Joint & muscle pain

This is my first post. I had a TVH almost 6 months ago and am experiencing SEVERE surgical menopause. I have learned to live with the hot flashes. I've changed my wardrobe, never bothered bringing down the heavy sweaters this winter and bought a personal battery op fan that I carry every where I go.

What I can't stand is this intense muscle & joint pain. I don't have any pain when I exercise or move around, it's when I'm sitting for long periods of time, driving or in bed. I almost needed a wheelchair after the 6 hour flight to CA. I've been to a menopause specialist, have tried every pain reliever and countless blood tests for para thyroid, thyroid, liver & muscles. My doctor is now sending me to a Rheumatoid specialist, but I'm sure it's a hormonal reaction to the hysterectomy. Is anyone else going through anything like this? No matter who I talk to, they never heard of this.

Help me!

Hi, This is very interesting, I was doing a search on just what you described. I too have been experiencing severe pain with sitting driving etc. I am currently in physical therapy. Sure, as long as I am moving I am fine, but put me back in the car to drive home and I can hardly get out. I just don't know what to do. The therapist says that my right side hip/pelvis bone is twisted. Could be from the postion I was placed in during surgery, could be from one leg shorter than the other. I never had problems like this before the surgery 1 1/2 years ago. I hope you can find some relief and some answers. I will be checking to see if there is anything else I can find out. Just wanted you to know I am experiencing the same thing. You are not nuts. Roxie

I am going to tell you what did help me. But this is me and I went to a Dr first and had my hormone levels checked and also my chiropractor is a certified herbalogist, so I had a few visits with her also. Although I kept my ovaries. Just wanted to make sure that was clear. I had such painful joints after my surgery that I wasn't sure what was wrong with me. My ankles would hurt so bad that I could hardly walk in the mornings or after sitting. Even my fingers and thumbs hurt at the joints. I thought I was going crazy. I had my hormone levels checked and my estrogen was normal, but high normal in comparison to my progesterone. My Dr. suggested to me that I try OTC natural progesterone cream. First he said to use it three times a day and then after ten days down to twice a day and one week off. And within the first ten days I noticed a differance, however during the one week off my joints would hurt and my breasts became painful again. I then started using it without a break and no joint pain. And after a few months I tested it and went off a week and back came the joint pain and painful breasts. So, I know what was causing my joint pain. IT might be something you want to talk toyour Dr about. However, don't do this without first talking to him. It's important that your Dr. knows what's going on.

Hi,

Yes, I had my surgery last March and have joint and muscle pain in left hip and lower back, and sometimes in right hip. I can have stiffness from sitting too long and some pain, but mine shows up worse if I'm on my feet too long or active too long. I love to shop and can last only 2 hours compared to 5 or 6. I feel like an old 80 yr woman or something. It is so upsetting so I know how you must be feeling with yours. I first discovered it when we went to NY to visit my daughter and we did all this walking. I was shocked how my legs got tight hurt and would not want to move me anymore. I traded one problem for another.

I have since gone to the rhuematoid dr and she says I have the degenerative kind of arthritis which is osteoarthritis. It showed up after surgery and is still here.

It may have been hidden with all my pain problems before surgery and I wasn't aware of it. I do think the hysterectomy put my into it quicker than if I would not have had it. I am thinking it is hormone related as well. I take hrt and feel fine with that but it did not help the joint problem one way or another. I take Motrin to keep the pain down. It helps, but check with dr to see what you can do for the pain.

Good luck, I hope yours gets better. It is frustrating isn't it?

You are not crazy I have seen posts about this here many times. I had no idea about this till after my hysterectomy.

s

I had a hyst June 2003 and have experienced chronic right side hip, shin, knee pain since then. I have begun to drink quinine water (tonic water with quinine) every morning with juice and the pain is gone. An occasional ache once in a while, but nothing like before. May be coincidental, but all I know is that when I started including that in my routine, the pain is not there anymore! It's also available as diet tonic water, which is what I drink. Has this been a remedy for anyone else?

Was very active before surgery. No joint pain, only "uterus problems".

But now I have had joint pain since approx. day 14 after my surgery.
The incision pain was nothing and I was doing great...didn't need pain pills until my hips and knees started to hurt.

Had a TAH on 12/1 and ovaries removed. Thought it was the estrogen patch I was now wearing. I was taking 800mg of Advil twice a day...with mild relief. My GYN said this was not a common post op complaint.

Went to my Family Practice MD. She said major invasion of the body's systems (severe stress, trauma or major surgery) can trigger auto-immune diseases...such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleraderma) Last week I finally had lab work done, an "Arthritis Profile" and tested positive. Was I disappointed.
Now I have taken Relafen twice a day for 3 days with little relief.
I fell like I have aged at least 15 years.

Thanks so much for your info. I'm meeting with a Rheumotoid Dr. next week and may get the same results. At this point, I may not mind that news. Is it worse to have pain and not know how to treat it? We'll see.

Hope you feel better soon. I feel like I traded one hell for another!