The 35 Symptoms of Menopause

I thought I was losing my mind. Turns out, I'm just getting old.

Aside from feeling like crap for a couple of weeks; aching, shortness of breath, headaches, etc., the following list is what actually led me to deciding that weight loss was now or never. When I mentioned to Auntie Em what I was feeling, she suggested I might be experiencing menopause. No big news there, I've been in pre-menopause for what seems like an eternity. What I didn't know was that there were so many other symptoms aside from the mood swings and hot flashes. I found these on a site called Project Aware. As luck or divine intervention would have it, my doctor's receptionist called the next day to remind me of my physical the following day. I took this list for my doctor to see what I'd been experiencing (see bolded items). I had already gotten back on a "silver" multiple vitamin plus 100 mg of B1, 2000 mcg of B12, and 50 mg of B6. To these he suggested I take 500 mg calcium, 2000 iu of vitamin D, and 1200 mg of Omega 3. He also suggested taking B complex.

The next obvious step was to get on a diet. So far so good.

1. Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling
2. Irregular heart beat
3. Irritability
4. Mood swings, sudden tears
5. Trouble sleeping through the night (with or without night sweats)
6. Irregular periods; shorter, lighter periods; heavier periods, flooding; phantom periods, shorter cycles, longer cycles!!!!!
7. Loss of libido
8. Dry vagina
9. Crashing fatigue
10. Anxiety, feeling ill at ease
11. Feelings of dread, apprehension, doom
12. Difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion
13. Disturbing memory lapses
14. Incontinence, especially upon sneezing, laughing; urge incontinence
15. Itchy, crawly skin
16. Aching, sore joints, muscles and tendons
17. Increased tension in muscles
18. Breast tenderness
19. Headache change: increase or decrease
20. Gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, gas pain, nausea
21. Sudden bouts of bloat
22. Depression
23. Exacerbation of existing conditions
24. Increase in allergies
25. Weight gain
26. Hair loss or thinning, head, pubic, or whole body; increase in facial hair
27. Dizziness, light-headedness, episodes of loss of balance
28. Changes in body odor
29. Electric shock sensation under the skin and in the head
30. Tingling in the extremities
31. Gum problems, increased bleeding
32. Burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor
33. Osteoporosis (after several years)
34. Changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier
35. Tinnitus: ringing in ears, bells, 'whooshing,' buzzing etc.


Please go to Project Aware site for additional information about these symptoms.