When Will My Menopause Symptoms Be Gone?

What Are Menopause Symptoms?

Every woman has probably heard the word menopause at some point in their life. The good news is that it’s not a disease or condition. Doctors define menopause as a part of sexual maturation that occurs when a woman's menstrual period stops permanently. Further, she can no longer conceive.

The transition before the menopause is called the perimenopause. It’s a normal part of aging, starting in the late 30s or early 50s. You may also wonder, How long is perimenopause?

On average, perimenopause lasts 4-6 years. Some women may experience it from 1-10 years. During this period, the body produces less estrogen and progesterone.

The estrogen and progesterone force the ovaries to release eggs less regularly. You are likely to experience the following symptoms during perimenopause.

• Night sweats
• Trouble sleeping
• Hot flashes
• Pain during sex
• Irritability

How Long Do Menopause Symptoms Last

Menopause Symptoms

When are you done with menopause? Symptoms related to menopause can last between 2-8 years. However, as explained earlier, women experience menopause symptoms at different ages.

For instance, black women experience the symptoms at an early onset compared to white women. Additionally, women who smoke can experience the symptoms more severely and at an early age.

Much like perimenopause, Menopause starts when estrogen levels drop. These may include;

• Irregular periods: As the estrogen hormone drops, you may miss your periods or experience more gaps in your cycle. You may also experience heavy bleeding or spotting after sex. Some women may also experience periods that last a week.
• Pain during sex: Estrogen is responsible for your vagina lubrication. As the levels decrease, you most likely experience vagina dryness, which can lead to pain during sex.
• Weight gain: During menopause, your body begins to use energy differently. Metabolism is much slower, leading to weight gain.
• Hot flashes and night sweats: Changes in hormonal levels may lead to hot flashes (a sudden feeling of heat mostly in the upper body and face). If you are wondering how many years hot flashes last, some people can have them for several months while others have years.
• Trouble sleeping: The mild hot flashes cause night sweats, which may make you uncomfortable during the night.
• Frequent mood swings: Frequent mood swings are yet another symptom of menopause years. You see, menopause causes hormonal fluctuations, which may leave you feeling moodier or more irritable.
• Loss of bladder control: Loss of bladder control, or in other words, incontinence, is yet another common symptom of menopause. Your urine may leak during exercise or sneezing. Others may have a sudden urge to urinate.

What Makes Menopause Symptoms Last Longer?

You have probably asked yourself this time and again: How long are you in menopause?

Going through menopause can be overwhelming and stressful. Let’s have a look at the factors that can prolong the symptoms.

Hormonal Imbalance

Let’s get technical for a minute. As a woman, several hormones help maintain your overall well-being. For example, Estrogen regulates the menstrual cycle, while progesterone works alongside estrogen to regulate the menstrual cycle and prepare the uterus for pregnancy.

As you approach menopause, there is a drop in estrogen and progesterone levels. According to the National Institute on Aging, changes in these two hormones to menopausal symptoms lasting between 2-8 years depending on a woman’s genetic and other external factors.

Health Conditions

If you have underlying conditions like thyroid disorders or cancer, you may exacerbate menopause symptoms. For those dealing with thyroid, the condition may delay the onset of menopause, leading to prolonged symptoms.

Cancer patients, on the other hand, may intensify the symptoms or induce early menopause when receiving cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation. A study found that 31% of women under 40, 53% of women between 40 and 50, and 85% of women over 50 with breast cancer who received chemotherapy experienced menopause.

Further, as your estrogen levels drop, you have a high likelihood of developing cardiovascular diseases like hypertension and atherosclerosis. These conditions may complicate menopause in the long run.

Lifestyle Factors

Your lifestyle choices can influence how long menopause lasts. If you smoke tobacco, you may have an early onset of menopause. Toxins in cigarettes can harm ovarian follicles, leading to a decline in estrogen levels. This, in turn, accelerates menopause.

Dietary habits are also a contributing factor. Women who consume a lot of polyunsaturated fats have been found to have an earlier onset. In contrast, those consuming a diet rich in total calories, fruits, and proteins delay the onset. Other lifestyle factors include alcohol consumption and physical activity.

What Can You Do to Alleviate Symptoms & Shorten Their Duration

Before diving into alleviating symptoms, let’s get things straight! Is menopause permanent? The short answer is yes. It marks the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle. Luckily, there are ways to manage the symptoms, these include;

Diet and Nutrition

Adopting healthy eating habits can help relieve the menopausal symptoms. Foods with polyunsaturated fats and spices will only make it worse. That said, always opt for foods that contain estrogen-like properties. They can range from

• Flaxseed
• Grains
• Beans
• Lentils
• Chickpeas
• Soybeans
• Vegetable
• Fruits

Exercise

While exercising can be difficult if you are experiencing hot flashes, you should exercise regularly. You can do simple exercises like yard work or swimming. You can also enroll in yoga classes to help relieve mood swings and anxiety.

Managing Stress

Without a doubt, menopause can be daunting and overwhelming. You need not go through this phase alone. You can always join support groups led by a menopause specialist. This way, you will have an outlet to spill your emotions and gather answers to the pressing questions revolving around menopause.

Treatment Options

You may not need any treatment during your menopause; however, if the symptoms are more severe, you can always opt for these treatment options.

Hormone Therapy: Just as the name suggests, hormone therapy involves offering estrogen and sometimes progesterone hormones to those going through menopause at the natural age. This type of treatment can be offered in various forms like skin patches and topical creams which help manage hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms.

Hormonal Replacement Therapy(HRT): Hormonal replacement therapy is administered to women experiencing menopause at a young age. This is typically before age 40. They are typically two types of HRT: Estrogen therapy and combination therapy. Estrogen therapy requires the patient to take estrogen only. It can be in the form1 of pills, skin patches or a gel. Combination therapy involves taking both estrogen and progesterone. This method of treatment works by giving you those lost hormones back therefore reducing the side effects of menopause.

Non-hormonal Treatment: In nonhormonal treatment, hormones are not offered to patients. Instead, doctors use medications like clonidine, gabapentin, and the drug fezolinetant. Other non-hormonal treatments include lifestyle changes like regular exercise and maintaining a healthy diet.

When to Seek Medical Advice

While menopause is a part of natural aging, it is important to seek medical advice if the symptoms are severe or unexpected. Here are a few instances when you should seek professional advice.

• You are experiencing symptoms at a young age, typically before 45
• You have not had your period for a year or more before age 45
• You have periods close together
• You spot after your period
• You are experiencing severe menopause symptoms that disrupt your daily life
• You are seeking menopause treatments

Outlook: Will Symptoms Completely Go Away?

Do menopause symptoms go away? Yes, menopause symptoms eventually go away, marking postmenopause. In case you are wondering, postmenopause is the stage that begins after going through menopause.

After menopause, some women may be at risk of cardiovascular diseases and urinary tract infections. Estrogen helps protect your heart and lubricate the vagina. Without the hormone, you have a high risk of both diseases.