Spot Symptoma Of Change Of Life

Sep 16 2007 Dr Gareth Smith

Family casebook MENOPAUSE

EVERY woman will go through the menopause.

It can occur at any age, from your 30s to your 60s, but the average in the UK is 51.

Women tend to start experiencing symptoms around the same age their mother did.

It begins when the ovaries stop producing the female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone. This leads to a number of changes in the body. Symptoms include erratic or heavy periods, hot flushes - especially at night - difficulty sleeping, over-tiredness, headaches, mood swings, a loss of sex drive or discomfort during intercourse, a need to urinate more often and a thinning of the skin.

Hormone replacement therapy only postpones the inevitable and is only recommended for women who are having serious problems.

After menopause the body is less efficient with calcium, meaning bones get thinner and break, so women should take calcium supplements.