Ans. Women may experience problems after menopause due to reduction in the level of sex hormones. The main problems are: Other prolonged health problems like osteoporsis / weakness of bones and fracture and heart problems (hypertension, heart attacks and stroke).

Ans. HRT (Hormone replacement therapy) can be given for the relief of menopausal symptoms by replacing the hormone (estrogen), which decreases at onset of menopause and leads to various symptoms.

But I don't want to use the medication for a year and then have to stop and have all my hair fall out.

Ans.Yes, maintaining good level of activity and taking a balanced diet is very important. Dietary supplements like Calcium are very important in preventing osteoporosis. Similarly, doing regular exercises helps in preventing bone loss, and special exercises like pelvic floor exercises help in modifying problems like urinary incontinence.

The best way to describe a hysterectomy is "instant menopause." What is not really understood by most doctors is that the body continues to produce about 40% of the estrogen it had been producing before menopause or hysterectomy, even through the ovaries have been removed. However, progesterone levels decrease more severely. The symptoms usually attributed to low estrogen are really due to a lack of progesterone.

Gas is common during the first post-operative week; some patients complain of "needing to burp, but nothing comes up". This problem can usually be alleviated by walking and drinking fluids as soon as you can after surgery.

Perimenopause is the phase before menopause when ovarian hormone production begins to decline and fluctuate. Typically, perimenopause is the period about three or four years before menopause, though some women can begin the perimenopause phase of their life many years before menopause. Menopause symptoms like hot flashes and irregular menstrual cycles can begin for women in their late 30s or early 40s during the perimenopause phase of a woman's life.

Occasionally, upon beginning use of natural hormone supplement, a post menopausal woman could experience some breakthrough bleeding, or a "period". This is a perfectly normal response and is nothing to cause alarm. The progesterone is simply causing the body to rid itself of excess stored estrogen which can sometimes stimulate a uterine shedding -- thus breakthrough bleeding. If this continues for longer then several months, you should consult a physician.

There are recommended dosages for women depending on their stage in life. The first dose, which is the highest, entails taking a total of 4 capsules a day – 2 in the morning and 2 at bedtime. The higher dosage is proven more effective in breast enlargement for pre-menopausal women. The second type of dose is much lower and recommended for post-menopausal. These lower dosages require a total of 2 pills a day – 1 in the morning and 1 at bedtime.

ANSWER: Absolutely. Just because your periods have stopped does not mean that your hormones are about to go away. Hormones (and their deficiencies) stay with us regardless of the age. In fact, one of the reasons why a post-menopausal woman still has migraines is because of the decline of some of the key hormones. Some women develop migraine headaches for the very first time after they enter menopause.

Absolutely! Research has shown that weightbearing exercise can reduce the rate of bone loss even among postmenopausal women.

ANSWER: Absolutely. Just because your periods have stopped does not mean that your hormones are about to go away. Hormones (and their deficiencies) stay with us regardless of the age. In fact, one of the reasons why a post-menopausal woman still has PMS is because of the decline of some of the key hormones. Some women develop PMS for the very first time after they enter menopause. All post-menopausal women with PMS have a correctable situation which is thoroughly examined in Dr.