Symptoms

There is not a specific blue print for the experience of menopause. Each woman experiences a wide variety of symptoms and at different times. Menopause may be a “piece of cake” for you, posing no new challenges in life. Or, you may face many new signs and symptoms such as:

 

·        Irregular or no periods: Your periods may stop suddenly or you may experience random periods throughout the months. You may also have spotting at unusual time in your cycle.

·        Inability to become pregnant: Your body will decrease in egg production, thus fertility will be low. However, until you have missed your menstruation for twelve month, you can still become pregnant.

·        Vaginal dryness: Many women in menopause complain of a dry vaginal area. This is due to the fact that estrogen levels are low. You may also experience itching and burning in this area. Vaginal dryness may also make sexual intercourse more difficult and painful.

·        Urinary tract changes: The lining to the urethra become drier and thinner and lose elasticity. This could lead to increased vaginal yeast infections or urinary tract infections. In addition, you may feel the need to urinate more frequently or with more urgency. You may also experience “leakage”- urinary incontinence.

·        Hot flashes: All of a sudden you feel hot and even begin to sweat. You might feel some difficulty in breathing. These hot flashes are due to your blood vessels expanding rapidly as a result of lower estrogen. This is one of the top complaints of menopausal women.

·        Cognitive changes: Menopausal women often feel that they cannot concentrate or remember things.   

·        Fatigue: Women in menopause describe having less energy and a feeling of tiredness and fatigue more prevalent than in previous years.

·        Night sweats: You wake up chilled and wet and realize you have been sweating in your sleep. Your sleep is not deep or restful because of these night sweats.

·        Changes in appearance: A feeling of “becoming old overnight” is often relayed by the menopausal woman. Drier skin, more wrinkles, added weight-usually in the abdomen, thinning hair on your head, but increased hair over your lip, on your chin, or on your chest and decreased fullness in your breasts are physical changes you may experience. And if you had acne before, you may begin having it again at this time.

·        Changes in menses: Some women may begin spotting at odd times, or spotting in place of a full period. Others experience heavy bleeding for years.

·        Emotional changes: Depression, irritability, and mood swings may accompany other symptoms.