HOW LONG DO MENOPAUSE SYMPTOMS LAST?

Menopause is a natural part of ageing and has three phases, perimenopause, menopause and post menopause.

The first phase of menopause is perimenopause and often begins in a woman’s early 40’s, but can happen earlier or later. Everybody is unique. The perimenopause is a transition stage, in which the body naturally produces less and less estrogen and progesterone. As you can see from the graph above, your estrogen levels can become very erratic. This hormonal changes continue until you no longer menstruate.

Perimenopausal symptoms last four years on average, however they can last up to 10 years before your periods actually stop. The most common symptoms associated with the perimenopausal phase are hot flashes, night sweats, sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression, loss of libido and vaginal dryness. These symptoms will gradually ease during menopause and postmenopause.

Once your ovaries have stopped releasing eggs and when you have not had a period for 12 consecutive months, a doctor will determine that you are experiencing menopause. In the UK, the average age of the menopause is 51.

Women are considered to be postmenopausal after not bleeding for an entire year. During this stage, menopausal symptoms may ease for many women, however, this isn’t the case for everyone and some women will continue to experience menopausal symptoms for up to decade or longer.