Menopause happens because you have literally run out of eggs. Your store of eggs is already in place when you born. Most women are born with about 2 million egg follicles; by puberty there are about 750,000 and by the age of around 45, only 10,000 may be left. The rest have disintegrated over the years. Menopause occurs when your store of eggs runs dry.

Premature menopause is menopause that happens before the age of 40 - whether it is natural or induced. Some women have premature menopause because of family history (genes), medical treatments such as surgery to remove the ovaries, cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation to the pelvic area.

Having premature menopause puts a woman at more risk for osteoporosis later in her life. It also may be a source of great distress, since many women younger than 40 still want to have children. Women who still want to become pregnant can talk with their doctor about donor egg programs.

I've reached menopause, but I still have been feeling so depressed and irritable. I'm just not myself. Will these feelings ever go away?

Many women in perimenopause and menopause feel depressed and irritable. Some researchers believe that the decrease in estrogen triggers changes in your brain, causing depression. Others think that other symptoms you're having, such as sleep problems, hot flushes, night sweats, and fatigue causes these feelings. Or, it could be a combination of hormone changes and symptoms. But these symptoms also can have causes that are unrelated to menopause. If you are having these symptoms, and you think they are interfering with your quality of life, it is important to discuss them with your doctor.

I've reached menopause and haven't had my period for a few years now. But, the other day I had some bleeding off and on. Should I be concerned?

Changes in bleeding are normal as you near menopause. There are also other common causes of bleeding in the years after menopause. The decline in your body's estrogen levels can cause tissues lining the vagina to become thin, dry, and less elastic. Sometimes this lining can become broken or easily inflamed and bleed. It can also become injured during sex or even during a pelvic exam. Once you've reached menopause, though, you should report any bleeding that you have to your doctor. Uterine bleeding after menopause could be a sign of other health problems.

There are a lot of ways to stay healthy during this time in your life. These steps are more likely to keep you healthy than just taking hormones.

Be active and get more exercise.  Try to get at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.