Early Menopause Symptoms

Menopause before the age of 40 is termed 'early menopause'. It may occur as a result of early failure of the ovaries, or be caused surgically when a woman has her ovaries removed, or caused chemically by chemotherapy for cancer. To put it as simply as possible, early or premature menopause is typically used to mean menopause that comes well before the average age of normal menopause -- when you're still in your 20s, 30s, or early 40s. More technically, as used by many doctors and medical journals: early menopause refers to menopause -- i.e. total cessation of your periods for 12 months -- before the age of 45.

Premature menopause is menopause that occurs before age 40. If premature menopause occurs naturally -- that is, if you haven't had surgery, radiation treatment or chemotherapy that led to menopause -- it is more commonly now referred to as premature ovarian failure (POF). This sounds devastating. But basically, all it means is that the ovaries aren't working, as they should.

Before the periods stop, one goes through a transition period called per menopause. One can notice various early menopause symptoms to determine for sure weather one is suffering from pre menopause. This can last on average from two to six years, although some women have it for a shorter amount of time, and others longer. And once your periods have stopped for a year, you're considered as being in menopause. The average age for women to have completed menopause is age 51 -- which means that most women go through this change between the ages of 47 and 53. So if one goes through menopause before this -- for whatever reason - the person is usually said to have experienced premature or early menopause. So the key factor is age.

Many women notice early symptoms while still having regular periods, when the hormone production is declining very gradually. This stage of gradually falling and fluctuating hormone levels is often called the "climacteric" or the "change" and can last for several years. Some women experience an early, or premature menopause following which, symptoms may occur immediately, depending on the cause. Immediate onset of menopause symptoms often follows a surgical menopause. The duration of "early" symptoms is very variable from a few months to many years and the severity varies between individuals.

One of the early menopause symptoms is Irregular Vaginal Bleeding. Irregular vaginal bleeding may occur during menopause. Some women have minimal problems with abnormal bleeding during perimenopause whereas others have unpredictable, excessive bleeding. Menstrual periods (menses) may occur more frequently (meaning the cycle shortens in duration), or they may get farther and farther apart (meaning the cycle lengthens in duration) before stopping. It is important to remember that all women who develop irregular menses should be evaluated by her doctor to confirm that the irregular menses are due to menopause and not as a sign of another medical illness.

Another most important early menopause symptom is Hot flashes & night sweats. Hot flashes are common among women undergoing menopause. A hot flash is a feeling of warmth that spreads over the body. A hot flash is sometimes associated with flushing and is sometimes followed by perspiration. Hot flashes can last as long as 10 years. There is no way to predict when hot flashes will cease, though they tend to decrease in frequency over time. On average, hot flashes last about 5 years.

early menopause symptoms of are basically the same as for natural menopause. The most common is the hot flush however, women may sometimes experience several of the symptoms listed:

• Hot flushes and night sweats
• Aches and pains
• Crawling or itching sensations under the skin
• Headaches
• Vaginal dryness
• Reduced sex drive (libido)
• Urinary frequency
• Tiredness
• Irritability
• Sleeping difficulty
• Lack of self esteem
• Forgetfulness
• "Foggy, fuzzy" thinking and memory lapses
• Irregular menstrual cycles
• Light or heavy menstrual flow
• Lumpy or tender breasts
• Fibroid tumors
• Endometriosis
• Mood swings
• Water retention and bloating
• Anxiety and depression
• Inability to handle stress
• PMS
• Weight gain