Perimenopause to Menopause: A Positive Change

Thousands of women come to Women's Health America and the consulting pharmacists at Madison Pharmacy Associates for information as they experience the transition between perimenopause and menopause. Perimenopause - defined as the time around menopause - is usually a period sometime between ages 35 and 50. The average age of menopause - a woman's last menstrual period - is 51. Every woman's perimenopausal experience is different - symptoms vary in intensity and duration.

The healthy steps we recommend to help young women manage midlife symptoms and feel their best every day are described in these pages. You'll also find answers to the most frequently asked questions about perimenopause and menopause.

A healthy diet. Frequent small meals help you maintain a steady blood sugar level and avoid energy highs and lows. Complex carbohydrates such as raw and leafy vegetables, whole grains and legumes are good staples. Foods with soy protein (crunchy soy nuts, soy milk or tofu blended with fruit, juice and yogurt to make a refreshing ''smoothie'' are good examples) contain substances called isoflavones that have been found to relieve hot flashes and help prevent osteoporosis, heart disease, and breast cancer. We suggest limiting caffeine, carbonated soft drinks, nicotine and alcohol - all are associated with bone loss.

How to take charge of your symptoms! We've compiled the latest research and hints from thousands of women to develop strategies for managing perimenopausal symptoms. Be sure to view our sections on what to do for a waning sex drive, for tips on getting a good night's sleep, and for suggestions on coping with hot flashes and mood swings.

Ways to get physical! Moderate outdoor exercise reduces stress. Walking, biking and swimming are good for overall fitness, but you'll also want to include weight-bearing exercise (dancing, jogging, or tennis) to keep your bones strong. Page 13 tells more about choosing a routine that starts gently and adds fun to your life!

Membership in Women's Health America. You'll be the first to know Women's Health Access: Help is a phone call away at 1-800-222-4767 about breakthroughs in women's health, and we'll keep you up to date on leading products to make the years before and after menopause healthy and satisfying.

Long before the term ''women's health'' existed, we were listening to women tell us about their health concerns - what they need, what works for them in managing symptoms before and after menopause, and what doesn't. That shared history and experience forms the foundation for all of our products and services. Today, our consulting pharmacists combine over 100 years of experience in women's health issues!

First in the U.S. to identify PMS

Our unique story began in Madison, Wisconsin, in the late 1970s when we worked with one ''special'' woman who suffered from severe PMS every month. There was no diagnosis and no treatment options for her symptoms in the U.S. except tranquilizers, antidepressants or a hysterectomy. She was told her symptoms were ''all in her head.''

Through our own research, we identified her symptoms as PMS and as pharmacists, worked with her doctor to develop treatments for her. She was the first woman in America to use natural progesterone. To our surprise, PMS soon became a household word and news of our work began to spread to thousands of women across the U.S. In 1982, Madison Pharmacy Associates was founded as the first pharmacy in the country to specialize in women's health. Today, many women who sought advice from us about PMS are turning to us again for support during perimenopause.

We've helped over 300,000 women and 7,000 physicians, and we're here for you, too. Be sure to call the consulting pharmacists at Madison Pharmacy Associates at 1-800-558-7046 if you have questions about how to feel your best and enjoy life to the fullest!

Here's to your health,

Marla Ahlgrimm, R. Ph.