Many women enter into menopause at different times of their life. Some experience a few of the symptoms while others can have more.

Hot flashes, flushes, night sweats and/or cold flashes, clammy feeling is most likely the most common sensation but, Irregular heart beat, irritability, mood swings, sudden tears, difficulty sleeping, irregular periods; shorter, lighter periods; heavier periods, phantom periods, shorter cycles and longer cycles often occur.

One of the most troubling symptoms is Loss of libido. However it is not limited to a drop in desire but also a dry vagina, crashing fatigue, anxiety, feelings of dread, apprehension, depression, difficulty concentrating, disorientation, mental confusion, memory lapses, incontinence upon sneezing, or laughing.

Women have also report having Itchy, crawly skin aching, sore joints, muscles, breast tenderness, headaches, gastrointestinal distress, indigestion, flatulence, nausea, bloating, increase in allergies weight gain, hair loss, but with an increase in facial hair. Many have experienced dizziness, light-headedness, tingling in the extremities, gum problems, increased bleeding, burning tongue, burning roof of mouth, bad taste in mouth, change in breath odor.

One of the biggest problems of menopause is Osteoporosis (porous bones).

A select few have noticed changes in fingernails: softer, crack or break easier. Tinnitus: ringing in ears, 'whooshing,' buzzing etc. Reason For Symptoms

Hot flashes are due to the hypothalamic response to declining ovarian estrogen production. The declining estrogen state induces hypophysiotropic neurons in the arcuate nucleas of the hypothalamus to release gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in a pulsatile fashion, which in turn stimulates release of luteinizing hormone (LH). Extremely high pulses of LH occur during the period of declining estrogen production. The LH has vasodilatory effects, which leads to flushing. Loss of libido for some women the loss is so great that they actually find sex repulsive, in much the same way as they felt before puberty. What hormones give, loss of hormones can take away. Aching sore joints may include such problems as carpal tunnel syndrome. Depression different from other depression, the inability to cope is overwhelming. There is a feeling of loss of self. Hormone therapy ameliorates the depression dramatically. Weight gain often around the waist and thighs, resulting in 'the disappearing waistline'. Tingling in extremities can also be a symptom of B-12 deficiency, diabetes, alterations in the flexibility of blood vessels, or a depletion of potassium or calcium Tinnitus is one of those physical conditions that seems to manifest in some women at the same time as menopause. It can be associated with health conditions such as hypothyroidism and heart disease, and is a known side-effect of many medications, including aspirin (salicylates) and Prozac.

SOME OF THE SYMPTOMS MAY ALSO BE SIGNS OF THE FOLLOWING: *hypothyroidism *diabetes *depression with another etiology other medical conditions

Copyright (c) 2007 Al Short

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