First Symptoms of Menopause

Once a woman reaches her forties, it helps to be aware of some of the first symptoms of menopause just to avoid panicking when her behaviour and body functions begin to change.

First though, it's worth recognizing that each woman's experience is unique and that not all women will experience the exact same symptoms at the exact same point in their cycle, if at all. Menopause also affects women at different ages. Although most women will go through menopause at sometime in their 40s, in rare cases a woman will not hit menopause until her 50s. Also, if a younger woman has drug treatment for cancer or some other illness, the drugs may trigger her system to go into menopause earlier than normal, even in her thirties.

One of the first symptoms of menopause is that you begin to gain weight and find it harder to lose weight. Gaining weight is partly a function of age, but also it's a sign that the body, while not yet in menopause, is slowly beginning to change. Just as important is where the weight gain is happening. Where you may have had weight gains in the hips and thighs before, as you approach menopause you'll find the extra weight collecting around your belly.

Another of the first symptoms of menopause is hot flushes or flashes. This is a symptom that can occur even if you're still having periods. Again, it's a sign that your body is changing. The hot flashes will come suddenly and leave just as fast. It can come out of nowhere or be triggered by stress. Women react differently. Some will become drenched in sweat during the flash while others, while becoming hot will experience little or no sweat. Also, the frequency varies among women. In the worst cases it can happen multiple times an hour while in mild cases it may occur once a day or even less frequently.

One of the most common early symptoms of menopause is mood swings. You become much more sensitive to situations. Things that might have only slightly annoyed you a week ago now make your extremely irritable. You suddenly lash out at the smallest perceived slight and generally begin to feel out of control, as though your emotions are running wild. And then, your mood can swing just as rapidly the other way. It's sort of like being on an emotional roller coaster not knowing how you are going to react one moment to the next. In extreme cases, it can make your friends and the people around you feel as though they have to walk on eggshells when they are near you to avoid setting you off.

Mood swings can also trigger bouts of depression. Fortunately, there are many ways to deal with mood swings.  You may  require medication. Or, you may be able to get by with herbal supplements or simply exercise. Changes in diet can help also. The key thing is to recognize what is happening to your body. As long as you and your loved ones understand that you are going through a change of life, you can effectively work through it.

There are many more subtle changes in a woman's body that can indicate the early signs of menopause, but these are the major one. It's important to remember that menopause is NOT a disease. Menopause is definitely not anything to be ashamed of. Nor is it something to be afraid of. Menopause is a normal function of a woman's physiology and has been with us for thousands of years. It's simply another phase in a woman's journey.

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