What is the menopause and what are the symptoms?
Strictly speaking, the menopause is the last period. However, most women think of the menopause as the time leading up to, and after, their last period. It occurs because the ovaries make less oestrogen (the main female hormone) as you get older. The average age of the menopause is 51. You may have no problems. However, it is common to develop recurring hot flushes for 2-3 years. In time, the skin and vulva (skin next to the vagina) may become drier, thinner, and more likely to itch. Your vagina may shrink a little, and expand less easily during sex. You may then have some pain when you have sex. Other symptoms may develop such as headaches, tiredness, palpitations, being irritable, sleep problems, depression, anxiety, aches, loss of sex drive. It can be difficult to say whether these are due to the hormone changes of the menopause. You may sleep badly, become anxious, irritable, etc, because you have frequent hot flushes, and not directly because of a low oestrogen level. What is HRT
