Menopause can be a challenging time, with many women experiencing a sleuth of uncomfortable symptoms. Here we get into everything you need to know about menopausal symptoms, the stages and the treatment options available.  Quick facts: What is menopause? Menopause is when your periods stop due to low hormone levels. It will happen to anyone who has periods, usually at around 45-50 years of age and is a natural part of ageing.  Menopause marks the end of your reproductive years. After you’ve experienced menopause, it’s no longer possible to become pregnant naturally without assistance. In the UK, the average age for experiencing menopause is 51. Approximately 25 million people go through menopause every year. Despite it directly affecting half of the population, knowledge and understanding of menopause remains incredibly low. For many people, menopause can be an incredibly difficult time as it is often accompanied by a series of both physical and psychological symptoms—in addition to a lack of public understanding as to what experiencing menopause can entail.  How is menopause diagnosed? Menopause is usually diagnosed when: If you are experiencing symptoms associated with menopause but don’t meet all of this criteria, it is possible you could be experiencing a different health condition, or premature menopause if you are under the age of 40. What is early menopause? Around 5% of people may experience menopause before 45 years of age, known as early menopause. This can happen naturally or due to side effects of some treatments, like cancer treatments or surgeries to remove the ovaries. What is premature menopause? If you experience menopause before 40 years of age, it is known as premature menopause, which may also be described as Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI), depending on your circumstances.  Again, premature menopause may occur naturally, due to genetics or lifestyle factors, or as a result of medical or surgical treatment. Some things that might increase the chances of premature menopause are: POI affects 1 in 100 people under the age of 40, one in 1,000 people under 30 and one in 10,000 people under 20. It occurs because the ovaries do not function properly and are unable to make sufficient levels of hormones like oestrogen and progesterone, which have important roles in overall health and well-being.  POI can occur because of many reasons. Unfortunately, in the majority of cases, no underlying cause can be found. What are the 3 stages of menopause? The stages of menopause include premenopause, perimenopause and post menopause. The menopause actually only references the time when it has been 12 months since your last period. Let’s take a look at these stages one by one… What is premenopause? Premenopause refers to the period of your life before the transition into menopause has started, also sometimes referred to as your reproductive years. This is when you shouldn’t be experiencing any (peri)menopausal symptoms and have a healthy and regular menstrual cycle. What is perimenopause? The transition to menopause is known as perimenopause. This is when your body starts preparing you for menopause. During the perimenopausal phase, your ovaries will begin producing less oestrogen and progesterone and your periods can become irregular or erratic. Perimenopause can be challenging because it is often accompanied by lots of physical and emotional symptoms, which can be distressing and impact your quality of life.  Perimenopause can last anywhere from a few months to several years, with the average length being four years. However, this will depend on the individual, your lifestyle and hormonal make-up. Most people start perimenopause at some point after their mid-40s, but some as early as their mid-thirties (although this is quite uncommon). Sometimes people even skip perimenopause all together and enter menopause suddenly. Although chances of pregnancy are low during perimenopause, it is still possible as ovulation may still be occurring and an increased risk of sexually transmitted infections if you aren’t using barrier contraception methods. If you are sexually active and in the perimenopausal stage, it is important to speak to your doctor about appropriate contraception for you. The menopause The menopause actually refers to the time when it has been 12 months since your last period. This is technically when you have experienced menopause.  What is post menopause? Post menopause refers to the time after you have experienced menopause—the rest of your life after menopause. During this time your sex and cycling hormones will be at different levels to where they were before menopause and you will no longer have periods.  At what stage of menopause are symptoms worse? Symptoms and their severity will depend on the individual, but for most, perimenopause is the time when you will experience the most symptoms. This is because of the huge hormonal fluctuations happening during this stage and your body adjusting to lowering hormonal levels. What are the symptoms of menopause? Most of the symptoms of menopause are associated with declining oestrogen levels. The duration and severity of these symptoms can vary depending on the individual.  Symptoms usually start a few months or years before your periods stop (in the perimenopausal stage) and can persist for some time post menopause.  On average, most symptoms will last for around four years after your last period, although some people may experience them for much longer.  Let’s take a look at some of the most common symptoms… Changes in menstrual cycle characteristics Often the first sign is a change in the normal pattern of your periods—cycles may be shorter or last longer, become erratic or increase in frequency.  You may find that you begin to experience fewer periods and go for months at a time between periods until they eventually stop altogether. Your menstrual flow may also become lighter or heavier than normal and last longer than normal. Hot flushes and night sweats Hot flushes are sudden feelings of heat, usually in the face, neck and chest, which can make your skin red and flushed. These can happen at any time and often erratically with seemingly no external trigger.  Flushes can be followed by […]