Menopause Symptoms

Irregular Periods and Irregular Ovulation

• Shorter or longer cycles
• Heavier or lighter bleeding
• Spotting in between periods
• Reduced fertility

Read more on menopause and pregnancy here.

Hot Flashes

• Reported in up to 80% of American women
• Sudden onset of a feeling of heat
• Face and neck flush
• Lasting 30 seconds to five minutes
• Occurring at any time
• Usually stop within a few years after menopause
• In addition to being uncomfortable, hot flashes can also cause
  • anxiety
  • social embarrassment
  • psychological distress

Vaginal and Bladder Problems

• Skin in genital area becomes drier and thinner
• Sexual intercourse may become painful
• Vaginal dryness and burning
• Urinary tract problems may occur, such as infection and incontinence

Changes in Sexuality

• Attitude toward sex may change
• Diminished interest in sex
• Arousal and comfort may be issues
• Liberation from concerns about pregnancy
  • Note: to prevent unwanted pregnancy you should continue to use birth control until one year after last period
  • Risk of sexually transmitted diseases remains

Fatigue and Sleep Problems

• Normal sleep patterns may be interrupted
• Early morning awakening

Mood Changes

• Irritability
• Depression
  • Women experiencing severe hot flashes are at an increased risk of depression, likely caused by the hot flashes themselves or by sleep disturbances.
• Anxiety
• Stress and change in family dynamics may contribute to mood problems

Visible Changes in Your Body

• Thickening at the waist
• Loss of muscle mass
• Increase in fat
• Loss of elasticity in the skin

Other Potential Symptoms

• Headaches
• Memory problems
• Joint and muscle stiffness or pain
• Difficulty concentrating
• Thinning of scalp hair; more prominent facial hair
  • Result of decrease in estrogen; therefore a relative increase in andrigens (male hormones)

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists website. Available at: http://www.nia.nih.gov/ . Accessed November 2009.

National Institute on Aging website. Available at: http://www.nia.nih.gov/ . Accessed February 14, 2006.

North American Menopause Society website. Available at: http://www.menopause.org/ . Accessed February 15, 2006.

Dormaenen, Annbjorg. “Depression in postmenopause: a study on a subsample of the Acupuncture on Hot Flushes Among Menopausal Women (ACUFLASH) study,” Menopause 18, no. 5 (2011): pp. 525-530. doi: 10.1097/gme.0b013e3181f9f89f