Changes in your body. Visible changes with menopause may include a thickening at the waist, loss of muscle mass and increase in fat tissue, or thinning and loss of stretchiness in the skin. Other possible signs. Some women may experience headaches, memory problems, and joint and muscle stiffness or pain. You may not even notice two important aspects of menopause.
Osteoporosis develops as people age because their bones grow thinner and become less dense.
With time bones may become weak and may break. For women, the loss of estrogen around the time of menopause means that they may lose bone strength faster. The good news is that the risk of osteoporosis can be lowered. First, get plenty of calcium and vitamin D, both before and after menopause. Second, exercising often may also help keep muscles and bones strong and lessen the chance of falls and broken bones.