Headaches are also quite frequent when natural estrogen levels are diminished Most headaches are mild to moderate in intensity and do respond to the usual NSAIDs. Headaches often last a few hours and are worsened by stress, anxiety, excess light exposure and certain smells.
Dry skin is a common complain in most women who are going through menopause. Associated with dry skin is a persistent itch. Dry skin is usually most prevalent on the chest, neck, abdomen and legs. While the dry skin does get better with a moisturizer, the itch is often unrelieved. Some women need topical hydrocortisone to decrease the itching.
Weight gain is a common complaint during menopause. The first sign of increased weight gain is swelling of the feet. Soon women notice that their clothes are too tight and the shoes feel too tight. Fortunately, the weight gain during menopause is due to water and this gradually disappears with time
Mood changes are common in women who are going through menopause. The most common mood disorder is depression but anxiety, extreme irritability, and anger are also common features. Many women complain of poor sleep, find no pleasure in most things in life, and somehow feel that life has no meaning. The fortunate thing about these emotional symptoms is that they are not very intense and do not last forever. Most women get over these symptoms with good family support. It is the rare female who needs medication to help reverse the depression.
Menopause is a difficult time for most women. However, not all women develop every symptoms. In most cases, symptoms are mild to moderate in intensity. When symptoms are intense, it can affect lifestyle, cause social isolation, and persistent melancholy. Women who do develop symptoms during menopause can be helped with a short course of estrogen and progesterone. Menopause in general does not last more than 2-4 years.
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