As menopause gets nearer, your ovaries begin to produce less and less of the hormone estrogen, which causes your menstrual cycle to change. The symptoms you experience during menopause are a result of these fluctuating hormone levels.
There are some signs of early menopause to watch for. These symptoms are also associated with low estrogen levels, and are similar to those of premature menopause.
Frequent Symptoms
The way you experience early menopause will differ based on what triggered it. For example, research has found that women who undergo medical menopause due to chemotherapy have longer menopausal transitions with worse symptoms than other women.
Women may start having irregular menstrual cycles for a few years before their last period. The symptoms of early menopause include many of the typical menopause symptoms, including:
Hot flashes Night sweats and cold flashes Vaginal dryness Insomnia (difficulty sleeping) Mood swings Urinary urgency (a pressing need to pee more frequently) More urinary tract infections Dry skin, dry eyes, and dry mouth Breast tenderness Racing heart Headaches Joint and muscle aches and pains Changes in libido (sex drive) Difficulty concentrating, memory lapses (often temporary) Weight gain (around the midriff) Hair loss or thinning
Complications
Early menopause is linked to some serious health complications.
Neurological Diseases
Research has shown that a short time span between your first period and menopause may be associated with a higher risk of dementia. An evaluation of a diverse prospective cohort study of more than 15,754 women found that those who started menstruation at a later age or entered menopause early had a more than 20% greater risk of developing dementia.
Sexual Dysfunction
Early menopause means you may be faced with hormone-related sexual challenges earlier than expected. These may include vaginal changes like skin thinning and decreased lubrication, which can make tearing easier and penetration painful and anxiety-producing.
Mood Disorders
Not everyone who experiences early menopause will have a mood disorder. Some women will, however, have poorer mental health outcomes than others. Findings in this area are largely inconsistent, and long-term systematic investigations in early menopausal women are lacking. Nevertheless, early menopause means the end of fertility, which can be a highly emotional and unexpected loss for many.
In a cross-sectional clinic-based study of 174 women with chromosomal abnormalities and 100 women with Turner syndrome, researchers found that early menopause due to chromosomal irregularities increased the lifetime risk of depression, with depression onset typically occurring after ovarian function changes.
Heart Disease
Early menopause is associated with an increased risk of heart disease and stroke. This is likely at least in part due to lower estrogen levels, which are related to changes in cholesterol. This higher risk may also be because of cardiovascular risk factors earlier in life, such as smoking, which also increases the risk of early menopause.
More recently, a study found that for every one-year delay in menopause onset, the prevalence of coronary heart disease and stroke decreased by 3% and 5%, respectively.
Osteoporosis
Experts say the earlier in life you experience menopause, the worse its impact will be on your overall bone health. That’s because decreasing levels of estrogen inhibit your bone’s natural rebuilding abilities and make reformation less possible.
One cross-sectional study of 782 women who had never received bone mass–altering drugs found that those in early menopause had significantly lower spinal bone mineral density than women who underwent normal or late menopause.
When to See a Doctor
If you think your symptoms are related to early menopause, you should consult a doctor. Getting an accurate diagnosis can help with better symptom management.
You may also want to see your doctor in the following situations:
You have an infection, such as urinary tract infection or an infection in the vaginal lining due to a tearYour moods are unpredictable and you are not sure how to copeYou are looking for solutions to hot flashes and night sweats and want to ask about hormonal or nonhormonal therapy risks and benefitsHot flashes become feversYour symptoms are worsening or are causing problems in your family and social life Dry mouth or dry eyes are problematic, such as dry mouth making it harder to swallow or dry eyes making it uncomfortable or impossible to wear contact lensesJoint and muscle pain is new or worsening and you want to ask if it’s related or if it is a symptom of another condition like arthritis or fibromyalgiaHair loss is becoming more frequent and your mental health is suffering as a resultYou would like a referral to a specialistYou are diagnosed with early menopause or menopause (12 months without periods) and then experience any bleeding or spotting again
Summary
Early menopause comes with many of the traditional menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, and vaginal dryness. It’s associated with a higher risk of complications like heart disease and osteoporosis. You should therefore consult your doctor if you suspect you are going through early menopause.
A Word From Verywell
Experiencing menopause at any age is a life-altering event, but experiencing menopause in your early 40s can feel particularly difficult. If you are feeling robbed of your 40s and as if menopause will never end, it may be time to talk to trusted family members or a mental health professional.
If you find that your physical symptoms are stopping you from living your life to the fullest, definitely reach out for mental health support. Connecting with others who can listen without judgment (and, better still, who have gone through this change at an earlier age) is extremely powerful.
