Fight Back Against The Menopause

My Weeklys favourite GP from TV and radio writes for you.

- Dr Sarah Jarvis

Half of us go through it – on average at about 52 years old, but anything from 45 is normal and it can happen earlier.

Some women breeze through the menopause but 4 in 5 get hot flushes, and symptoms such as tiredness, disturbed sleep, low mood and vaginal dryness abound. So how do you take the drama out of the menopause?

In years gone by, doctors were quick to recommend HRT on the basis that it relieved menopausal symptoms more effectively than anything else and helped protect against osteoporosis.

About 15 years ago, two major studies suggested a link between HRT and breast cancer, as well as a possible increased risk of heart disease. Not surprisingly, prescriptions for HRT plummeted.