Aging Your Family's Guide to Understanding Aging

Menopause

Menopause Symptoms

Menopause symptoms that each woman's experience is highly individual. Some women may experience few or no symptoms of menopause, while others experience multiple physical and psychological symptoms. The extent and severity varies significantly among women. The list of common symptoms that occur during menopausal period was developed and compiled based from the real-life experiences of hundreds of women. Almost 70% of women approaching menopausal stage experience these symptoms. These symptoms were either cyclical in nature or a respond to certain treatments such as traditional and alternative which is known to address hormonal imbalance.

Some of the typical symptoms of menopause are caused by changing hormonal levels in the female reproductive system. Almost all women notice early symptoms while still having periods. This stage of gradually falling and fluctuating hormone levels which is called perimenopause which often begins in the early 40s.

The symptoms of menopause usually last for the whole menopause transition which is until the mid 50s, but some women may experience them for the rest of their lives.

Some typical symptoms of menopause that are often experienced by women may include:

Irregular or missed periods

Most women experience absent, short, irregular periods at some point in their lives. A wide range of conditions can cause these symptoms, while the most common cause is hormone imbalance. Menstrual periods may come more frequently, every 24 days instead of every 28, or they may come later than they used to. Some women may have a light period that lasts only a few days, then the next month have very heavy bleeding. Menstrual period may last a shorter amount of time, or go on and on for what feels like an eternity. Others may experience a skip of menstrual flow in a month, then go back to normal for several months, then skip two periods in a row.

Hot flashes

Almost 75-85% of women are estimated to get hot flashes during menopause stage. Hot flashes can be felt like a sudden, transient sensation of warmth or heat that spreads over the body creating a flushing or redness. They're particularly noticeable on the face and upper body. Hot flashes are the body's reaction to a decreased supply of the hormone estrogen which occurs naturally.

The above mention symptoms are sings that the ovaries are producing less estrogen. Estrogen refers to the group of female hormones produced primarily by the ovaries and responsible for regulating certain reproductive functions.

Along with the above symptoms, some women may also experience the following:

Vaginal dryness

It is basically a loss of the usual moist and soft feel of the lining of vaginal area which may be associated with itching and irritation. When estrogen levels drop, vaginal tissues start drying and become less elastic.

Emotional changes

This includes irritability, mood swings, sleeplessness, fatigue and mild depression

Decreased sex drive

Diminished hormone levels interfere with optimum sexual function by their sexual desire and hormonally sensitive tissues. Sexual desire consists of thinking about sex, fantasizing about it, the development of sexual tension and the awareness of a need for sexual release. Decreased sex drive and loss of sexual motivations is sometimes referred to as desire phase disorder.

By: Cathy

Menopause Symptoms Recommended Resources:

Harvard Health Publications

Health Link - Medical College of Wisconsin

Sandra Alston 16.04.09 at 10:57am

If you are not sure with the menopause symptoms to are experiencing, seek a doctor's advice. It is always best to know the real condition of your body through professional help.

carolyn meyers 27.09.09 at 10:16am

i was told by a nurse practioner that endomietriosis could be causing the pain ,in my pelvic area,the same type of pain was in my colon or rectum,i had a colonoscopy and they found nothing. A doctor said it could be endo-cancer and is spreading. I havent had a vag.ultra and if it is endo,and if it is spreading then pain releavers r a cheap choice w dealing with this right? thank u

carolyn

patricia 03.10.09 at 06:31am

I, jst want to know whats going on ? I am 49 yrs of age and missed my period for one whole month.I had a tubulagation done six yrs ago. So please help me know what is going on with me. Thank you

babylove 07.12.09 at 05:36am

after my misscarraige in Feb, 2009, i did not see my period until in july when a coil was inserted into me and was placed on contraceptives for three months during which i was was seeing my period. when it was removed in OCtober, i still was not seeing my peiod. this december, 5th 2009, a rubber was inserted into me again and placed on some drugs including provera. please wat is actually wrong with me because i have never missed my period before the miscarraige and i have never had an abortion before. I did a womb xray and my tubes are open and every thing is fine except that a part of my womb is claming together. this the doc said is as a result of over scrapping of my uterine walls. please let me know what is going on? Thanks.

gloria 13.03.10 at 15:53pm

I am 49 years old and have had symptons of menapause since i was 40 the past two years i have had a period every 6 or7 months apart and when i do get it it is very heavy bleeding is this normal? Thanks.

carol 13.03.10 at 20:47pm

I WILL BE 40 YEARS OLD IN NOVEMBER AND I NOTICED THAT I AM EXPERIENCING EMOTIONAL CHANGES SUCH AS NO SEXUAL FEELINGS,NO PATIENTS,SLEEPLESSNESS AT NIGHT, IRRITABILITY, FATIGUE AND FEELING WORRIED BUT CANT TELL WHAT I AM WORRIED ABOUT. PLEASE I DONT LIKE THIS FEELING AT ALL CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON WITH ME, AND IF THIS IS PRE MENOPAUSE CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT CAN I DO TO ELIMINATE THIS FEELINGS I REALLY DONT LIKE TO FEEL DEPRESS BECAUSE I HAVE NOTHING THAT I SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT. THANK YOU.

teresa 02.04.10 at 16:06pm

I AM 49 YRS. OLD, LATELY WHEN I AM GOING TO GET MY PERIOD, A WEEK OR SO BEFORE I GET DEPRESSED, SENSITIVE AND VERY NERVOUS, IS THIS CAUSED BY MY PERIOD OR IS THIS CAUSED BY PRE -MENOPAUSE?

Linda 21.04.10 at 12:56pm

I'm 50 years old and I had a tubal 8-26-1984, I havent had a period for 3 months now, I get sick in the mornings, I get bloated, my breasts are sore, my nipples hurt, Could I be pregant? or is this part of change of life? I dont have a mother to talk too. Thanks Linda

jamie 12.06.10 at 02:28am

@ what age does menopause usually begin for woman ?

jacky 16.06.10 at 12:10pm

iam 47 year old.but this year on june 8,2010 i miss my period for the firts time. i was scared and i did a pregnancy text,,it came negative,,but i feel like if i was goin to have my period with symtom,,cramp like i get every month...iam comfuse.i dont know maybe is something wrong with my body,,or is the menopause that is ready to start.i never go to visit a doctor..i never in my life i been sick so cant u please help me or tell me what is wrong with me ,,,thank you

Kari Oliver 18.06.10 at 12:01pm

51 years old Hot flashes, etc for two years. Last 6 months all symptoms much worse. Ok, I have to deal with this but does anyone know - Awesome, no more periods (just some spotting) for 4 months. When do all the symptoms stop?

cheryl phillips 22.06.10 at 01:04am

im 44 years old and going through menopause and it been a night mare i feel numbness and tingly in my head i get tingly in my head and i feel achy all the time like the flu what do i do im on a patch

Valerie 25.06.10 at 20:06pm

I am 49 years old, and just recently have not had a period for 2 months. I also have had hot flashes in the middle of the night. Now my nipples are tender and I am bloated alot. Could this be menopause or am I pregnant!

Sandra 01.07.10 at 10:42am

I am 45 1/2. For the past 6 wks, I have been dealing with on and off pain deep inside my vaginal region/ovaries. I went to my O/B and all came back fine. The pain comes and goes. (its like a dull ache) Could this be hormonal ? My periods are still normal. The days between are starting to vary a little.

Karrie 01.07.10 at 13:45pm

I AM 37 YEARS OLD AND I HAVE NOTICED THAT I AM EXPERIENCING EMOTIONAL CHANGES SUCH AS NO SEXUAL FEELINGS,NO PATIENTS, IRRITABILITY, FATIGUE AND FEELING WORRIED BUT CANT TELL WHAT I AM WORRIED ABOUT. I DO HAVE THYROID DISEASE. PLEASE I DON'T LIKE HAVING THESE FEELINGS AT ALL CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT IS GOING ON WITH ME, AND IF THIS IS PRE MENOPAUSE CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT CAN I DO TO ELIMINATE THIS FEELINGS I REALLY DONT LIKE TO FEEL DEPRESS BECAUSE I HAVE NOTHING THAT I SHOULD BE WORRIED ABOUT. THANK YOU.

Dottie 15.07.10 at 23:11pm

HI am 44yrs old i had to have a hysterectomy at the age of 32yrs old due to fiberoids tumors since i had my hysterectomy i have lost my desire for being intimate with my husband i have all the above that comes with menopause dry vaginal ,nightsweats,irrtiableetc....please help i dont want to loss my marriage

grace 16.07.10 at 01:28am

I really hate menopause, and men dont understand. You get irriable, moody, very sentitave like cry for no reason, loss of memory like a cloud was covering my head. night sweater trouble sleeping. My sex drive is still very good and no dry vaginal...periods are only one to two days which is fine but all the other emotional stuff needs to go. please help what to I do?

Adriana 12.08.10 at 14:58pm

I'm 40 years old and I have a feeling of my body burning. Sometimes it is all my body and other times it is just parts of my body. I feel a sensation of cold electricity all over my back of my body from my head to my toes. I get very tired and get anxiety attacks. I feel like if I'm breathing fast and need air. I get a lot of headache, diarrhea and the sides of my under arms hirts when I touch it. Is this part of memopause?

sharon 26.08.10 at 11:05am

Am 50 years old, and for the last two months, I have been feeling Irriable, no desire for intimatance with partner, one mintue am happy and then the next am mad as "HELL", what is going on with me? is this part of Menopause? I wake up through the night forehead soaking wet and also my chest, is this normal. Please HELP!!!!

Mildred 30.08.10 at 08:56am

I am 47 yrs old i have had endometrial ablation, and I also have stage 2 sarcoidosis,my blood tests show 28mm/hr ESR, and 1.39mlU/ml. I have had facial and trunk sweating forever it seems(2 YRS) I cant do anything to keep from getting overheated, is there a reason for this heavy sweating?

Sign-up for our Newsletter