Plot Twist: Not Everything Is Menopause (Even Though It Feels Like It)

I finally went to the doctor today because I just can't handle whatever is going on with my shoulder. Did I fall or have an injury of some sort? I don't think so. Was I in an accident? Not that I recall. Am I just imagining it with my normal fifty and seasoned body? I wasn't sure.

Here's the thing: I am a klutz. Always have been. I can trip over my own two feet on a good day. A few years back, I sprained my ankle so badly I had to wear a boot. Want to know how? I was running around the corner of my house to get to the bathroom. Yes, I am that person. The person who injures herself in her own home doing completely normal activities.

So when I started feeling these random aches and pains over the last year or two, I didn't think much of it. I'm bruising more easily, and just bending over to put on my shoes can make my back go out! (My back is a whole different story for later. Spoiler: it's also a disaster.)

But I knew from my reading and appointments with my amazing menopause doctors that this isn't uncommon. According to WebMD, "studies have shown that women experiencing menopause symptoms are nearly twice as likely to have chronic pain conditions, such as fibromyalgia and migraines. Common complaints during menopause include joint pain, muscle pain, and other discomforts that can significantly affect quality of life."

Translation: your body is basically trolling you.

The Weight Loss Journey (Or: Why My Back Stopped Screaming at Me)

I've had a weight issue most of my life, so I started a weight loss journey back in 2023. I've been on and off since then, losing 50+ pounds so far. I know that's helped, especially with my back. The exercise and nutrition have improved my health overall. My journey continues, but here's the mystery: why do I still wake up with pains I can't explain?

Not long ago, I went to my primary care doctor because I had such bad joint pain that I'd Googled myself into worst-case scenarios aplenty. (Pro tip: Never Google your symptoms at 2 a.m. You don't have a rare tropical disease. You're just fifty.)

She ran all the usual tests, and despite my absolute certainty that I had rheumatoid arthritis, she said, "There's nothing wrong in your labs."

I thought, "How could that be? Am I losing my mind?"

What she suggested next changed everything. She said, "Maybe you should take a look at your hormones."

Enter: Hormone Replacement Therapy (AKA My New Best Friend)

I found a great clinic specializing in perimenopause and menopause. Got all the tests. Sure enough, basically all my levels were off! At the time, my brain fog was so bad I could barely remember the names of people I'd known for years. I could cry at the drop of a hat. A commercial about puppies? Tears. Someone chewing too loud? Also tears.

I started on progesterone, and my goodness, was that a life changer. After some adjustments, I landed on a dose that helped so many symptoms—including the joint pain. Soon after, I added estrogen via a weekly patch. I tried testosterone, but it wasn't for me. I didn't like the way it made me feel, plus the oily skin and hair? No thank you.

What I've learned and shared with friends is that no one person's symptoms and experiences are exactly the same. The same goes for the methods and medications that help. Some women swear by doing nothing. Others won't dare stray from their daily hormones.

For me, HRT is now my lifestyle. And boy, do I feel better.

The Danger of Blaming Everything on Menopause

But here's where things get tricky. I assumed months ago when my shoulder started bothering me that it was frozen shoulder—something a lot of women get during menopause. When I read the symptoms, they weren't exactly what I was experiencing, but I thought, "It has to be that, right? Everything else has been menopause-related!"

So I toughed it out. Ignored it. Blamed perimenopause like I blame it for everything else these days. (Can't find my keys? Perimenopause. Forgot why I walked into a room? Perimenopause. Ate an entire sleeve of cookies? Also perimenopause.)

Finally, I gave in and saw a shoulder doctor.

Plot twist: I was wrong.

It wasn't frozen shoulder. Apparently, I have bursitis—a painful swelling in a small, fluid-filled sac called a bursa that cushions the spaces around bones and tissue. I could have gotten it from an injury, or it could have just gradually developed. Who knows? My body has stopped making sense.

The intake nurse laughed when I told her I thought it was frozen shoulder due to my age and perimenopause. She noted she was around the same age and totally understood why I'd jumped to that conclusion.

But it wasn't menopause. And now I'm having cortisone shots and starting physical therapy.

The Lesson

Getting older stinks, but lesson learned: I guess not everything is because of menopause. Just most things.

I'll let you know how the treatment goes. In the meantime, I'll make sure my husband lifts those heavier objects for me. (Looking at you, KitchenAid mixer.)

Because if there's one thing I've learned in my fifties, it's this: ask for help, listen to your body, and when in doubt—blame menopause first, then see a doctor second.