Cupidopolis

“I think I am going through the menopause, but how can I be certain. I have major mood swings but no hot flushes like you hear about. I am only 43!”.

During the Menopause you go through a change in hormones, hence the mood swings. There are various symptoms to going through the menopause but you do not necessarily have to experience all of them. We each experience the menopause differently and it is individual to each of us. Even the age we are at when we go through the menopause and how long it lasts.

Symptoms associated with the menopause include but are not limited to:-

• Irregular vaginal bleeding
• Hot flashes & night sweats
• Emotional and cognitive symptoms
• Vaginal symptoms
• Urinary symptoms
• Other physical changes

There are different treatments for the menopause if you find that you cannot cope. Do speak to your doctor about what steps to take. You can consider one or more of the following treatments:-

•  
  • Hormone therapy
  • Other medical therapies
  • Alternative therapies
  • Non-hormone therapies

The choice will be up to you, but your GP will be able to help you with your personal choices and can help explain things further.

Remember this is a time of change. If you accept the change, it will be easier on you in the long run.

“I have been feeling really old. It does not help that I am overweight too. What can I do?”.

There is plenty that one can do today to feel and look younger. You are right in saying that being overweight does not help. However, as I said, there is a lot that can be done.

Sticking to a calorie controlled diet will aid weight loss and you will immediately start to feel better about yourself. Adding exercise to your daily routine will also be beneficial to your health and well being. This in turn will also help over all.

You will inevitable find that you have problem areas, but with cosmetic surgery today, lots can be done too. You can have procedures like botox, cellulite therapy, semi permanant make-up, electrolysis, etc. Obviously there is a cost involved with cosmetic surgery but even the smallest treatment can make you feel dramatically better. If your budget cannot stretch that far, a facial can also do the trick to helping you feel younger too.

Do bear in mind that while cosmetic surgery is an option to some, it may not be to others. It does not mean to say it is not worth thinking about. Again finance can sometimes be an obstacle, but putting extra effort to save for a treatment, will increase the psychological benefits of the treatment. I do recommend speaking to a professional before embarking on any surgical treatment. Most places such as M Medical Spa would and should have medical and professional staff as part of their team.

“I thought I would fail my exams, but I didn’t. Now I don’t know what to do, as it would mean having to waste a year because I did not apply for uni! Should I just give up?”.

First of all, giving up is never an option. Even if you do not get in to University this year, you can always take a gap year and gain invaluable experience. However, it is not too late because you can still apply at some Universities with what they call the clearing system. The University of Bedfordshire Clearing 2008 starts on the 14th August and that means that you can apply with them to start university this year. Clearing is when Universities check what places are still available as some people may have been offered places at multiple Universities. So you still have the chance to do something about it.

Good Luck and congratulations on your exam results.

“I have been overweight as long as I can remember. But now I am worried about my health. What can I do?”

There are several stages of being overweight and each stage means different levels of actions should be taken. This would be dependant on your BMI - Body Mass Index. If you BMI is slight above average, the first and most basic steps would be to eat healthily and try to include some exercise.

If you feel you need to lose more than a couple of kilos, you might want to consult your doctor who might be able to recommend more drastic treatment such as medication, gastric banding or liposuction!

I have always maintained that education is extremely important. In fact I am not the only one, which is why education is compulsory until 16. But education does not need to end there. Today without a degree there is very little that one can do. I have heard people say but I cannot afford it. Yet there are websites which can help you find a grant to help you continue your education such as the Pell grants. The truth is that unless you want it and unless you try, you will not get anywhere. So spend a little time and think about where you want to be in 10 years time and then think about your next step!

I cannot help but wonder how many visitors actually come to this website, and how many people actually benefit from my advice. I have been thinking of installing a free hit counter but that would only tell me how many people visit the site. It is up to you my visitors to tell me what you think. Do feel free to leave comments and email any problems you have. I cannot promise to answer all problems, but I will do my best.

“My son is driving my car with a learner licence and therefore no insurance. I am worried that he will get caught and go to prison. How can I stop him?”

As you are aware, it is illegal to drive without both a licence and without insurance. On top of which, not only does your son stand a chance of getting a fine and a possible jail sentence but you also run the risk of having your car seized by the police and crushed. That would soon put a stop to his driving but it would also stop your driving.

Do explain the situation to your son as it can affect the rest of his life. You can always offer him an incentive to get his licence like paying for his insurance. You can easily get Discount Car Insurance to cover him. Last but not least, do hide your keys from him to make sure he does not take your car. After all, your car is your responsibility!

“My husband wants me to get him National Final Rodeo tickets for his birthday, and he wants me to go with him. I am not sure that I want to go. Should I just buy him something else?”

I am not going to say what you should do and what you should not do. What I am going to do is give you some points to ponder and some other possible options. The choice will be up to you.

First of all, just buying him another gift without consulting him, seems a bit disrespectful. He is also likely to be very disappointed if he got a different gift especially if it is something which does not appeal to him.

Have you considered getting him a couple of tickets and suggesting he takes a friend who will appreciate it instead of you?

Try to speak to him and tell him how you feel. You might be surprised what other options he might come up with.

Last but not least, consider going with him. Perhaps he can return the favour and go with you somewhere he is not keen to go eg the ballet or theatre or that Spice Girls concert! It is a win win situation!

“I was in a shop and ended up getting hurt. I cannot do much till I get better and I am feeling depressed. I was told that I could sue them and get some money.”

You could get try to go to court and get Commercial Lawsuit Finance but I am not the best person to speak to. You should ideally speak to a lawyer. However, you should be aware that even if you are awarded a sum of money this might not make any difference to how you are feeling. You might wish to mention it to your lawyers, as they may be able to organise finance to fund some therapy dealing with your depression.

“I am in a tight financial situation this Christmas as we had a ridiculous amount of unexpected expenses. I don’t want the kids to go without this Christmas but do not know what to do?”

First of all if your children are old enough to understand, you could explain things to them. If they are too young to understand then they probably have not yet understood the concept of our commercial Christmases.

However, if you really cannot face not buying Christmas presents for the children, you could always try getting an Unsecured Line of Credit. These tend to be easy and fast to get. However they are best suited for a short term loan rather than long term. Only take out the loan if you really feel that you can afford to pay it back.

Remember there are things you can make and do that cost practically nothing and will not detract from the joy of Christmas.