Menopause symptoms exacerbated?

Women's health
1

On 24 March this year I had a new plastic knee cap and metal trochlea (the bit behind the knee cap). I've been off work since then due to trouble with muscle wastage. Prior to my surgery i suffered numerous menopause symptoms, day/night sweats, funny turns, panicky feelings, pains in both legs. I'd discussed with my doctor about going on HRT but put if off because I would have had to come off it prior to my operation. I'm 56 and last had a period in June 2014.

My night sweats have been even more horrendous since my op, but for the last 6 - 7 weeks my leg pain, in both legs, has been dreadful. I've initially put this down to walking differently because of trouble with operated knee, and I thought I was suffering with tight hamstrings. But I've also become very weepy, I ache all over, I think I'm depressed because everything seems such an effort, my sleep is disturbed and I wake in the night with a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach. I do drive but don't feel I want to leave the house on my own. Everything scares me to death.

I've put this all down to feeling low, and a bit disappointed, following my knee surgery. This surgery was done toimprove my life but I feel like I've had my life taken away from me. I've just made an appointment to see my doctor later today but just wondered if there is anyone on this menopause forum who has experienced something similar following any type of surgery.

I've also had fibromyalgia since the late 90's so this could well be part of my problem too - just seems at the minute like I'm in a vicious circle of pain.

I've been posting on the knee problem forum since my op - if this menopause forum is anything like that one then it's a saviour! Don't know what I would have done without it! 

2

Hi Pam, sorry to hear about all the problems your having its a miserable time. I noticed you metioned fibromyalgia , I have started with all over pain in the past few month which is driving me crazy, particularly my neck, arms and shoulders. It's wearing me out as it disturbs my sleep as well and nothing seems to help . It fluctuates during the day so I never know when it going be at its worse. I have had blood tests which were negative for nasty things but I going have go back to docs as I can't cope with the pains. Feel like I'm falling to bits at minute along with my constant bleeding 😕x

3

I have been on oestrodiol implants then patches and supplemented with daily gels for 25 years.  I have had a number of surgeries since starting and never once has it been suggested I go off hrt prior to surgery.  Whatever for?  There is no need.

It seems there a still a lot of drs who want to make out hrt is a boogie to women.  However, get the right one, oestrodiol patches and gels are bioidentical.  I would never take hrt orally, with the exception of progesterone - a true effective bioidentical one does not exist.

I don't understand why women want to suffer through menopause or why their drs want them to.  Not using hrt will destroy your health, physically and mentally, not vice versa.

Yes, post surgery is a downer for a while, even more so when something does not go right - you don't need menopause symptoms on top of them.  I had to have both hips replaced and the surgeon botched up one of them.  Been suffering for years now because of his incompetency.  I would be jumping off a cliff if I did not have hrt.

I had half my thyroid removed and a very lethal tumour from my parotid gland removed within 13 days of the other.  Thyroid first - when the thyroid is interfered with, it makes one feel terribly ill and I did not know if I could go ahead with the 2nd, but as the 2nd one was more deadly, I just had to.  Took me a long time to get over them - thank god for hrt!  Then a year later, a cyst removed from my oesophagus, that was not too bad.

After I had the hip replacements I was found to have a tumour on my pituitary gland that was making my oestrogen ineffective, i.e. back into severe menopause for 6 years (which nobody could understand) until a different dr thought of sending me to an endocrinologist.  That was treated by medication, and immediate sweet relief - my oestrogen was back working as it should.

More incompetence which delayed the diagnosis.  If you find that your hormones are just not working for you while you are on hrt, ask to be referred to an endocrinologist.  Gps just do not think of that.

So go for it Pam, and stop suffering.  Good luck.

4

Pam,

Sounds like you are having a very rough time.  The last time I had any significant surgery, I was 40 years old and *not* having any menopausal issues.  You sound like you hare having a lot of anxiety (generalized) as well as panic attacks.  Something I am very familiar with.  I can say without a doubt that, if I were to have this type of surgery that you have at my current age with how I feel today,i have no doubt I would be experiencing much the same thing.  

For me, the anxiety, dread, not wanting to leave home, etc, directly relate to how much sleep I am getting (or not getting).  Lack of sleep after 2-3 days will be the main thing to shatter any sense of well-being I have.  As I am sure you can attest to, the night sweats cause terrible disruption in getting a solid, restful sleep.  After that it is just a cascade of falling apart.  I'm kind of in the midst of that now.

I don't have the problem of chronic pain; however, there have been times when I've pulled my back and been in awful pain for 6 weeks.  During those time I also seem to fall back into a panic/anxiety mode and it's awful.  

I think you should probably work with your doctor to address the sleep issues first, which may mean using something to control the night sweats.  If you pain is due to fibromyalgia, maybe the Neurontin would be a good option for you as it covers both fibromylagia pain and seems to help with menopausal symptoms.

Good luck at the doctor and let us know how it goes.

5

I've had awful day today, hot sweats, feelings of anxiety, weepy. I'm definitely going to pay GP a visit next week. However, can I ask you ladies which is best......tablets or patches?. I'm leaning towards patches, as I feel I've taken more than enough tablets since I had my knee op, and I dont exactly look forward to taking any more! 

6

Definitely not tablets, they are not bio-identical.  Go for oestrodiol patches (matrix - or perhaps you call them dots where you come from - so that the oestrogen is taken up gradually rather than a sudden hit).  Ask for some daily oestriodiol gel to top up if you have to - I find that 2 x 100mcg patches per week only last me 6 days instead of 7).  See how you go, but remember the option is there.

 

7

I've been to doctor who now tells me that HRT is not an option for me as I suffer from migraines and am at a higher risk of strokes. She's given me clonidine to stop night sweats but these can also cause depression. I've not started these as I can't face feeling depressed as well lol!

Is there anyone out there who suffers migraines but is also on HRT?.....patches/tablets........any particular brand? 

8

Oestrogen insufficiency gives me headaches - but not migraines.  Always go for bio-identical oestrodiol in any case - patches/gel (skin absorbing) is better than tablets.