Welcome to the wonderful world of early menopause. You might think you’re too young even to mutter the “m” word, but think again. Early menopause (menopause that begins prior to age 40) can affect women as early as adolescence (although it may be more commonly seen in the 20s and 30s). The symptoms are the same as normal-onset menopause but may be unexpected and disconcerting to the women who experience them. There is no cure and no way to reverse early menopause, but there are therapies that can help control and reduce the associated symptoms.
If you experience the symptoms of early menopause, explain your concerns to your gynecologist or healthcare provider. Your doctor can examine you and determine if it's early menopause, as well as help devise a care plan to alleviate any discomfort you experience. Many symptoms can diminish with proper therapies and self-care, and your active participation in your health can ensure a successful transition through this phase.
Why Me?
Many young women affected by early menopause may wonder the cause of the condition. It might be alarming that your reproductive system has suddenly decided to reinvent itself.
The reason menopause happens is because the ovaries fail to produce estrogen, the hormone that controls the functions of the reproductive cycle. There are several reasons why this happens, and age is not always a factor.
The following scenarios can act as triggers for early menopause.
• Lifestyle: According to the Mayo Clinic, studies show that long-term or heavy smokers are likely to experience menopause symptoms an average of one to two years earlier in life than non-smokers. Smoking affects estrogen levels and may trigger early menopause. In addition, body mass index (BMI) may be a factor in early-onset menopause. Because estrogen is known to be stored in fat tissue, it is believed that women with very low BMIs may deplete their stores of estrogen more quickly and earlier in life than women with higher BMIs.