Left arm - dull ache Options

[jimi]

Now that I have just about every meno symptom under control, I have been getting a dull ache in my left arm - no chest pain. I know that this can be a symptom of heart disease and was wondering if any of you ladies have or are having this as well. I have high cholesterol and triglycerides- have been trying on the cholesterol board to compare Australian readings with US readings, to no avail. I am not overwieight, don't drink enough alchohol to mention,  I have a pretty healthy diet - including lots of garlic and I use extra virgin first pressed olive oil for cooking and salads, but I do smoke about 30 cigarettes a day and have done for 30 years, also have had way too many traumatic events throughout my adult life. I have heard that both long term stress and meno can raise cholesterol levels.There is heart disease in my family history. My Dr. doesn't seem to be concerned. It may also be phsychosymatic as my brother has just been diagnosed with a faulty heart valve. He is 52. I am 50. Bit of concern. I could also be a hypercondriac after being in meno for about 8 years. I am now post.

jimi

[jimi]

Oh! and my blood preasure is and always had been good. Would much appreciate your experiences with this dull ache thing.

jimi

[Dearest]

jimi, I doubt you're being a hypochondriac. So many symptoms are suddenly "in our face" when we're going through menopause that's it's difficult not to think that something may be seriously wrong.

I've always thought of how we look at our bodies as the antithesis of how the American legal system works. Anyone ready to go to trial is considered "innocent until proven guilty." How do we look upon our health issues at midlife? Everything is guilty until proven innocent. It's interesting when you think about it.

About the dull ache/pain in your left arm, I've had this more times than I can count. It might be indicative of a host of things totally unrelated to your heart. 1) It could be related to circulation. So many circulation problems come up during menopause. You might want to exercise your arm(s) more. 2) It could be neuralgia, rheumatics, or some form of arthritis -- joint or bone ache or pains suddenly plague many women when they enter the menopausal transition. 3) Do you sleep on your left side? If you're sleeping on your left arm, as I do, that, alone, could cause a dull ache in your arm.

There are so many possible causes it's difficult to pinpoint, and I also know when you're getting these "scary" symptoms, sometimes no matter what any doctor tells you, there's always that fear in the back of your mind. I know because I live with Costochondritis, an inflammation of the breast bone and cartilage which often results in sticking and severe pain the chest cavity.

Yes, stress can raise cholesterol levels and so can certain medications, but menopause itself often raises cholesterol levels. If you could get the numbers translated, I'd be interested in knowing what your triglycerides are especially. People don't realize that in the lipid profile, high triglyceride levels are the single most contributing factor to heart disease. At the same time, women shouldn't become majorly alarmed if their cholesterol levels not only rise, but soar during the menopausal years. My mother's cholesterol went up to 400 during menopause. She never took cholesterol-lowering medications, but lowered it with soy (as I did with Revival when mine peaked at 311). Neither of us had ever had cholesterol issues before menopause and my mother is 91 years old.

Here's where I become confused about what you write. You write about not being overweight, about not drinking enough alcohol to matter, about using "extra virgin pressed olive oil" in your "healthy diet" BUT you smoke 30 cigarettes a day and there's heart disease in your family. You might be surprised that all the positive results you're effecting by an otherwise healthy lifestyle might be negated by those 30 cigarettes a day.

I don't mean this as a criticism. I'm not here to judge your lifestyle. Lord knows, we all have our weaknesses, but there's something really incongruous about this picture and you might want to take a serious look at it.

Dearest

[jimi]

Hey Dearest! Many thanks for your response.  Could be circulation, not arthritis, sleep on both sides, no problems there. Definately could do more physical excersize -  with more than my arm. No confusion in what I wrote, just being honest, telling it as it is. I started smoking at an early age and as you know nicotine is the most addictive substance on the planet, add about 20 or 30 years of stress related dysfunction, an armed robbery,  a very bad divorce, son hit by car, a couple of deaths of loved ones etc. etc. (you have read my post) and top it of with a few meno symptoms for around 7 or 8 years and stir  -  like, insanity was looking pretty good there for a while - I havn't had time to even think about "smoking" let alone STOP!!!  I have had plenty of excuses to keep smoking. We all have our poison. Never know, one day, if I keep feeling as good as I am lately.................Hypochondriac, that how you spell it.... It's all a learning process, eh!.

jimi - bugs - (((hugs)))

                           ***********************I wanna quote everything in John Lennons Imagine album...........so I have, just by the mention.

[debrikkia]

HEY Jimi--just bought "the patch'---am still doing research about it before I start, but would you consider joining me in quitting?  I guarantee I can match you in life's events and situations about why I can't quit--and then some.  I can add to yours BIG TIME--and will, if you like, through private email.  It serves no purpose here on Power Surge.  I want to quit because it is the one thing that I DO have control of, as far as a health issue in my life.  I realize that it is a huge addiction--I quit once before after smoking for 17 years.  I didn't smoke for 9 years, then after ONE puff, sick as it made me, I started smoking again.  That was 11 years ago, and I've been smoking ever since.  I know that it's going to be one of the most difficult things I've ever attempted at this point in my life, but I DO want to live, and I want to live without these circulation problems, and without having a breathing hose stuck up my nose for my grandkids to see.  I know my time is now.  Not sure why I'm sharing all this with you now, but maybe you are feeling some of the same things that I am.  If you care to respond through email, you can request my address via this site, if I haven't all ready given it to you.  Enough said.  Hope you'll join me.

Deb

[HippieHeron]

Hi Jimi  

     I have been having unusual feelings in my left arm and shoulder and chest too (see topic, Odd Sensation in Chest).  I'll be going for more tests in a week or so, but one thing that did help me already is to take a break from the stress.  If all of those stressful things that you mentioned happened at least 6 months ago, try to set them aside for now.  I had a lot of stress this past winter (and the chest discomfort was one of the stressful things) but after I became aware of the fact that all those health problems and other difficulties had been resolved, I made up my mind to not dwell on them anymore.  To help me change my thinking, I guess you could say that I started meditating whenever I was in a situation where my thoughts could turn towards anger or worry over all of my problems.  Actually, I wasn't doing meditating  (altho meditation would work too) I was using that time to think up plans for a fantasy vacation that I knew I would probably never be able to go on.  But it was relaxing thinking about it!  Much more so relaxing than thinking about all this stress!  After a couple of weeks, this "vacation" planning got kind of old, so I stopped it, but I realized that my thought patterns had changed during those few weeks and I no longer had the tendency to think about only problems, stress and anger when my mind would wander.  It didn't take care of all of my chest discomfort, but I don't have the heart pounding feelings anymore.    

   I know that if problems are happening right now, they need to be tended to, but if these stressful events were all in the past and you've hit a relatively calm spot in your life, take advantage of it and give your mind and emotions a rest.  Try meditating, or doing something that you really enjoy, or maybe you could take a real vacation.  Then after you've had a rest,  you could try tackling quitting smoking.  You might find that being rested will give you more strength to quit.   Good luck!  

[jimi]

Hey Deb, - nice try, but I think you would have to sedate me or lock me in a padded cell to stop smoking at the moment - totally addicted  :o .Hippie~ Just returned from three wonderful days away.  Left arm aches no more. Nothing like walking around in the great Australian bush, watching waterfalls or just sitting on a rock by a river. Feeling great. Gotta do it more often. I hope you get your vacation soon.

jimi - bugs - (((hugs)))

(Edited by jimi at 7:00 pm on May 26, 2003)

[HippieHeron]

Wow!  That sounds beautiful, Jimi!    I'm glad you got a nice restful break from the stress.  And i'm especially glad that your arm is feeling better.  

[zoe10]

I was getting aches mainly in my right arm and started to notice that I was sleeping with my hand tucked under my chin or in other uncomfortable positions, it would just end up there.  I found that wearing a brace on my wrist (like the kind they use for carpeltunnel and sell at drugstores) made it too uncomfortable for me to twist up my hand in my sleep and I stopped having the aches.

[Angharad]

Thank you Dearest for your posting about left arm pain, chest pains, palps etc. I thought it was just me. You can imagine how relieved I am to hear that others have been suffering the same symptoms as me! Last week I thought I was dying, in fact I get these awfull feelings of dread and doom quite often nowadays. I'm 51, and have been perimenopausal for about 2 years, that I can swear to. In reality its probably been more like 5 years!! I went to my doctor last week, had an ECG which was normal. My symptoms were:- palpitations, rushing sounds in my ears,choking sensation in my throat, pressure feeling in the upper part of my chest, some dizziness, a little nausea, dull ache in my left arm, aches and pains across shoulders etc. I thought I was on deaths door. My doctor said it was panc/anxiety, adrenaline driven. He prescribed Diazepan 2mgs three times a day for a week. By the following day all the symptoms had practically dissapeared! Now I worry about the symtoms recurring, last night I couldn't sleep and had to get up at 3 a.m......too worried. There's something going on with my blood sugar levels too. Dont know what, but I had to eat 2 bowl fulls of cereal and two glasses of fresh orange juice before I started feeling better in the night. Both hands were numb when I woke up this morning. Today I feel terribly anxious again, convinced I'm dying any minute now. My life-line is this message board! Thank you so much for it. Angie

[jadebear]

My left arm had been aching so much that i was putting an ice pack on it during the day.........then i realized what the problem was....i always sleep on my left side,and i was kinda propping myself up with my left arm.......sounds rather simple,but it took me awhile to figure out what it was.Now i lay a big pillow beside me and rest my arm on it while sleeping,and no more aching.

[marykc]

Well I had never attributed my left arm aching to menopause! It has been driving me crazy for about six months. I do sleep mostly on my left side, so I have been trying to remember to turn over a few times in the night. I tried the propping my arm on a pillow and it works for a while. Does anyone else have something better that worked for them?

[glea55]

Was reading the posts about left arm aches and was interested if anyone has any insight about what causes them to occur during perimenopause? Any feedback would be great.

[matoaka]

When I asked a friend the same question... she said. "Don't worry... Next week it will be your right arm." On the serious side, if you have concerns, please see your doctor. If everything checks out, it could well be just these crazy hormone fluctuations. I've had aches and pains a lot this year. I know that's not an explanation. Just wanted you to know you're not in this boat alone. I do hope you feel better soon. Keep the faith!

[glea55]

Had it checked out and everything was okay. Dr. really had no explanation. In my reading I have read that it is caused by too much estrogent, too little estrogen, too much progesterone, too little progestersone. Find it all too confusing. Just was wondering what anybody else knew about it and the cause. Thanks for your reply.

[kammom1]

Dearest, I have been reading these message boards for a while - have many post-meno problems - am now on bio-identical hrt for a month or so, don't really know if it is helping but am giving it a fair trial. My question is, I was told many years ago that I had costochondritis - at the time they just said take pain killers - didn't do it because I don't like them. Through the years just have lived with it and then when I went for the problem last year they said it was reflux - they just looked at me like I was crazy when I mentioned costo.....I've never heard of anyone else with this problem until reading the posts where you mentioned you had it - can you share your experience with costochronditis - the pain and what you do to help it? Anything would be appreciated. Thank you.......for all you do! kam

[Guest_Trisha11_*]

Hi my name is patricia, I felt I must reply about the left arm ache, as I too get it a lot, in the last few years, especially before periods. I had two breast biopsies on the left breast, and I think the arm pain has something to do with hormones acting on the breast tissue, and causing the arm pain too. Has anyone else noticed this, I wonder. I no longer worry that it is caused by my heart, as it comes and goes in regular cycles, with my periods and breast pain! Hope this is helpful.

[mamabear6]

Wish I could post behind every message that applies to me, but I'd be here forever Checking the board this morning because of my aching left arm, after having a racing heart last night for a couple of hours. I'm 51 and started having dizziness, lightheadedness and symptoms I can only describe as WEIRD last October. Husband is an ER doctor and thinks I'm losing my mind. As one post mentioned, I, too, feel like I'm on death's door and nobody believes me. I always try to get cleaned up early in the morning, so if I keel over, at least I'll look presentable! The power of suggestion affects me greatly. I had surgery two years ago (elective), followed by a blood clot in my leg, which went away after taking a baby aspirin for two weeks.. now I keep thinking I have another blood clot, although there's no reason I would have one! I have leg pain and pain behind my knee and my entire left arm and leg will be numb and tingly. Hubby has pacified me with blood tests to see if I've had a heart attack and even did an EKG - all turned out fine. The panic/anxiety attacks are a daily event now and I haven't had them for 20 years. A loud NOISE can through me into a panic attack. One of my children COUGHING can through me into a panic attack. I try to function normally and not let on when a strange feeling hits me. Since finding this board, it's been a tremendous help - I get such a calming from reading the posts from women who are experiencing the same things I am. Bought a menopause test and it was negative, OB/GYN ordered a blood test - it was negative.. so I must be perimenopausal.. or crazy. I went through many infertility procedures in my late 30's, early 40's, giving birth at 40 and again at 42 (twins!); so wonder if menopause is going to hit with a vengence due to all the medication I was on during that period. Anyone else go through infertility and find their perimenopause or menopause was particularly difficult? My mom was 55 when she went through it and she had ONE hot flash.. that was it. I must take after my dad's side I certainly hope these feelings pass - can't imagine going through life like this for eight years, as some ladies have mentioned! Thanks MUCH for this life-saving, peace-giving board!!

Karen

[MaeFlower]

Hi Karen,

Sorry to hear what you are going through. You have found the right place with Power Surge. There are so many of us going through the same thing and also have had trouble finding doctors who first of all believe us when we explain our symptoms, and secondly will treat us for something other than anxiety. I used to thing that if only I was a nurse or lived with a doctor that I wouldn't worry about all these symptoms or that I would be able to know exactly what was wrong with me. But I've read so many posts or women like you who live with doctors or who are nurses and they are in the same boat I am in - trying to live with weird symptoms, worrying about terrible illnesses, wondering if they are having a heart attack, etc. It wasn't until I found Power Surge that I realized how common hormonal problems are and all the symptoms that can come from hormonal imbalances. I too have had the racing heart, heart palps, aching chest, etc and thought it was my heart only to be told that everything was fine. It still is very hard not to worry.

My mother also had a very easy time with menopause at a very early age - 38. Was through it by 42. She said that she only can remember experiencing irregular periods until one day they just stopped all together. Certainly a different story than mine. I too hope that I don't have to live like this for the next 8 years.

Hugs to you,
Maeflower

[KGBell]

Hey Jimi, Just read your journal post from May and if you haven't heard from anyone else, maybe I can help. I am 54 and just going into peri. I sought help from a cardiologist for other symtoms and high BP, but one of my problems was this pain in my left arm above the elbow, so I thought it was heart related, too. Heart doctor did all kinds of tests and nothing. My GP said it was stress radiating down from my neck even though I didn't feel pain in my neck. Sometimes it would move up to my shoulder as well. Now that my BP and panic are under control, I get the pressure in my arm much much less.
Good luck,
KGB

[Kathy46]

How weird!!!

My left arm was aching terribly....hand went numb and tingled.....I thought I was having a heart attack. Turns out it is this menopause junk!

[Kathipre]

Another symptom to share.. My left arm has been tingling and I chaulked it up to a possibly slightly pinched nerve from moving a washing machine (might be, but nice to know could be nothing too)... At night when I get into bed my arms tingle or feel heavy - that's when the palps start too.

Called my ob/gyn today and when I told him the night palps were my only real symptom, he told me to call the cardiologist because that isn't a symptom of menopause... thanks, Doc. I have found dozens of posts on this site stating EXACTLY the opposite.

I too have costochondritis and am happy to hear of someone else who has it too. That explains a lot. I was never told anything about it other than to stop trying to move office furniture by myself... So if I add the costo to the menopause it can explain a lot of the "steel band around the ribs" and palps...

You folks are awesome.

For the arm pain I try to flex my arms and wiggle them around like we did when we were kids at school.. that seems to help. A benedryl at bedtime helps to because it relaxes just enough to take your mind off it.

thanks again gals. It's nice not to be alone

[Rufus]

I just found this site, thanks to a Google search on left arm ache. This is very reassuring, thanks all! I have a curious question. I didn't suffer this symptom till I started on Synthroid this week end. Is anyone else on this thyroid med and feeling the left arm ache? It's probably just a coincidence, but I thought I'd check thanks!

Rufus

[jimi]

Dearest,
If you read this can you please explain the symptoms of Costochondritis. Do you get a central crushing feeling with this that comes and goes within a few minits or so? Does anxiety make it worse?
I have been experiencing sticking and clicking sensations in various areas of my upper rib cage/chest for a month now (feels like cartilage)and yesterday went to the ER with crushing chest pain - had it the day before as well. Wasn't my heart apparently - could have been angina or anxiety - they didn't know. I will be having more tests.
I am curious about Costochondritis and it's symptoms. Ta!

Hmmm - not really crushing pain ...more like pressure.

[jessie x]

Hi Jimi, Sorry to hear about your latest scare. Just thought I'd let you know that before it all moved up to my throat/neck/ear area, I had a lot of unpleasant aches and pains in my upper ribcage and chest which I thought might be costochondritis. Started with an achiness under my right breast which moved into my right shoulder (still have a lot of knottiness and stiffness there), and a lot of weird chest sensations - pressure, butterflies, aches, soreness generally. This was how the whole peri thing started for me.

I had lots of acupuncture and this seemed to help - it's much better now, but still stiff, and I often wonder if the aches and pains I now get in my throat/neck/shoulder etc are connected to this - it's like it travelled upwards!! Maybe in your case it's travelling downwards. Let's not forget that all these muscles and joints are interconnected and if one area is particularly affected it will eventually spread to other areas too. A kind of domino effect. Have you ever googled myofascial pain syndrome or trigger points? Muscular knots and stiffness can cause all kinds of odd symptoms, some of which can be quite scary. Hope this helps, Jess xx

[jimi]

Hi jessie,
I just finished reading all about Costochondritis ..... Now that's scary stuff

[alice3]

Hi Jimi!!! Did you read that link I put on a couple of months ago (see search).

Let me just tell you that DD is constantly complaining of all these sort of pains (she's expecting). I think a lot of this is hormonal.

Take care!

http://www.bhf.org.uk/questions/index.asp?...level=1316#6139

[tinkybug]

Another symptom to share.. My left arm has been tingling and I chaulked it up to a possibly slightly pinched nerve from moving a washing machine (might be, but nice to know could be nothing too)... At night when I get into bed my arms tingle or feel heavy - that's when the palps start too.

Called my ob/gyn today and when I told him the night palps were my only real symptom, he told me to call the cardiologist because that isn't a symptom of menopause... thanks, Doc. I have found dozens of posts on this site stating EXACTLY the opposite.

I too have costochondritis and am happy to hear of someone else who has it too. That explains a lot. I was never told anything about it other than to stop trying to move office furniture by myself... So if I add the costo to the menopause it can explain a lot of the "steel band around the ribs" and palps...

You folks are awesome.

For the arm pain I try to flex my arms and wiggle them around like we did when we were kids at school.. that seems to help. A benedryl at bedtime helps to because it relaxes just enough to take your mind off it.

thanks again gals. It's nice not to be alone

Just wanted to say I also had costochonridtis and it was very painful. I found heat was the best for it, I even slept with the heating pad on low on my chest. Also I had to watch what I did, like scrubbing the shower, now I have hubby do it. You know I havent had an episode in about 2 years. I also use a hot cream on that area and that really, really helped, Tinks

Hi jessie,
I just finished reading all about Costochondritis ..... Now that's scary stuff

Jimi, you know I had this costochonridits and yes it sounds like what you are describing. So that you have peace of mind have you been to your docter? I found out about it 10years ago and it would come and go, I was about 42 yrs old so it seems as if it could have been the beg. of peri. Now my doc ruled out heart trouble and gave me Tolectin which was suppose to help with the inflamation. Well it didnt I dont do well with meds. So I just would take OTC pain killers and started putting heat, Also exercising that area. Slowly pulling the arm the opposite way, very slowly.
I havent had an episode in over 2 years it does get better, it did for me. Now I have a bunch of other stuff, so we tackle one at a time, good luck, take care,
Tinkybug

[dorry]

hi,

i used to get am aching shoulder and arm when i was pregnant with both my children, so for me it could be linked to hormonal flucations!!! thats my theory anyway

love dorry xxxxxxx

[Ann156]

Hi,
I get ocassional flare ups of what seems to be left chest muscle aches/soreness that sometimes also effects the side and armpit as well as the triceps. When this first happened cardiac was ruled out. I then went to an orthopedic doctor and was found to have "frozen shoulder" as well as arthritic changes in the cervical spine... but sore chest muscles actually went away before I even started physical therapy. My primary doctor thinks it is due to stress/anxiety. When I was younger I would get a pinching type pain in my left chest that was relieved with anti-anxiety meds.

So I just attribute the whole mess to anxiety/stress with a little bit of arthritis and possible spinal nerve impingement thrown in. I'm just getting over a flare up now. This is the first place I have heard of anyone mentioning such a problem. I'm getting tired of people looking at me like I've got some weird disease so I just stopped saying anything to anyone other than "I'm fine, thank you".