Hormones & RA--Maybe TMI | Arthritis Information

So my hips were super painful for the first time ever after I went swimming about a month ago. I was limping around for 3-4 days. I swam two weeks later, only about 6 laps, and I was okay. That Saturday and the one after, I was walking around a lot at my son's soccer game, swinging him around, felt pretty good. moving a lot. My wrist and ankle are always bad to some degree, but the hip pain basically disappeared. If I try to work out other than walking, they do bother me, but it takes more

So today it is back, all of a sudden. And I'm thinking, "what did I do?" I walked around some, played with the kids, but no more than the last two weekends. Then I thought about the timing of my periods. I am about 6 days past the start of my cycle, and I imagine estrogen is at its lowest. Almost the same time that the hip pain started last time.

So I'm going to monitor this theory, and see if it pans out. I am remembering the first time that my hips were hurting was in March, and that was also episodic, and I'd tied it to sit ups I'd tried to do. But then a few weeks later, I did some without problem. Was probably around the same time of month in March.

Maybe I should go on the pill!

Found something about it here: http://archinte.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/158/13/1405?ck=nck

So I should probably keep swimming! :)

Yeah, I definitely think our hormones have something to do with it... I know I feel like crap the week after my period, I think estrogen is lowest then I recall? Also, estrogen is only one of a gazillion hormones that has fluctuates with our "cycles"--soooo yeah.... I think birth control helped a little bit with my morning stiffness, personally... I too think your menstrual cycle has alot to do with ra. I always hurt worse a few days before my period and then during it, it's hell week. I have always had bad periods, painful cramps, it's heavy, and I am a BIT#*!Yeah, me too!

When I flared, it was pre-cycle. And it would ease up in a few days after it commenced.

Pip