RedSquirrelUK
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,743 
Location: The UK's beautiful West Country
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Post by RedSquirrelUK on Dec 5, 2022 10:30:02 GMT
Last winter I had just finished my chemo, which caused a medical menopause, and everything hurt when I walked, especially my feet. A year and 3 medication changes later, I hurt much less but my feet and hands are still painful. When I tried on my off-season/party boots and shoes, I couldn't get them on. I've only gained about 7 or 8 pounds and I've been this weight before, so it must be menopause. I Googled this and apparently it happens.
Now I've got to buy more footwear and I'm annoyed because these are good shoes and boots.
I didn't know that menopause caused feet to enlarge. Did you? Has anyone else had this happen?
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J u l e e
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,531
Location: Cincinnati
Jun 28, 2014 2:50:47 GMT
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Post by J u l e e on Dec 5, 2022 11:54:43 GMT
I’ve not had this happen. I’m 2.5 years past my last period and outside of the four pounds that made their home mostly at my middle, nothing else changed. (Or should I add ‘yet’?)
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Post by iamkristinl16 on Dec 5, 2022 12:19:40 GMT
I hope this doesn’t happen to me. But my feet free a little with each pregnancy. Before kids I wore a 6 1/2 and now I wear a 7 1/2 or sometimes 8.
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Post by gar on Dec 5, 2022 13:01:12 GMT
Sort of...my feet are a little wider/larger but I put it down to ligaments/connective tissue etc being weaker now, and not holding everything in place so firmly = feet 'spreading out' generally.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Dec 5, 2022 13:51:15 GMT
My feet are bigger now but I think it had more to do with pregnancy/childbirth and arthritis in my feet than menopause. I remember being surprised that I could barely get my shoes on when I went to leave the hospital after having my kid. Not long after that, I developed bone spurs from arthritis that caused most of my shoes to rub or hit in those areas and I ended up pretty much needing all new (bigger) shoes.
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Mystie
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,299
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Post by Mystie on Dec 5, 2022 14:08:56 GMT
I also went into medical menopause after chemo in 2020, and where I mostly wore 8 1/2 and could wear a lot of regular width, I'm pretty solidly a 9W now. I never connected it to menopause, though...I think it has more to do with the neuropathy from chemo in my feet. My toes are very sensitive and my feet in general just need more room to feel comfortable. I can wear my old broken-in shoes, but for new shoes, I've had to size up. I've also spent a fortune trying to find comfortable socks! I can't wear anything too stiff, thick, or tight.
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Post by Sanibel on Dec 5, 2022 14:09:52 GMT
Surgical menopause caused me to go from a 6.5 to a 7.
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RedSquirrelUK
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,743
Location: The UK's beautiful West Country
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Post by RedSquirrelUK on Dec 5, 2022 14:18:39 GMT
I also went into medical menopause after chemo in 2020, and where I mostly wore 8 1/2 and could wear a lot of regular width, I'm pretty solidly a 9W now. I never connected it to menopause, though...I think it has more to do with the neuropathy from chemo in my feet. My toes are very sensitive and my feet in general just need more room to feel comfortable. I can wear my old broken-in shoes, but for new shoes, I've had to size up. I've also spent a fortune trying to find comfortable socks! I can't wear anything too stiff, thick, or tight. Yes I have CIPN too, which does complicate things. My hands and feet aren't really comfortable ever now, without anything touching them. Have you found anything that helps? But my feet are also definitely bigger. I can't even get my feet into one of the pairs of boots I own. They've always been snug but comfortable. Interestingly, I just pulled up some shoe sizing websites and measured my feet. I've learned a lot about width sizing! According to multiple sites I should be the size that I always have been, but I'm obviously not. It's a bit of a mystery. Ah well... I'll just have to go shopping.  |
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Post by gar on Dec 5, 2022 15:01:08 GMT
Ah well... I'll just have to go shopping. Shoe shopping isn't a bad thing  |
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Post by katlady on Dec 5, 2022 15:10:45 GMT
Nope, didn’t happen to me. I wish it did because my shoe size sucks (5) and it is hard to find my size.
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Post by Scrapper100 on Dec 5, 2022 15:15:21 GMT
No but after pregnancy my feet went from an 8 to 8.5. Two snd a half years after hysterectomy my feet are the same size.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Dec 5, 2022 15:36:55 GMT
Ah well... I'll just have to go shopping. Shoe shopping isn't a bad thing  For some, it is. I used to hate shopping for shoes because I had a very common size but needed wide so the size I needed would never be in stock. Now I hate shopping for shoes because with custom orthotics that add an extra 1/4” to 1/2” in thickness between the footbed and the top of the shoe, it’s almost impossible to find anything cute that fits those parameters. Pretty much all dress shoes are out. Anything with any kind of a heel is out. Most boots, even most ugly winter boots, are out. It’s an exercise in frustration and it sucks.  |
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paget
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,752
Jun 25, 2014 21:16:39 GMT
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Post by paget on Dec 5, 2022 15:41:45 GMT
I hope this doesn’t happen to me. But my feet free a little with each pregnancy. Before kids I wore a 6 1/2 and now I wear a 7 1/2 or sometimes 8. Oh same- hope it doesn’t happen as my feet grew 1/2 size with each kid (had 3). |
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RedSquirrelUK
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,743
Location: The UK's beautiful West Country
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Post by RedSquirrelUK on Dec 5, 2022 15:48:07 GMT
Shoe shopping isn't a bad thing For some, it is. I used to hate shopping for shoes because I had a very common size but needed wide so the size I needed would never be in stock. Now I hate shopping for shoes because with custom orthotics that add an extra 1/4” to 1/2” in thickness between the footbed and the top of the shoe, it’s almost impossible to find anything cute that fits those parameters. Pretty much all dress shoes are out. Anything with any kind of a heel is out. Most boots, even most ugly winter boots, are out. It’s an exercise in frustration and it sucks. I'm sorry. That's how I feel about bra shopping. I've never minded shoe shopping too badly before, but for years I've chosen things firstly by how they look, and then by how comfortable they are. I haven't worn dress shoes for decades because they aren't comfortable, or I walk out of them. Now nothing is comfortable, not even my slippers, socks or bare feet, so I have to admit to being a bit worried. What kind of footwear do you end up with? My Mum has orthotics and she buys Hotter shoes. 10 years ago they were pretty frumpy, but now they stock some quite nice styles. They ship to the US too. |
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Post by crazy4scraps on Dec 5, 2022 16:33:19 GMT
For some, it is. I used to hate shopping for shoes because I had a very common size but needed wide so the size I needed would never be in stock. Now I hate shopping for shoes because with custom orthotics that add an extra 1/4” to 1/2” in thickness between the footbed and the top of the shoe, it’s almost impossible to find anything cute that fits those parameters. Pretty much all dress shoes are out. Anything with any kind of a heel is out. Most boots, even most ugly winter boots, are out. It’s an exercise in frustration and it sucks. I'm sorry. That's how I feel about bra shopping. I've never minded shoe shopping too badly before, but for years I've chosen things firstly by how they look, and then by how comfortable they are. I haven't worn dress shoes for decades because they aren't comfortable, or I walk out of them. Now nothing is comfortable, not even my slippers, socks or bare feet, so I have to admit to being a bit worried. What kind of footwear do you end up with? My Mum has orthotics and she buys Hotter shoes. 10 years ago they were pretty frumpy, but now they stock some quite nice styles. They ship to the US too. Mostly Rocket Dog Jazzins because they fit best with my orthotics in, but also Crocs or slippers without lthe orthotics at home inside the house. Last winter my old winter boots that I’ve had for 10+ years gave up the ghost and I couldn’t get replacement liners for them anymore. I probably tried on close to 20 different pairs of boots and none of them were awesome. I finally settled on a pair that was on sale for $120 that I thought would be okay. I ended up hating them even after taking out the elastic laces. I ordered a different pair of boots on clearance from Rocket Dog for about $50 early last summer knowing I could return them if they didn’t work out. On my bare summer legs with no long pants on, they fit great so I kept them. Fast forward to winter and with long pants on my calves don’t fit. 😫 I thought if I roll the top down part way that could work and it does, but they’re still not what I really wanted which was a pair of boots I could just slide my feet into without having to sit down and pull them on like my old ones. Oh well. |
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RedSquirrelUK
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,743
Location: The UK's beautiful West Country
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Post by RedSquirrelUK on Dec 5, 2022 16:36:14 GMT
I'm sorry. That's how I feel about bra shopping. I've never minded shoe shopping too badly before, but for years I've chosen things firstly by how they look, and then by how comfortable they are. I haven't worn dress shoes for decades because they aren't comfortable, or I walk out of them. Now nothing is comfortable, not even my slippers, socks or bare feet, so I have to admit to being a bit worried. What kind of footwear do you end up with? My Mum has orthotics and she buys Hotter shoes. 10 years ago they were pretty frumpy, but now they stock some quite nice styles. They ship to the US too. Mostly Rocket Dog Jazzins because they fit best with my orthotics in, but also Crocs or slippers without lthe orthotics at home inside the house. Last winter my old winter boots that I’ve had for 10+ years gave up the ghost and I couldn’t get replacement liners for them anymore. I probably tried on close to 20 different pairs of boots and none of them were awesome. I finally settled on a pair that was on sale for $120 that I thought would be okay. I ended up hating them even after taking out the elastic laces. I ordered a different pair of boots on clearance from Rocket Dog for about $50 early last summer knowing I could return them if they didn’t work out. On my bare summer legs with no long pants on, they fit great so I kept them. Fast forward to winter and with long pants on my calves don’t fit. 😫 I thought if I roll the top down part way that could work and it does, but they’re still not what I really wanted which was a pair of boots I could just slide my feet into without having to sit down and pull them on like my old ones. Oh well. So frustrating. Have a look at this site? www.hotter.com/us/enETA: I just noticed that you folks get 50% off Christmas stock. We Brits get 30% off. lol |
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RosieKat
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PeaJect #12
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Post by RosieKat on Dec 5, 2022 16:39:09 GMT
I think it's not uncommon to have ligaments, etc. relax and so give your feet a larger footprint than before, just like pregnancy. The feet themselves may not be actually larger, but they expand more when you walk.
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Post by malibou on Dec 5, 2022 16:42:47 GMT
Nope, didn’t happen to me. I wish it did because my shoe size sucks (5) and it is hard to find my size. That is such a tough shoe size. Back in the day, 5 wasn't so tough to find as 4.5 and 5 were the size that was displayed. My mom is a 4.5 - 5 and I have listened to that woman's increasing complaints about it for nearly 60 years. 😈 I'm pretty sure a this point she only gets shoes at Nordstrom, and sometimes at TJMaxx or she is in kid sizes. |
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Post by katlady on Dec 5, 2022 20:58:22 GMT
Nope, didn’t happen to me. I wish it did because my shoe size sucks (5) and it is hard to find my size. That is such a tough shoe size. Back in the day, 5 wasn't so tough to find as 4.5 and 5 were the size that was displayed. My mom is a 4.5 - 5 and I have listened to that woman's increasing complaints about it for nearly 60 years. 😈 I'm pretty sure a this point she only gets shoes at Nordstrom, and sometimes at TJMaxx or she is in kid sizes. I asked at Macy’s once. They rarely get size 5’s in their shipments to the store. |
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Post by gigito7 on Dec 5, 2022 22:09:53 GMT
My feet got bigger with each of my 4 children then leveled off. I went from a 7 in my early 20’s to a 9 in my 50’s and have stayed at a 9 and I just turned 70.
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Sue
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,234
Location: SE of Portland, Oregon
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Post by Sue on Dec 6, 2022 1:42:37 GMT
I used to wear a size 9 shoe until I hit menopause at age 42. Now, at almost 76, I wear an 11 medium width and some shoes are a little short even at that size! I'm absolutely mortified to have these giant boats for feet. No one in my family has large feet. My mother wore a 5 1/2 and my sisters are all a size 7 or smaller. If throwing a tantrum would help, I'd try it!
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Post by MZF on Dec 6, 2022 1:48:14 GMT
Not after menopause. But after each child, my feet grew a size. So I started at 6.5, after my four, at 8.5, sometimes a 9.
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Post by lisae on Dec 6, 2022 2:18:26 GMT
Is it possible that you feet have spread out some because you were home all the time - Covid restrictions and cancer treatments - and you just weren't wearing your outside shoes? My feet spread out some pre-menopause when my work situation changed and I wasn't wearing dress shoes nearly so often.
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Post by bc2ca on Dec 6, 2022 3:27:51 GMT
I went from a size 7 to 8 after 2 pregnancies but have had no further change going through menopause.
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RedSquirrelUK
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,743
Location: The UK's beautiful West Country
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Post by RedSquirrelUK on Dec 6, 2022 9:32:55 GMT
Is it possible that you feet have spread out some because you were home all the time - Covid restrictions and cancer treatments - and you just weren't wearing your outside shoes? My feet spread out some pre-menopause when my work situation changed and I wasn't wearing dress shoes nearly so often. I wondered about that, but when I thought about it that wasn't the case with me. I wasn't home with Covid restrictions. I was a key worker, still out and about working, and volunteering with helping others with their shopping. If anything, I was out more because of the advised daily walk on top of that. During my cancer treatments I also tried to continue the 20 minute walk most days except on my worst days or when the weather was bad. I was only off work for 3 months. I haven't worn dress shoes for years other than for 2 weddings. I have a pair of leather loafers for work which are also too tight. I wish I could remember just when I noticed that, but they've never been that comfortable so I didn't really clock the reason. It wasn't until I put my winter boots back on again that I realised that now NOTHING is comfortable. The same footwear that fitted me last winter now doesn't fit. The only difference is the cancer treatments, which began summer last year, and the menopause. Did your feet go back to normal once you returned to your previous schedule? |
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Post by lisae on Dec 6, 2022 13:16:09 GMT
Is it possible that you feet have spread out some because you were home all the time - Covid restrictions and cancer treatments - and you just weren't wearing your outside shoes? My feet spread out some pre-menopause when my work situation changed and I wasn't wearing dress shoes nearly so often. I wondered about that, but when I thought about it that wasn't the case with me. I wasn't home with Covid restrictions. I was a key worker, still out and about working, and volunteering with helping others with their shopping. If anything, I was out more because of the advised daily walk on top of that. During my cancer treatments I also tried to continue the 20 minute walk most days except on my worst days or when the weather was bad. I was only off work for 3 months. I haven't worn dress shoes for years other than for 2 weddings. I have a pair of leather loafers for work which are also too tight. I wish I could remember just when I noticed that, but they've never been that comfortable so I didn't really clock the reason. It wasn't until I put my winter boots back on again that I realised that now NOTHING is comfortable. The same footwear that fitted me last winter now doesn't fit. The only difference is the cancer treatments, which began summer last year, and the menopause. Did your feet go back to normal once you returned to your previous schedule? The change I noticed in my feet was pre Covid and I never returned to wearing dressier shoes as I had in my 20's and 30's. I need a wider toe box in my shoes and I don't think that will ever change at this point. My favorite boots are cracking and I'm hunting replacements but so many are too slender in the toe area. A wide shoe is too wide in the heel. My mother started wearing a longer size sometime in her life. I don't know if it was post menopause or exactly when. But we wore the same size for a long time and then she started buying a half size and sometimes a full size up. |
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RedSquirrelUK
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,743
Location: The UK's beautiful West Country
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Post by RedSquirrelUK on Dec 6, 2022 21:55:18 GMT
I wondered about that, but when I thought about it that wasn't the case with me. I wasn't home with Covid restrictions. I was a key worker, still out and about working, and volunteering with helping others with their shopping. If anything, I was out more because of the advised daily walk on top of that. During my cancer treatments I also tried to continue the 20 minute walk most days except on my worst days or when the weather was bad. I was only off work for 3 months. I haven't worn dress shoes for years other than for 2 weddings. I have a pair of leather loafers for work which are also too tight. I wish I could remember just when I noticed that, but they've never been that comfortable so I didn't really clock the reason. It wasn't until I put my winter boots back on again that I realised that now NOTHING is comfortable. The same footwear that fitted me last winter now doesn't fit. The only difference is the cancer treatments, which began summer last year, and the menopause. Did your feet go back to normal once you returned to your previous schedule? The change I noticed in my feet was pre Covid and I never returned to wearing dressier shoes as I had in my 20's and 30's. I need a wider toe box in my shoes and I don't think that will ever change at this point. My favorite boots are cracking and I'm hunting replacements but so many are too slender in the toe area. A wide shoe is too wide in the heel. My mother started wearing a longer size sometime in her life. I don't know if it was post menopause or exactly when. But we wore the same size for a long time and then she started buying a half size and sometimes a full size up. Oh isn't that frustrating? We have a shoe shop right here in my town that specialises in non-standard fittings. I didn't even realise that until yesterday, but now I do I'll be paying them a visit. Do you have anything like that where you live? Online? |
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Post by lisae on Dec 7, 2022 0:43:56 GMT
The change I noticed in my feet was pre Covid and I never returned to wearing dressier shoes as I had in my 20's and 30's. I need a wider toe box in my shoes and I don't think that will ever change at this point. My favorite boots are cracking and I'm hunting replacements but so many are too slender in the toe area. A wide shoe is too wide in the heel. My mother started wearing a longer size sometime in her life. I don't know if it was post menopause or exactly when. But we wore the same size for a long time and then she started buying a half size and sometimes a full size up. Oh isn't that frustrating? We have a shoe shop right here in my town that specialises in non-standard fittings. I didn't even realise that until yesterday, but now I do I'll be paying them a visit. Do you have anything like that where you live? Online? I usually just shop until I find something that works. Clarks shoes and Orthofeet (online) have been my best options. I got in a pair of Orthofeet boots that I bought Black Friday and they fit but they are completely fur lined. I think they may be too warm for our climate. |
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Post by elaine on Dec 7, 2022 0:59:33 GMT
I also went into medical menopause after chemo in 2020, and where I mostly wore 8 1/2 and could wear a lot of regular width, I'm pretty solidly a 9W now. I never connected it to menopause, though...I think it has more to do with the neuropathy from chemo in my feet. My toes are very sensitive and my feet in general just need more room to feel comfortable. I can wear my old broken-in shoes, but for new shoes, I've had to size up. I've also spent a fortune trying to find comfortable socks! I can't wear anything too stiff, thick, or tight. Yes I have CIPN too, which does complicate things. My hands and feet aren't really comfortable ever now, without anything touching them. Have you found anything that helps?But my feet are also definitely bigger. I can't even get my feet into one of the pairs of boots I own. They've always been snug but comfortable. Interestingly, I just pulled up some shoe sizing websites and measured my feet. I've learned a lot about width sizing! According to multiple sites I should be the size that I always have been, but I'm obviously not. It's a bit of a mystery. Ah well... I'll just have to go shopping.  Gabapentin. I have peripheral neuropathy from taxol chemotherapy. It actually has gotten worse as time goes by. The only thing that has helped is gabapentin. The bonus is that it also helps me sleep, which the estrogen blocker has totally made a living hell for me (as in, I sleep for one sleep cycle - around 4 hours - and then am awake for the rest of the night without gabapentin and sometimes even with it). My feet are the same size they have always been, but the pain and numbness in the center three toes on both feet is a challenge to deal with, especially since I’m on my feet for 8+ hours a day teaching. |
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RedSquirrelUK
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,743
Location: The UK's beautiful West Country
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Post by RedSquirrelUK on Dec 7, 2022 6:50:28 GMT
Yes I have CIPN too, which does complicate things. My hands and feet aren't really comfortable ever now, without anything touching them. Have you found anything that helps?But my feet are also definitely bigger. I can't even get my feet into one of the pairs of boots I own. They've always been snug but comfortable. Interestingly, I just pulled up some shoe sizing websites and measured my feet. I've learned a lot about width sizing! According to multiple sites I should be the size that I always have been, but I'm obviously not. It's a bit of a mystery. Ah well... I'll just have to go shopping. Gabapentin. I have peripheral neuropathy from taxol chemotherapy. It actually has gotten worse as time goes by. The only thing that has helped is gabapentin. The bonus is that it also helps me sleep, which the estrogen blocker has totally made a living hell for me (as in, I sleep for one sleep cycle - around 4 hours - and then am awake for the rest of the night without gabapentin and sometimes even with it). My feet are the same size they have always been, but the pain and numbness in the center three toes on both feet is a challenge to deal with, especially since I’m on my feet for 8+ hours a day teaching. Yes, the aromatase inhibitors don't make life easy, do they? I'm on my third now, Exemestane, and I'm not in as much pain as I was with Letrozole and Anastrozole. I'm really glad Gabapentin works for you. Do you get any side effects? Side effects are one thing I'm apparently really, REALLY good at.  |
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