Menopause

hi jayneejay - thank you for posting this list - I thought I was losing my mind.  Will bring this to my MD. Just spent 6 hours at hospital with racing heart, palpitations, tinnitis, GI upset, fatigue, hot flashes with profuse sweating - gave me a magnesium supplement and toldme to go home.  Thank you once again, am calling the doc tomorrow...jeanne

Hi Jeagil

oh ... 😕 well at least they checked you ..

you would think hot flushes and profuse sweating may be a clue for the medical people wouldnt you..

magnesium is good though ... May upset your tum each morning ..but good, i take it at night effervescanf type and use a spray magnesium oil too as that doesnt upset the tummy..

get some mega 100mg Vit B complex jeagil one that contains at least 100mg of B6 in it , thats fab for peri meno and helps aches, anxiety and the lot .... It helped me no end and with anxiety..

we lack Vit B6 and B12 during menopause ..

Dont know your age or if your in UK or not.. But holland and Barrett do a Mega B 100mg Complex time realease.. 

Also Jarrows 5000mcg B12 cherry is great for energy..

Calcium and Vit D for bones .. Keep using the magnesium it helps hot flushes and so does Vit E..

i take loads of naturals and also take menaplo plus natural from simply supplements too 2 x daily ..

i live in Southern spain but do get some supplements via Uk

good luck 

jay xx

 

Good morning Jay, as I'm typing from New England, USA.  It must be siesta time in Spain! 

I can find similar products here, and will endeavor to look around.  I'm being more careful these days about using organic, non-GMO supplements as well.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I have Celiac Disease; refractory when I was first diagnosed 7 years ago, and was on a corticosteroids for nearly a year.  Talk about growing a beard...

There is a tremedous similarity between your list of menopausal symptoms and symptoms of a Celiac flare with malabsorption.  I'll be addressing my symptoms with this "duality" in mind.

Keep in touch!

 

Hi jeagil

oh my niece and her daughter have celiac..

yes ... i and many ladies have menopause digestive problems, 😮 IBS

running to the loo, upset in morning etc..

been taking Acidophilus pro biotic in morning with water ( not a hot drink for a while after  as it kills the bacteria) that has helped no end..

yes 😀 still half an hour of Siesta ... hehehehehe its 4.35pm here 

wow New England USA... lovely..

keep in touch too

jay jay xx 

 

Greetings Jay,  you must be in dream land by now dear.  It's only 9:10 p.m. here.

i don't get hot flashes or night sweats like my sisters.  I have other stuff like vertigo, dizziness and nausea morning sickness and have hardly any monthly blood left so I know it's menopause.  The palpitations have ended months ago.  It seemed to thump loudly and skip beats.  I thought it was going to stop.  Very scary thing.  

Ohhhhh I had a question.  When I fell down the stairs last year I tore my thigh muscle and it was too late to fix.   I used to excercise it everyday on the epileptic machine cause it has leg strengthening on it but had to stop because it was making my hips and balance worse so now use the treadmill to keep things moving but not the same.  Because I was throwing up with vertigo I wasn't able to excercise.  It seems to have gone to pot/weak now. Are there any certain rubs or ointment that can help it?  My doctor says there is nothing that can be done.  I wanted to ask you because you know more than my doctor! heehee (a knee brace? I dunno).

Hey, Dottie... I am still awake, too!

I would love to have had the hot flashes and the sweats, as my sister, LOL. At leat EVRYBODY KNOWS that it is menopause coming. Once I had a "hot night", other times, I felt warm, but that was it... As you say, only the irregular periods show the real nature of our miseries. 

I am feeling much better, hope the worse is behind

dottie dottie

your thigh pain 

Magnesium Oil Spray ..

used in sports injuries as well .. 

Menopause, etc etc etc 

i been spraying three or four squirts in my hand and rubbing into arch of my back where i get pain.. Its great stuff..

we have all been discussing it on here thanks to snatchpiece ..

google it .. Magnesium Oil Spray.. I a sure that will help your pain and menopause ... I love it .. Just to about to have my morning squirt of it ..

hehehehehehe

jay xx

 

hi bella

wow theres plenty of time for hot flushes yet..

i had night sweats and flushes in the early part ..

this all stopped Bella and eight years later i have hot flushes again..

many a day ... i am post menopause now 😧

you will get umpteen symptoms stop and start.. Disappear and return 

sorry to say 😶

jay jay xx

 

Noooooooooooooooo!  

Morning Jay.  I know this is wierd but never had any pain, never had the pain to go to the doctors to get it fixed.  I left it too long as they said.  (had an ultrasound that confirmed it was detached). That's because I never had pain when I walked.   The only discomfort I had was when my little dog walked across my lap and thought it was unusual I had pain when she walked on that thigh.  

I need to strengthen it with weights again is all I can do eh?  It's wobbly like...feels weak but I still have strength.  The treadmill doesn't strengthen it.  I guess there is no Msgic strengthening muscle ointment?  haha. 

I am falling apart dear.  Hope you have a good day dearest.  

 

Hi Dottie

try some Squats that strengthened leg muscles..

just a few to start see how it feels ..

i squats and chair dips and lunges 

only need do a few each day 😃

i do a few while i wait for the kettle to boil 😀😀😀😀

jay xx

I HOPE NOT! I hope I am not the apple that fell apart of the tree   As I said, my sister never had anything, just few hot flashes.  Let's see....  I will keep posting.  So far, so good, with all the vitamins and right food.  Sometimes I wonder that all was just the lack of Vitamin D (?!)  showed in my blood work, for many of the symptoms I complained can be linked to that, including aching joints. Yet, Vitamin D is an hormon, and maybe even this one gets unbalanced as the others, during peri :S

Dottie, can you bike? Maybe that worked.

Cheers, ladies

 

If I did squats Jay I would never get back up hahaha.     I have a weight machine downstairs I will start it....it's collecting dust....it has a leg strengthener on it....where you push weights with your legs.  Since I am going to ruins I need weights again at my age of 97.  

Ohhh Bella that's a lot of work 

thank you dear

Hi Dottie

i bet you have a big Harley Davidson Motorbike really dont ya 

vruuuum vruuuuum 

jay xx

Hi Jay and Dottie and all on site ,do any of you in UK get Daily Mail ,well we do and in Tuesdays issue ,med pages ,Good Health ,page 24 all on menopause Headaches etc .ive only just read it ,if you can get a copy .

   Takes me couple days getting around to reading the papers 

 had tinnitus problem ,upset tum IBS so another day under par ,just been sat quiet .Giddy to boot ,have looked in at post though like one does .xxxx

I would never tell 

with a sidecar for my doggie 

I do like your sound effects though vrummmmmm lol

Hi Marlene

😀

wondered where you had been ... hope your feeling better ..

I just got in, been shopping here there and everywhere .. feel pooped now

😞

i can read the papers online so will have a looksy at the article 

Daily Mail 😀

jay jay xx

 

Hahahahahahahaha

or is it more of a purrrrrrrrrr purrrrrrrrr

no.. its gotta be Vrruuuuum vrrummmmm 😀

jay x

Hi Marlene

heres the Daily Mail atrticle  you said about for other ladies to read 😀 

Daily Mail info 

Do you suffer splitting headaches, dizziness and chronic tiredness?

It could be a sign you're in the early stages of the menopause

Sarah Andrews suffered debilitating migraines for fours years

She went back and forth to the doctors and was diagnosed with the ear complaint labyrinititis, chronic fatigue and vertigo

Her true diagnosis shocked her - she was in the early stages of menopause

She said: 'I had no idea migraines could be a sign of the menopause' 

  

Sarah Andrews was resigned to feeling ill forever. 

For four years she lived with debilitating bouts of dizziness, distorted vision and chronic tiredness, with doctors at a loss to explain what was wrong.

Sarah had also become sensitive to light and noise. 

‘Gradually my symptoms became more and more frequent until they occurred daily and meant I couldn’t work for ten months,’ says Sarah, 42, a customer service adviser who lives in Liverpool with her partner Ian, 49, who works in retail.

She had been back and forth to doctors dozens of times and wrongly told she had everything from the ear complaint labyrinthitis to chronic fatigue syndrome to vertigo. 

  

For four years Sarah Andrews, 42, lived with debilitating bouts of dizziness, distorted vision and chronic tiredness. Her symptoms were actually migraines, brought on by the early stages of the menopause

The correct diagnosis, when it finally came, was a surprise. Her symptoms were actually migraines, brought on by the early stages of the menopause.

‘I hadn’t had any other menopausal symptoms, such as night sweats or hot flushes,’ says Sarah. 

‘And I had no idea migraines could be a sign of the menopause or that migraines could occur without a headache.’

Many women, like Sarah, are unaware that the onset of migraines, or experiencing more frequent or severe migraines, can be a sign the menopause is approaching — but experts say it’s surprisingly common.

The problem is that these women may not necessarily develop headaches — the symptoms vary widely and can include visual disturbances such as seeing flashing lights and zig-zag lines, fatigue, neck pain, mood change, poor memory, restless legs, dizziness and sensitivity to light and Vertigo.

Usually these occur in the days preceding the headache — known as the premonitory phase of the migraine — but in some people the headache never strikes.

‘I regularly see female patients in their 40s whose migraine became chronic, meaning they occur on more than 15 days each month in the lead up to the menopause,’ says Dr Nick Silver, a consultant neurologist from the Walton Centre NHS Foundation Trust in Liverpool, who treated Sarah. 

‘Often they haven’t realised they are perimenopausal. Some have never had migraine before.’

The perimenopause — when women start to experience menopausal symptoms — lasts, on average, for four years before a woman stops having periods and the menopause starts. 

Research recently presented to the American Headache Society found women get as many as 60 per cent more migraines in the years before and at the start of the menopause, and that along with hot flushes and depression, migraine can be a symptom of the menopause.

There is a strong hormonal link to migraines — which may explain why women are more likely to get them than men.  

The perimenopause — when women start to experience menopausal symptoms — lasts, on average, for four years before a woman stops having periods and the menopause starts

And, says Dr Silver, it’s not just when a woman is menopausal — migraines often occur at stages of hormonal change, but because they can bring a variety of symptoms they can be easily overlooked or misdiagnosed.

‘Oestrogen drops in the middle of the menstrual cycle and just before each period starts, which are the most common times for migraine to occur in women,’ says Dr Silver.

‘When a girl’s periods first start, they may experience a headache and/or a form known as abdominal migraine — causing predominant tummy pain.  

'Because they can occur without headache, this can sometimes be dismissed as period pains.’

Many women find their migraines improve during pregnancy when the hormones remain relatively constant. 

I had no idea migraines could be a sign of the menopause or that migraines could occur without a headache 

After pregnancy, however, they often return, but the symptoms, which can include fatigue and depression, may be mistaken for post-natal depression especially as these symptoms can seem more prominent than a headache.

‘Women may be given anti-depressants unnecessarily, but because they can improve migraine in some people, they think a psychiatric or psychological diagnosis was correct, though other treatments may be more appropriate,’ says Dr Silver.

But it’s not just these women who get misdiagnosed. Dr Silver says: ‘Up to 80 per cent of migraine and headache disorders may be given the wrong diagnosis,’ and often people mistakenly get told they have psychological problems or even stress instead.

Migraine is a disorder of brain nerve cells and receptors. When they function inappropriately they can cause increased sensitivity to light and sound.

When it comes to treating hormone-related migraines, there’s some disagreement among specialists.

‘When evidence clearly shows women are having migraine related to hormones, for example during the perimenopause or at the start of every period, an oestrogen gel which stabilises oestrogen levels can be prescribed by GPs,’ says Professor John Studd, a former consultant gynaecologist at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, West London.

‘This virtually always stops migraines for good. But not enough people are treated with it as they should be, because neurologists and GPs often try preventative anti-migraine drugs instead. 

'They aren’t aware of the oestrogen treatment or don’t always realise the migraines are linked to hormones.

‘Women put up with a lot of suffering without treatment.’

Migraine is a disorder of brain nerve cells and receptors

However, Dr Silver disagrees and believes hormone treatment should typically be a last resort, saying it can occasionally be risky and have side-effects. Instead, he says these patients should be treated the same as others with migraine.

Changing lifestyle factors can dramatically improve migraine in 40 per cent of patients, he says — this includes drinking more water, eating meals regularly, sleeping and waking at the same time each day, avoiding caffeine (in coffee, tea, green tea, cola and chocolate) and regular use of painkillers.

If this doesn’t help, the next options are drugs such as candesartan, propranalol or topiramate that are also used to treat epilepsy and high blood pressure or anti-depressants which work on chemical messengers in the brain.

Botox injections are also used and are thought to reduce pain signals from various receptors to the brain. 

‘When none of these measures work we can look at hormonal treatments, usually a low-dose HRT patch,’ says Dr Silver.

HRT works like oestrogen gel, to balance out levels of oestrogen in the body. Some may also contain a synthetic version of the hormone progesterone.

However, in women under 50 who experience problems with aura — usually visual disturbances such as flashing lights or zigzag lines — this treatment doubles their risk of stroke, although the overall risk is still very low. 

Most women with hormone-related migraines will find they stop or become less frequent after the menopause.

Sarah finally discovered what was causing her crippling symptoms when a physiotherapist helping with her balance issues told her she had migraine-associated vertigo, not headaches, and referred her to Dr Silver.

By then, her migraines had taken over her life.

‘Ian and I used to travel and socialise a lot but by then we couldn’t even watch telly together because the screen would set me off, and I couldn’t stand any noise without it causing pain,’ says Sarah. 

WHAT IS A MIGRAINE? 

Migraine is a disorder of brain nerve cells and receptors. 

When they function inappropriately they can cause increased sensitivity to light and sound.  

Migraine is among the three most prevalent health conditions worldwide, along with anaemia and hearing loss.

Severe migraine attacks are classified by the World Health Organisation as among the most disabling illnesses, comparable to dementia, quadriplegia and active psychosis.

It is the least publicly funded of all neurological illnesses relative to its economic impact.

In the UK there are an estimated 190,000 migraine attacks every day.

‘Sometimes my fatigue was so bad I’d sleep for 14 hours and then by the time I got down the stairs I’d feel exhausted again.’

When Dr Silver looked back through her medical history, he could see she had been having hormone-related migraines earlier in her life. 

'Sarah hadn’t realised what it was, but as a teenager she had felt ill on the first day of each period for a couple of years.

‘I would get awful stomach ache which I thought were just period pains.’ she says.

‘I’d never thought they were migraines as I didn’t have headaches, but looking back I realise they were — as well as abdominal pain, sometimes I saw flashing lights, my hearing would go, and I’d feel sick and faint.’

When Dr Silver explained the link between her latest symptoms and the menopause, it immediately made sense.

‘Shortly after the dizziness and visual symptoms started, my periods became lighter and less regular — signs of the perimenopause,’ explains Sarah, whose mother and grandmother both had an early menopause at 40.

As she was under 50 and experienced migraine aura she was not given HRT, but tried a number of treatments that didn’t work. 

However, since last August she has found taking candesartan blood pressure pills, prescribed by Dr Silver, combined with Botox, acupuncture and reflexology has reduced the severity of her migraines, so she can now work from home and socialise again.

‘My life still isn’t back to normal,’ says Sarah. ‘I never knew the menopause could trigger anything like this, or that migraines could be so debilitating.’

 

Thanks for that Jay ,not got a clue how you put that up ,just got me thinking when I read it ,how many say headaches ,dizzy .

   So thanks again ,when Dottie and others say queezy and dizzy ,I thought is it Meno silent Migraine .I feel better on Migraleve ,than a paracetamol ,that's even with drinking adequate water .Its miserable getting these bad heads etc .

   Glad you been out spending money ,bought yourself something nice ? xxxx

Hi marlene

Headaches.. I always got one before a period, and migraine a few days in last peri meno periods.. 

Dont get them now.. Periods all gone..

Not for months..

Its like this teeth pain i get.. Thats lack of estrogen, its the gums - shrinking receding gums causing sensitivity..

No i only bought provisions fill cupboard up, 😀.  

Jay xx

Shopping is good exercise Jay.....that's why I am getting fat lol

Hi Jay I need some more vrummmmmm vrummmmmm in my life!  haha. There's too much Arf Arf Arf as she is a lap dog.....constantly with me.

Don't have any purr purrrrs as they have hair balls. 

No actually this has been the best day since March.  I wasn't even that dizzy this morning and the nausea didn't stick around long either.  It's gotta be the B6 and B12 I take every morning and a multi vitamin.  There is hope I say ladies!!  One day it will just be over and you will start feeling better.

We are still waiting for that glorious gyno pic hahaha 

because you never let us forget....you are always mentioning him dear.

bet he has a nice vruuuuummmmmmm vruuuuummmmm dear haha

useful info .. for ladies with nausia vertigo and dizzyness 

Home Remedies for Vertigo

The spinning sensation and dizziness you get from vertigo can limit your activities and make you feel sick.

Depending on the cause, though, some simple maneuvers you can do at home might bring relief.

The most common type is BPPV (benign paroxysmal positional vertigo), and it's also the easiest to treat. BPPV happens when small crystals of calcium get loose in your inner ear.

You may feel it when you're getting in or out of bed, or tilting your head up. 

If you have vertigo, you'll need to know what type you have and which ear has the problem.

If you have BPPV, certain actions can move the calcium crystals that cause the problem out of your ear canal. That should bring relief.

Your doctor or a therapist can show you how to do these moves.

Epley Maneuver

If your vertigo comes from your left ear and side:

Sit on the edge of your bed. Turn your head 45 degrees to the left. Place a pillow under you so when you lie down, it rests between your shoulders rather than under your head.

Quickly lie down, face up, with your head on the bed (still at the 45-degree angle). The pillow should be under your shoulders. Wait 30 seconds (for any vertigo to stop).

Turn your head half-way (90 degrees) to the right without raising it. Wait 30 seconds.

Turn your head and body on its side to the right, so you're looking at the floor. Wait 30 seconds.

Slowly sit up, but remain on the bed a few minutes.

If the vertigo comes from your right ear, reverse these instructions. Sit on your bed, turn your head 45 degrees to the right, and so on.

Do these movements three times before going to bed each night, until you've gone 24 hours without dizziness.

The Semont Maneuver

This exercise is similar to the Epley maneuver, though not as popular in the U.S. For dizziness from the left ear and side:

Sit on the edge of your bed. Turn your head 45 degrees to the right.

Quickly lie down on your left side. Stay there for 30 seconds.

Quickly move to lie down on the opposite end of your bed.

Do not change the direction of your head. Keep it at a 45-degree angle and lie for 30 seconds. Look at the floor.

Return slowly to sitting and wait a few minutes.

Reverse these moves for the right ear.

Again, do these moves three times a day until you go 24 hours without vertigo.

Half Somersault or Foster Maneuver

Some people find this maneuver easier to do:

Kneel down and look up at the ceiling for a few seconds.

Touch the floor with your head, tucking your chin so your head goes toward your knees. Wait for any vertigo to stop (about 30 seconds).

Turn your head in the direction of your affected ear (i.e. if you feel dizzy on your left side, turn to face your left elbow). Wait 30 seconds.

Quickly raise your head so it's level with your back while you're on all fours. Keep your head at that 45-degree angle. Wait 30 seconds.

Quickly raise your head so it's fully upright, but keep your head turned to the shoulder of the side you're working on.  Then slowly stand up. 

You may have to repeat this a few times for relief. After the first round, rest 15 minutes before trying a second time.

Morning Jay!  I love you! hahahaha. 

The doc said I had BPPV in the hospital so she gave me the first exercise that my hubby helps me with but the second one I will try on my own.  

I was even throwing up a few months ago so it was really bad.  I think the dizziness is going or else I am just so damn used of it! hahaha. I am a blonde anyways!!  

 

Hi Dottie 

😊

us blondes have to stick together 😃

jay xx

Jay, ....and blondes have more fun!  Especially when we have hot gynos to boot! hahaha

dottie

your very naughty 

Hehehehehe

jay xx

 

I'm so sorry Jay I was born that way.  

 

Snoring, a sweet tooth  and burning gums - the menopause symptoms no one warns you about

By TANITH CAREY

Hot flushes, weight gain and a diminished sex drive are all well-known symptoms of the menopause. But research now confirms what women have long suspected — that 'the change' can affect the body, and mind, in many other ways. Here, TANITH CAREY looks at what you can do to tackle these surprising side-effects... 

YOU START SNORING

For years, you’ve been complaining that your partner’s snoring keeps you awake. Now the menopause is setting in, he could well be pointing the finger at you. 

Many women start snoring more seriously once they hit the change of life — which for UK women is 51 on average.

Feel the noise: The onset of snoring is partly due to falling levels of female sex hormone oestrogen

The onset of snoring is partly due to falling levels of female sex hormone oestrogen, which — as well as regulating the menstrual cycle —also plays a role in keeping the muscles and soft tissues around the windpipe strong.

When these become more lax, the tissues collapse — and women can’t breathe as easily when they sleep.

In the most serious cases, it can lead to sleep apnoea, where the airways become partially or totally obstructed for up to ten seconds at a time, forcing the brain to wake up — even though the sleeper may not be aware of it. 

A study by the University of Toronto found that 47 per cent of post-menopausal women suffer with the condition — compared to 21 per cent of younger women. Because the quality of sleep is impaired by the constant waking, side-effects can include tiredness, anxiety and forgetfulness. 

HOW TO FIGHT BACK: Try buying a pillow designed to make you sleep on your back — or with your head and throat in alignment  — so your airways stay open as you sleep. 

For women with serious cases of sleep apnoea, there are masks, called CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure), which blow air into the throat to keep breathing easier.  

YOU’RE LOST FOR WORDS

Word on the tip of your tongue you just can’t recall? Forgetting an old friend’s name? It could be another symptom of the menopause.

In one study, 40 per cent of women aged 40 to 55 said they had trouble remembering things, even when their other thought processes remained as strong as ever.

Studies have shown that when oestrogen levels dip it is more difficult to build connections between brain cells, and to store and recall memories.

HOW TO FIGHT BACK: The good news is that, in most cases, it’s a phase which will have passed a year after your last period,  according to neuro-psychiatrist Miriam Weber.

During this time, women have to face up to the fact that they need to do more to make sure information sinks in, she says. ‘You shouldn’t expect to be able to remember everything after hearing it just once. Repeat it out loud, or say it back to the person to confirm it — it will help you hold on to that information for longer.’

A study at Durham University also found that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) can rejuvenate the brain. The research found it took years off a woman’s mental age because HRT helped the left and right sides of the brain to work better together. 

YOU CRAVE SUGARY TREATS

Temptation: Studies have found women develop a sweeter tooth as they go through the menopause

There’s a reason that cupcakes and desserts look more tempting than they used to. Studies have found women develop a sweeter tooth as they go through the menopause.

A study by Turkey’s Ankara University found that 35 per cent of women said their palate was not as sensitive during the change of life, and that they craved stronger, sweeter tastes. 

At the same time, as levels of the oestrogen and the other female sex hormone, progesterone, drop, women become more prone to insulin resistance — where the body’s cells don’t respond as well to insulin, making sugar cravings soar. 

HOW TO FIGHT BACK: To beat your sweet tooth, eat smaller, more regular meals, containing lean proteins, which are absorbed more slowly into the blood stream.

As our sensitivity to sugar drops, —and we may not taste the sweetness — it’s also more important than ever to read food labels.

Dr Marilyn Glenville, author of Healthy Eating For The Menopause, says: ‘You may decide to take less sugar in your tea — but it is the hidden added sugar in products that can be the major culprit. 

‘It has been calculated that we could be taking in up to 46 teaspoons of added sugar in a day in the foods and drinks we consume.’ 

Swap to sugar-free brands of tomato ketchup or spaghetti sauce. You can replace sugar with xylitol, which is naturally found in fruits and berries and has a low glycaemic index [a measure of how fast blood sugar levels rise after eating].

YOUR MOUTH FEELS LIKE IT'S BURNING

One of the most bizarre side- effects of the menopause is the scalding feeling some women get on their lips, gums, tongue or other parts of their mouths. 

Although it can affect people of all ages, by far the majority of people suffering ‘burning mouth syndrome’ are those going through menopause. 

According to research, between 10 to 40 per cent of women seeking help for menopausal symptoms also suffer some type of mouth discomfort, including experiencing a metallic taste. The cause of burning mouth syndrome, which can last for several years, is not completely understood. But most scientists believe that the problem is caused by oestrogen’s effect on the nerves that control taste. 

HOW TO FIGHT BACK: Burning mouth syndrome gets worse when sufferers talk a lot, eat hot or spicy foods or are stressed — so relaxation and bland meals are recommended.

The discomfort is often accompanied by dryness — and experts at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital advise women to drink more water and chew sugar-free gum to keep the mouth moist. 

YOUR ORGASMS ARE LESS INTENSE

When oestrogen levels start to fall during the menopause, the blood supply to the genital area can also diminish — making for less powerful orgasms. The tissues and muscles around the clitoris become weaker. As a result, orgasms may take longer to achieve and may be shorter in length.

In one study, published in the Journal of Sex Research,  15 per cent of women going through menopause said they were less interested in sex and could not reach orgasm, compared to six per cent of young women. 

HOW TO FIGHT BACK: When it comes to orgasms, experts recommend that you keep practising. 

Sex researchers have found that women who continue to have frequent sex during the menopause have fewer problems than those whose sex lives dwindle or stop. 

Regular intercourse also keeps up the flow of blood to the pelvic region, keeping the tissues stronger and healthier. 

Women who make love often have also been found to have better lubrication and stronger pelvic muscles. 

Kegel exercises also can also help with sexual satisfaction post-menopause. To do a basic exercise, tighten the muscles of your pelvic floor as if you’re trying to stop urinating. Count to three, then release. Gradually build up the number to around 50 to 100 a day.

Infamous side effect: And to make things worse for some women, hot flushes are preceded by attacks of itchy skin

YOUR SKIN ITCHES

Hot flushes are probably the most infamous side-effect of menopause. But to make things worse for some women, these embarrassing episodes — in which the temperature of the body dramatically soars — are preceded by attacks of itchy skin, known as ‘formication’.

Some women compare the feeling to the sensation of having ants crawling all over them, while others say it feels as if they have been plugged in to an electric socket. 

Researchers believe this tingling is caused by zig-zagging oestrogen levels affecting receptors in the skin’s nerve endings. 

HOW TO FIGHT BACK: Breathing exercises can relieve the discomfort before and during a hot flush.

Earlier this year, researchers at King’s College, London, found that teaching women breathing exercises to slow their heart rate and using cognitive behaviour therapy to replace negative thoughts with positive ones cuts the incidence of severe hot flushes.