Deb,
I can't thank you enough for this post. And yes, I want to help and participate. And I agree, women need to help other women, cause the doctors stink at this.
You and I must be twins!!
Here's my story and my present quest, I hope this helps.
I fell apart in 1999 during perimeno, I was 42 1/2. Tried everything I could think of from birth control pills to bioidentical hormones. Side effects were simply horrible, So I white knuckled it back to my home grown hormones.
Fast forward to 2008. Periods had been slowing down, coming in further and further apart. Last menus was June 2008. By that fall, I was in GPs office complaining about severe low back pain, sciatica, frozen shoulder and wrist pain. Did MRI in January 2009, hoping for some answers. Best that could be offered, was oesto arthritis. Told to take ibuprofen. This quickly went into chronic muscle and ligament pain, wide spread throughout my body. It was so bad, I couldn't spoon with my husband for 10 minutes, my hips hurt too bad. I went to every specialist, alternative therapy, chiropractor, physical therapy, or medical specialist available. Problem is, I don't fit into any of their boxes. I also, do not have any inflammatory markers.
Fast forward again, to August 2014. I was given vaginal Estrace for vaginal atrophy and dryness. Could not take the 1 g prescribed without getting severe head rushes. Used less, about 1/2 g, as I wanted to restore moisture.
Some lovely side effects, my nails and hair grew and were wonderful. The nodules on the sides of my fingers went away, unbelievable! Slept much better. And here's the BEST part..........ALL MUSCLE AND LIGAMENT PAIN VANISHED.
Now hold on, because there was a down side. Within three weeks, my scalp started itching horribly, and then my hair started falling out all over my head.
Had to stop the vaginal Estrace (estradiol). Nodules are back on my fingers and I am fatigued. Muscles are starting to slightly hurt.
At least for me, I know there is a connection. But my problem is how to get the estrogen in, without brain dizziness and head surges.
I will be happy to give you labs, treatments I have tried and anything you need to start your spreadsheet.
Thank you from every woman suffering with the pain of menopause.

Many same symptoms & others, ...

1. Need a GOOD doctor to go see, in south Florida (or this summer in Chicago)... Preferrably NOW...

Please help if you know one who specialized in all this perimedipausal (& allergies getting worst);

*** went to a (new) Obgyn this year, been spotting before my period for awhile, else tests all -; she said we might need to do some hormonal & other tests.... But now several months later... she moved out of network& now that in having ghost periods...so I don't know who to go to.!!!!

2. Anyone else getting large bruises behind knees after leg- inflammation in ghost periods?

3. Poor husband... I can't use latex & the nonlatex condoms I've found over the counter are small & uncomfortable to my husband.. (& one to me too) Any suggestions?

I am going thru perimenopause now (and it has been hell for the last 3 years) and recently my hips have really started hurting, as well as aches and pains elsewhere, like my sacarilliac (sp) low back pain that just won't resolve. Shoulders sore. I suspected it might be related to this journey. Tylenol helps. For now. ::sigh::

garule -I just had a lengthy conversation with my gyn about Vagifem for the vaginal atrophy and she assures me it is safe and in 12 years of prescribing to hundreds of women she's never had anyone tell her their hair fell out. Yet, I have read this side effect over and over online... Scary! Did you stop taking it and did your hair grow back...?

freelantz,

Vagifem is a different product than vaginal Estrace. Both are Estradiol, but different in forms and concentrations. Yes, I did stop taking it. However, the only thing that stopped my hair from falling out was progesterone. It is the counter balance to estrogen.

Actually, I flew to another state and saw an endocrinologist who specializes in menopause. I am currently working with her to restore myself.

Unlike many woman, I am not afraid of hormones. What I guess I am afraid of is what happens to our bodies once we loose these tiny chemicals.

Your first paragraph describing your hips, lower back and shoulder, IS EXACTLY what happened to me when I started menopause. It then went into muscular and ligament pain through out my body. I couldn't move without pain. I saw no less than 12 specialists and used every alternative option available. I did 6 months gluten, sugar, caffeine free, it never changed a thing. The only thing that got rid of the pain was the vaginal Estrace. The pain simply vanished. But apparently, it was the balance with progesterone I was missing.

Hope things work for you. But I hope you get some hormone testing done. I wouldn't wish the daily pain I went through (for years) on anyone.

Thanks for the response, garule. This is all so complicated - what works for one doesn't work for another - we're all so different. I continue to read and try to figure out what might work for me. And recently, the progesterone thing is popping on to my radar... Best of luck to you. All we can do is keep trying. Glad to hear your pain is better. It's miserable, isn't it?