Post Menopause Symptoms

If you have not experienced a period for at least a year, you’re by definition entering post menopause. Many signs of menopause that women experience once hormones in the body begin to shift continue well into the post menopause time. Additionally, some women find that they pass through perimenopause without many symptoms, only to find themselves more symptomatic during post menopause. By learning to recognize post menopause symptoms and treatment options, women can better tend to their physical needs during the time ahead after their periods end.

Symptoms of Post Menopause

Post menopause symptoms can run the gamut, and often mirror symptoms present during perimenopause. Post menopause symptoms can run the gamut psychologically and emotionally with issues surfacing such as depression, phobias, paranoia, anxiety, difficulty concentrating and mood swings. Physical maladies can also occur during post menopause – such as vaginal dryness, hot flashes, and lowered libido. Appearance can be affected by brittle nails, skin problems, and weight gain – particularly around the abdomen. Digestive and urinary difficulties may be compounded by bone density issues (including osteoporosis concerns), muscular tension and joint pain.

Here are the most common post menopause symptoms:

• Insomnia
• Mood swings
• Occasional hot flashes
• Weight gain
• Stress Incontinence
• Vaginal dryness
• Urinary tract infections

Many symptoms can begin during perimenopause and linger past the point of menopause itself, while other symptoms may emerge solely during the post menopause years.

When Do Post Menopause Symptoms Start?

When women approach menopause, their periods may become less regular –in timing, duration and flow. After women have not experienced a period for 12 months (for reasons other than pregnancy or lactation), they have officially entered menopause. A woman must be free of any period whatsoever in for a year order to be considered postmenopausal, including any form of spotting.

Because a “last period” becomes difficult to discern except with hindsight, many women can test for post menopause with a specialized test known as the FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) test (particularly useful for those who have had their uterus removed prior to post menopause). At some point, when menopause has been reached, the ovaries no longer are considered “active,” and women are technically considered postmenopausal from that point onward.

When Do Post Menopause Symptoms End?

While most women eventually achieve evened-out hormones and the subsiding of postmenopausal symptoms, it may take years before post menopause symptoms fully disappear. However, with or without symptoms, post menopause describes the time period between menopause and all of the days ahead – simply because this time has come after (“post”) menopause. Post menopause begins from the point of menopause and stretches out for the duration of a woman’s life. Continue reading about treatments associated with post menopausal symptoms.