Menopause is your last menstrual period. However, most women think of menopause as the time of life leading up to, and after, their last period. In reality, your periods don't just stop. First, they tend to become less frequent. It can take several years for a woman to go through menopause completely. Women are said to have gone through menopause (be postmenopausal) when they have not had a period at all for one year.
Signs and symptoms
Menopause is a natural event. Every woman will go through it at some point. You may have no problems. However, it is common to develop one or more symptoms that are due to the dropping level of estrogen. About 8 out of 10 women will develop menopausal symptoms at some point. Around a quarter of women have very severe symptoms.
Symptoms of menopause may only last a few months in some women. However, for others symptoms can continue for several years. Some women may have early menopause symptoms that start months or years before their periods stop (peri-menopausal or pre-menopausal symptoms). More than half of women have symptoms for more than seven years:
- Hot flushes occur in about 3 in 4 women. A typical hot flush (or flash) lasts a few minutes and causes flushing of your face, neck, and chest. You may also sweat (perspire) during a hot flush. Some women become giddy, weak, or feel sick during a hot flush. Some women also develop a 'thumping heart' sensation (palpitations) and feelings of anxiety during the episode. The number of hot flushes can vary from every now and then, to fifteen or more a day. Hot flushes tend to start just before menopause and can persist for several years.
- Sweats commonly occur when you are in bed at night. In some cases, they are so severe that sleep is disturbed and you need to change your bedding and nightclothes.
- Other symptoms may develop, such as:
- Changes to your periods. The time between periods may shorten in some women around menopause; in others, periods may become further apart, perhaps many months apart. It can also be common for your periods to become a little heavier around the time of menopause; sometimes periods can become very heavy.
- Headaches.
- Tiredness.
- Being irritable.
- Difficulty sleeping.
- Depression.
- Anxiety.
- Palpitations.
- Aches and pains in your joints.
- Feelings of not coping as well as you used to.
When to see a doctor?
Keep up with regular visits with your doctor for preventive health care and any medical concerns. Continue getting these appointments during and after menopause.
Preventive health care as you age may include recommended health screening tests, such as colonoscopy, mammography, and triglyceride screening. Your doctor might recommend other tests and exams, too, including thyroid testing if suggested by your history, and breast and pelvic exams.
Always seek medical advice if you have bleeding from your vagina after menopause.
https://patient.info/womens-health/menopause#nav-0
https://www.menopausematters.co.uk
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/menopause/symptoms-causes/syc-20353397