linda24062 linda24062 Hello , I am new to this forum and have read so many of your posts on peri menopause. Like so many of you probably feel I am afraid to tell my doctor anymore of my symptoms because I feel like I am just not being heard. As so many of you have described I just feel like an "old lady" at the age of 48. My symptoms started a few years ago but who can remember exactly when as it all eventually becomes a big blur. I have put on 50 pounds in the past few years and am almost always tired. Do I want to do something about this? YES! but I'm so tired. Been through similar things as the rest of you, mood swings, elevated pms symptoms, bloodwork that came back showing elevated inflammation and white blood cell count but "don't worry about it" because test for RA came back negative. When it all first started getting really bad I could barely get out of my car and god forbid i try to lift my leg to get over a curb. Most recently I had surgery last year on both hands for carpal tunnel syndrome which is much better but i still have pain in my thumbs, wrists and wedding and pinky fingers. Went for nerve conduction tests and they were fine but the numbness and pain is getting worse all the time. They say I have De Quervain syndrome which is obviously true but neverless the specialist still had a way of making me feel like I am a hypochondriac. I have received a call from GP to follow up on the results and don't even want to go...feels like it's easier to just suffer in silence. For instance after being told i had alot of inflammation in one if my knees (which I went for a cortisone shot) the doctor told me that it's not like it's cancer and nobody ever died from arthritis. Sigh!! Sorry to go on and on but I am actually so happy where my life is right now with my wonderful family and only working part-time 3 days a week but somehow still feel miserable....
Hi Linda, That Quervain’s tenosynovitis, it’s so painful. I’m pretty sure I have it, I’ve had the pain for over a week and I looked it up on the Internet The other night and I’m positive that’s what I have. several of the other women have the same oalm thumn pain and I bet you they have the same thing. I think there’s a lot of things that just go hand-in-hand with Menopause. Frozen shoulder, which is known in Chinese medicine as, ‘50’s shoulder’, is very common during menopause. I’m sure this Quervains thing is as well. it is a very common thing, being dismissed by our doctors. That’s why I try not to go and always have, as little as possible. I didn’t even know I was in Peri until several years afterwards. I think it actually started in like 2006 or 2007, I am post menopause for years now. I remember 2007 because I told my doctor I felt like I was dying, that’s how I know that’s when it started. Every woman on this forum says that across-the-board. also I was diagnosed with costochondritis at that time and that’s very common during Peri. you’re also right about it being a big blur. try to eat as clean as possible, cut out the caffeine, sugar and refined carbs makes it all 100 times worse. Try Supplements for Menopause and if you’re hot flashing, try Black cohosh. drink a lot of water also 
you’re not alone, which is comforting …kind of LOL;)
Thank you so much for the feedback. I will definitely follow your suggestions. Also funny you should mention the costochondritis because I was also having bad chest pains fir which they sent me for a stress test and it was fine. Oh the joys! lol 
I still have the chostochondritis …it dries me crazy. Now that I think about it I’m not so sure that my peri did not start in 2004 or around there. I remember being in the shower and the hot water hurting my chest. The chest pains are very common 