Menopause Symptoms

What is the first sign of the Change of Life? Generally, the first sign of menopause are the hot flashes. A situation of menopause symptoms can include you sitting there having tea with a friend, when suddenly you are sweating as if you just ran the 50 yard dash. The heat starts internally in the stomach area, moving to the arms and the legs. You begin to drip sweat then develop chills as your body attempts to regulate itself to the changes going on inside. When a woman stops her menstrual cycle, the changes inside develop gradually. The ovaries stop functioning and she enters into what is known as the perimenopause stage. This is the transition period when the woman goes from regular periods to no periods.

Depending on their age when perimenopause begins, many women enter into depression during this time of their life. Being stripped of the ability to bear children is sometimes a hard burden to bear. Others feel a sense of relief as well as a sense of loss, to not have to deal with periods ever again. The drive for intimacy is depleted during the perimenopause stage as the ovaries have shut down their process.

Physicians used to recommend that a woman be free of menstruating for one year before entering hormone therapy, but thankfully, this type of thinking has changed. Your doctor can instruct you as to what options are available for you to relieve the menopause symptoms.  You also need to understand the risks of hormone therapy. The reality of what the risks are is the medical profession aren’t very clear about those risks, just that they exist.

Pre menopause symptoms can vary based on the individual, her lifestyle, diet, stress level and other factors. Some of the pre menopause symptoms include:

• Aching joints and muscle pain
• Breast tenderness or discharge
• Unusual cravings for sweets or caffeine
• Chronic fatigue
• Endometriosis
• Sudden onset of migraines
• Hot flashes
• Tingling of the hands and feet
• Depression and anxiety
• Bursts of unexplained anger

When I underwent an early hysterectomy I couldn’t find anyone that would talk about menopause. Bringing the subject of menopause up with my friends caused them to change the subject or walk away. None of the women I knew wanted to be reminded of what was in store for them down the road. The effects of aging, the loss of the ability to bear children, the diminished sex drive, hot flashes, mood swings or the brain chemistry that gets altered during menopause. 

Books, such as Gail Sheehy’s Silent Passage broke the silence. Instead of whispering about menopause, Gail celebrates this rite of passage and teaches others to embrace and understand the changes. She inspires you too take command of not only your body but your life! All of her books are inspirational, but Silent Passage finally broke the mold and allowed the subject of menopause to be discussed openly.

Today there are more doctors aware of the early signs of menopause. Self-help groups exist for women who want to talk about what lies ahead for them. It is no longer considered an end of life, but instead, a new beginning.