Could You Be Experiencing Early Menopause Symptoms?
First it was a late period … then a few nights of insomnia … then these things that feel like hot flashes … Could you be experiencing early menopause symptoms? Aren’t you too young?
Menopause is one of those things that creeps up on you. It’s hard to comprehend that it’s happening (already?!), so you may dismiss the early symptoms – insomnia, agitation, a hot flash – as random symptoms of something else (PMS? Warm nights? Spicy food?).
But menopause can happen earlier than many of us think. For some women, it can begin in the mid-40s. Plus there is a stage before menopause – called perimenopause – where the symptoms are apparent, even though you’re still having a period. That stage can last for many years, and can begin for some women as early as their 40th birthday; they’ll get a preview of what menopause will probably be like.
So what are the early menopause symptoms?
They include:
- Agitation
- Insomnia
- Breast tenderness
- Sporatic periods (before menopause begins)
- Mood changes
- Hot flashes
- Night sweats
- Low sex drive
- Vaginal dryness
- Overactive bladder
- Incontinence
These early symptoms can be in any combination (not all women experience all symptoms), plus they can come on in a rather sporadic fashion, which can make them confusing and easy to miss.
A woman who is younger than 40 and experiencing really early menopausal symptoms will probably be recommended hormone therapy, according to ob-gyn and author Judith Reichman, who spoke to Lifescript.com, a women’s health and wellness web site.
Visit Lifescript for more information about hormone therapy, and what doctors like Reichman recommend, early menopause symptoms, and really early menopause symptoms.
Also be sure to visit Lifescript’s new online Menopause Health Center for tips, articles, recipes, advice and other menopause help.
Be sure to visit Lifescript.com for more information about allergies or other areas of women’s health. The information contained in this article is provided for informational purposes only and is not, nor is it ever intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice or professional recommendations, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician(s) or other qualified healthcare provider(s).
