The menopause, sometimes called ‘the change’, is when you stop having periods because your ovaries have stopped releasing eggs.
Perimenopause is the time leading up to your last period and for one year after your last period. Women can experience ‘menopausal’ symptoms during this time that may improve with treatment.
Menopause can feel different for everyone. You may have a number of symptoms or none.
Common symptoms include:
- A change in the normal pattern of your periods, for example, they become irregular
- Changes to your mood, like low mood, anxiety, mood swings and low self-esteem
- Problems with memory or concentration (brain fog)
- Hot flushes, when you have sudden feelings of hot or cold in your face, neck and chest, which can make you dizzy
- Difficulty sleeping, which may be a result of night sweats and make you feel tired and irritable during the day
- Palpitations, when your heartbeats suddenly become more noticeable
- Headaches and migraines that are worse than usual
- Muscle aches and joint pains
- Changed body shape and weight gain
- Skin changes, including dry and itchy skin
- Reduced sex drive
- Vaginal dryness and pain, itching or discomfort during sex
- Recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs)
- Sensitive teeth, painful gums or other mouth problems
There are lots of things you can do to improve your health around menopause.
Please find useful resources and websites below:
- Information – NHS: Menopause.
- Information specifically on Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to treat menopause – types, benefits and risks, and how to take it NHS: About hormone replacement therapy (HRT).
- Menopause and cancer – Women’s Health Concern: Fact Sheet on BreastCancer.
- Help and support – Women’s Health Concern: Confidential Advice, Reassurance and Education.
- Help and support – Rock My Menopause: Menopause Information
- For trans and non-binary people – Queer / LGBTQIA+: Menopause
- Translated resources – Perimenopause and HRT leaflets – Bristol Menopause Toolkit
- Videos of people sharing their personal stories Healthtalk
- Video of experiences including from people with a Learning Disability and autism – My Menopause: a film by Suffolk Libraries and Ace Anglia
- Easy read on Menopause – Mencap: Menopause Easy Read.
Early menopause – This is when menopause starts when you are under 45-years old. It is sometimes called premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). See your GP if you think you have early menopause symptoms.
- Information – NHS: Early menopause.
- Help and support – Charity for Women with POI: The Daisy Network
Bone health – Women lose bone in the first few years after the menopause. This means that bones are more likely to fracture.
- Information and support – Bone health: Keeping your bones healthy
- Exercises to try at home: find out more at Theros
