Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transitioning => Hormone replacement therapy => Topic started by: Flo on November 03, 2009, 03:42:35 PM

Title: Joints and estrogen
Post by: Flo on November 03, 2009, 03:42:35 PM
First....nope....not talking weed here.

Since I have been on estrogel for about 9 months I have noticed an increase swelling and tenderness in my joints, i.e. knees ankles etc.  Almost to the point of having trouble walking some days.

Has any one else noticed this and can it be due in part to the estrogen???

Or am I getting old and arthritic????

Luv to hear from you!

Flo
Title: Re: Joints and estrogen
Post by: Naturally Blonde on November 03, 2009, 04:06:01 PM
Quote from: Flo on November 03, 2009, 03:42:35 PM
First....nope....not talking weed here.

Since I have been on estrogel for about 9 months I have noticed an increase swelling and tenderness in my joints, i.e. knees ankles etc.  Almost to the point of having trouble walking some days.

Has any one else noticed this and can it be due in part to the estrogen???

Or am I getting old and arthritic????

Luv to hear from you!

Flo

I've found the opposite that my joints have improved on HRT.
Title: Re: Joints and estrogen
Post by: K8 on November 03, 2009, 06:47:06 PM
Quote from: Naturally Blonde on November 03, 2009, 04:06:01 PM
I've found the opposite that my joints have improved on HRT.

I found this, too.  I have some arthritis and it has bothered me less on estrogen than before.  The joint ache/pain has started up again in the last few days, but the weather has turned cold here. :P

- Kate
Title: Re: Joints and estrogen
Post by: Autumn on November 03, 2009, 07:25:01 PM
My scoliosis has hurt me less since I started estrogen.
Title: Re: Joints and estrogen
Post by: lisadear on November 03, 2009, 08:04:20 PM
I have a bad knee that has gotten much worse since hrt but never made a connection. The knee starts up and then the hip. Interesting post I never thought E would be bad to me. What are your specific joint problems?
Title: Re: Joints and estrogen
Post by: Janet_Girl on November 03, 2009, 09:19:39 PM
My right hip and back have been hurting for the last month or so.  But I have been on HRT for 18 months.  Some posted in here that they wondered if our hips begin to till into a feminine position.  But the weather is getting colder and wet here too.


Janet
Title: Re: Joints and estrogen
Post by: deviousxen on November 03, 2009, 09:38:15 PM
Quote from: Flo on November 03, 2009, 03:42:35 PM
First....nope....not talking weed here.

Since I have been on estrogel for about 9 months I have noticed an increase swelling and tenderness in my joints, i.e. knees ankles etc.  Almost to the point of having trouble walking some days.

Has any one else noticed this and can it be due in part to the estrogen???

Or am I getting old and arthritic????

Luv to hear from you!

Flo

Well this is ironic... Joints would probably work awesomely on your joints :D. Sucks its illegal! I'm not giving advice or advocating a thing, calm down.
Title: Re: Joints and estrogen
Post by: Michelle. on November 03, 2009, 09:40:41 PM
Is it possible to literally be alergic to estrogen?
Title: Re: Joints and estrogen
Post by: JodieBlonde on November 03, 2009, 11:47:00 PM
I have severe osteoporosis, spinal stenosis and a fractured/unresolvable fractured pubis with arthritis in the right shoulder and left hip, sciatica in both legs/buttocks/feet and I can absolutely say that E has not caused me any more or any less pain or discomfort.

What I DO have is a nasty case of passing blood and clots in my urine, but that's prolly from cystitus or so say the VA doctors. It's kinda scary though!!!!

I had to stop E for my chemo (not for cancer, but my osteoporosis) and in a couple of weeks I can go back on it again. I've been off for three whole months now and I miss it badly.

My breasts have lost a lot of their feelings and I feel a little bloated too. No weight gain, but things shift every time I have to take this sabbatical for the chemo. Next year I only need to stop for 6 weeks, they say.

One nice part is that I get a great big spurt of breast growth every time I stop for a couple of months and then start again. Looking forward to that big time!

I've been a full "C" for a couple of years, but the lower areas have filled in a lot and the nipples are perky and up-pointing now.

Ah, well. I hijacked this thread big time - huh!?!

Back to the OP - E didn't have any positive or negative effects on my joints or bones that I can tell.

But - wow - did it help my BPH and I now have the prostate of a 12 y/o.





Title: Re: Joints and estrogen
Post by: Hannah on November 04, 2009, 12:07:35 AM
Quote from: JodieBlonde on November 03, 2009, 11:47:00 PM

What I DO have is a nasty case of passing blood and clots in my urine

woah
Are they treating that with blood thinners or something? Wow, just, wow.
Title: Re: Joints and estrogen
Post by: JodieBlonde on November 04, 2009, 12:59:14 AM
Quote from: Becca on November 04, 2009, 12:07:35 AM
woah
Are they treating that with blood thinners or something? Wow, just, wow.

Not yet - just antibiotics until they make a decision what's going on.

I like the VA for their attitude in the "wait-n-we-can-always-cut" ideals they have. Surgery is not just dangerous - it's a testimonial to just how much a human body can take abuse.

They have been running blood counts, looking for pathogens and strange chemistry and all - even have me saving the "best specimens" as they pass into a filtered bottle for them to see for themselves.

Actually - I trust medical people pretty much and since the VA does all it's diagnostics via a panel of experts, I feel safe and well taken care of right now. I've had 7 eye surgeries and several others that were emergency in nature - but this blood-passing may just be benign and not malevolent at all. I hope so.

M y next big appointment is the 12th and I just have to wing it until then.





Title: Re: Joints and estrogen
Post by: Renate on November 04, 2009, 05:04:23 AM
Women are more prone to auto-immune diseases.
Some forms of arthritis are auto-immune based.

I find that glucosamine/chondroitin helps my joints feel much better.
Others report this as having no effect.
YMMV
Title: Re: Joints and estrogen
Post by: Naturally Blonde on November 04, 2009, 09:28:34 AM
Quote from: K8 on November 03, 2009, 06:47:06 PM
I found this, too.  I have some arthritis and it has bothered me less on estrogen than before.  The joint ache/pain has started up again in the last few days, but the weather has turned cold here. :P

- Kate

Yea, agreed....I also had a bone density scan done relating to the fact that they originally thought I was intersexed and wanted to do various tests. The bone density scan showed a white female profile and more importantly my bone density and condition was the same as a woman 12 years younger than my present age.

But I have also heard the opposite where in some cases HRT on GD patients has negative effects on their bones.
Title: Re: Joints and estrogen
Post by: K8 on November 04, 2009, 09:44:23 AM
One of the effects of hormone therapy listed in the scientific literature is loss of bone density.  I believe this is an effect of the loss of testosterone rather than the addition of estrogen.  Also listed is increased risk of osteoporosis, but I don't remember anything about joint pain.

All of the effects that they list are averages or tendencies.  None is guaranteed.  They usually don't list mental/psychological/emotional effects because those are so subjective. 

There is huge variation in the effects of hormone therapy, just as there is huge variation in the effects of naturally-occurring hormones in the human body.  Just one more reason to do it through a trained medical professional and to try to keep your expectations in check.

- Kate
Title: Re: Joints and estrogen
Post by: Flo on November 06, 2009, 06:06:59 PM
Thanks all for your responses...

turns out I have the on set of rheumatoid (sic) arthritis.  Anti-inflammatory and physiotherapy...

oh well...at least everything else check out perfect with a good level of E in the blood doing what it's supposed to..

BYEEEE

Flo
Title: Re: Joints and estrogen
Post by: deviousxen on November 06, 2009, 07:22:48 PM
Quote from: Flo on November 06, 2009, 06:06:59 PM
Thanks all for your responses...

turns out I have the on set of rheumatoid (sic) arthritis.  Anti-inflammatory and physiotherapy...

oh well...at least everything else check out perfect with a good level of E in the blood doing what it's supposed to..

BYEEEE

Flo

Oh you have Rhue? You should DEFINITELY smoke (totally not saying smoke) then