Early Menopause Symptoms and Ways to Cope with It

Menopause is dreaded by all women not because it is the phase of life that marks the end of the fertility era of a woman, but because it brings so much upheaval both mentally and physically. The early menopause symptoms include hot flushes, wild and unexplained mood swings and irregular periods, heavy or scant bleeding and night sweats among others.



Recognizing the Onset of Menopause



As with all the physical developments in a human body, menopause too has a particular set time for setting in. Menopause usually starts around 45 to 50 years and hence early menopause symptoms will be manifested around this age. Similar to the onset of puberty, the onset of menopause can be pretty confusing and distressing to those who are not prepared for it. Hence, the key to handling menopause is to know what it is about.



Symptoms of Early Menopause



One of the most common precursors of menopause is an irregular menstrual cycle. Most often this will manifest as a skipped cycle, or perhaps even two skipped cycles. In rare cases the cycle can be interrupted for three to four months in succession before restarting. Again, this will usually begin somewhere in a woman's mid-to-late 40s, but can even begin at age 50 or beyond for some women.



The Emotional Impact of Early Menopause



Physical changes are not the only things that occur during perimenopause. Chemical and hormonal imbalances also affect the emotions as well. Unpredictable and unexplained mood swings are not infrequent. Modern medicine provides a scientific explanation: Estrogen levels in the blood begin dropping because the ovaries are shutting down. The changing levels of this critical hormone are responsible for many of the life changing symptoms that occur during menopause.



Because estrogen is so critical for a woman's body, many doctors will recommend HRT (hormone replacement therapy) to counteract the attenuating levels of this hormone in the bloodstream. Hormone replacement therapy is not a trivial matter, and is certainly not without its detractors. The decision to undertake this therapy as well as its prescription should always be taken under the advisement of your doctor.



Taking Action with the Right Weapons



There are a lot of alternatives to medication to combat the symptoms of menopause and their efficiency differs from woman to woman. In order to find the best alternative for you, you need first to know what alternatives are available. You may use visit the doctor, the library and of course the Internet for this purpose. There is plenty of documentation around to give you information on menopause. In order to adapt to this change, you have to be fully informed. Ensure that you know what to do, much before the time comes so you can identify the early menopause symptoms and stay in charge of your life.