wrist carpel tunnel, elbows, frozen shoulders, etc. I was highly positive for blood rheumatology factor and inflammation markers, so rheumatologist accepts I am an anomaly (I tell him, I like to keep him ‘on his toes’).

3. Take a written list of all your medications.

4. Wear loose clothing, as they will poke and prod all you joints from shoulders to your feet to and for fibro will press certain points on your body to do a physical assessment. Some clinics may send you for further tests, e.g, x-ray, ultrasound, so expect your appointment to last minimum of 1 hour to 1.5-2 hours.

Do let us know how you get on. Please keep posting, it sounds as if you need to be amoung people who know what you are going through.

[Weejenny in reply to Braecoon]

Thank you so much for all this advice I will definitely start writing down all my symptoms. My life completely changed at 49. Diagnosed with severe asthma, had a pacemaker fitted, menopause. Joint and muscle pain. Ibs, Brain fog and tiredness that is worrying, anxiety and depression. My doctor told me yesterday to start making time for myself. I had a surge of panic today thinking about doing things on my own and not being mam and wife, I wouldn’t know where to start now. I met my husband at 16 our life is pretty good most of the time. I’ve friends but we’re always so busy. I promise them I’ll be in touch but I’m pretty useless at making an effort. I’m hoping to hear from rheumatology soon I’ll let you know how I get on. Jen

[smilelines]

my inflammatory arthritis was giving me hot flashes. Especially at night. So that’s extra years of hot flashes. Seems to suggest a link of some kind. I was well over menopause when these hot flashes started up again. I have osteopenia and was told women get this because hormone levels drop. Yet when I asked my doctor about this he said they don’t prescribe low levels of estrogen because there is more risk than benefit. So it seems like we are supposed to be ok with bone density loss. Seems like we are supposed to be ok with hot flashes too. Glad they are finally not being considered as fine as it makes sense to me that hot flashes are hard on the body. The research hopefully will tell us how to avoid these hot flashes rather than the prognosis for a future of problems.

[Jakey2020]

Mine too started during menopause.. wondered what hit me!!

[Stills]

Interesting read thanks for sharing, I’m pretty sure I don’t have altzhimers, ( but can’t spell ) and do have bad short term memory and my joint pain became worse post menopause, coincidence or just age perhaps. Wishing you good days,