I'm 48 years old and I suffer from painful breasts just before my periods. I'm lucky to get 4 hours of sleep a night, and the week before my period, I suffer from night-sweats. Could this be the start of the menopause?

Breast/nipple tenderness is very common on the approach to the menopause, and is often caused by fluctuating oestrogen.

As long as you are not on any other hormonal contraception/medication you could try Agnus castus - this is traditionally used at this time to help restore a proper monthly cycle and reduce heavy/frequent periods and breast pain.

A Kelp supplement can often help as well. Dehydration and constipation can be contributory factors, so do make sure that you are drinking plenty of plain water every day - tea, coffee, fizzy/sugary drinks can make symptoms worse so best avoided!

Just remember to get any breast changes checked out by your doctor as well.

Have you had yourself measured properly for bra size? Towards, in, and after the menopause breast tissue, size and shape can change quite dramatically and an ill fitting bra, especially if you wear under-wired ones, can cause breast pain too!

Most big department stores offer a free service so it would be worth checking out.

Eileen Durward