As a woman, you know that going through the menopause is an inevitable part of life. No matter how much you might wish to avoid it, just like wrinkles, saggy tits and death, at some point it will happen to you. For most, going through the change will start in your late 40s or early 50s, with the average age for a woman to hit the menopause being 51 years. However, for some women it can come much sooner.
Officially referred to as Premature Ovary Failure (POF), most doctors consider it an early menopause if a woman’s periods stop before the age of 45. It affects around 1 in 100 women before the age of 40, and 5 in 100 before the age of 45. Causing infertility, an increased risk of osteoporosis, and even linked to cardiovascular conditions, it can be difficult to deal with, both physically and emotionally.
There is no one set cause of early menopause; it could happen as a result of medical treatment, as happened to actress Angelina Jolie, or simply be that the ovaries stop working due to autoimmune conditions, chromosome abnormalities or enzyme deficiencies. Although it can run in families, it can also strike at random without explanation. So how can you spot the signs and symptoms of early menopause? And how can you differentiate them from other conditions?
Hot flushes
When you find yourself sitting at work on a chilly February afternoon, just tapping on your keyboard, and suddenly it feels like you’ve just walked three miles in the Cuban sunshine, then it may be a cause for concern. Of course, it could just be that you’ve indulged in a little too much sauce the night before or you’re on medication, but when combined with other symptoms, it can be a symptom of early menopause. Drink some water, fan yourself down, and book in with a doc.
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Night sweats
If you’ve ever had a fever, or just a really really bad dream, you’ll know how scary (and a little gross) it feels to suddenly wake up drenched in sweat in the middle of the night. Night sweats are closely related to the hot flushes you experience during the day and are basically guided by the same thing: the drop in oestrogen throwing your body’s internal thermostat out of whack. Except, while you’re asleep you can’t actively cool yourself down as you would in the day, hence the soggy sheets.
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Fluctuating or missed periods
A common sign of an early menopause is fluctuating or missed periods (unless of course, you're actually pregnant). Sure, there will be times when you’re a few days late or a couple of days early, as your cycle can be affected by everything from stress to dietary changes. However, keep an eye on when you come on; if you’re frequently missing periods then it’s time to get it checked out, even just for your own peace of mind. It's generally advised that women see their doctor if they've missed three in a row, whatever they think the cause may be.
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Vaginal dryness
Ahhh, the one no one really wants to talk about despite being one of the most common occurrences during the menopause, affecting over half of women. Symptoms include loss of lubrication and pain during sex, pain at other times, such as when you pee, as well as a change in the consistency of discharge. According to Women’s Health Concern, an arm of the British Menopause Society (BMS), up to 17 per cent of women experience this issue long before the menopause, so it’s not a dead set that an early menopause is the cause. The best thing to do? Talk to your doctor and don't be embarrassed - they’ve heard it all before.
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Mood changes
Sometimes we all just need a bit of time to ourselves, but if your perfectly lovely partner leaving his dirty socks on the floor suddenly fills you with more rage than ever before, if you’re more impatient and you generally go off of human interaction, then it’s probably worth looking for a cause. With PMS, you’d normally be expecting a bit of irritability for a week or so, but with the menopause they can - sorry to say - go on for much longer.
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All in all, these symptoms are really the same as those commonly experienced by older women during the menopause, however, when combined and when you're in your 20s or 30s, they’re worth getting checked out. At best, you'll have nothing to worry about and your mind will be put at ease. At worst, you'll be able to get the help and answers you need. 
