lupus and menopause.

1252 Views 14 Replies 12 Participants Last post by My2Kitties2, Apr 7, 2008

Kate*H

Discussion Starter · Mar 28, 2008

I think that most women on this site are probably too young to be able to answer this. But i'll give it a shot anyway. I'm 56 and just starting menopause. ( I'm a late bloomer

) I have read where ,because of the loss of estrogen postmenopause, that many women actually have a decrease in lupus symptoms ,and even go into remission. Have any of you found that to be true ,or heard anything about it? Right now though,the menopause symptoms ( mostly hot flashes) are a big pain! And make it even harder to get a good nights sleep ,which exacerbates the lupus symptoms.
Just curious to see if menopause made a difference for anyone on here.
thanks ,Kate H.

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JudifJ

· #2 · Mar 28, 2008

Hi Kate

I might be an exception but I had a TAH/BSO at 40 with an "instant" menopause and have had my lupie symptoms start not long after. I had APS symptoms before but joint problems and neuro symptoms didn't manifest until 2 or 3 years later. I'm 49 now and just getting over a flare which included kidneys for the first time. It's been a longhaul trying to get diagnosed as bloodwork has been mainly negative up until June last year.

Probably because I have had no treatment except for two lots of prednisilone that my disease is still active post-menopause. It is only my opinion, though.

Hope you are doing well today.

Love Judi xx

sam101360

· #3 · Mar 28, 2008

Kate:

I had ovarian cancer at 34, went into premature meopause right then...didn't know it until 6 years later (stupid me...lol...never mentioned symptoms to gyno).

My lupus didn't start until almost 10 years later.

Sorry can't answer your question.

Stephanie

lin

· #4 · Mar 29, 2008

kate, i had hysterectomy when i was 36, but overies were left, so a few yrs later, say ten ,i started to go through the hot flushes, still am.
and yes i have had a bad lupus flare that put me inbto hospital,
so im not sure if it true or faulse, maybe for some they were better for me No.

Lin xx

lazylegs

· #5 · Mar 29, 2008

Hi Kate,

Right after my hysterectomy my Lupus symptoms were minimal compared to what I had been having. Two years later I became very ill.

I have read that in some women the symptoms do decrease. In my mind that brings up the question if going through menopause naturally makes a difference or not?

Take care,
Lazylegs

Clare.T

· #6 · Mar 29, 2008

I was told this and have read it so often that I suppose there must be some truth to it. The huge difference menopause made to me was the absence of the monthly flare pattern. It didn't stop disease activity and spread though. When this question has been asked before I don't think there were any answers suggesting that menopause had brought a significant overall improvement apart from PMS flaring.
In the cases where this does seem to happen I dont know how they can tell if improvement is due to the lack of estrogen or to the fact that the disease is just burning down. Many women will have had it well over twenty years by the time they reach menopause. Maybe they mean it doesn't develop new expressions and there's unlikely to be any major worsening

I dealt with hot flashes by avoiding triggers like hot drinks, visualisation and positive thinking plus some homeopathic remedies. I mean true homeopathy not simply herbal. It seemed to help although I can't say whether it wasn't just psychological.

*Just to add that mine was a natural menopause

Good Luck

Clare

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honeyrose

· #7 · Mar 30, 2008

hello kate i dont think menapause can make lupus go into remission i have never heard that and i menapaused at 28 iam now 46 and my lupus never got any better.

keebler

· #8 · Mar 30, 2008

I am 51 and have been going threw menopause. I agree with Clare the only thing that change is the monthly cycle flare that isn't there now.

Menopause hasn't made a difference for me.

Take care,
Lyn

Pollyanna

· #9 · Mar 30, 2008

Hi Kate,

I'm 49 now and was 34 when I had total hysterectomy, including the ovaries due to stage 4 endometriousis. That started menopause for me and I haven't stopped having hot flashes! :nervous:

The lupus has been around to some degree since my teens and flared in my twenties. But it REALLY got me good and got me diagnosed in 2000.

I really can't say that the lupus has changed along with the menopause. I just lost the painful ovulation, thankfully.

With surgery came the estrogen patch...until the APS was diagnosed. Then I had to come off of it immediately. So I guess I'll flash till I die! I don't miss the periods and PMS that's for sure.

This wasn't your question, but I find a ceiling fan helps with the flashes and also a cold pack for my neck. I freeze the gel pack until bedtime and it slips into a soft case which I wrap around my neck. Not only does it give me support, it also helps keep me cool. A gel pack at your feet works too!

I hope this helps you some and that your symptoms slow down soon!

Love, Pollyanna :love2:

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Kate*H

Discussion Starter · #10 · Mar 30, 2008

Okay..well thanks everyone. Guess my answer is that menopause in itself doesn't really make a difference. Although i have read quite a few studies that do say that flares tend to increase for women on HRT. Not that I'm thinking of going on HRT ,but that would probably stop me if I did want to.But then I guess I would have to figure out waht was worse ,a flare ,or menopause symptoms.Right now I can handle the menopause stuff.
Thanks for all your great input. I've only been diagnosed since May of 2007 and so i'm still learning. So far my lupus been pretty mild. Only fatigue ,,achyness, and I have to be careful of the sun,but no organ involvement. Plaquenil has helped a lot. I also have fibromyalgia and I've been seeing a physical therepist,and that seems to be helping me. And I just signd up at the gym so I could use the pool.
Best wishes to all, Kate

dudley

· #11 · Apr 2, 2008

Hi

I went into menapause at the age of 43. One month I had my period like normal the next month it just stopped. I could not take any hormones because I had phlebitis from the pill at the age of 24. There is a test that can tell you were you are in the menapuse cycle. I was done in 6 months. When I developed lupus a few years later I asked rhummy if lupus could have been the cause of the early menapause. His response was did early menapause cause the onset of lupus. Just can never get a straight answer.

Elaine

sam101360

· #12 · Apr 2, 2008

Hi:

I posted on this thread earlier. I have been post menopausal for several years. Tonight I have my period for the first time in about 10 - 13 years (can't remember exactally when it stopped before). I have had all the pre-menstrual symptoms since yesterday...I am so shocked, I am going to call the gyno in the AM.

I stopped HRT about 11 weeks ago wonder if my body reset itself???

Really curious as to what caused this, also I am supposed to have a hystorectomy soon due to fibroids, wonder if these are related...all very puzzling.

Stephanie

JudifJ

· #13 · Apr 2, 2008

Hi Stephanie

I'm no gyno but I suspect it is the withdrawal of the HRT that has caused this "period". Oestrogen gets stored in fatty tissue and gradually the body uses it up when a source of oestrogen (ovaries or synthetic by way of HRT) is removed. This is how a doctor explained to me when I was still getting hot flushes one year after my ovaries were removed: as I am quite large (well, VERY) I had a lot of adipose tissue which could store oestrogen. In my case it took a year to get rid of it all. I hope that this is what it is in your case rather than the fibroids. Call your doctor just to make sure.

Let us know how you are going on.

Love Judi xx

sobo02

· #14 · Apr 4, 2008

Hi Kate, I had a complete hysterectomy in 2005. As someone else said instant menopause. I was diagnosed with my lupus about 7 months ago.

My2Kitties2

· #15 · Apr 7, 2008

I am 54 and started into perimeno in my late 30's...and I already gone thru menopause when I was dx'd...when I had my dd 24 yo I had a lot of problems...and no one even thought to do more for my constant complaints...it wasn't until one special doctor put it all together...so I had tons of flares (that I didn't know were flares) before and after menopause...
Some suggestions from my doctor...stop eating tomatoes and all red night-shade vegetables and don't take Echineasa...eat healthy...avoid the chemicals and artificial stuff...take a good vitamin (something from Whole Foods or Health Food Store)...and exercise...avoid getting sick (wipe carts at supermarket, wash hands often, etc) to the best of your ability...getting a cold is bronchitis or worse, so this winter I wore a t-shirt under my clothes to keep my chest warm and I had a winter without a cold...
I have been holding my own and plan to stay that way and want to hear everyone here being healthy...

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