What are the symptoms?

For a few lucky women (about 15%) there are no symptoms other than their periods become irregular and eventually stop. Most women, though, will experience at least some symptoms. Generally, the symptoms fade over time and for most women will disappear altogether once they reach the point of menopause.

Among the most common symptoms are:

• Hot flashes (sometimes called hot flushes): These sudden changes in body temperature arrive without warning, are often accompanied by heavy sweating, and generally last a few minutes. When they occur during sleep, they are called night sweats, and they can be severe enough to awaken some women and make it impossible for them to get a good night’s rest.
• Vaginal changes: The dryness, itching, and irritation that sometimes occur may interfere with sexual intercourse. Your pharmacist can help you select a product to minimize these symptoms.
• Urinary tract problems: Some women become more likely to develop infections or bladder control problems. There are treatments a doctor can prescribe to treat these conditions.
• Other physical changes: Some women experience palpitations, mild dizziness, tingling sensations, fatigue, restlessness, constipation, or aching bones. Others gain weight or find that their breasts become smaller.
• Emotional changes: These can be due to changing hormone levels, lack of sleep (often the result of night sweats), or a variety of other factors. They may include mood swings, irritability, anxiety, and memory loss.

Some of the changes that take place in a woman’s body during this period have a permanent effect on her health. For example:

• Bones: As the level of estrogen in a woman’s body declines, her bones may become weaker and brittle, increasing her risk of developing osteoporosis.
• Heart: The loss of estrogen raises the level of LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and triglycerides (another type of harmful fat) in a woman’s blood, increasing her risk of developing heart problems.
• Sex organs: A woman’s sex organs are also affected by the loss of estrogen. The wall of the vagina may become thinner and drier, making intercourse painful and increasing the risk of infection. A woman’s breasts may become smaller and sag, and the organs in her pelvis may shrink; she may also experience pelvic discomfort and lower back pain.
• Skin: Because the skin is likely to become drier and lose its elasticity, it may lose its youthful appearance. And as we age, we naturally tend to bruise more easily.

• Bisphosphonates: These drugs are used to help prevent and treat osteoporosis that may result from reduced hormone levels. While they are not quite as effective as estrogen, they are not hormonal and, therefore, don’t carry the same risks as hormone replacement. However, it is important to remember that every drug carries some risk, so you should talk to your doctor or pharmacist about any therapy you take to make sure you understand what the risks and benefits are.
• Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs): These drugs have some of the benefits of estrogen, including improving bone strength, without some of the risk that estrogen has. However, SERMs tend to cause more hot flashes and may increase the risk of gallstones or blood clots.
• Complementary and alternative therapies: These treatments include dietary and herbal supplements, acupuncture, chiropractic treatments, massage therapy, biofeedback, homeopathy, naturopathy, and eating certain foods that are thought to prevent diseases. Some women going through perimenopause may find relief from their symptoms from complementary and alternative therapies. Among the methods that may be helpful are to include plant-based foods that contain substances called phytoestrogens (isoflavones and soy) in your diet or try a nutritional supplement such as black cohosh or flaxseed.

It is important to remember that not all complementary and alternative therapies have been studied scientifically, and some may have negative effects on other conditions you may have. Before you decide to try one of these therapies, discuss it with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure that what you are planning is safe for you.

The material in this pamphlet has been supplied by a professional medical writer. It is intended for information purposes only and should not be used in place of consultation with a health care professional. Axis Pharmacy is not responsible for errors, omissions, or inconsistencies with respect to the information contained in this pamphlet and does not accept any liability whatsoever for reliance by the reader on the information contained herein.