What Are The First Symptoms Of Menopause?

Menopause is a phase in the life of women that marks the end of the menstruation cycle. Depending on your situation, this could be cause for celebration.

As with puberty, menopause involves high fluctuations of hormones, which causes a lot of mental and physical disturbances.

The ability to recognize the early signs of menopause will help women not only to cope with the upcoming crisis, but also to obtain the support of family in managing it.

Another great advantage of being informed about the signs of menopause is that you will know when to seek medical help.

The Clues Your Body Sends

If you are a woman and have crossed the milestone of four decades, then you should be on the lookout for clues that announce menopause. You might be surprised to know that sometimes these clues come as early as four to five years in advance of the onset of actual menopause. This period of preparing the body for menopause is termed as the pre-menopause period or perimenopause.

During this early stage of menopause, you will experience some or all of the following common first symptoms of menopause:

• Hot flashes

  It’s not him who is lighting your fire – it’s all you, sister. As the hormones fluctuate wildly during this period, sometimes the adrenal glands misinterpret these messages and suddenly increase the metabolic rate. This causes excess production of energy in the body. The hot flashes are usually tamed with the help of HRT (hormone replacement therapy); however, HRT has to be used under the strict supervision of a doctor.

• Decreased libido

  For many women experiencing pre-menopause, sex suddenly doesn’t possess the same appeal it used to have. The estrogen levels plummet during the perimenopausal period. This results in less vaginal lubrication and therefore more painful intercourse. Doctors advise increasing water intake to between eight and ten glasses per day. Of course, HRT is also helpful in maintaining levels of sexual desire.

• Depression and excitability

  You may experience bouts of depression, excitability and irritation during this time. Blame it on the hormones again. It is important to understand the reason for depression, as at this time, you might make life-altering decisions due to emotions that could be related to the depression that has been triggered by the physiological changes of perimenopause. Many reports show that the rate of divorce and separation are the highest at this period.

• Change in monthly cycle dates

  All of a sudden your periods become erratic. They arrive twice a month sometimes, and at other times once in two months. The length of the period also varies – sometimes it is just a little spotting, while at other times it lasts for a painful ten or eleven days.

If you experience one or more of these (possible) first symptoms of menopause, check with a doctor. Early intervention prepares your body and mind for the oncoming change with the least amount of emotional or physical suffering.

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