I noticed a 2012 discussion on this which I would like to revive I am just through the menopause and still having occasional hot flashes which brings on the EM in my feet really badly. I did not take HRT as my menopause symptoms were not that bad but as EM started just at the end I wonder if mine might be linked to low oestrogen. GP says hormone levels ‘normal’ for post menopause but not sure that really means a lot. Does anyone else have this trigger and have you tried HRT?
Hi Stardust67.
I have yet to go through menopause but am quite nervous about it. I am 42 so I should still have a few years but I would love any information from those that has gone through it with EM. I have never heard of anyone as of yet that said menopause caused their EM but I would be curios if others have started during or right after menopause.
Thank you for starting this discussion that has been on my mind!
Take care,
Alina
Thank you for the great tips Tizzy.
So HRT helps minimize the flaring but to make sure you stop them slowly if I understand? You have set my mind at ease a bit. Thank you Tizzy!
Take care,
Alina
Just a quick one. Tizzy is right , hormones are considered implicated in EM. But then everything seems to be implicated - lets face it they just dont know ! I shall post some stuff on this tmw (someone remind me ). HRT is a med readily offered in the polypharmacy mix. Far higher proportion of women, hits mostly around the perimenopause stage 45-60. Feminisation of the syndrome or am I being cynical? Not aware that testosterone offered to men ;)
Night family
God bless
x
Ok so both Em and Raynaulds (which often co exists) are primarily considered due to excessive response of the regulatory blood vessels to changes in temperature (amongst other triggers). Heres some stuff to start with on blood flow - menopause.
Thank you Thank you Thank you Mads for the research!
I am reading through the research you gave us and trying to figure out all of the fancy medical language and I am still working on it. I think I should qualify as I doctor when I am done with it! All of that aside one word that caught my eye that I have noticed and even asked my doctor about a couple of years ago is BRADYKININ. this is released in response to heat to cause vasodilation . I asked my doctor a few years ago if there could be a link to excess Bradykinin being released causing the excessive dilation. He just looked at me as if I was crazy and said he has never heard of that and surely it could have nothing to do with it. Well here it is again and I just keep going back to it. It could very well be nothing but I am going to look around a bit and see if I can find more info on it and if there is anything that causes its increase or decrease in the body. Just something else to take a look at. I know you are a little better than myself with the medical terminology and research in general so do you mind letting me know if you know anything regarding this please? If you have a chance I would appreciate it. I am still looking myself. Thank you again for the paper.
Take care,
Alina
Alina Delp said:
Thank you Thank you Thank you Mads for the research!
Folks.
Bradykinin is a peptide that causes blood vessels to dilate, and therefore causes blood pressure to fall. A class of drugs called ACE inhibitors, which are used to lower blood pressure, increase bradykinin further lowering blood pressure. So ,it is likely it has some impact on EM. I don't know whether there is a specific drug that would lower bradikinin levels--that would be an interesting piece of research.
Speaking of estrogen and the role it plays in EM, I certainly have found that periods of worseneing of my EM parallel major body changes I experience that are related to decreased levels of estrogen. The last such period occurred when my skin just started to show hundreds of age spots within a week's time. The time before that was related to thinning of body hair. II was reading an interesting newspaper article yesterday about a possible new way to treat depression in perimenopausal women without the side effects of usual antidepressant therapies. Apparently, MAO-A increases as estrogen decreases. And there is already a drug on the market that inhibits MAO-A (Meclobemide--Manerix). I looked it up and it is being used as a pain reliever in fibromyalgia (one of those serendipitous findings) . Do any of you know whether some of our female members have had Manerix prescribed for their pain? I would be interested to see if it could help.
Cheers,
Dragica
Hi there. I’ve been on HRT (combined oestrogen and progesterone) for 2 weeks now. Good news! It is helping. It’s not a dramatic improvement and my feet are still burning but it’s not as intense. I’m having fewer flares and they don’t last as long. It’s not a cure but I’ll take anything that helps. Feet are still aching a lot and can’t stand for long but pain on sitting much less and not much pain in bed either. Fingers x’d it carries on like this…
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Thanks Stardust.
That's interesting to know--I wonder if other members have noticed a difference if they are on HRT. I'm too old for HRT (68)--wonder if an estrogen topical cream might help.
Cheers,
Dragica
I am so glad you have found something that helps you Stardust67! I know it isn't a magic cure all but as you said any relief makes a huge difference.
I am a 41 year old woman and I have recently had all of my hormones checked out and they said they are all normal. Does any one have any idea if I could still benefit from HRT in smaller doses. maybe just bringing me up to the high side of normal?
Take care,
Alina
Differentiating between menopausal vasomotor symptoms and EM can be problematic.This is a topic we will be addressing on a much deeper level in our next Spotlight feature.
Meanwhile,latest findings on menopause.
Frequent vasomotor symptoms last longer than thought - 7 years.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/839870?src=wnl_edit_tpal&ua...
Paroxetine for Women With Menopausal Vasomotor symptoms
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/838691?src=wnl_edit_tpal&ua...
My EM started immediately after I had a complete hysterectomy! Like I mean as soon as I woke up from anesthesia. I thought before I heard of EM that I was just having hot flashes in my feet. I am now on natural,compounded, hormones,and my hormones,are completely balanced according to my bloodwork and saliva testing. So I do not know how hormones effect it as I have seen no change for the better while being on hormones. I know trauma of surgery can be a caus of EM?