Can Menopause and Hormones Affect Psoriatic Arthritis?
Diagnosed with PsA over a year ago. My symptoms have been all over the place. RA numbers were climbing, high liver enzymes and all tests have come back negative.
When menopause hit
Stopped getting my period in January of this year. My symptoms have been easing up quite a bit, RA numbers now going down and liver enzymes going down a bit as well. My doctor doesn't have a whole lot of answers and says just go with it. That this could all change again at any time...
Hello
- In my experience, there seems to certainly be come kind of connection between the two for sure. I have endometriosis, but about a year ago, I stopped having periods all together. I thought it was maybe a side effect of the meds, but honestly I was pretty happy for the absence.
Then about 6 months ago, it reared it's ugly head and didn't stop for over 4 months, sending me to the dr. She said it was my "hormones" but I ended up having a procedure done to make it stop.
Considering that PsA affects pretty much everything in our bodies, I find it hard to believe that it wouldn't impact our hormones/menopause too. From what I've researched, it seems those of us with PsA seem to enter menopause earlier and with more complications than others. But that's just my opinions I suppose. I'm only 39 and really wasn't prepared when my dr used the dreaded "M" word.
How are you doing now? Numbers still trending downward? -Leanne, Community ModeratorWow, I can identify with this. I went into early menopause at 39 and PsA systems started to set in not too long after. Of course at the time I was not stringing together the warning signs. It was not until a year later that I was properly diagnosed. Been on Enbrel which seems to keep things (for the most part) under control. Some flare ups now and then. Nothing like the days prior to treatment where I could not walk, get a non ortho pair of shoes on my feet, operate doors, zippers or handles. Just now trying to get a handle on triggers. Rainy days hurt. Also finding that certain foods like Night shades aggravate this condition.
One of our contributors just wrote this great new article:
https://psoriatic-arthritis.com/living/when-aunt-flo-met-psa/
I'm thinking, if low estrogen before menstruation causes extra PsA pain, then perhaps the low estrogen levels during menopause would too?
-Victoria, Community ModeratorI believe, for myself, that the hormonal changes of perimenopause and menopause significantly aggravated my PsA. I had more flares, and they were more intense, during the three year period surrounding menopause.
