Physical Symptoms of Menopause

No matter how young we feel, it comes to every woman eventually--menopause. Even though horror stories abound, thousands of women survive perimenopause (the period preceding cessation of menses) with only a few minor inconveniences and discomforts. Most report some combination of complaints---and more women (and their doctors) are learning to manage their symptoms without resorting to dangerous therapies or drugs. Knowing what to expect is part of the solution.

Menses

• Irregular, short or even phantom periods are caused by changing hormonal balances.

Vasomotor

• Hot flashes, night sweats, sudden chills, palpitations or racing heartbeats are all results of the body's readjustment to its changing chemistry.

Behavior

• Feelings of dread, depressed libido, lack of concentration or memory lapses that may have roots in other causes as well as in hormonal changes affect behavior and the ability to relate to other people positively.

Metabolism

• Weight gain or loss, hair loss, gastrointestinal distress and changes in body odor are signs of changing metabolism.

Social

• Perimenopausal women may become more reclusive, impulsive or unpredictable because of anxieties, fatigue or depression.

Nuisances

• Previous minor or infrequent problems---headache, incontinence, nausea, flatulence, gas pain and others---change in character or intensity; gum and mouth problems, dryness of skin and tissues, and softening or more brittle nails can also occur.