@louiserivers , I wake up sometimes that is bothersome, but it’s no longer due to pain. I’ll just share my experience.

Have you been evaluated for arthritis? There may be some treatment options for that. I don’t have that, but was having sore joints….not swollen….sore, tender muscles and tissue under the skin. No cause could be found. Tried various treatments. Was evaluated for many things….eventually, my dermatologist prescribed daily Hydroxychloroquine in case it was autoimmune issue. Huge difference. Pain stopped pretty soon after starting. I mentioned it to my Endocrinologist who said good! Probably decreased inflammation. It may not be for everyone, but I’d explore it if you have autoimmune issues. I do….type 1 diabetes and psoriasis. I don’t have lupus but……it seems to help me.

Also, I use red light therapy for my scalp. Recommended by my hair doctor. I was also suffering with hair loss. Unknown reason. I do it daily. My hair is doing much better. But I have multiple things I do to treat it. I will continue using it. My device was expensive.

Good luck. Hopefully, you’ll get other ideas.

I like the HRT idea and want to start that soon. The small dose sounds good.