Hi Joyce,
Have you seen your doctor for this? Do you have any other medical symptoms?
I have also developed leg pain. Sometimes I worry about bone cancer, because it feels so deep in the bones........but I guess fractures are more of a sign of bone cancer than pain...??
I'm thinking mine are a type of muscle spasm. I take 1200mg calcium a day, and also try to take about 500mg of Magnesium. These 2 minerals are really important to our muscles. Try those, and see if the pains ease up. Actually, you can take as much magnesium as you want, but higher doses can cause diarrhea. I think alot of us get low in magnesium.
I'm like you..........it happens mostly when I'm laying down. I can't lay on my right side, because it makes my legs hurt so much. It seems to come and go through the month. I'll have to keep track, to see if it's cyclical. I agree with you that even though we don't have periods, there's still something inside us, cycling.
Sometimes, for me, gentle stretching excercises help. I stand beside a big chair (with my back to an arm), and rest one leg on the chair arm. I slowly lean backwards, until I can feel my thigh muscle stretching. I hold it for 20 seconds, relax and do it again. It really helps.
(I have something to hold onto while I'm doing these, so I don't fall over!). I hope this helps.

For years (actually, decades) that was my main PMS symptom. Not as severe as you're describing (although, severity is subjective. I have a high pain tolerance -- I feel it, but, I soldier through it), but, very, very sore -- almost like broken bones kind of aching -- deep, strong and relentless pain (like a migraine in my legs).

I'd definitley ask a doctor, but, I'd pursue the exercise and nutrition route, too, as mentioned by CatherineT

I had the pain in my legs for about 5 years. I toke advil everyday. The pain was in my bones and I felt like the muscels and ligaments in the back of my legs were to short. Then they stopped oneday. My legs hurt on days when i walk alot at school on concrete but nothing like the first 5 years.

I have pain in both legs at night. It radiates from my buttocks all the way down. It wakes me up almost every night. I was told this is one of the symptoms of fybromyalgia, along with other types of aches, which means no cure. Tylenol every nite for me.

I have been waking up, the last few months, with legs that feel like I've run a marathon. I don't feel the bone pain, just muscle fatigue... is this related? I've noticed that it appeared about the time my perimenopause started getting worse.

I don't know if this will be helpful or not, but after a life of getting very little exercise, I started working out on the treadmill diligently at about age 51, and shortly thereafter began getting miserable leg cramps in the middle of the night. They would wake me from a sound sleep, and the only way to get rid of them would be to walk around.

I learned that taking magnesium supplements made all the difference in the world.

Good luck to you!
Ellen

When I wake up during the night and in the morning my knuckles in my hands hurt soooooooo bad that I can't bend them. I have to slowly move them & stretch them before I can finally close them. I don't have the strength in them that I did before either. Plus recently my legs have started to act up. If I would jump out of bed I would fall flat on my face. Its like I have to stretch everything out & get it working again before I move. I haven't been taking any vitamins but am going to check into it the next time I am in the store.

This thread was first started a year ago. I am VERY interested in hearing from any of you ladies who posted earlier. What has been the outcome of your leg pains? I am menopausal, and the last few weeks have had pain in my right leg that feels like it might be coming from the bones, but it also might be coming from the muscles or nerves. Hard to say. Walking does not make it worse. It is worse when I lie on my right side at night. It also seems worse when my estrogen dose comes due every 12 hours. Of course, I am worried about cancer like everyone else, but I don't want to expose myself to more X-rays if it is just a menopausal thing.

I can take very little magnesium without getting diarrhea. By the way, all those who take Advil or Tylenol every day, that is dangerous to your kidneys!

I do not have leg pain, but have had pain in my arms for weeks now. Just from the shoulders down a few inches. It really hurts when I sleep on them. Anyone else have this?

Well, I'm ghaving terrible burning in my legs and knees, hands etc... I think my mind is going. I really do. Pain also, but it eases when I walk. Is this related to menapause? I take tons of fish oil and magnesium. Sorry for the spelling. :) Arum

I too get terrible pains in my bones.It seems to be my hips & my shoulders that get me.It's worst in bed or when I'm sitting down,although I'm aware of the pain most of the time.I'm a 49 year old fitness instructor but don't feel my pains are exercise related.It's not muscle or joint pain but one that emanates from deep in my bones.I'm putting it down to pre menopausal stuff as my periods are all over the place - very irregular,very heavy etc.I don't get hot flushes,I take a variety of supplements & wonder if anyone has any experience of ACTIVIVE as the blurb sounds encouraging & I'm also wondering if I might have Fybromyalgia.Unfortunately our local doctor is not the most clued up on these matters.
Any input would be gratefully received

Hi youngkimmie,
I was thinking fibromyalgia too, before I got to the end of your post. I have fibromyalgia, which started after I had a very bad bout with the flu and pneumonia. But that was just a couple years before I started having irregular periods in perimenopause. As I talked more and more with women with fibromyalgia, I was amazed at how many were just beginning perimenopause! So I believe some of us have a major problem with the loss of hormones.
I was on HRT for awhile, but the fibromyalgia symptoms continued. So I don't think that is the answer.
My fibromyalgia started with intense hip and shoulder pain. I had to sleep on the couch for several years when it started, otherwise I could never get out of the bed.
Some of my worst fibromyalgia symptoms have eased up, now that I'm in menopause, but I'm still pretty stiff alot, and have other funky symptoms.
Alot of people seem to be helped by antidepressants. Not because they are depressed, but because the antidepressants seem to help with their pain and their sleep problems.
Lots of women in perimenopause start having sleep problems, and being sleep deprived can cause alot of muscle aches and pains.
I've found that gentle stretching exercises help, and cutting back on sugar and carbs and caffeine. Good luck to you!

I am smack in the middle of menopause. About 3 periods a year for the last 2 years. For about 3 years now I have been having pain in my hips mostly, but also one shoulder (NOT the joint--but more the upper arm--muscle? tendon? ligament?) and occasionally a bit in the back. First I thought overweight together with the big 5-0, was just catching up to me. Then I thought my BP medication (Hyzaar) might be the culprit, at I had to start taking that at about time the body aches started. So I got a BP monitor and found I could reduce the med by half. About this same time my body felt a whole lot better, so I thought AHA!! Well, about 2 weeks of feeling better and I got a period. After that, the body pain came back with a vengeance. Finally, this old girl put 2+2 together. The pain is from menopause. I assume the lack of estrogen. Then when my system gets a shot of estrogen again I feel so much better, briefly.

I do not want to take HRT. I am beginning my quest for supplements (I am starting with soy isoflavones and black cohosh) to help me with this.

Funny...I have no menopause mood swings and only VERY SLIGHT hot flashes. But oh, the pain in my hips some nights could make me weep. I take aspirin or ibuprofen about 4 nights a week and that helps for half the night. I will not get up and take something at 2AM and add stomach ulcer to everything else, nor will I EAT something to take a pill with. I'm already overweight! Aleve or tylenol don't seem to give me much relief.

I'm gonna keep watching here for more helpful suggestions. I have too many years left to feel this crippled! Does it go on forever??

Joyce,
I just spoke to my nutritionist about this very thing. She told me my body nedds more magnesium.

Thank you for all the information everyone has given. I am suffering terribly from leg pain as well and am trying some of the suggestions. My younger sister has gone thru menopause and had the shoulder and leg pains and has assured me that they will subside!!! I hope so, soon!! I am tired of walking around like a little old lady @ 47 years old. Nightly trips to the bathroom are the worst for me. I feel like I am going to snap a bone or something. I'm trying the magnesium so we'll see if that works. Thanks again for the help!!

Unfortunately, after waiting what seemed like forever for some relief, I went to the Dr. and found that I have a medial meniscus tear in my knee. I am having surgery this Thursday to help relieve the pain. So much for an easy answer!!!

A couple of you have mentioned arm pain. I just turned 50 and have no signs of menopause yet--periods still regular, no hot flashes. I have had some whopper migraines, which is unusual. But the thing I'm most concerned about is a relatively sudden onset of upper arm pain. I am slender and very active. I work out daily: spinning and pilates, and I've done these for years with no muscle or other pain. Over the last six months I've developed this arm pain which, as others have posted above, doesn't seem to be the joint or rotator cuff (although it could be related) and is not due, I'm sure, to a tear or injury. It is in both arms and is a "deep" muscle-type ache and pain when I lift my arms or stretch them behind me (like taking something out of a back pocket). I would like to know more about whether or not this is related to menopause (and why). I do take daily vitamins, incl. D and magnesium.

I'm wondering if anyone has had a similar experience as I have:

The last few nights (not during the day) I have had a strange pain in one of my shins. It feels like it is in the bone, but it's hard to tell, and doesn't last for very long. As both my parents have had cancer (kidney and thyroid), I'm a bit overcautious, but I'm rather worried about this pain. I noticed many of you discussed bone pain related to menopause, but I'm only in my 20's; however, I did start my period today. Does anyone have any input before I run off to a doctor...?

im only 19 but since a very young age i suffer from leg pains it feels as if its in the bone itself. the doctor just kept saying its growing pains. i can get anytime but mostly at night it only goes away if i drink a pain pill and if i dont it gets
worst and the pain moves to my back. any advice please

Hi Ladies,
I found this site while looking up the medical term
for the shoulder, arm & sometimes leg pain I had for almost 2 years. I am 51 1/2. I have been taking natural sources of calcium/magnesium for years, as well as C, B-complex, minerals...my periods were like clockwork for years and suddenly ceased. I've always stayed active, but one Spring morning in 2009 I woke up and had a frozen left shoulder and bone pain, reduced mobility in my shoulder and for the next several months I used a topical homeopathic cream called Topricin and that seemed to help. Then the pain shifted to my right shoulder and sometimes in bed, my legs would ache, too.
I started taking cimicifuga racemosa 30c internally, a homeopathic remedy, 6 months ago. I am symptom free after 2 years!
Homeopathy works, has no side effects! Find a good practitioner in your area. It's worth it!

i am 45 years old and i am getting my periods every 6 months since the last 2 years. the pain in my legs have started about a year back and at times they are so much that i want to cry out. i am known to have a high pain thresh hold. my heels also ache when i put weight on them after some period of inactivity. i have been a very active person through out and this disability is causing a lot of discouragement. incidently i have been diagnosed with hypo thriod some times back. is there a link between my pains and thyroid? i am so glad to meet others on this thread.

Hi, I am 41 years old and have been in a lot of pain in my thighs..i used to go to the gym, and enjoyed walking, but it has all come to a stop!! I am in my feeling alone, my local doctor has no idea? found this site..read all the mess...great support!!!!!

Was THRILLED to find this site!! I am 54 (a young 54 by the way.. :o) :o) I thought my recent leg pains were from low potassium due to my high blood pressure medication. (hydrochlorothiazide - water pill). Research showed that was a possible side effect. Ok, problem solved. WRONG!! Blood test showed my potassium was just fine, so now what! Never heard from ANYONE about PAINFUL legs, due to menopause. Not that it surprises me, cuz it seems that just about anything goes when it comes to the depleting of our womanly estrogen. waaaa! What DOES perplex me...if menopause is suppose to be a natural body process, part of aging, why our body does not naturally adjust to it?????? Ahhhh, such is life. In any event, I'll be keeping the bottle of Aleve, (which works fantastic by the way, if you've never tried it), and the much needed fan as of late, (DAM HOT FLASHES), in arms length and continuing on!! Thanks for all the insight. Best to you all!

I have fibro, degen disc, stenosis in lumbar but this leg pain isn't sciatica. The doc thought I had a stroke because my leg was gimp. Now it isn't gimp but excruciating bone pain. I also have spina bifida and other icks. This is new though. Interesting about putting it together with menopause here! It tingles too. My CT came back fine and my Carotid ultrasound did too, cept for incidentally seen thyroid nodules. I see a DO at UCDavis now and am scheduled for a thyroid ultrasound....next week, but no follow up til Oct with my DO there. It was suspected that I had Metastatic and Multiple Myeloma, 6 years ago but and had a full body bone scan. My primary said "as far as I can tell, you don't have either". I asked what that meant. He said he had to cover his ass. I am thankful to have been scheduled for at the DO instead of the Endocrinologist I wanted (I believe the DO can get me there...she is good!) because I want a full Endo panel. My primary wouldn't give me one! He also is supposedly "working on" scheduling me for the Neurologist there. But his appt maker keeps dropping the ball (point pen) and makes appt on top of appts for the same thing at different places. Talk about stress. We have to eliminate stress from our life to feel better. And darn that menopause, I am supposed to be done but I was ridin' that ol cloth pony this Valentines Day. Enough!!! :) Try to stay positive and watch old gigs you went to on youtube or your fav songs....or Jimmy Kimmel on hulu at your convenience for your laugh endorphins. Laugh a lot and also meditate!!! Good healing meditations is what I listen to!

I'm a little relieved from what I have been reading, I'm 50, and thought l had some terrible lower leg/bone disease or something. For 2 years or so terrible aching and stiffness in the lower legs you cant keep still when it's doing it have to move around to ease the pain, drives me mad, and toss & turn most of the night. I think curtain food has a lot to do with this as well, l find if l have something sweet [ hot chocolate with one sugar works for me] the pain eases within 20 minutes. enough to forget about it for a while, Mine never seems to go away completely though. l will get some of those magnesium sups to try. Chin up girls we have so much to put up with being woman but that sweet treat will put a smile back on your faces. GOOD LUCK...

EllenP123 ,

I have been mulling over what to post since I read the above last week. I am sure you did not intend it to be humerus but I laughed reading that you" went to bed 49 and woke up 100".
I have been struggling with horrific leg pain for over two years. I daily think holy moly how in the world do people with chronic pain function.Although I have been dealing with my leg pain for months I am not going to categorized it as chronic.
My first reaction to my leg pain was to see an ortho specialist who dx the leg pain as stress fractures since I had carried over 900 pieces of granite over a two week period. Yup I counted them. The M.D. gave me a few packets of celebrex that was given to him by the pharmaceutical sales rep. I told the Doctor I am allergic to Aleeve. Alleeve makes me swell and I gained five pounds after three doses. I was smart and had removed my wedding band . It took a good week to reduce the swelling since Alleve has a long half life. Those who are allergic to aleeve are recommended not to take celebrex. I questioned the Medical Doctor who assured me I was misinformed. I took one dose on the way home since the leg pain was horrific. Within two hours I was a mess. It felt as someone was squeezing my heart. I did not need to be hospitalized but monitored . I no longer take Motrin since this is a sister NSAID of celebrex and Aleeve.
My point is there are some majorly hubris doctors out there who screw up at your expense.
I have had a few nights where I cry cause the leg pain is horrible. No position soothes the ache . I have tried rest, aspirin, warm soaks, ice packs, massage therapy,accupuncture and a dose of darvocet .
I came across a book a few years ago about how the body is aligned in two parts. While attempting to find a position to relieve the pain I massaged my toes, foot pad, achilles tendon, tibia ,fibula, knee,thigh, hip ,butt and lower back with a tennis ball. What I figured out is that the pain is in my knee area but when I massage the upper thigh and achilles the pain goes away.
A few years a go I had tennis elbow from shoveling the driveway for five hours. When I massaged the shoulder blade and my pectoral muscle the elbow pain disappeared.
Pain is not simple . One must identify the source.
For me the pain is due to overused muscles and menopause. I am tiny but can llft 60 pounds with ease. If you gave me 62 lbs I balk.

I think for some the pain we are experiencing is the lose of estrogen so our tendons get brittle. I too went to bed feeling great and awoke with the crippling pain.

What i found that works is to take care of yourself.
Take breaks when doing your chores.
Swim.
Stay active.
Place down pillows under your hip and knees at night.
Take calcium with magnesium DAILY
eat bananas three times a week. The potassium helps with any cramps

MAssage your legs from toes to butt with a rolling pin or tennis ball.
Make sure you stretch the ham strings( the rear thigh leg muscles).
So after two years of several medical visits, accupuncture treatments and masseuse visits for me I figured out what works for me.

Some who go into menopause never experience leg pain whereas others are crippled.
I was 45 when the periods stopped. My male ob gyn said this was impossible. Sorry but not everyone is a text book case.
I have had some wonderful male physicians but at this point in my life I need someone who is informed on a women's life cycle.
THe key is to enjoy life. Drink the coffee if it makes you feel good. You will need to experiment with your diet , and supplements. I found that black cohosh did squat.
Eating the bananas and religiously taking my calcium with Mg helps.
You are not alone.
Pilates helped too!!!!!!
My mind is racing since I need to get my chores done.
A sip of wine at night helps some. For me a little rhum took the pain down a notch. My best solution is the stretcthing and staying active. I am still in pain at times but I can manage it.

As a child in NZ I had terrible lower leg pains that were diagnosed as growing pains and also Raynauds disorder. I had no treatment except for twice weekly 'cold injections' in winter as I was also prone to sore throats etc as a hereditary problem. I never did find out what was in those shots. As I got older I found that long hot baths before sleeping help heaps. I'd also take magnesium before sleeping after lots of exercise to relax muscles. Recent research shows that calcium supplements are pretty useless, but I do believe that if I could stop my coffees it may help!

My father was diagnosed with Pagets Disease in his 50s and eventually a lower leg was amputated.

I'm 62 and have progressively deep bone type lower leg aches in one leg and now in the other. They now occur in summer too. I'm a teacher, but have a lot of physical work on the weekend gardening and processing a crop. The doctor tested me negative for Pagets, my bone density tests are low but not severe, I do have to monitor my cholesterol because although I dislike meat and fat I love cheese. I drink calcitrim milk and eat lots of nuts. I have some cellulite on my upper legs which I thought may be related to my weight as I'm NZ 14, US 10. I'm tall and have very small feet. However, my mother was tiny and had cellulite but no achy legs. In India I found that the Ayurveda massage made me feel a lot better as although painful in some places the overall opening passageway stimulation helped.

Your story couldn't be closer to what I have been experiencing for the past 2 years. I don't have health insurance so I can't go to the doctor and experiment with tests and meds to figure it out. When I originally told my doctor he ordered a complete blood screen. When the results came back his response was, "well you don't have anything wrong with you. You are actually healthier than you should be. " what is that supposed to mean? He said if I looked at your results and numbers without knowing who they belonged to I would presume I was seeing the chart of a woman in her late 20s or early 30s. At that time I was 40. With my family's genes, the fact that I smoke, I don't drink milk or water, and I deal with a stressful lifestyle and inadequate amounts of sleep on a daily basis, I expected your numbers and levels to be all over the place and have to start you on BP meds. You should really be ecstatic! Not that wasn't all great to hear but I felt horrible like a cripple. I had always had my periods like clockwork until I turned 40 and they stopped abruptly. I have had my rubes tied for 16 years so I knew pregnancy was not the culprit. I felt like I was far too young to be menopausal. The doctor said it most likely is perimenopausal or the onset of it. Now 3 and a half years later it continues with no suffice or answers of any kind. I am so disappointed with my doctor I won't go back to discuss this continuing problem any longer and due to the pain and other issues it has caused I can guarantee my blood work is no longer amazing or even alright. I now have a severe sleeping disorder that no doctor has heard of or knows what to do about it, I have gained 75 pounds, my BP has gone from the low side of normalcy to the high side, I now am depressed, experience migraines on a daily basis, my dental health is almost null waiting to hear I need dentures, my vision has declined rapidly as well. I can't think of one aspect of my body or life that works properly. My declining health leads to mental and behavior health issues and is paying it's toll on my relationship and family. The only temporary relief I can occasionally find cause side effects that concern my doctor and family but it is a risk I am willing to test. If I allowed my doctor to take me off the few meds that marginally help life would simply not worth living. I currently can't find any happiness in life I can't fathom giving up the iota of relief that I do have. I can say for certain that the hip and thigh bone pain is 100 percent related to the onset of my period the 3 or 4 times I have them a year. Strange being that when my period was regular I had stereotypical PMS stomach crampsevery month from the time I was 16. Never at any point did I experience this type of pain or feeling. Likewise I have never again suffered from stomach cramps since this developed. It is hard to even try to discuss my current symptomatic problems with anyone because they feel that my current health state is causing my issues and suggest that my lifestyle choices have caused my own demise. They can't begin to believe that my complaints caused my current health issues. It is kind of like what came first the chicken or the egg. I know which one came first but I can see on everyone's face how leary they are to believe me rather than thinking I am making an excuse in an attempt to pass the blame. I am incredibly devistated!!! Can't believe this is what path my life has traveled down and what I have to look forward to in my glum future .

Thanks everyone for sharing their bone/muscle ache and painS. Helps so much. I seem to relate to most of the posts on here though at the moment. A year and 3/4 without my monthly and symptoms seem to be having a life of their own. The lower back sacro areas ,thighs plus a bit of feels like my middle of spine is stinging and sore it's horrible. I thought I had a high pain threshold but these thigh pains some nights uuugh!! I think our natural pain suppressant hormones diminish too (I think) so is this what is causing all our pains we are noticing aware of everything more is it prostaglandin. I suppose it doesn't matter really it's trying to find some way of limiting the pain isn't it. My health anxiety droves me to the brink also... Many thanks for sharing ladies

To the woman with the pain in her upper arm. That condition is quite common in men and women. I did that injury dragging a heavy vacuum cleaner behind me . I have an excellent osteopath. She was unable to get rid of the terrible shooting pain that I experienced when I lifted my arm. She suggested getting a specialist to inject guided cortisone halfway up on my upper arm. He got the spot accurately doing this. Screen guided cortisone is important for accuracy. My strength came back after a while, but I have to not overdo pulling vacuum cleaners etc behind me. After 10 years the lifting arm pain is reoccuring and I may have to do cortisone again I think.

Also, like an earlier writer, I also have terrible teeth problems. Perhaps aches and pains are worse for some as we are mineral deficient, especially selenium, magnesium and calcium. My children don't have my issues, and all had fluoride as children. Strong perfect bones and teeth! They're in their 30s now. At that age I'd had achy legs and bad teeth for years!

Mind you, I know that although I've a fairly good diet, I drink too much coffee. Depletes minerals!

I have been having awful pains in my thigh bones for the last three months but recently gettin a lot worse ..only way I can describe the pain is by sayin I feel as tho someone is injecting my bones with freezing cold liquid ..even at home wen in the heat my thigh bones feel as tho they r freezing .its very sore an uncomfortable an even walkin upstairs hurts .has anyone any idea wat this could be ? I'm 46 but on my last blood test 6 mths ago I hadn't entered the change yet

I get the same pain I'm both my legs. It's not very often but its usually when I'm laying down. It hurts so bad that I have to bite my tongue to stop from crying. It feels like my bone is shifting in my lower leg. The scary thing is I'm only thirteen. Is this normal for someone like me?

I feel for you. I commented last year how I had aching leg pains since I was five or six. I should have had hot baths every night in winter when it was cold, to warm me up. I also should have had extra minerals especially magnesium at night. But my mother would rub Vicks Vaporub on my lower legs to alleviate the pain so I could sleep. She would also give me a hit water bottle to lean against my leg. The doctor diagnosed me as having Raynauds disorder but I was unsure whether this was the cause of the aching. Usually, I seem to be able to control the night aches at 62 by doing the above. My general health is pretty good and I'm very physically active at my job and at home..

I think that you should get some blood tests at the doctor just to ensure that there is nothing major. Hopefully it's just that you are growing a lot and need more minerals. They are a bit expensive but are so important. Take care with your food and eat fresh rather than processed to get your minerals naturally. Good luck.

I should add added that some countries like NZ lack selenium in their soil. The deer on our property have deformed legs if they are not given extra selenium. This may have been an issue with me when I was a child as my mother never gave us extra minerals. I believe that we were mineral deficient as our poor bones and teeth displayed.