For most women, the symptoms of menopause will begin to appear about the time a woman nears the age of 50. However, for women that begin the process of menopause prior to age 40, the condition is known as pre menopause. Pre-menopause can occur for a number of reasons, including chemotherapy, autoimmune disorders like lupus, or a hysterectomy. On top of the more common signs of menopause, pre-menopause symptoms bring a host of concerns, including the loss of fertility and the increased risk of conditions like osteoporosis at a much younger age. While there is no way to reverse pre menopause symptoms, it is important to see your doctor if you suspect that this is happening to you. Your doctor can run tests to determine for sure if you are experiencing pre menopause symptoms, and offer you advice, support and treatment to deal with it.

What you Might Experience

There are a number of early menopause symptoms that you might experience and the only difference between them and regular menopause symptoms are the time of life in which they appear. pre menopause symptoms can include irregular periods or periods that are missed completely, a change in the flow of your periods, or hot flashes. While these are the most common telltale pre menopause symptoms, other symptoms can include vaginal dryness, dry skin, moodiness or depression, or bladder problems. If you experience any or all of these pre-menopause symptoms, it is important to see your doctor to determine if this is indeed what is going on. Your doctor will do a bit of exploring to see if there might be a reason for your early symptoms, such as an autoimmune disorder diagnosis or a past history of cancer and chemotherapy.

Just as women that go through menopause at the average age, women experiencing pre-menopause symptoms will find that most of these complaints are the result of a drop in estrogen levels. Unfortunately, this hormonal drop can also raise the risk of other health conditions like osteoporosis, periodontal disease and some cancers like ovarian and colon cancer. Because of these risk factors, you will need to work closely with your doctor to alleviate some of these risks through regular health screenings and possible nutritional supplementation. 

First symptoms of menopause can be scary for many women to experience, but your doctor can help you to manage the more uncomfortable symptoms and prepare you for what lies ahead. Keeping your pre-menopause symptoms in check will be the first step on the road to better health after menopause.