8 Severe signs of menopause: what are the worst signs?

A customer survey by DR.VEGAN^® on more than 32 symptoms of menopause highlights some of the worst physical symptoms and the most debilitating mental symptoms of menopause, including joint aches, weight gain, insomnia, exhaustion, social anxiety, depression, feelings of worthlessness, and loneliness.

The customer survey of 1,526 women going through menopause also showed:

10 symptoms of menopause were experienced by more than 50% of women.
8 of the worst symptoms of menopause respondents said they experienced, from exhaustion and social anxiety to feeling inadequate sexually and loneliness.
17 most common physical symptoms of menopause, from hot flushes, joint aches and weight gain to hair loss, dry eyes, heart palpitations and tinnitus.
91% of women going through menopause said they experience changes in gut health, including bloating, constipation, IBS and acid reflux.

Here we share the results of the DR.VEGAN^® customer survey, the most common symptoms of menopause, and the physical symptoms. You can also listen to real women discussing symptoms of menopause in highlights of Menopause Roundtable, hosted by Sarah Parish.

The 10 most common symptoms of menopause

The customer survey by DR.VEGAN^® of 1,526 women showed there were 10 symptoms of menopause that were experienced by more than 50% of women during perimenopause and menopause, with brain fog the most common symptom, closely followed by anxiety, mood swings and fatigue. Here are the 10 most common symptoms and how many women said they were affected by them in our survey:

	10 most common symptoms of menopause	Proportion affected
1	Brain fog	82%
2	Anxiety or mood swings	80%
3	Fatigue	79%
4	Hot flushes or night sweats	75%
5	Poor sleep or insomnia	74%
6	Joint aches or pain	70%
7	Weight gain	69%
8	Bloating	66%
9	Low libido	63%
10	Low self-esteem	57%

The 8 worst symptoms of menopause

The customer survey showed that while the individual symptoms of menopause themselves can be debilitating, because women will on average experience at least 10 symptoms of menopause, a combination of symptoms may have a debilitating impact. The worst symptoms of menopause that women say they experienced were:

Exhaustion
Social anxiety
Mild depression
Feelings of worthlessness or being invisible
Persistent anxiety
Not wanting to work
Feeling inadequate sexually
Loneliness

While these are the most common ‘worst symptoms of menopause’, alarmingly, 6% of women said they had feelings of suicide during their lowest moments, and 8% had ‘severe depression’ during menopause. If you’re experiencing any of these feelings, help is available and it's important to book an appointment with your GP or a healthcare professional. Alternatively, you can get in touch with the team at DR.VEGAN^®. The customer survey also highlighted the strain that menopause can have on relationships – 14% of women said they felt they wanted separation or divorce during menopause.

What are the physical symptoms of menopause?

The mental health effects of menopause can often be invisible and the most debilitating, affecting self-esteem, confidence, and relationships at home and work. The physical affects of menopause can be just as debilitating, and here are the 17 most common physical symptoms of menopause that affected 2 in 10 women:

	17 most common physical symptoms of menopause	Proportion affected
1	Hot flushes or night sweats	75%
2	Joint pain	70%
3	Weight gain	69%
4	Bloating	60%
5	Dry eyes or mouth	43%
6	Heart palpitations	42%
7	Vaginal dryness (vaginal atrophy)	40%
8	Hair loss or thinning	39%
9	Frequent headaches or migraines	35%
10	Restless legs	35%
11	Mild or severe IBS	35%
12	Cold flushes or shivers	27%
13	Changes in body odour	27%
14	Formication (itchy skin)	23%
15	Tinnitus	23%
16	Changing spatial awareness	21%
17	Electric shocks	19%

Joint pain and menopause

The survey showed that 70% of women going through menopause said they experienced joint aches or pain. Joint pain and other symptoms of menopause can be caused by a decline in levels of oestrogen, progesterone and the changing balance of testosterone, which is an important hormone for women, particularly during menopause. Oestrogen naturally protects joints and reduces inflammation, so when oestrogen levels fall, the risk of inflammation increases, as does the risk of conditions including osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. This is one reason why menopause experts, including Kate Rowe-Ham, the best-selling menopause author, say taking regular exercise is so important during menopause.

Hair loss and menopause

Menopause plays havoc with skin and hair - this is due to the drop in oestrogen which causes a decline in the body's production of collagen. Collagen is not only vital for our skin, it is also essential for healthy blood vessels carrying nutrients to the scalp and hair follicles for healthy hair. As a result, a decline in collagen during menopause can lead to hair thinning, weakness and brittle hair.

Why have I gained weight during menopause?

Weight gain and bloating during menopause are caused by many factors, which are all related to fluctuating hormones and the health of your gut microbiome, which itself is affected by declining oestrogen. Studies also show that the amount of fat that can be stored in the body’s cells increases as the levels of oestrogen decrease.

Gut health changes and menopause

Our customer survey shows the most common gut health changes during menopause are bloating, excessive wind and gas, constipation, acid reflux, and diarrhoea.

Is itchy skin a common symptom of menopause?

Yes, it absolutely is! Also known as ‘formication’, itchy skin, or the feeling of insects crawling on your skin, affects more than 20% of women through menopause, according to our survey. 'Menopause bladder' and urinary symptoms can also be common. Our customer survey showed that 40% of women said they suffered from vaginal atrophy through menopause, while more than 20% said they experienced a change in the smell or colour of their urine and stools, 16% experienced an increase in urinary tract infections (UTIs), and 10% experienced vaginal infections.

PMS, periods and more

As you would expect, period changes and PMS symptoms are among the early signs of menopause. 'Period poo' is a thing and can also be experienced during perimenopause. Other less common symptoms, but which according to our survey can still affect more than 1 in 10 women going through menopause and can have a debilitating effect, include nausea, swollen legs or hands, gum disease and a burning tongue.

How effective is MenoFriend^{^®}?

MenoFriend^{^®} is a popular supplement for menopause because customer surveys have shown it can be effective. Available in health food stores, pharmacies and through practitioners, the latest customer survey of 996 women who take or have taken MenoFriend^{^®} showed it was effective for 89% of women when taken for 60 days or more. When asked 'How effective would you say MenoFriend^{^®} has been in supporting you through menopause?', 735 women were taking or had taken MenoFriend^{^®}for two months or more, and of those, 35% said it was 'very effective', 54% said it was 'somewhat effective', and 11% said it was either 'not so effective' or 'not effective at all'.