A woman has a menopause when her ovaries stop producing eggs and she has her last period. This usually occurs during ‘middle age' (40-55 yrs). The process that leads up to a woman having her last period is called ‘perimenopause'. This process can take a long time, months or even years and it has effects upon a woman's hormones, emotions and body. The symptoms of menopause include hot flushes, sweating, headaches, mood changes, aching joints and sleeplessness. Sometimes, a woman's menopause can be brought about early if the ovaries are damaged or removed. This can happen with some types of cancer or cancer treatments. In these cases, there is no perimenopause and the menopause begins immediately.