MENOPAUSE MS - HRT

[futurmil2b]

I am 52 years young and going through Menopause and having so called MS (dx Feb 2011). The MS is not giving me too many problems (not on a DMD med).. but the Menopause is really ROUGH. Some days down right AWFUL.

No hot flashes but muscles tension, tightness and stiffness. Tight, HARD tension knots in my neck. I know this can be from MS as well but there are soooo many women going through peri-menopause and menopause with the same issues. I don't hear a lot of people with MS complain of muscle tension.

I am still having a cycle - which makes my symptoms 3x worst around cycle time. My cycles are very irregular.. skipped a cycle Dec 2011, Jan and Feb - had a cycle in March 2012 - no cycle in April and started cycle May 1st. My dr nurse told me I am smack dab in the middle of Menopause..and I do feel it.

I am trying to hold off and not go on hrt but I need something. I take a small dose ativan to help me cope but when my hormones are all over the place even the ativan do not help. My dr did order hrt I am suppose to take it starting Sunday.. but not sure if I can. Its a low dose HRT. I may give it a try. Not sure though if it will help with all my muscle tightness - may help with tension which I guess will help the tightness.. I dunno.

All this crap is just a bit much to deal with. I tried different meds for the tightness, stiffness but so far nothing has helped much. Neurontin seem to make me feel tighter, baclofen wasn't for me. Ativan does ok on some days. I may give Zanaflex a try.

I PRAY THERE IS SOMEONE ELSE OUT THERE THAT CAN RELATE...

Ms. Jay

[Sequoia]

I'm so sorry you're hurting!

Zanaflex didn't work for me, but Baclofen does. I don't like the side effects, though.

What I took for my shoulder pain during menopause is the herb, Black Cohosh. It really made a difference!

[url]http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-and-supplements/lifestyle-guide-11/supplement-guide-black-cohosh[/url]

[DancingOnTheEdge13]

I am 51. Had to take disability retirement in Nov. 11. I was crushed because I loved what I did. (I worked with special needs high school students) In Nov, I missed my period. Ok I thought, no problem.

Dec. 2011 dh who is NEVER sick dx'd with stage iv lung cancer, not expected to leave the hospital. But dr. did send him home Christmas Eve saying it would be his last. No period in Dec.

Jan dh started moving around and actually surprising his dr. Still I felt like I had a new born I had to watch all the time. Jan...no period. Same for Feb and March.

I thought "Rock on!!! Oh yeah, I am in menopause, let's get this over with!"

April, we had to move, which was a blessing to me as I had been wanting out of our trailor for years. It was hard to clean, small so I could not get around and I lived in my bedroom. Now we are in a duplex, spacious, w/ no steps. And, my period returned with a vengence. In fact had another at the end of April.

I have the tightness. I look like Herman Munster when I am able to walk. My left arm is tight and I have a lot of shoulder pain. Tightness and stiffness are there every day now. I never thought about menopause being a possible factor. HRT??? I don't know because I take enough meds now. But I guess I do need to discuss this with my dr.

I have put everything off to the fact that DH is terminal. Dr. says 6months to a yr maybe...maybe 2 yrs. My youngest is in her jr year of high school. The thought that in a year and a half I could be alone is never far from my mind. I am so proud of our youngest. She is our bright light. I just have been an emotional basket case

I will be interested in any feedback you get. I wish I had answers for you. I do take Zanaflex....I don't see it helping. I quit taking neurontin when I retired and lost my insurance, but now have insurance and neuro rx'd Mirapex. It helps with my RLS but not stiffness and my Herman Munster imitation.

I am so sorry this is long with no answers and yet more questions. I hope someone knows what direction to point you...I may follow if you don't mind

[MyGirlsMom]

Hi future!

Yes, menopause is rough...and can aggregate the MS too. I don't have an answer for you, but can share my story. Before my MS dx in 2009, I was on the pill....my doctors said that I could go through the worst of perimenopause sxs by managing the hormone fluctuations by being on the pill. However, two years ago at age 48, I was emotionally all over the place. I stopped the pill and immediately felt better...I think the dose was wrong for me and I was getting too much hormones.

But, then I started waking up at night around 1 or 2 in the morning and finally falling back asleep at 4 or 5 am. I'd have to get up for work and get the kids to school before 8....it was killing me! I would also wake up feeling really hot (but not sweating, just very very warm) so I would take the hot water bottle that I used for my cold feet at bedtime and fill it with cold water in the middle of the night because the heat made my MS sxs in my legs flair. (Basically burning pain and painful pins and needles on the bottom of my feet and backs of legs.)

I decided it was all just too much and went on HRT. It was amazing how much better I felt and how much my sleep improved! I am now on the lowest Vivelle Dot dose and take progesterone every three months.

It has truly saved me! I have had only two, very small periods in the summer of 2010...and that is about it....I guess I am in full menopause at age 50. I know won't be on HRT forever, just a few years and then go off and see how it goes.

Hope my experience helps you decide what to do.

[cara_lea]

hello to all-
To the OP, I'm sorry you are struggling and I hope you get some answers soon. I'm 48 (49 in July) and have been struggling with menopause craziness for the last year.

Other than a few night sweats and hot flashes most of my problems have been emotional. Mega PMS, really awful!! I suddenly become quite the monster at times and that's just not me. I also have had great luck with black cohosh as Sequoia suggested.

However, I'm feeling in general that I'm just going downhill. No new symptoms or exacerbations but just getting weaker and weaker. I've wondered if it's related to menopause and plan to ask the neurologist about it as soon as I can get in.
I'll be happy to post what she says.

thank you for starting the topic.

[futurmil2b]

Thanks ladies for your response...very much appreciated

I have decided to give hrt a try. I started this pass Sunday.. Today will be day (6). I think I can tell a VERY SMALL difference.. but with all the tightness and tension its hard to tell if its helping.. but I think it is.

I know it will take more time for me to really feel a difference and I am going to try very hard to stick with it for a bit.

MyGirlsMom.. how long before you started feeling better? I work a full time job and it is getting very rough. Sitting at a desk all day is taking its toll and long story short, my manager is giving me a hard time about my breaks which is added tension and tightness. Are you on any DMD type meds??

Morning tightness/stiffness is the worst - neck/shoulders/abdomen/head/back of neck... Some days I feel like just throwing in the towel.. but trying hard to chug along.

Jay

[futurmil2b]

Originally Posted by MyGirlsMom

Hi future!

Yes, menopause is rough...and can aggregate the MS too. I don't have an answer for you, but can share my story. Before my MS dx in 2009, I was on the pill....my doctors said that I could go through the worst of perimenopause sxs by managing the hormone fluctuations by being on the pill. However, two years ago at age 48, I was emotionally all over the place. I stopped the pill and immediately felt better...I think the dose was wrong for me and I was getting too much hormones.

But, then I started waking up at night around 1 or 2 in the morning and finally falling back asleep at 4 or 5 am. I'd have to get up for work and get the kids to school before 8....it was killing me! I would also wake up feeling really hot (but not sweating, just very very warm) so I would take the hot water bottle that I used for my cold feet at bedtime and fill it with cold water in the middle of the night because the heat made my MS sxs in my legs flair. (Basically burning pain and painful pins and needles on the bottom of my feet and backs of legs.)

I decided it was all just too much and went on HRT. It was amazing how much better I felt and how much my sleep improved! I am now on the lowest Vivelle Dot dose and take progesterone every three months.

It has truly saved me! I have had only two, very small periods in the summer of 2010...and that is about it....I guess I am in full menopause at age 50. I know won't be on HRT forever, just a few years and then go off and see how it goes.

Hope my experience helps you decide what to do.

Your post really helped me. With all this tightness and tension... sometimes I ask myself what's the use in trying anything. Its like I feel on edge A LOT...not sure when the last time my body has been in a calm/relaxed state.


Jay

[futurmil2b]

Originally Posted by DancingOnTheEdge13

I am 51. Had to take disability retirement in Nov. 11. I was crushed because I loved what I did. (I worked with special needs high school students) In Nov, I missed my period. Ok I thought, no problem.

Dec. 2011 dh who is NEVER sick dx'd with stage iv lung cancer, not expected to leave the hospital. But dr. did send him home Christmas Eve saying it would be his last. No period in Dec.

Jan dh started moving around and actually surprising his dr. Still I felt like I had a new born I had to watch all the time. Jan...no period. Same for Feb and March.

I thought "Rock on!!! Oh yeah, I am in menopause, let's get this over with!"

April, we had to move, which was a blessing to me as I had been wanting out of our trailor for years. It was hard to clean, small so I could not get around and I lived in my bedroom. Now we are in a duplex, spacious, w/ no steps. And, my period returned with a vengence. In fact had another at the end of April.

I have the tightness. I look like Herman Munster when I am able to walk. My left arm is tight and I have a lot of shoulder pain. Tightness and stiffness are there every day now. I never thought about menopause being a possible factor. HRT??? I don't know because I take enough meds now. But I guess I do need to discuss this with my dr.

I have put everything off to the fact that DH is terminal. Dr. says 6months to a yr maybe...maybe 2 yrs. My youngest is in her jr year of high school. The thought that in a year and a half I could be alone is never far from my mind. I am so proud of our youngest. She is our bright light. I just have been an emotional basket case

I will be interested in any feedback you get. I wish I had answers for you. I do take Zanaflex....I don't see it helping. I quit taking neurontin when I retired and lost my insurance, but now have insurance and neuro rx'd Mirapex. It helps with my RLS but not stiffness and my Herman Munster imitation.

I am so sorry this is long with no answers and yet more questions. I hope someone knows what direction to point you...I may follow if you don't mind

H, I would like to touch basis with you a bit more. I have started the hrt.. it has helped me emotionally but not physically.. I still have tight, tensed up muscles...aaggghhh.

Like you, still walking like Herman the Munster.. LOL. ITS AWFUL Mornings are the WORST. I was trying not to take ativan as much anymore but looks like I am going to have to until this tightness loosens up.

I hope you get this message if so, can you email me? My email address is in my profile. It helps so much to chat with others that understands and can relate.

Hope your hubby is hanging in there.. So sorry to hear about his illness.

Jay

[futurmil2b]

Wanted to bump up this thread to see if anyone other ladies can relate to menopause - HRT.

On top of everything else I am going through.. Have sinus issues.. starting take allergy shots which I was told by nurse, will make me feel worst before I felt better.. nothing can be farther from the truth... muscles feel more tighter.. head pressure, face pressure.. everything feels tight.

Ms Jay