I am 36 and have just been told I am going thru menopause?

I have gained quite a bit of weight in the last few months, especially around the mid section, I am also very bloated, some of which is water retention. How can I can rid of the weight?

I am very limited to exercise, at the moment am unable to do any at all due to untreated severe rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia. Please if you have any suggestions. Also, any suggestions for night sweats? I get so sweaty at night that I can literally wring out my shirt.

I am very upset, especially about the weight gain. I have struggled all my life with weight and was just down to a good weight when this all happened. I heard early menopause is rare, do you know why it happens? Apparently I have almost no estrogen.

Hi - I'm so sorry to hear that you're having a difficult time at the moment. Early menopause can run in families, or can be an effect of auto-immune diseases, but often the cause remains unknown.

The reason you're getting extreme night sweats and weight gain is probably because your oestrogen levels have suddenly fallen, rather than tailing off gradually. Your best approach will be to discuss your symptoms with your physician. HRT (hormone replacement treatment) could be useful for the sweats, but does increase your risk in other areas, so is something to consider carefully - take medical advice.

Because of your other conditions, you should also take professional advice about how to be more active, as this is essential in order to lose weight. Meantime, try eating several small meals a day rather than two or three large ones, have plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables, avoid junk foods, high-fat foods and processed food as much as possible and use fresh produce instead.

Elizabeth