I'm 48 years old. Is it necessary for me to take HRT when my menopause starts? I have occasionally been receiving tension headaches; are these being caused by the menopause?

Many women go through the menopause without HRT and if your symptoms are mild, it is best to try and avoid it.

There are a number of herbal and supplement remedies that can be effective and there are lots of things that you can do to help yourself, such as diet, sensible exercise, and as little stress as possible.

The problem is that when you eventually have to come off HRT, you can get withdrawal symptoms. These can be similar to menopause ones and this can last a while before the body rebalances itself

Eileen Durward