Early menopause is something that will affect some women. This is when menopause starts before the age of 40, even if the process is something that has been induced medically. There are a number of signs of early menopause that will help you determine whether this is something that you are going through.
The signs of early menopause
The most common signs of premature menopause are the exact same as those for menopause. All women will find that they have irregular periods and will sometimes find that they go months without one. When a period does happen one month, it will be different – either extremely heavier because of the buildup of blood or lighter due to less blood because of fewer hormones.
As the hormonal change happens, most women will feel sudden hot flashes. They will suddenly have a feeling of being extremely hot in their upper body.
This is common in the middle of the night as well as during the day, and often leads to many women waking up with night sweats.
There are some other symptoms that some women may experience while going through early menopause, which are the same for some women going through menopause.
The first is when the vagina starts to dry out. It will not be able to create as much lubrication and discharge and will start to become less flexible. This often leads to painful sex, which is another common problem.
Emotional changes are expected. The hormones will be changing dramatically and it will lead to mood swings and irritability. However, one of the signs of early menopause may be depression. This is an important time in a woman’s life and means that she has gotten to the end of childbearing age. Because of this, she may mourn the end of that period of her life and feel grief, which can turn to depression if not treated.
Dry skin, hair and eyes are also common as the hormones change, as well as constant fatigue for no reason. Partially due to the dryness of the vaginal and partially due to the hormonal changes, the sex drive will decrease during this time too.
Why early menopause may happen
There are some women who are more likely to have the signs of early menopause than others. If you are under 40 and are showing any of the signs, it is important to speak to your doctor; this will help to rule out any other conditions.
Those most likely to develop menopause at an early age are those going through chemotherapy, or those who have n the past, and those with disorders like hypothyroidism and Grave’s disease, which affect the immune system.
You should also talk to your doctor if you have been trying to get pregnant for over a year and not been successful yet. This may be a sign of early menopause but it may also be a sign that there is another underlying cause. You should also talk to your doctor if a close family member suffered from this. A close family member is determined to be a mother, sister or child.
