Question: Hi - Since completing menopause, I have developed various joint and muscle pain and aches. I am not sure if it's related to having completed menopause, but the timing is right. I have not had a period for two years and am considered post menopausal. Recently, I have developed pain in BOTH arms (below the shoulder and above the elbow) which is so bad in the morning I can barely open the blinds. It does seem to lessen during the day. I have also noticed more "cracking" noises in my neck, arms and body . . . as well as some knee pain and muscle soreness when I stand from a sitting position. NONE of these symptoms were there as of 6 months ago. I saw my OB/GYN this morning and she wants me to try taking Minivelle (estrogen patch) for a month and see if my body aches and pains diminish. She feels that this will tell us if my symptoms are hormone related, or something different, like an autoimmune disease, etc. which she said would need to be checked further by a Rheumatologist. She also ordered blood work to be done tomorrow, to test for vitamin D, and MANY other things. The only med I am on is Synthroid .088 mcg for hypothyroidism . . . I have been on Synthroid since my late twenties and am now 55. As a side note, I am experiencing hot flashes, associated with menopause, on and off during the day and night. Other than that, my menopause experience wasn't bad! To conclude, my OB/GYN was most curious about my upper arm pain in both arms each day . . . not really symptomatic of the joint pain with loss of estrogen. I really do not want to start on the estradiol patch due to side affects. Thank you. I look forward to hearing back from you.