10 years post menopause, I experienced extremely tender breasts, lumpy like pre-menstrual, but worse. I had a similar milder episode which resolved on its own late last summer. This time I tried with bra, without bra, then bought a bigger bra, my boobs were seriously inflating! I put up with it for 3 days, not quite getting comfy at night for boobs getting stuck under arms! Then, concluding that this was hormonal, I removed my HRT patch, and things began to settle. Then 3 days later, break through bleeding which continues.
I’ve been to see the doc this morning. She doesn’t think this is connected with me trying 5mg (from 6, just dipping down to 5 once a weekish) I had a theory that my endocrine system might be trying to restabilise now my adrenals are hopefully contributing. The latest drop to 5mg for a day was bad, 2 days later my thighs started and standing was painful. I’ve given myself a couple of days break on 7, now back to 6. Boobs back to virtually normal.
Then there was the ‘Escalator Incident’. With my sore thighs I’d gone to a supermarket that I don’t usually use (every little helps). This was to purchase the new bigger bra. Their ‘up’ travelator wasn’t working, so I heaved myself up, had to rest half way, then nearly at the top the travelator restarted...BACKWARDS!!! I did my best but was fighting a losing battle. Then stop. Then start forwards. Then reverse. Imagine a cartoon! So eventually I got to the top, came straight down the down travelator (working) and pounced on the chap that had restarted it. I advised him that I was sure that under H&S rules that you were not supposed to restart a travelator whilst people were on it! Let alone send it into reverse. He was lucky an elderly person hadn’t toppled over. And through gritted teeth: Don’t do it again! He was extremely apologetic and said it was his first day! I decided to let it drop there, had he been unapologetic I’d have been off to the manager (lit blue touch paper, stand well back!) Safely back in the car, even I could see the funny side, as hubby sniggered and asked if the employee was still alive! The bra was consequently purchased elsewhere.
So, anyone else experienced sore boobs, hormonal disruption when reducing pred?
And yes you may laugh at me cartooning my way up and down the travelator.
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Soraya_PMR
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How interesting. At higher doses than you are on, I did find it extremely difficult to find a bra that didn’t dig in and hurt. I did seem to expand in the evenings. I settled on lace bralets wth no wire or fastenings.
I wonder what an Endocrinologist would make of this. Hormones are not deeply understood and their interactions. To me struggling Adrenals would interact with Oestrogen and Progesterone , it seems like common sense. Perhaps a referral would be in order?
Since PMS days, not to mention Menopause and then thyroid disorder, I have always felt that good hormonal balance was the key to our wellbeing.
Ps Sorry you had an “almost” accident. I applaud your great charity to the silly boy.
Thanks Jane. Glad it’s not only me that thinks one hormone may have a knock-on effect to another.
The doc (lady, not my usual one) was very nice. I’m to stay off the HRT for 4 weeks, then go back to see her and report how things are settling or if side-effects of menopause are back. She did a proper p.v. exam. Depending on how things go over the next few weeks I may get sent for a scan or two. But I seriously think it’s hormonal rather than infection or something nasty. Also I’m not keen to stop HRT as it is somewhat protective of osteoporosis. The bones of me are coping well, I’d like to keep it that way. Had a nasty fall last September, down a few stairs, and seriously buggered my ankle, BUT it didn’t fracture!
Yeah, those scares happen periodically. I continued, and waited to see the outcome. I’m on the lowest dose patches you can get I think....maybe a higher dose is required to become a thrusting woman?
I’m generally more placid these days....until someone lights my blue touch paper. Lowered energy levels mean I pick my battles now. My noisy rants are fairly safe, but apparently when I become silent and still I'm dangerous according to hubby Haha!
Yes, I was on HRT for years until there was one scare too many - one that has now been dismissed again! Within 6 months of stopping, PMR came along to play. Regrets ...
It is interesting that you say this. My PMR symptoms seem to start after I came off a course of HRT that I had been on for 7 months. It makes me wonder whether one of PMR's triggers could be a hormaonal imbalance of some type. Men can have hormonal imbalances too though not as many men so that doesn't rule it out as a possible cause in my eyes.
Apparently in Japan, women in peri menopause don’t suffer hot flushes (soy diet?) instead have something called ‘fifties shoulder’, likened to a frozen shoulder. Have seen lots of comments about people being diagnosed with ‘frozen shoulder’.....and then being rediagnosed as PMR or GCA.
It would also explain the 80:20 ratio of women to men?
I had a frozen right shoulder more than 20 years ago, just after my rather early and comparatively easy menopause. It was terrible and I've always dreaded that it might come back. I've often wondered if there was some kind of connection between that and my GCA/PMR.
The adrenal glands do have an effect on the production of hormones that could be involved - and once the feedback set-up starts to readjust as the pred dose gets down the that level it doesn't necessarily work smoothly and the hormones involved may well swing up and down. So that IS a possibility even if the GP wasn't convinced. Is she referring you for appropriate checks?
Hum - if it was his first day - why was he working alone????????????
Thanks PMRpro. Good to hear you confirm my thoughts. Which I shall take as a positive, that my hormones ARE trying to get back to some sort of normality, at least they’re trying if not quite succeeding! I like a trier 😉
She had a good look p.v., I’m to stay off HRT for 4 weeks, then go back to report. Possible scans if things don’t settle.
Oh and he had another security guard ‘with’ him, close but not close enough. He was a bit off-hand, now I’d have reported him to the manager without a doubt if he’d been the culprit.
Well, Pred does muck about with the androgens, the male one, hence the facial hair problem and acne on Pred. Could well be a sensitivity to the HRT hormones but I’m no expert. You might want to ask for bioidentical HRT perhaps. If it occurs without HRT it might be worth asking to have your prolactin levels checked. This can cause breast problems if it’s too high.
I worked for London Underground for years, including the training for staff on stations with escalators. The first rule, if an escalator needs to be tested or adjusted in any way, is that no person must be on it and it should be cordoned off top and bottom so nobody is tempted to step on it. That boy hadn't been trained properly and you have a valid complaint against the store management that allowed it to happen, rather than the chap himself. Escalator accidents can be appalling.
If they sent a youngster without proper training or experience, I do think a stern word would be in order. In actual fact shop escalators are like toys compared to those in Tube stations, but even so, it was definitely dangerous.
I’ve phoned and spoken to the duty officer. Not complaining, but an accident waiting to happen. It appears Tesco employed staff and security guards are not the same. DM accepts there’s a training issue, and thanked me for taking my time to report it. Over to him now, my good deed of the day is done....I can relax until tomorrow 😉
I did find that like my face my boobs swelled like the rest of my body. ,as the steroids do seem to cause weight gain.The escalator incident was very dangerous,whatever happened to health and safety in that shop !Pleased you managed to stay safe x
I’ve quite enjoyed the bigger boobs 😁 they came with bum and belly that I’ve not had before (I’m a string bean! It’s in my genes).
I did NOT like the crazy hormonal thing I just experienced, ‘twas getting close to a mastitis feeling, that I experienced whilst feeding baby number one. My GP at that time told me off for NOT calling him out at the weekend. How times have changed, home visits? What are they?
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So chaps here I am needing advice again!
Bit of a hiccup!
Travel with Tocilizumab
Travelling and tapering.
sorry to be a nuisance 
