My whole body is so itchy that I can't control my scratching. I have all the ointments but none of them seem to work. Would taking an antihistamine help?

Itchy skin is very common in the menopause and is often caused by lowering oestrogen levels.

However; stress, dehydration and constipation can be contributory factors so do look at your diet and lifestyle as well and make sure that you are drinking plenty of plain water every day- tea, coffee, and fizzy drinks don't count!

You could also try a fermented soya supplement, such as Menopause Support, as this is traditionally used to help gently raise and balance oestrogen so may help to reduce symptoms as well.

Some women find taking a couple of cups of nettle tea a day can help too.

Acupuncture is known to help balance the hormones in the menopause so it would be worth looking into.

Eileen Durward