Question: I have gastroparesis and vitamin deficiencies, mainly B12, Folate, Iron and Vitamin D. When I was about 6 or 7 these were not yet diagnosed but I would feel sickly achy pains in my calves...like a headache....almost always brought on by cold and damp. Could the pains be related to the deficiencies, if so, how?

Hi,

Thank you for your answer :)

I forgot to mention that in my early twenties I was diagnosed as hypermobile and there is some question now as to whether I have Ehlers-Danlos Hypermobility (with some hypotension and some skin hyper-elasticity)...Could this also have been a contributing factor historically?

I had a hysterectomy three years ago, my ovaries were also removed, I'd had PCOS which presented as ovulation sometimes as often as 2 or 3 times a week so the ovary removal was to reduce my heightened risk at the time of ovarian cancer. As I'd had menopausal symptoms for some years before the op. I had very few menopausal symptoms following it, perhaps hot flashes for about seven months.

I was wondering though, is collagen affected hormonally? Could my worsening joint pains have something to do with hormonal changes? (as I had so few problems I didn't use HRT) as EDS is due to collagen insufficiency isn't it?

I'm also puzzled as to why the calf pains were sited not in my joints or larger portion of calf muscle, it felt as though it was inbetween the muscle and the bone, what exists there?

I very much appreciate the ability to ask these questions on a website, thank you :)