Symptoms of the End of Menopause

The end of menopause (post-menopause) is the last stage of menopause. Every woman will go through this stage, and it marks the natural ending of your reproductive years. This normally happens in the late 50s or early 60s.

End of Menopause

• The end of menopause is called post-menopause, which occurs when you have missed 12 monthly periods in a row. It is the last of three stages of menopause; the first two stages are perimenopause and menopause.

Symptoms

• Symptoms of post-menopause are mood swings, irritability, depression, hot flashes, night sweats, skin flushing, decreased libido, vaginal dryness, insomnia, urine leakage and joint aches. Sometime women also experience irregular heartbeats and a higher instance of vaginal infections.

Causes

• Post-menopause is caused by a gradual decrease in the hormone estrogen--a natural decrease that cannot be prevented. This decrease may come suddenly if you started menopause prematurely.

Treatments

• The main treatment for post-menopausal symptoms are hormone replacements (HRT). HRT is a treatment that involves replacing estrogen, in order to minimize symptoms such as hot flashes, night sweats and vaginal dryness.

Considerations

• There are other medical conditions whose symptoms may mimic post-menopause. It is important to get a proper diagnosis from your physician in order to rule out these instances.