4 Unexpected Symptoms of Menopause

You have no doubt heard stories about the common symptoms of menopause. There’s the rampant storage of fat around the midsection, unimaginatively referred to as “menopause belly.” Then, there are the night sweats and hot flashes that get worse before they get better.

However, there are several symptoms of menopause that aren’t rare but may surprise you. Menopause isn’t something you can reverse but rather, you endure. Likewise, its symptoms can’t be avoided altogether. But there are steps you can take to reduce their impact on your quality of life.

If you’re tumbling toward “the change” or if you’re already there, know what signs you may need to look for. Then, you can talk to your doctor about intervention if you do. Here are four symptoms of menopause you might not be expecting.

1. Increase in Infections

Before menopause, the only pH balance you might have concerned yourself with was shampoo you used. But during menopause, you may also need to worry about such equilibrium in your vagina. It’s likely to change as you produce less estrogen, ushering in new or increasing incidents in vaginal and bladder infections.

Most women have, unfortunately, experienced at least one urinary tract infection in their lives. If you have, you know how uncomfortable, painful, and inconvenient they can be. But UTIs are more than just annoying. Left untreated, the infection can travel to your kidneys where it causes disease or sepsis.

Antibiotics are the go-to treatment for UTI. But if you want to do something to help manage chronic infections and get ahead of them, consider taking a daily UTI supplement. 

Other infections you might experience during menopause include bacterial vaginosis, which causes abnormal vaginal discharge. There’s also the good old yeast infection. Flora imbalance caused by hormonal changes contribute to the likelihood of getting any of these. It’s better to get ahead of them if you can.

2. Hairy Situations

Most women will find their scalp hair to be thinner, drier, and more brittle as they hit menopause. That’s because there’s a drop in production of the estrogen critical to thick and healthy hair. There’s also a double whammy with normal aging factors, such as loss of hair pigmentation and a drop in growth rate.

Menopause changes the previous balance of estrogen to testosterone. Women end up with much less of the former, which leaves the latter to run wild. But the total package can be incredibly confusing. Why do a woman’s eyebrows disappear while she grows a mustache and beard?

It’s best to talk to your doctor about these changes and what interventional measures could help. Those like using minoxidil, brow transplants, and laser treatments all come with potential side effects. So does hormone replacement therapy. You’ll have to weigh the pros and cons.

There is some good news, though. You won’t need to shave your legs and armpits nearly as often during menopause. And because your vision is probably getting worse, neither you nor anyone else your age can even see that facial fuzz.

3. Cognitive Issues

With all the changes your body endures during menopause, you would like to think your mind would be spared. Unfortunately, the same estrogen that kept your body humming throughout your younger life also plays a significant role in cognition. As these hormone levels fall, your brain may falter as well.

Verbal memory, spatial intelligence, and even fine motor skills are affected by a lack of estrogen. Menopausal women may experience memory loss, struggle with making decisions, or be unable to find the right vocabulary to express themselves. Attention span may shrink, and abstract thinking skills seem to wither away. This condition is often referred to as “brain fog.”

Brain fog isn’t entirely attributed to estrogen loss. Insomnia, another perhaps unexpected symptom of menopause, contributes as well. So does the stress of the changes you’re experiencing during this phase of life.

You may need to learn coping skills to help you. Amphetamines have also been prescribed in some cases. But according to results of the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN), brain fog is likely to disappear in post-menopausal years. That’s something to look forward to.

4. Insomnia

Perhaps you’ve been a sound sleeper all your life. Or maybe you haven’t had a good night’s sleep in years. Regardless, it’s likely that you will suffer insomnia during menopause. Once again, the lack of estrogen production is at the root of it all.

Sleep is disturbed by hot flashes and night sweats and mood disorders like anxiety and depression. Then, there are joint aches and pains due to hormonal changes combined with normal aging. And if you suffer from a UTI or other vaginal infection, you probably experience sleep disruptions as well.

Bladder problems are also common during menopause. Lower estrogen and reduced blood flow leads to changes in vaginal anatomy. It becomes thinner, drier, narrower, and shorter. There are several symptoms of genitourinary syndrome, such as painful sex and burning. But there’s also frequent urination, including during nighttime. 

Any one of these issues can disrupt your sleep cycle. If you experience more than one, you can count on not getting the quality of sleep you need. Talk to your doctor about ways to help you make it through the night.

Expect the Unexpected

Menopause isn’t for sissies. The changes your body undergoes are life-altering. Fortunately, menopause is another phase of a woman’s life and like all phases, it will pass. It’s a good idea to be prepared for what may happen, whether you expect it to or not.