My mom has been feeling really tired and she says it's on and off for the last year and it's getting worse. She has already gone through menopause several years ago, she had it early, 37, but has always felt fine till the last year. Now she is 54.

She says that her muscles feel tired, like she hiked 10 miles but she wakes up feeling that way. Also she has had some hair loss.

I was thinking this could be low estrogen? So next week she is going to go to the doctor to see about getting some estrogen replacement. If this is what she needs, does anyone know what is the best kind to get?

I'm thinking anemia. Please get her blood checked for iron levels. Low iron, not estrogen, is probably the problem. For women, the norm is 12; mine was 5.8.

A (inexpensive) daily iron tablet might be all she needs.

(I can tell you my adventures with anemia from last fall if you have an hour to spare. I was always tired, had muscle aches and hair loss and almost no appetite. Food didn't even taste good. I thought it was fibromyalgia, but it was anemia. A blood test will tell her.)

Be sure to report back. I would love to know what happens.

I'm thinking anemia and/or hypothroidism. Have her get her thyroid levels checked as well.

Most good doctors these days are reluctant to prescribe ERT (estrogen replacement therapy) due to the increased risk of certain cancers.