5 Signs You May Be Entering Menopause

Menopause starts when your ovaries stop releasing estrogen and progesterone. It generally starts in your 40s, and once it’s finished your monthly menstrual cycle and all other connected reproductive functions finish.

If you’re in the age range for menopause to start, you should know the stages of the process and what signs indicate it’s starting. 

Women in the Las Vegas, Nevada area nearing the age when menopause starts can find help with Dr. Staci McHale, and her dedicated staff at WHASN Sunset Valley.

The stages of menopause

The time before menopause starts is sometimes referred to as premenopause. However, the process of hormone reduction and the resulting bodily changes in menopause happen in three stages over the course of several years:

Perimenopause

This is the transitional period before menopause starts that usually takes the longest time and starts in your mid-40s in many women. You may not know exactly when this starts because every woman experiences different levels of hormonal changes at this point which can affect the symptoms.

Menopause

Once you’ve stopped having periods for a full year, you are in the menopause stage, which often happens around age 52 but can happen earlier or later. 

Postmenopause

Once menopause is complete, the rest of your life is in this stage. Symptoms lessen and fade at this point, and hormone levels reach a stable point and stay there.

Early signs to look for

Since hormone production starts to lessen at this point, a lot of changes gradually present themselves which include:

1. Period changes

Your monthly cycle becomes more erratic, starting and ending at irregular times and sometimes skipping months. They are also lighter or heavier during this stage.

2. Libido changes

Your sex drive is affected by your hormones and can change due to hormonal imbalances, vaginal dryness and mood changes. 

3. Sleeping problems

Your sleep cycle can change as you go through menopause, which can also affect energy levels, cognition, and mood.

4. Hot flashes/ night sweats

Flushed skin and sweating are common symptoms, which can happen in the form of either hot flashes or night sweats. Hot flashes happen at different times during the day, but night sweats can leave you drenched and uncomfortable with a rapid heartbeat when trying to sleep.

5. Urinary changes

These changes can also affect your bladder, leading to a strong urge to urinate more often.

Benefits of medical care in menopause

When you start experiencing these signs we can offer medical care at every stage, using health screening to help you understand what’s happening and treat each sign accordingly, using things like medications, hormone therapy, and lifestyle changes to ease the changes. We can also help you reduce the risk of the problems you are at higher risk of with menopause, such as osteoporosis, and cardiovascular disease.

Every woman goes through menopause, and once it’s over, you should be able to enjoy a happy and healthy life. Make an appointment with Dr. McHale and WHASN Sunset Valley today to ease menopause and its various symptoms.