{"id":1554,"date":"2018-05-03T06:19:01","date_gmt":"2018-05-03T06:19:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/?p=1554"},"modified":"2021-05-17T15:11:46","modified_gmt":"2021-05-17T15:11:46","slug":"30-menopause-symptoms-women-might-experience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/simplyhealth.io\/30-menopause-symptoms-women-might-experience\/","title":{"rendered":"30 Menopause Symptoms Women Might Experience"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Menopause is bound to happen to almost every women on earth and the uncomfortable truth about it is that there is not a thing anyone can do to stop it. There are many related symptoms that you might experience as a result of menopause, and many of them can be misdiagnosed as something else or ignored as they happen. Not everyone can spot the symptoms and thus often treat this very natural occurrence in the wrong way. Could you recognize the signs and symptoms of menopause if they were to happen to you? It\u2019s important to know the symptoms so that you can know if it were to rear its head in your life. Menopause is largely the body\u2019s reaction to changes later on in your life. Here are the symptoms of menopause that you might experience and just what you can do about them when they happen to you.<\/p>\n

1. Irregular Periods<\/h3>\n

One of the first symptoms of menopause<\/a> that you are bound to go through is some kind of drastic changes in your monthly period. The first thing that could start happening to you is an irregular period. That means to say that your period changes from the cycle that you would normally be used to. This can be a period that you\u2019ve missed, and this can happen several times \u2013 though only once in a while, or it can happen much more regularly and manifest in the form of periods that keep skipping or occurring on dates that you aren\u2019t expecting your period.<\/p>\n

If you are experiencing irregular periods, the first thing you might think of is pregnancy \u2013 but there are many causes for irregular periods, including some disorders, severe anemia and stress. One symptom isn\u2019t enough to mean that you have menopause or don\u2019t. Visit your doctor to be sure.<\/p>\n

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2. Flow-Changing Periods<\/h3>\n

You might also struggle with changing periods in the beginning of your walk to menopause \u2013 it\u2019s another common symptom of menopause, as opposed to experiencing regular periods, you should also keep an eye out for periods that change when it comes to the way your period flows. You might experience a suddenly heavier or lighter flow than the one that you are used to, and this can be a symptom of many different disorders, which can include endometriosis<\/a>, stress, changes in diet and a range of others.<\/p>\n

You should always rule these out as symptoms of other disorders when you experience any kind of changes in your cycle before you attribute what could be wrong with you to something like menopause or perimenopause \u2013 assuming that it\u2019s one thing when it is not could be dangerous in itself. You should never self-diagnose and instead always visit a doctor: Get checked out!<\/p>\n

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3. Lowered Sex Drive<\/h3>\n

Have you been experiencing some kind of change in your sex drive<\/a>, usually a lowered form of sex drive when you normally used to be virile and up for it? Lowered sex drive is also sometimes experienced as a symptom of menopause, though we should note that it can indicate many other things that you should get taken care of. This happens to the body because of hormone changes .<\/p>\n

Your hormone levels are changing as you grow older. This simply means your body will react differently to things than when you were younger, and it will be different than what you are used to now. Yes, this is normal, and lowered sex drive can be a very common sign of menopause seen in most if not all cases. Changes like this should be reported to your doctor, who will test your hormone levels \u2013 usually through a simple blood test.<\/p>\n

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4. Breast Pain<\/h3>\n

Breast pain is another symptom that has become associated with menopause. But it can also signal many other things, and for many women it\u2019s a completely normal, time of the month sign that their period is about to occur. This can also point to some changes in their diet, and other things such as an infection \u2013 remember that there are still lymph nodes<\/a> located in and near the breasts, and these will flare up if you were to get an infection.<\/p>\n

Breast tenderness happens during hormonal changes, so you should take note of this as a symptom and mention it to your doctor. Even if you think you already know what it is. It could be a sign of menopause, but can also signify breast cancer in its beginning stages \u2013 yes, sometimes cancer hurts and sometimes it doesn\u2019t. Every person\u2019s symptoms are different and should always be taken into account.<\/p>\n

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5. Fatigue and Tiredness<\/h3>\n

Have you been really, really tired lately and can\u2019t seem to figure out why? It turns out that this is a good reason to visit your doctor and get the cause of your fatigue checked out .It could turn out to be a symptom of menopause occurring, but because it could be so many other things, it\u2019s more often than not diagnosed simply as being tiredness<\/a> \u2013 and then dismissed entirely.<\/p>\n

Many disorders and diseases could be missed because of this. If you are feeling more tired than you usually would, don\u2019t just to live through it and stay awake \u2013 some people treat this symptom with, and that is very bad for your health.. If you\u2019re feeling tired, more than you normally would, and you find that it\u2019s interfering with your life, go to your doctor and tell them to take a look at your hormone levels. It could be menopause.<\/p>\n

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6. Anxiety<\/h3>\n

Anxiety<\/a> is a common symptom that many women experience when they are going through menopause. You should know that it is also a common symptom women experience when they are going through hormonal changes that affect the body, which can include the time before their period hits to for the duration they are pregnant. It can be indicative of menopause, or it can mean that you suffer from a mental condition that affects anxiety in your brain. You should always, always rule this out first before you decide that your symptoms are most definitely due to menopause.<\/p>\n

Visit your doctor and mention your increased anxiety to them first, they will most likely do some tests to find out what the real cause of your anxiety is and be able to give you the best course of action forward. Doctors are well trained in diagnosing and treating disorders for good reason.<\/p>\n

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7. Depression<\/h3>\n

Depression<\/a> can be a very common symptom of menopause, and we\u2019d go as far as to say that it\u2019s a symptom experienced by almost everyone. This happens, and you\u2019ve probably guessed this already, due to the fact that your hormone levels are rapidly changing to prepare your body for another phase of life. This can manifest itself with a huge range symptoms such as anxiety and depression.<\/p>\n

Again, you should mention these hormonal and mood changes to your doctor immediately when they occur, as they could well be a sign of menopause, but could also mean that there are other much more serious and urgent issues with your health that need to be addressed immediately. And nobody really likes feeling depressed all the time, do they? A doctor is usually more than happy to prescribe something that will help and address the cause of what\u2019s wrong, not just the symptoms.<\/p>\n

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8. Weight Gain<\/h3>\n

Weight gain<\/a> is an uncomfortable subject that most women would prefer not to talk about at all if they had a choice in the matter. But it\u2019s a subject that affects most women all over the world, and we would almost go as far as to say that there\u2019s not a single women on earth who isn\u2019t somehow uncomfortable or unhappy with their weight. You should know that most women can say that they\u2019re unhappy with their weight on some level, whether they consider themselves to be too fat or too skinny.<\/p>\n

But weight gain and loss happens to everyone, and any drastic changes in your weight should be taken note of and reported to your doctor immediately because it\u2019s almost always a sign of something else wrong in your body. It could be a sign of menopause that occurs because of the hormonal changes that your body is undergoing.<\/p>\n

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9. Vaginal Dryness<\/h3>\n

Nobody likes talking about all the things which they most likely consider to be too private or embarrassing to mention. This includes vaginal dryness<\/a>, though can include a wide range of other things too. Is there anything that you consider too private or too embarrassing to speak to your doctor about? These are important things, but they go ignored because people don\u2019t want to talk about them. Vaginal dryness is one of these things. But it\u2019s a very important thing to mention to your doctor.<\/p>\n

It can be a symptom of many different things, including the hormonal changes that are associated with menopause or it can be associated with other conditions such as endometriosis. There is no overall treatment for vaginal dryness except treating the potential cause \u2013 and alternatives such as lubricant when you need it. It\u2019s a potentially embarrassing and personal symptom, but one that you should always mention.<\/p>\n

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10. Urine Leakage<\/h3>\n

Talking about embarrassing and personal symptoms, another common symptom that women with menopause could experience is the leakage of urine during things like coughing<\/a>, sneezing and sitting down. This is partially because of the fact that during menopause and as the body gets older, the body starts to lose control over the muscles that would have been particularly strong earlier on in your life, leading to embarrassing problems such as this \u2013 and others, like an impaired capacity to orgasm, or weaker orgasms than you are used to.<\/p>\n

This happens, and while it\u2019s a little embarrassing it can be considered to be an entirely normal progression of age: It\u2019s something that happens to everyone, and while it might happen to some earlier than to others, you can know that you are not alone. This is something that\u2019s most often treated with kegel exercises that restore your muscles to their previous strength.<\/p>\n

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11. Worse PMS<\/h3>\n

You shouldn\u2019t think that menopause and menopause are the exact same as what\u2019s commonly called premenstrual syndrome. PMS<\/a> commonly includes symptoms like irritability, anxiety, depression, pain in the abdomen, pain and swelling in the abdomen, back pain and, of course, discomfort. These are all symptoms that occur just before your normal period, and most women don\u2019t realize it, but the occurrence of menopause can make these symptoms much worse in the long run.<\/p>\n

Menopause is known for causing many changes in the body over time, and many of these changes are related to hormone levels gradually changing \u2013 these happen to be the exact same hormones that are affected when you undergo your period and experience PMS, and subsequently the symptoms are considered to be much of the same \u2013 though as we\u2019ve just said, can be considerably worsened by an occurrence of menopause. Consult your doctor if this happens to you.<\/p>\n

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12. Cravings<\/h3>\n

Have you been experiencing a nagging food craving that just doesn\u2019t go away? Some people might resort to pregnancy as a potential cause for cravings, but there are also a couple of other things that might cause them. Cravings<\/a> are usually caused by some kind of a nutritional lack \u2013 something that your body needs \u2013 or some kind of compulsion. Here, we\u2019ll only be talking about the cravings.<\/p>\n

When your body craves something, it means that your body is in desperate need of something in what you are craving \u2013 and it might take a trip to your doctor to figure out what. It\u2019s the same hormones in pregnancy that are causing your cravings in menopause, and satisfying your cravings can be as simple as asking your doctor to prescribe you a simple multivitamin over time. You will note that you feel better overall as a result. Cravings are almost always normal.<\/p>\n

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13. Irritability<\/h3>\n

PMS can cause a wide range of emotional changes in the body. We\u2019ve already discussed some of these in the article before now, and some of these symptoms have included depression and anxiety \u2013 all of which we have been able to attribute to the hormonal changes which are taking place in your body as you get older. But that\u2019s not all of the symptoms that can happen to your mind along with your body when menopause hits \u2013 on the contrary, there are still many symptoms that can affect you on an emotional level.<\/p>\n

One of these symptoms is irritability<\/a> \u2013 the same kind of irritability that you can normally associate with having PMS, because it\u2019s due to the same hormones that you might experience irritability as a symptom of PMS. Have you been feeling weepy, irritated or a little more angry than you normally would? Don\u2019t just think it\u2019s PMS.<\/p>\n

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14. Changes in Diet<\/h3>\n

It turns out that menopause won\u2019t just manifest in most people as cravings and a sudden need to eat differently, but you might also have already made some drastic changes to your diet<\/a> that you otherwise normally would not have considered \u2013 and can almost be called spur of the moment or unexpected diet changes. Have you suddenly decided to incorporate ingredients into your food that you\u2019ve never thought of before now?<\/p>\n

Have you switched to include much more food that is known for being rich in iron to your diet? Then you might already be listening to the signs of your body much more than you think, and your body is already on the way to preparing to enter the next phase of its life, known as menopause, whether or not you have known about it before. Your body knows very well what it needs, and it\u2019s normal to adjust.<\/p>\n

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15. Your Immune System<\/h3>\n

When people explain the workings of the immune system<\/a> to children then they often use the metaphor of soldiers that are fighting infections within the body \u2013 and this is a very literal way of explaining it, but it\u2019s the best way of explaining what the immune system is and does, even to adults. Your immune system is activated when your body receives any kind of infection, and the goal of the immune system is to fight this infection as best as it possibly can \u2013 this leads to an immunoresponse, which is the body reacting to the infection to get rid of it in your system.<\/p>\n

Your immunoresponse might involve additional symptoms like fever and tiredness, but this is sometimes the body\u2019s way of fighting the infection and this is how you will feel as a result of this. But when you have walking pneumonia, your immunoresponse might be severely compromised.<\/p>\n

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16. Hot Flushes<\/h3>\n

Have you been experiencing bouts of what people more commonly call hot flushes<\/a>? This is a common sign of menopause, even of early-onset menopause. This is the symptom that most people in fact associated with menopause; it\u2019s even the symptom that\u2019s most often mentioned in jokes about menopause. Why? Because everyone experiences it, and if you combine it with all the other symptoms on this list than the cause can\u2019t be much else than menopause.<\/p>\n

Hot flushes can also be experienced with other disorders, though the warm kind of skin flush that women experience most commonly is a certain sign of menopause and happens because of the hormonal changes as well as relevant changes in blood flow. Overall, this changes the way that the body reacts to what\u2019s around it, leading to the symptom most people only know as hot flushes. This means that you should visit your doctor soon!<\/p>\n

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17. Joint Swelling<\/h3>\n

Joint swelling<\/a> might also be another common symptom that you experience if you are going through menopause or even if you are still in the early stages of developing menopause \u2013 which is more commonly known as perimenopause or premenopause. Why would you experience the swelling of your joints with menopause? The reason is much more simple than you think: As your body reacts to the sudden changes that it\u2019s been going through, it often comes as a slight shock to the body \u2013 and your body reacts accordingly by inflaming certain parts, trying to drive out an infection that in reality doesn\u2019t really exist.<\/p>\n

But the body thinks that it does, and one of the ways the body is able to react is through the swelling of your joints. You can usually take something simple and anti-inflammatory if you are hoping to take care of the joint swelling associated with menopause.<\/p>\n

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18. Water Retention<\/h3>\n

Water retention is another common symptom that women have reported with menopause. To put it simply, you know that most of the body is made up of water \u2013 this means that everything from the body\u2019s tissues to the blood contains a large amount of water. You\u2019re still with us, right? Water is collected in your body as you hydrate, and water is then expelled again in various other ways such as urinating and sweating<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But water retention is your body\u2019s way of halting this process, which means that you often feel (and might sometimes even look) bloated to go along with it. This happens with some women in menopause, and we\u2019d recommend that you take yourself to a doctor as soon as you possibly can – and consider stocking up on powerful, natural diuretics like cranberry juice just to make getting through the day a little bit easier for you.<\/p>\n

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19. No Periods<\/h3>\n

Your body will be undergoing a huge amount of changes during menopause that are directly related to what most women consider to be their womanlihood: Their menstrual cycle<\/a>. And, you can expect that yours will be affected as a result of menopause. There are many ways that your menstrual cycle can be affected by menopause, and we\u2019ve already gone through some of them in this piece: This includes missed periods, late periods or periods that happen on unexpected times.<\/p>\n

It also includes periods that flow heavier or less heavy than you expected it to normally. These can all be symptoms of menopause and premenopause. But what about no periods at all? This can also be a symptom of menopause, and is more often than not what happens to a woman when they\u2019ve gone through all of the symptoms: Their periods stop entirely, again because of hormone changes and your body.<\/p>\n

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20. Increased Emotional Response<\/h3>\n

An increased emotional response in general can also prove to be a sign of menopause. When we say emotional<\/a> response, we\u2019re talking about the way your mind and body responds to its own emotions \u2013 and we should mention that it\u2019s not always in a logical way. In fact, in most cases you might very well find yourself crying or sad or angry or depressed for no reason \u2013 and we really do mean no reason.<\/p>\n

You will likely not be able to find the cause of your sadness, and in that case you should consider having it checked out by your doctor: It could very well point to PMS, menopause or it could also point to a range of other things, which include disorders that we can say are much more severe, such as depression and manic depression instead. Go to your doctor if you happen to experience any emotional changes.<\/p>\n

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21. Pain in Abdomen<\/h3>\n

You could experience sudden and sharp pain in your abdomen if you are going through menopause \u2013 and we can say this is almost normal, but should be checked out with your doctor immediately if you happen to be one of the women who experience it as a symptom. The reason we say this is because while it\u2019s sometimes a sign of menopause occurring, it more often than not points to something else that is wrong in your body \u2013 but something which only happens to be triggered more by menopause.<\/p>\n

Pain<\/a> in your abdomen can point to more severe disorders and diseases, all of which you should get checked out by your doctor just to rule out any other causes that might not be a result of menopause at all. Pain in the abdomen is a symptom that can easily be mistaken and misdiagnosed for something else, missing the main issue.<\/p>\n

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22. Swelling in Abdomen<\/h3>\n

You could very well also experience some swelling in your abdomen as a potential symptom of menopause. This doesn\u2019t happen to everyone, but this is a potential short term symptom for a lot of people can it can be a huge source of discomfort<\/a> \u2013 to some people it might even be a source of embarrassment: Swelling in your abdomen can make you feel extremely uncomfortable and like you constantly have to hide it.<\/p>\n

But there\u2019s no reason to. You don\u2019t have to worry that you are getting fat. The swelling in your abdomen that you might be experiencing is completely normal if you are suffering from menopause, and might just be as a result of some of the hormonal changes that your body is experiencing. Take any and all symptoms with a dose of salt and don\u2019t let it get to you \u2013 but mention all of them to your doctor.<\/p>\n

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23. High Blood Pressure<\/h3>\n

You might also experience high blood pressure<\/a> if you are entering the phase of your life where you start to go through menopause. But we\u2019ve got to define the normal blood pressure threshold before we go about talking about what makes high blood pressure. Normal blood pressure is considered to be at 120 over 80 \u2013 that means that your blood pressure, the rate at which your blood is pumping through your body, is happening at a normal rate.<\/p>\n

If it goes too high, you\u2019ll feel a fair amount of discomfort, heat, chest pain and you might even push yourself as far as a heart attack if you aren\u2019t careful. Attacks of high blood pressure can be managed in most cases with taking the right medication, changing your diet and keeping an eye on your condition as time goes on. This is something that you should always do with your doctor.<\/p>\n

\"\"24. Nightmares<\/h3>\n

Have you been experiencing a fair amount of nightmares, more than you normally have? If your dreams start to change, this is a sure sign that something is wrong in your body \u2013 and this could point to something that you should get checked out by your doctor immediately, especially if this change is extremely sudden and starts to affect your sleeping <\/a>pattern in ways you\u2019ve never seen before.<\/p>\n

As you should very well know by now, your body goes through a lot of hormonal changes when you undergo menopause, and all of these different hormonal changes can affect your body in a wide variety of ways \u2013 including giving you nightmares. This condition is usually easy enough to control, and isn\u2019t outright a symptom that can cause harm to you in the long run \u2013 but it is a symptom that can affect you very, very negatively if you don\u2019t get sleep.<\/p>\n

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25. Insomnia<\/h3>\n

Getting nightmares is not the only way that insomnia<\/a> can go about affecting your day and your health. It can also manifest in the form of insomnia \u2013 that is to say the fact that your sleep isn\u2019t only getting interrupted, but the very fact that you can\u2019t get any sleep at all. If your sleeping patterns are suddenly being interrupted and you can\u2019t figure out why, it\u2019s a good time to go to your doctor \u2013 or could even be a great time to visit a sleep clinic to find the cause of what\u2019s really going on.<\/p>\n

Insomnia can be very damaging on your day to day life, and it can mean that you are so tired that you can\u2019t keep your eyes open. In menopause, insomnia more often than not occurs because of the fact that your hormones are changing \u2013a visit to the doctor should be enough.<\/p>\n

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26. Low Blood Pressure<\/h3>\n

It\u2019s not just high blood pressure that makes a difference. You should note changes in your blood pressure as a potential symptom of something that is changing in your health. You might experience low blood pressure<\/a> as a symptom if you are entering the phase of your life where you undergo menopause soon. Normal blood pressure is considered to be at 120 over 80 \u2013 that means that your blood pressure, the rate at which your blood is pumping through your body, is happening at a normal rate.<\/p>\n

If it goes too low, you\u2019ll feel a fair amount of discomfort, heat, chest pain and you might even push yourself as far as a heart attack or coma if you aren\u2019t careful. Attacks of low blood pressure can be managed in most cases with taking the right medication, changing your diet and keeping an eye on your condition as time goes on.<\/p>\n

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27. Migraines<\/h3>\n

Have you been experiencing a bout of migraines that don\u2019t seem to have another potential cause? Then it could be because of menopause. But just what is a migraine<\/a> and why should you consider it a symptom? In part, it\u2019s also because of the hormone changes that your body is bound to go through during menopause. Migraines are different from headaches.<\/p>\n

Anyone who has ever experienced a migraine should be able to tell you that the normal headache you might get that gives you a little bit of discomfort is worlds apart from the type of migraine that makes you feel like you\u2019re going to have an open hole in your skull any moment now. It\u2019s not pleasant, but it certainly happens \u2013 and could happen to you as well. Speak to your doctor about the range of treatment options for migraines if you are in need of some urgent relief.<\/p>\n

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28. Increased Sex Drive<\/h3>\n

We\u2019ve already discussed the possibility of an increased sex drive<\/a> in the article, and we\u2019d like you to know that it\u2019s just as possible to experience the polar opposite of an increased sex drive as well. If you find that you are experiencing any kind of change in your sex drive whether it\u2019s going high up or low down, you should make an appointment with your doctor and be as honest as you can, even if you think that it might be a little bit embarrassing to have to speak to your doctor about it.<\/p>\n

An increased sex drive can be a sign of menopause just as much as a lowered sex drive, and if your doctor knows that it\u2019s happening than they should be able to help you take care of it. Instead, if you say nothing about it to your partner or doctor, you might suffer in silence.<\/p>\n

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29. Anger<\/h3>\n

Do you find that you have been waking up on the wrong side of the bed far more often than you are used to? Or that you are generally just in a foul mood<\/a>, or even that small things can trigger you from being in the greatest mood in the world to wanting to kill everything that\u2019s in sight?<\/p>\n

Anger is a normal part of life, and there\u2019s not a person in the world who doesn\u2019t get angry at least once every week or so \u2013 and we can thus expect that most forms of anger are to be considered normal. But if your trigger has been a little too short lately and you get angry for almost nothing, then you should consider the fact that your anger could have a much bigger cause instead. Because of the hormone changes that are caused by menopause, feeling angrier could be a sign.<\/p>\n

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30. Weepiness<\/h3>\n

The feeling of feeling weepy is considerably different than for example long term depression or bipolar disorder<\/a> as a symptom. In terms of a symptom, weepiness is the sudden urge to cry when nothing else would have possibly prompted it to occur. This can very well be a potential symptom of some of the disorders and symptoms we\u2019ve mentioned in thie article before, but it can also just be a sign that your body is undergoing some serious hormone changes in preparation for what\u2019s about to happen to your body \u2013 and feeling a little bit weepy or otherwise sad when you\u2019re going through menopause is considered completely normal.<\/p>\n

You should have no cause for concern and shouldn\u2019t even think about it twice, but if it keeps happening, you should speak to your doctor just to rule out any other potential causes that we\u2019ve already mentioned before, like major depressive disorder.<\/p>\n\r\n

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