Menopause has been the butt of many jokes not only from comedians but also from women themselves who are either going through it or negatively are anticipating it. The bottom line is that it all boils down to the fact that different bodies will exhibit different first signs of menopause. Some women will experience every known symptom attributed to “the change” while other women will experience few if any symptoms other than a lack of menstruation.
Perhaps one of the most significant early signs of menopause is the hot flashes which can cause you to sweat at night or even during the day when everyone else is comfortable or even cold. These hot flashes may or may not be accompanied by red blotchy skin, flushed skin or even a prickly kind of heat.
Among the more common early menopause symptoms are night sweats and hot flashes as too changes that cannot easily are explained such as changes to the menstrual cycle, level of blood sugar, your becoming depressed for no apparent reason and being very irritable as well.
A paradigm shift in your thinking about sex is among the first signs of menopause as well and those thoughts can go either way. Some women lose desire to have sex and it is coupled with vaginal dryness and lack of arousal. However, other women may feel sexier and enjoy it more, even with the physical symptoms like the vaginal dryness which can be aided by a number of lubricants on the market today.
Irregular periods, of course, are also early signs of menopause as well. However, because perimenopause can last years, whenever you start exhibiting signs of irregularity, you should be examined by a doctor to rule out other health issues like tumors, fibroids, cancer and more. There are many things that can cause irregular periods and should not be the “end all to end all” signals of menopause.
The early signs of menopause can help point the way to perimenopause, which mentioned early, can last for years. A doctor can perform a blood test to check hormone levels but these are not always conclusive. Therefore, you may have to take blood tests at various intervals in order to check for true hormonal fluctuations that can be early signs of menopause.
Whatever method or option you choose to overcome your early menopause symptoms makes sure to get proper medical advice before proceeding further because together with your doctor, you can stay healthy and overcome this testing time in your life.