Sex advice with Suzi Godson: Be aware of changes in your sex hormones

Suzi Godson answers your questions and offers some sex advice. 

I’m 44, have three children, and have always had a good and regular sex life. But about 18 months ago, I stopped being able to have an orgasm. Nothing has changed psychologically or physically — my gynaecologist says there is nothing wrong and that I’m definitely not having an early menopause. I’m at a loss.

You say that nothing has changed psychologically or physically, but I find this hard to believe. You don’t go from having regular orgasms to having no orgasms without something changing. The most likely explanation is a change in your hormone levels, and you are not too young to be perimenopausal. The average age for the onset of menopause is 51, but the transition can take up to eight years and in that period, unstable levels of the three main sex hormones — oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone — can play havoc with everything from your menstrual cycle to your waistline and your libido.