I'm 41 years old and I've just had all my tests done. Everything, including thyroid, came back normal. I'm having hot flushes all of the time and I occassionally get hives on my face and chest. I'm moody, suffering from memory loss, and losing my hair! This has got to be the Peri-menopause, right? I am freaking out as my body is changing so much.

Yes, these are all regular menopause symptoms, and they can happen whilst the hormonal changes are too subtle to be detected by a regular blood test.

There are heaps of things you can do to safeguard your health at this point in time - if it is the hair loss that is bothering you most, then there are plenty of things you can do. 

It may be due to low iron caused by heavy bleeds in the run up to the menopause, or if your normal periods were quite heavy or you didn't have a very healthy diet.

Low protein intake can be another problem, or having too much caffeine and not enough fresh fruit and vegtables to give you the necessary nutrients for strong hair growth.

Consider taking a supplement to support healthy hair growth, such as Hair Complex, and have a good look at your diet to see if it could be better!

Also, drink plenty of plain water because dehydration doesn't help hair growth either. It takes about 3 months for new hair to start growing.

If, after this time, you don't see improvements it might be sensible to ask your doctor to check for another thyroid check, or have some acupuncture, which is good for the thyroid and your hormones generally.

Eileen Durward