Reply to Roxy re: FM | Arthritis Information

 

Roxy,

With your curious FM symptoms (do you have jt swelling or no??) my first thought was a hormone imbalance.  My mother, with some OA at 60 y.o., had awful aches and pains in her muscles for many years.  

She bought some DHEA tablets and took 5 mg/d and, within weeks, her chronic muscle pain was gone. 

It might be worth getting a hormone panel done to see if your hormones are OK 1st.  Downside:  DHEA is a hormone, like cortisol, and you can become dependent eventually; it can make you want to eat more; and if taking too much, can make you cranky.  It is kind of a growth type hormone for your cells.  Makes your skin younger and rosier.  But the same "growth" could cause a cancerous tumor to grow.  DHEA basically triggers production of all your hormones, incl. estrogen (hence, possible cancer risk).

But maybe a little bit of DHEA in the short term would help you like it did my mom's pains (she had a lot of pain lifting, and in shoulders and neck). My mom is now nearly 3 years past her fling w/ DHEA and still has very little muscle pain since tx.
 

Spirit,  Thanks.  I would not be surprised if it were hormones but I had a hysterectomy at 40 - 10 years ago - I was on hormone therapy until about a year ago.  This muscle pain has been going on for quite some time.  Pre- RA diagnosis - sero-positive.  I get terrible joint swelling when I flare.  I think I have some other auto immune that is  also attacking my muscles.  I will mention hormones when I change doctors.  I think the doctors here (whom I love) have run out of answers.  Maybe once I move and get a new doctor they can help.  Exercise helps a lot but I have not done exercise in weeks. I think stress is a major factor in my health.   Thanks for thinking of me.  Rox roxy38967.3777777778Roxy, I also had a hysterectomy at age 40 and was on hormone replacement therapy for 10/15 years and when I stopped taking it was when I started with RA.  A lot of people claim that RA is hormone related.
Now, this has started my "what if" thinking again. But darn it Roxy, are the side effects worth it? I will check with my rheumy on my next visit.
Hang in there kiddo.

Luv, N & T

  I know what you mean.  I am getting more fearful about side effects, the longer I am into this disease.  I will definitely research !
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