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Long story!

by Helen
(Preston, England)

I am now 43 and have 2 healthy boys.

For about 10 years I have been getting bruises in my fingers before my period (just one of those things the Dr said). About 6 years ago my knee locked, it hadn't done it since my teens, after x-rays and a camera in my knee, the consultant said I had a cinovial plica and removed it (an extra knee band).

Then about 2 years ago I started to get back ache and cramp in my feet when playing badminton, which got worse and I started waking up with cramp in my feet several times in the night. I asked if it could be my horomes and was told I was too young. The Dr sent me to physio who said I had weak muscles in my mid back and feet. Exercises helped to begin with, then the physio decided to manipulate my body, twisted my legs one way and my upper body the other and leaned on me, I got worse!

The last week I visited him he showed me how to hang from a bar, feet still on the floor but taking my weight on my arms. I tried the exercises the following day and found myself unable to sit without my head aching, tingling in my face arms and legs. I had pain in my shoulder which affected different parts of my hand and neck pain.

Eventually the Dr sent me to a Neurologist who put me on a nerve suppressant as he thought I had a hyper sensitive nerve system! He did an MRI scan of my brain in September which he gave me the results of in January - Iscemic lesions on the right side of my brain (nothing to worry about!). He sent me for an MRI and a doppler scan of my neck which showed a small broad based disc expansion between C6/7. Apparently very common and nothing to worry about!

All the time I was having to up my intake of the nerve suppressant, this by Christmas had started to affect my heart when I took it. A few visits to A & E led me to have tests on my heart which showed I had a healthy heart but the medication was upsetting it so I had to change to a different medication.

In February this year (2009), I changed to another medication for Hypersensitive nerve system which made me feel dreadful. I stayed on it long enough to get off it! I started to feel a little better.

I went to a chiropractor who said I had the muscular skeletal system worse than someone who had been in a car crash and there was no evidence of any sort of exercise! This shocked me as I have always been very sporty, badminton, belly dancing, swimming, walking and the gym. He also thought there was an underlying problem as I had started getting irritable bowl, food sensitivities, no sex drive, night sweats for a few days before my period and allergies to name but a few.

Once off all the medication I found my condition worsened through my cycle? Every ligament in my body went slack! I was very weak and could hardly walk, I could only sleep propped up with cushions on the couch. I felt like my insides were falling out, could not stand on a slope, carry a bag or reach up without going dizzy and have been having a strange pattern to my cycle ever since.

My hips and left shoulder seemed worse than everywhere else. Over the next few months I had a urinary tract infection, 2 bladder infection sinusitis and an upper respiratory infection.

I saw a new Neurologist who did electrical tests on my muscles and nerves to find out that I DON'T have a Hypersensitive nerve system!

I have now had x-rays of my neck, spine and hips. All show normal wear and tear. I have had a x-ray and MRI arthrogram of my left shoulder (which I have had problems with since physio), which showed I have no ligament elasticity which is allowing my shoulder to partially dislocate. I was then sent to another orthopedic specialist who said I have hyper laxity/hypermobility in all my ligaments.

Since having the MRI of my shoulder and getting upset in the machine, my throat clunks when I swallow (which I can push my throat and stop it happening) and since the Dr tried me on a low progesterone contraceptive pill which made everything even worse, I have had a load pulse sound in my right ear (this is the side I sleep on sometimes).

I have been to see an ENT consultant who says it could be my ligaments in my throat and ear but wanted to try me on an anti acid pill, which I've been taking for a month to no avail! It gets worse with the rest of my body at certain times in the month.

I scored 46 on your test and have been for a progesterone blood test on my 22nd day of my cycle, I am still waiting for the result.

I spend hours every day doing physio, pilates and swimming as this I have been told is the only way to recover. After 4 months I now have my bottom muscles back and can now sit on a chair without my feet going dead. I have only been doing physio on my shoulder for about 2 months and I think my muscles are finally starting to react!

My Dr advised me to have another baby, or to live in a warm country and one consultant said I had to accept it, I was bendy and should be in a circus! Although I laughed I thought these male Dr's were being very patronising about something they don't understand!

I visited a different Dr to get a nose spay for my sinuses and he made me do tests for 'depression' and an 'anxiety disorder' he said if I was telling the truth I didn't have either. It seems to me if the Dr's aren't sure what's happening to you they put you on anti-depressants. I'm not taking any more medication! I have a few days where I just want to cry but I know it is just part of my cycle, along with the headaches!

I have gained weight from 8st 10lb to 10st and now have a pouch from under my bust going down. Even though I eat healthily and spend hours exercising, including at least 1 hr a day of cardio training, (swimming/treadmill/cross trainer) I still can't shift the extra weight. I have had blood test done which show I'm very healthy, my nails and hair seem to grow like wild flowers and I don't seem to catch colds with the rest of the family!

I now have linseed/flax seed on my food as I had heard it might help and have been taking phyto-soya supplements for Pre-menopausal women. I am a very positive woman who will not give up until I have mended myself! (apparently it is going to take 6 - 9 months of phsio). I have made it my job to get fit and to get myself back to work, I GO BACK ON MONDAY! My shoulder is now back in the right place which is more comfortable. I still have the problems but as I get stronger I seem to be able to cope with them better.




Comments for Long story!

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Nov 11, 2009
 Long story!
by: Wray

Hi Helen. Where to begin?! Firstly you're not too young to have hormonal problems, they start in puberty and never stop in some women! Peri-menopause (P-M) can start as early as 10 years before menopause, the average age of which is 51, so it's not too early for P-M either.

Cramp is normally a lack of any one of the following: calcium, magnesium, potassium or sodium. Were these checked? But more important than the minerals is the amino acid taurine, this facilitates the entry into cells of the above minerals. Without it insufficient enters and cramp is the result. I suggest you try 1000-5000mg/day taurine and see if it helps. The myopathy (muscle weakness) could have been caused by either a vitamin D deficiency, highly likely in the UK, or a progesterone deficiency, or both, as they work together. Both are excellent for headaches, and lack of vitamin D can cause weight gain. Please have a test done, levels should be between 50-90ng/ml, if lower than this you should supplement with at least 5000IU's per day. Please see this website.

Some of the symptoms you mention warrant trying progesterone too, you might like to do the questionnaire which you can get access to in the right margin of this web page.

Finally the weight gain could be caused by insulin resistance. Take care, Wray
Nov 13, 2009
 Progesterone blood test
by: Helen

Hi Wray. My Dr says I'm an unusual case!

I received the results of my progesterone blood test done at 22nd day of my cycle - Dr said it should be around 30, mine was 0.2! She said with progesterone that low she can't understand how I still have periods! I am due to see a gynecologist next week.

Yes I have had blood tests including: FBC, Ferritin, Oestradiol (LS & FSH) which was down 30% then back to normal 2 months later, a liver function test, a bone profile, B12 Folate level, calcium, magnesium, potassium and sodium done and all my other levels are fine/good. I have also had fasting glucose which is fine. The only thing that seems to be above normal is my cholesterol which when checked in the summer had raised from 4.6 to 5.9. I usually do a lot of exercise and eat healthily, so I could not understand why my cholesterol should raise?

The Dr tried me on quinine tablets for cramp last year but after taking 1, I had a very bad reaction, and I still suffer from tinitus today. I'm not sure about taurine, I have never heard of it before? Thanks, Helen.
Jan 06, 2010
 Progesterone blood test
by: Wray

Hi Helen. Very unusual! And your progesterone is lower than that found in menopausal women, or men for that matter. I see you didn't have a blood test for vitamin D, do you think you could have this done? It's such a vital vitamin. Cholesterol goes up in winter with the lack of sun, it takes the whole of summer to get sufficient vitamin D to lower it. No amount of good food or exercise would affect it. The levels of your minerals could be fine, but if they are not getting into the cells, there's little point in the tests. Please consider taking the taurine, this also reduces cholesterol levels. This is an excellent paper on taurine. And another here. Take care, Wray
Jan 11, 2010
 Very unusual!
by: Anonymous

Hi Helen. Your progesterone is lower than that found in menopausal women, or men for that matter. I see you didn't have a blood test for vitamin D, do you think you could have this done? It's such a vital vitamin. Cholesterol goes up in winter with the lack of sun, it takes the whole of summer to get sufficient vitamin D to lower it. No amount of good food or exercise would affect it. The levels of your minerals could be fine, but if they are not getting into the cells, there's little point in the tests. Please consider taking the taurine, this also reduces cholesterol levels. Here is an excellent paper on taurine.
And another.
Take care, Wray
Jul 28, 2011
 Did progesterone help your laxity Helen?
by: Kerch

Progesterone helped my excessive laxity 12 years ago and I'm going it will help again post hysterectomy. What doses and application protocol helped you?

There is a lot of controversy about progesterone increasing laxity, but that was the opposite of my experience.

Thanks!! Kerch

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