Menopause Symptoms | Menopause Stay on Top

Overview of symptoms Myth busting Real women's stories

Menopause has a surprisingly wide range of symptoms and  ways in which it can affect your body.

Whether you’re currently in menopause, supporting someone going through menopause or you just want to get prepared for this future chapter of your life, this symptom education page is designed to elevate your knowledge.

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF MENOPAUSE?

Here you can explore the wide range of possible menopause symptoms and what to look out for during this transition period. There may be changes that you feel and see on your body, as well as things that your doctor may check for.

WHAT YOU CAN FEEL

WHAT YOU CAN SEE

WHAT YOU DON'T SEE

Overcoming menopause myths

With so much information out there about menopause, it can be hard to know what to trust and believe. Hear from leading women's health experts who are helping to bust some common menopause myths by providing information you can trust.

Click on a myth card to reveal the expert’s opinion.

MYTH

Menopause management only refers to medical treatments.

TRUTH

Menopause management can encompass several different things, from hormone treatments through to changes to your diet and exercise. “Hormone treatment is only one part of this. You can do a lot of this yourself with regards to your lifestyle, such as physical activity.” – Angelica Linden Hirschberg, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Stockholm.

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MYTH

Hormone treatments are still fairly new.

TRUTH

Hormone replacement therapy has been available in some countries for >60 years and has been tested in many clinical trials and studies over the years. “Hormone replacement – the idea of taking hormones to feel better – is a very old one. It started taking off in the 19th century. The idea was to preserve your physical integrity.” – Mark Brincat, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Malta.

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MYTH

Every woman will experience the same menopause symptoms.

TRUTH

There are many different symptoms of menopause and every woman’s experience is unique. The amount of time a woman is in each phase of menopause can vary. “Some women need X, some need Y, some need Z. We need to be careful to determine what’s best for her symptom wise and for general health.” – James Simon, Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Washington, USA.

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MYTH

Women don’t need to be informed about menopause or treatment options.

TRUTH

If you want to feel empowered to take an active role in your healthcare decisions, it is important that you are well informed about menopause, from symptoms and diagnosis through to management options and lifestyle changes. “The demand from [women] is getting higher to be given lots of different choices and a quality of conversation that help them to understand how the risks and benefits apply to them… we’re starting to see a real need for more information” – Angela Wright, BMS Advanced  Menopause Specialist, UK.

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DISCOVER REAL WOMEN'S MENOPAUSE STORIES

Most women will experience menopause between the ages of 45 and 55 and women who are aged 50+ make up around 26% of all women across the world. With such a wide range of possible symptoms, every woman’s experience will be unique to them. Explore some of their stories below to find out more about how menopause symptoms could impact your daily life.

I really looked for help; I was very anxious to know what was happening to me and to investigate what I felt. That was when I began to know myself and began to feel the need to love myself.

I began to take care of myself: I changed my diet and I started exercising. I consult my doctor every six months. He helped me and recommended certain hormonal medications. I really started to feel much better emotionally. I felt energetic, vital and useful. I think we've been sold an idea of menopause. It is equal to being old and no longer having value. But menopause is one more stage, not the end for a woman.

~ María Eugenia, Mexico

Note: this testimonial has been translated from Spanish, therefore some small changes have been made to wording for readability.

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RECOGNISING SYMPTOMS

Menopause has a surprisingly wide range of symptoms and ways in which it can affect your body.

DISCOVER REAL WOMEN'S MENOPAUSE STORIES

I really looked for help; I was very anxious to know what was happening to me and to investigate what I felt. That was when I began to know myself and began to feel the need to love myself.

Explore menopause diagnosis

Menopause has a surprisingly wide range of symptoms and  ways in which it can affect your body.