Hello everyone,
This is my first post so a bit nervous sending this!
I was recently diagnosed with RA back in Dec 23 and I am also going through the beginnings of menopause. I was wondering if anyone out there has/or is going through the same thing and has any tips at how you can identify RA symptoms to menopause symptoms, such as tiredness, lack of energy, random pains etc
Thanks!
sense of humour and if living with someone pre warn them that you might get unexpected mood swings from tears to rage over the silliest thing. I started menopause then went into RA and hubby described me as a whirlwind of hell and calm. We got thro it but I tried everything I could and I am sure many on here will have some tips!
My brain fog so bad can’t remember what I took . Good luck with it all and stay sane as much as you can .
Yes! HRT has been my saviour. Solved all menopause problems so what’s left is RA and OA.
Hi, I am sure perimenopause kicked off both inflammatory arthritis and fibromyalgia for me. It all happened at the same time and they were a lot of crossover symptoms. HRT has helped a huge amount. It took me 18 months to get the right regime for me, and most of my worse symptoms were badly affected mental health. But got there and have been pretty stable on the hormone front for months now. ( in fact I thought my worsening joint pain was due to lack of oestrogen ... How wrong was I?!)
So for me, once HRT was stable I knew something else was still giving me bad symptoms, the joint pain, chronic fatigue,brain fog was still high.
So, separating symptoms into a known ' cause ' didn't really work for me. They could be from any condition. By going into a good regime of HRT eliminated that as a symptom cause.
Diagnosed as seronegative inflammatory arthritis has led me to DMARDS, but I will still be left with separate fibromyalgia symptoms which I am starting to try to help.
If I were you, taking advise from medical professionals, I would try to get one condition sorted first. Then ( as I tried ) you sort of know ' what you are left with' and can work on best ways to help that. But your medical help is essential to ensure you are on the best treatments.
And hello too ! Please don't be nervous. Ask away
HRT all the way . I suffered for years thinking it’s was RA had night sweats every night I was a mess . Mood swings were bad again blamed RA . I had to fight for HRT. Gp refused even though rheumatologist said the added pain and discomfort from the menopause on top of RA and fibro was a factor in my wellbeing. Oh my private appointment was amazing and so enlightening. She wrote a fantastic shitty letter to my Gp. I’m now on HRT and doing so well . My night sweats have gone and it has tempered some of my symptoms. If it doesn’t suit you can always stop
Youve had an almost identical experience to me! I'm so cross that so many of us have to fight to get HRT from our GPs... For those of us who experienced the onset of RA around the time of reaching peri/menopause it makes sense to work on getting the hormones stable, to see if it also improves some of the joint pain. It felt like adding insult to injury to me, being forced to endure extreme menopausal symptoms for 2-3 years on top of new and worsening RA issues. I'm still getting resistance from the GP because she's irritated that I went privately to start me off on HRT, but I'm sticking to my guns!
Good for you . I suffered for 10 years even lost my hair . Nice guidelines state we have a right to these drugs .
Absolutely! When asked why I was now coming back to the NHS, I said because I'm entitled to free healthcare and I only went private because I had no other option! I also lost lots of my hair by the way... It's now so thick, I've had to abandon the hair clips I used for years, and now I have a big scrunchie 😆
for me having RA for 15 years and then becoming peri menopausla last year worsened my sypmtons of RA even though my rhuemy said they are not linked. Everything got worse last year and they both co incided so dont tell me they are not linked. i am on a new injection now, just had a steriod but not taking HRT
I am a big fan of hrt! Sorted my many menopausal symptoms of 6 years (gp - you're too young for menopause. I was I'm my early 40s!) I was only on it for 9 months (not important why) so temporary relief, but it was the best I'd felt for years - I was back 😁And yes I think it would help to at least dampen some of the crossover symptoms like heat, sleep, brain fog. Your gp practice might have someone with an interest in women's health?
I'm newly diagnosed, so can't offer much wisdom on the RA side of things.
Fingers crossed for you x
Me too, been on it now for 12 years and could not do without it 🙂
they won’t prescribe hrt for me because of family history. I’m also in my early 40s and have was told I was in perimenopause at 36.
I hope that when my RA is in better control then the other symptoms won’t feel as bad. I find steroids are making hot flushes much worse.
I was on a concoction of herbal remedies to help. But was advised by the physiotherapist to stop what I started the biologics. But I feel like I will start a new set of herbal remedies now to help me as I have been on them for 6 weeks and whilst they are not working as well as I would hope yet, I feel I need to get better sooner as it’s been a hard 3 months
Not sure that really helps sorry!
I don’t know your family history but I too was refused HRT . I saw a colleague of Dr Louise newson privately and was told I could and my Gp was wrong . There are new HRT on the market that you can’t get on the nhs at the moment. If you have the money maybe an appointment with a menopause specialist can tell you if you can or can not get help . Good luck
Thank you!
Unfortunately I can’t afford private appointments at the moment. I’ve recently lost my job because of RA and am a single mum. So it’s tight at the best of times. I’ve splashed out on some happy mammoth in the hope that will help 🤞🏻
I don’t know if it will help you at all but my best friend has the worst kind of MS and a major heart condition which could kill her at any time. She was refused HRT but she saw a menopause specialist at the hospital and was told she could have HRT and her GP was wrong she’s been made to suffer for two years but she’s loads better now on HRT. If you can ask for a menopause specialist referral on the NHS if they say no then it’s no but worth a try. Not sure what the waiting list is but if you don’t ask you don’t get. She totally refuses to pay for private care which is her right so I know she didn’t pay extra for the consultation.
I had to have major surgery when I was 35 with a hysterectomy at the same time. Once my ovaries which were left in packed up that’s when I developed RA. Coincidence ? I think not. I went to see my GP as hot sweats and mood swings were awful and they said it wasn’t menopause but I made them give me a blood test to humour me, guess who was right lol anyway I started on HRT and have been on it ever since wouldn’t be without it as it does help my RA. Whatever you decide good luck and hope you don’t have to fight your docs for treatment if you want HRT.
Snap !! I had a hysterectomy and left my overies at 36 then in my early 40s RA symptoms but I was told no then diagnosed at 47 with sero-negative RA now changed to S- negative inflammatory arthritis. Coincidence??
There is a definite link if you ask me. Some women’s RA starts after childbirth or at puberty major hormonal link although I know it’s not the only reason. I am the only one in my family to have RA so I guess for me some of it may be the trauma of having bowel cancer and a rare one at that at the age of 34.
I’m afraid I haven’t yet worked out a way to separate what symptoms are caused by RA and what are down to menopause, but I can tell you that since I have been on HRT I have noticed that my fatigue has definitely improved (still not back to normal but I wasn’t expecting that because of my RA) and I have noticed that my RA flares seem to be less frequent and less severe when they do happen.
I found this too
Hey Lester23. I developed RA when i was 21. (53 now). I think i was about 47 when i was officially menopausal. For yrs i just put up with the mood swings etc. Then only a month ago i begged my gp for HRT. I thought i’d ‘bullied’ my partner enough! I’ve been ‘patched up’ since then. My awful hot flushes have gone down alot. Not QUITE as many mood swings. Although i can still cry at the drop of a hat. Still get alot of fatigue. But i’m afraid, that’s the RA. As long as u can take regular cat naps. It’s manageable.
I actually live alone. (Apart from my flat mate Sidney. (My Syrian hamster!) There’s nothing like having your own space when you’re all over the place emotionally. When i’m feeling more ‘balanced’. I go to my partner’s place. Or he comes to mine. I’m lucky that he’s very patient & understanding. We’ve only been together 2 yrs. He lost his wife of 30yrs to the evil c word 3 yrs ago. We both say we appreciate being with someone more at our age. (He’s 57). All i can say is. The patch works for me. (I put medical tape over it, as they tend to come off). Be kind to yourself. Don’t blame yourself for your mood swings. But maybe stay away from plates. Incase you’re tempted to vent your spleen at your partner’s head!!! Give yourself regular treats & know all this ‘stuff’ is normal. Good luck. X
As a calm, quiet person, I was surprised at getting moments of severe rage with peri in mid 40s, thankfully not too often! I also had heart palps and saw GP who failed to mention peri, it also caused insomnia. Wish I'd started HRT sooner but nobody said I could have it when peri. Now I'm menopaused, hurray! HRT has been brilliant. Then developed RA not hurray. But there you go, sorry that probably doesn't help you much...
Hi and thank you so much to everyone who has commented. To be honest I am blown away with the feedback and hearing everyone's own personal journey, it has made me feel less afraid and almost relieved that I am not the only one feeling like this. An update for today, I have made an appointment with my GP to discuss me starting on HRT. Fingers crossed all goes well. Once again, I really appreciate everyone's comments, it means such a lot xx
No worries! I should also mention I split up with my partner, that made me feel a lot better, but I don't think that is offered by the NHS...
And I forgot to mention the inconvenient night sweats. Need 2 sets of nightwear to hand...
Can't wait! The things we have to go through 😁
I have to add my tuppence worth here and agree with what people are saying, my joints started to get sore with perimenopause, then worse with menopause, got sooo much better with HRT. Rhumatologist said oestrogen is a natural anti inflammatory so should stay on HRT for as long as I can as it appears to be helping my RA. Wishing you all the best x
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