Natural Menopause Is a
Change You Can Cope With

For women, our bodies have always been constant sources of discovery. The physical changes we experience — from childhood through puberty, into our sexually active and childbearing years — signal growth and maturity, and become our own unique milestones.

Menopause is another period of physical change that most women will go through naturally in our 40s up to our late 50s. There is a shift as we gradually stop ovulating, and menstruation and fertility end.

When a woman has not had a period for a full year, she is in menopause. The transition period into menopause is called perimenopause, and the years beyond are called postmenopause. It's important to understand what to expect at each stage.

The transition stage to menopause can last for 6 years or more and is called perimenopause. Changes during this time occur as your body makes less and less estrogen and progesterone (the hormones needed for ovulation and fertility). With these hormonal changes, women often see a difference in their monthly periods — the cycles may be longer for some, shorter for others, and irregular or heavy as well.

Also, a number of symptoms can begin during perimenopause, before menopause when your period stops completely. The frequency or severity of these symptoms can vary from woman to woman. These may include:

• Hot flashes
• Night sweats
• Vaginal dryness
• Mood swings
• Insomnia
• Memory problems
• Psychological symptoms (anxiety, depression, erratic behavior)
• Urinary concerns (including incontinence, urinary tract infections)

Like many other of the physical life stages we've faced as women, menopause calls for us to adapt to the changes our bodies and emotions are going through. And if we have a good understanding of what we need to cope with, keeping our balance through the stresses of our current active lives may be easier than we think.

Healthcare providers may recommend that women going through natural menopause pay attention to a few lifestyle areas:

• Diet: Add calcium to your diet, as decreased estrogen is related to increased risk for osteoporosis
• Exercise: Have a workout regimen that includes aerobic, weight-bearing, and flexibility exercises to help fortify the body
• Other healthy changes, such as quitting smoking and stress-reduction strategies, can be effective as well
• Create a self-nurturing environment with a little more "me time" to help reduce the anxieties that menopause may bring on

Additionally, if the need should arise, support groups can be found in your community or even through the Internet — to help you with some of your concerns about menopause.

In a recent study, the 2006 Menopause at Work survey* conducted by Harris Interactive among members of the National Association for Female Executives, 88% of the women surveyed (aged 35 and older) have had some experience with menopause.

95% of those who have experienced menopausal symptoms have physical symptoms — most commonly hot flashes (80%) and night sweats (74%).

79% of those who have experienced menopausal symptoms experience symptoms that are emotional or affect mental functioning, such as forgetfulness or diminished concentration (57%), irritability (53%), and mood changes (53%).

74% who were currently experiencing or had experienced menopause said that symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, and insomnia, were problematic in their daily lives.

31% of them said their menopausal symptoms were problematic to their romantic lives; and for 28%, symptoms were extremely problematic to their overall emotional well-being.

In fact, 52% of the women in the study professed that menopause was worse than they expected.

When this happens, perhaps it's time to find out about treatment options that can help.

*2006 Menopause at Work survey conducted by Harris Interactive among members of the National Association for Female Executives, paid for by Duramed Pharmaceuticals.

Every year, over 1 million women enter menopause, and some may experience difficulty in the transition for many reasons, including medical-related concerns.

When you're experiencing menopause and its symptoms of hot flashes and night sweats, you may think you're the only woman in the world who's feeling like you do.

But you're not — there are a lot of women who know what you're trying to cope with. Because of that, there are a wide variety of support groups available. And they can be found through your healthcare professional, your local hospitals and clinics, as well as through a search of the Internet.

It's important to find the therapy that works best for you. And your doctor can help — with prescription or nonprescription therapies, such as herbal remedies, vitamin supplements, over-the-counter treatments, or even a combination of prescription and nonprescription therapies.

In a recent study among women currently on hormone therapy,^† 19% believe that herbal supplements are very effective at either relieving or treating menopausal symptoms, 12% believe that non-prescription supplements are effective, and 65% believe that estrogen/hormone therapies are effective.

Prescription therapies for natural menopause may involve the use of estrogen, either alone or in combination with a natural or synthetic form of the hormone progesterone (progestin). For a woman with a uterus, estrogen increases her chance of getting uterine (endometrial) cancer. Adding progestin lowers this risk.

There are many different therapies available to help you cope with the symptoms of menopause. And because every woman's experience is unique, it's important to have a deeper discussion with your doctor about the benefits, risks, and side effects of any therapy you eventually choose. For instance, a woman who has had her uterus removed (hysterectomy), is not at risk for uterine cancer. Estrogen-only therapy may work to relieve her hot flashes and night sweats.

Getting good information about available therapies is the best way you can make an informed choice — so you can take charge of the changes and live well with menopause.

Your healthcare professional can also provide important information you need to make the best treatment choice for you. For tips on talking with your healthcare professional, please click here.

^†Gallup: 2005 Study of Women's Experience With Hormone Replacement Therapy.