Am I menopausal?
Everybody is different when it comes to perimenopause and menopause, so it’s not always easy to identify what’s happening and what help you need.
By learning its language, you can tell your GP how you’re feeling in your own words.
Symptoms of the menopause
Everyone’s experience is different, but any of these symptoms could indicate perimenopause and menopause. How many do you recognise?
Anxiety
Not everyone will experience anxiety as part of their menopause symptoms.1 Anxiety can make one person feel overwhelmed at work or as though they cannot cope with the number of tasks they feel they need to complete in a day, while someone else may get nervous in another situation, such as a feeling of panic while driving.
Bloating
Bloating during the perimenopause and menopause may be due to changing hormone levels.2 It can also be caused by a build-up of gas in your digestive system.2 There are things you can do to try and relieve bloating, such as being more active and avoiding fizzy drinks. Alcohol may also cause bloating, so try and reduce your alcohol intake and drink plenty of water, as bloating can also be a sign that you are dehydrated.
Brain fog
Many women who experience brain fog during the perimenopause or menopause worry that they might be developing dementia. However, in this age group, it’s far more likely that changes to your memory or ability to concentrate are caused by falling hormone levels.3 Eating healthily and being physically active can help, as can getting good quality sleep.3
Depression
During the perimenopause and menopause, people can feel depressed due to changing hormone levels.5 Symptoms can include feeling ‘down’ and less interested in doing things you usually enjoy.
Excessive sweating
As with many perimenopause and menopause symptoms, sweating more can be caused by hormonal changes.6 It may help to wear clothes made of natural fibres, like cotton and linen.
Fatigue
While going through the perimenopause and menopause, changes to sleep patterns are common, with many of us experiencing disturbed sleep or sleeplessness at night. This has a knock-on effect of causing tiredness during the daytime
that can feel debilitating.7
Changes in taste
When you are going through perimenopause and menopause, you may notice a change in your sense of taste or have a dry mouth.4
Gastrointestinal problems
The perimenopause and menopause can cause changes in your stomach and digestion,8 leading to symptoms including diarrhoea, constipation, and acid reflux. Exercise and a healthy diet may help relieve these symptoms.
Headaches
During the perimenopause and menopause, you may get more headaches,9 but everyone is different. If you’ve always had headaches before and during periods, then when you reach the perimenopause and menopause, you may suffer less, but someone who has not previously had headaches may start to get them during the perimenopause and menopause. Drinking lots of fluids may help and avoiding triggers if you know what yours are. It’s a good idea to talk to your GP if headaches are impacting your wellbeing because they may be able to help.
Hot flushes
Hot flushes can come on suddenly and are very common during the perimenopause and menopause.10 They may continue after the menopause too.
Irregular periods
Before you reach the end of the menopause and stop having periods altogether, hormonal changes can lead to spotting between periods and heavy bleeding. Blood may also be darker or browner than you’re used to.11
Irritability
It’s common when you are going through the perimenopause or menopause to be more easily irritated than you used to be.5 As well as hormonal changes, lack of sleep – another menopause symptom – can make it worse.
Joint pain
When levels of the hormone oestrogen drop during the perimenopause and menopause, you can get joint pain.12 It can be worse in the morning.
Libido
Night sweats
A night sweat is a common menopause symptom14 and is like having a hot flush at night, which can disturb sleep. It can help to use light bedding – for example, a thin duvet – and to avoid alcohol and spicy foods. Night sweats can vary from light sweating to waking up drenched in sweat.
Osteoporosis
Oestrogen protects our bones, and because this hormone drops during the perimenopause and menopause, the risk of osteoporosis increases.15 Osteoporosis means weak bones.
The good news is that there are things you can do to protect your bones, so talk to your GP.
Palpitations
The perimenopause and menopause can cause feelings like your heart is racing or jumping. These are called palpitations.16 If you get these, talk to your GP.
Recurrent UTIs
UTI stands for urinary tract infection, and the symptoms include needing to pee more often than usual, pain or discomfort in the lower stomach, cloudy pee, and sometimes blood in the pee. You may also feel tired and as if you have a temperature.
UTIs can be more common if you’re perimenopausal or menopausal,10 partly because oestrogen can protect this area of the body, and levels of this hormone drop during the menopause. UTIs are usually treated with antibiotics, so if you have symptoms, you should make an appointment
to talk to your GP as soon as possible.
Reduced muscle mass
Because we lose oestrogen when we approach and go through menopause, we tend to lose muscle mass. Activity levels can affect how much muscle mass we have, so getting a good amount of exercise can help. Another way we can help our bodies maintain muscle mass is through our diet; protein can help and vitamin D can also help our muscle health.17
Sleep
There can be a link between trouble sleeping and the perimenopause and menopause. This can make low mood and anxiety worse.18 Having a regular routine around going to bed and getting up in the morning may help, as can exercise. If sleep problems affect your daily life, it’s a good idea to make an appointment to see your GP for help and advice.
Vaginal pain
Once again, we can blame dropping oestrogen levels for this perimenopause and menopause symptom: vaginal pain.18 Oestrogen helps to keep the area lubricated, and when our bodies produce less of this hormone, it can lead to vaginal dryness, which can make sex painful or uncomfortable.
Not the easiest subject in the world to talk openly about, so watch our video about pain during sex to help with conversations about this symptom.
Weight gain
It can be easier to gain weight, when you’re perimenopausal or menopausal,10 but it doesn’t have to be this way. If you can, exercise regularly, eat a healthy diet, and aim for good quality sleep every night. If you’re struggling with your weight, talk to your GP for help and advice.
What is menopause?
You have two main hormones related to your reproductive cycle: oestrogen and progesterone. These hormones have controlled your periods from puberty and throughout your adult life.24 Although they fluctuate month-to-month, the overall levels remain stable.24,25
At around the age of 45, your ovaries may only have a few remaining eggs, so they start to produce less oestrogen and progesterone.26 It’s this decline in hormone levels that causes the symptoms related to perimenopause and menopause.24
Once the levels become really low, your periods will stop. Twelve months after your last period, you officially enter the menopause.27
FAQs about menopause
You may have many questions about menopause or feel curious about how it could affect your health and lifestyle. Here are answers to some commonly-asked questions:
Menopause happens to anyone who menstruates. In the UK and Ireland, the average age for the menopause to start (your final period) is around 51 years and is usually between the ages of 45 and 55.29,32 If you go through the menopause before you’re 45, this is known as early menopause. Before the age of 40, it’s classed as premature menopause.33
There are three stages of menopause.29 Perimenopause is the first stage, and this is when your hormone levels begin to drop and you may experience a range of symptoms. At the middle phase, menopause, your periods stop, and you could continue to experience symptoms. Menopause is diagnosed when you’ve not had a period for 12 months running.27 The final phase, postmenopause happens right after menopause and lasts for the rest of your life.34
Menopause is unique to every person. Symptoms during perimenopause can start years before menopause, while menopause itself can take anywhere from 7 to 14 years to complete.30 You may still experience some symptoms in the years after the menopause.34
Is it coming up to a year since you last had your period? It could be a sign that menopause has nearly completed and you’ll be moving on to the next phase, postmenopause. You might start to notice that the symptoms you were experiencing in perimenopause and menopause are easing or have stopped.31
VMS stands for vasomotor symptoms, and these include hot flushes/flashes and night sweats. Many people experience these symptoms, and they typically occur around the head, neck, chest, and upper back.36
- Albooshi S, et al. Does menopause elevate the risk for developing depression and anxiety? Results from a systematic review. Australas Psychiatry. 2023;31:165–173.
- Mind. How can menopause affect mental health? Available at: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/tips-for-everyday-living/menopause-and-mental-health/how-can-menopause-affect-mental-health/#FeelingDepressed. Accessed: October 2025.
- Eun-Ok I, et al. Gastrointestinal symptoms in four major racial/ethnic groups of midlife women: race/ethnicity and menopausal status. Menopause. 2022;29:156–163.
- Healthline. What to know about bloating and menopause. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/menopause/menopause-bloating. Accessed October 2025.
- The Menopause Charity. Brain Fog. Available at: https://themenopausecharity.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Brain-Fog.pdf. Accessed October 2025.
- NHS Inform. Signs and symptoms of menopause. Available at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health/later-years-around-50-years-and-over/menopause-and-post-menopause-health/signs-and-symptoms-of-menopause/. Accessed October 2025.
- Hao S, et al. The effect of diet and exercise on climacteric symptomatology. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2022;31:362–370.
- NHS. Menopause: Things you can do. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/things-you-can-do/. Accessed October 2025.
- Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Menopause-why do I feel fatigued? Available at: https://www.nhsemployers.org/system/files/2022-03/Fatigue%20%26%20Menopause%20Leaflet.pdf Accessed October 2025.
- Saluja P, et al. Comparative evaluation of the effect of menstruation, pregnancy and menopause on salivary flow rate, pH and gustatory function. J Clin Diagn Res. 2014;8:ZC81–ZC85.
- Heitkemper MM and Chang L. Do fluctuations in ovarian hormones affect gastrointestinal symptoms in women with irritable bowel syndrome? Gend Med. 2009;6(Suppl 2):152–167.
- Healthline. How does menopause affect digestive health? Available at: https://www.healthline.com/health/menopause/impact-of-menopause-on-digestive-health. Accessed October 2025.
- NHS. Menopause Symptoms. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/symptoms/. Accessed October 2025.
- NHS. Hormone headaches. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/hormone-headaches/ Accessed October 2025.
- NHS. Irregular periods. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/irregular-periods/ Accessed October 2025.
- Makara-Studzińśka MT, et al. Epidemiology of the symptoms of menopause – an intercontinental review. Prz Menopauzalny. 2014;13:203–211.
- NHS. Low sex drive (loss of libido). Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/loss-of-libido/ Accessed October 2025.
- NHS. Night sweats. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/night-sweats/ Accessed October 2025.
- NHS. Osteoporosis causes. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteoporosis/causes/ Accessed October 2025.
- NHS. Heart palpitations. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/heart-palpitations/ Accessed October 2025.
- Maltais ML, Deroches J, Dionne IJ. Changes in muscle mass and strength after menopause. J Musculoskelet Neuronal Interact. 2009; 9:186–197.
- LAM Clinic. Are you losing muscle mass due to menopause? Available at: https://lamclinic.com/blog/are-you-losing-muscle-mass-due-to-menopause/. Accessed October 2025.
- Tandon VR, et al. Menopause and sleep disorders. J Mid-life Health. 2022;13:26–33.
- Endocrine Society. Reproductive hormones. Available at: https://www.endocrine.org/patient-engagement/endocrine-library/hormones-and-endocrine-function/reproductive-hormones Accessed October 2025.
- Reed BG and Carr BR. The normal menstrual cycle and the control of ovulation. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279054/?report=reader Accessed October 2025.
- Harvard Health. Perimenopause: rocky road to menopause. Available at https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/perimenopause-rocky-road-to-menopause Accessed October 2025.
- Lloyds Pharmacy. Difference between perimenopause and menopause. Available at: https://onlinedoctor.lloydspharmacy.com/uk/womens-health-advice/difference-between-perimenopause-menopause. Accessed October 2025.
- NHS. Menopause. Overview. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/menopause/ Accessed October 2025.
- NHS Inform. Menopause. Available at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health/later-years-around-50-years-and-over/menopause-and-post-menopause-health/menopause Accessed October 2025.
- National Institute on Aging. What is menopause? Available at: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/what-menopause Accessed October 2025.
- NHS Inform. After the menopause. Available at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health/later-years-around-50-years-and-over/menopause-and-post-menopause-health/after-the-menopause Accessed October 2025.
- NHS Inform. Early and premature menopause. Available at: https://www.nhsinform.scot/healthy-living/womens-health/later-years-around-50-years-and-over/menopause-and-post-menopause-health/early-and-premature-menopause Accessed October 2025.
- NHS. Early or premature menopause. Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/early-or-premature-menopause/. Accessed October 2025
- Soules MR, et al. Executive summary: stages of reproductive aging workshop (STRAW). Fertil. Steril. 2001;76:874–878.
- Dalal PK and Agarwal M. Postmenopausal syndrome. Indian J Psychiatry. 2015;57(Suppl 2): S222–232.
- Thuston RC and Joffe H. Vasomotor Symptoms and Menopause: Findings from the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Obstet Gynecol Clin North Am. 2011;38:489–501.
