Symptoms related to menopause, including insomnia, nervousness, melancholia, vertigo, weakness, fatigue, hot flashes, vaginal dryness, and urinary incontinence, denote a decline in a woman's quality of life.
Early symptoms can include menstrual irregularity or heavy vaginal bleeding.
A modest, natural loss of bone also begins. As estrogen levels begin to decline, women may experience hot flashes, night sweats, and menstrual irregularity. Women who have surgical menopause may experience more severe symptoms, as well as vaginal dryness and bone loss, due to a rapid decline in estrogen. After menopause, as much as 20 percent of total lifetime bone loss occurs within five to seven years. There is an increased incidence of hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness.