It is not unusual for women to develop skin color changes around menopause. The skin is sensitive to hormone changes of the body at this time of life, in a similar way that the skin changes during pregnancy or ... continue reading  about  I'm a 54-year-old African-American woman (menopausal) who is experiencing facial discoloration, especially around my mouth and chin. My complexion is normally brown/caramel. Since menopause I have light patches of skin in this area. What can I do?

Pregnancy is very unlikely at this age and stage of minimal ovarian function. Ovulation is so rare and the egg quality is probably so poor that fertilization would not likely result in pregnancy. However, this ... continue reading  about  I'm a women in her 50s who is going through perimenopause. I have only had one menstrual period this year. Is there still a possibility that I could get pregnant?

Constipation is a condition (not a disease) where a person passes small amounts of hard, dry stool, usually fewer than three times a week. The person may also have a feeling of incomplete elimination of stool. ... continue reading  about  I've always been very regular, but now in menopause I'm constipated. I eat whole grains, fruits and vegetables, drink a lot of water. I'm normal weight and I exercise. I eat prunes and take Benefiber, but I still have small movements with lots of gas.

Clinical studies have shown that about half of women who try to go off hormones are so symptomatic that they need to go back on. Many can take a lower dose than they were on before, and then gradually taper off... continue reading  about  I'm 57, postmenopausal, and have been on HRT for a few years. My OB/GYN took me off hormones a couple months ago. My hot flashes are through the roof and making life miserable. I'm also having a lot of depression and feel like crying all the time. Help!

Women commonly believe that after a certain age they cannot conceive because they are too old. That is not entirely true. As a woman ages her fertility declines. A 45-year-old woman is less likely to conceive t... continue reading  about  I am 51 years old. What is my chance of still getting pregnant, and how should I handle birth control as I move through menopause?

If ovaries are not removed surgically, they are still present. After menopause, our ovaries do shrink. Pre-menopause ovaries are 3-4cm, but after menopause they can be 0.5cm-1.0cm. The older we get, the smaller... continue reading  about  I had a partial hysterectomy 18 years ago (my ovaries were not removed). Lately I've been having pain and cramping, so recently had x-rays and an ultrasound. The doctor could not find my ovaries. Can ovaries just disappear on their own?

Yes. Your symptoms could well be associated with perimenopause. The World Health Organization has defined perimenopause as the time period 2 to 8 years prior to menopause as well as the year after cessation of ... continue reading  about  Now that I'm 50+, I've been getting severe headaches with my periods, and it also seems like my nasal allergy symptoms are worse at those times. Is this just a coincidence, or is this associated with perimenopause?

Menopause can cause exacerbation of different symptoms for different women. Though there is no direct medical connection with vertigo and menopause, it is possible that there is some effect of hormonal fluctuat... continue reading  about  Is vertigo tied to menopause? Also, I'm taking 1000 mcg of biotin for my hair and nails and noticing that I have more intense hot flashes. Does biotin increase hot flashes?

For women who have a history of endometriosis, and they choose to go on hormone therapy, it will not stimulate endometriosis if they take continuous estrogen and progesterone. The progesterone reduces any stimu... continue reading  about  I was told that my endometriosis will go away once I pass menopause. What if I decide to take hormone therapy during menopause - will that continue to aggravate the endometrial lesions?