You had questions about menopause care. We have answers.
I think I might be experiencing menopause symptoms and I’m interested in speaking with a HerMD clinician to explore potential treatment options. What can I expect during my first visit?
The team of healthcare professionals at HerMD is here to address all of your menopause symptoms and concerns. All HerMD clinicians are trained in specialized menopause care by The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) and will formulate an evidence-based treatment approach unique to you and your lifestyle. During your first visit with a HerMD clinician, you can expect to have all your concerns heard and addressed in a safe and trusted space. We will discuss any symptoms you may be experiencing, may utilize certain evaluation modalities to arrive at a diagnosis, such as labs or imaging, and conduct a comprehensive review of evidence-based treatment options. Clinicians’ specialized menopause training ensures all patients receive the most effective and up-to-date treatments, which are dictated by current research outcomes and clinical guidelines, to optimize their unique health outcomes.
I’ve heard a lot of buzz recently about the dangers associated with hormone therapy. Will HerMD prescribe hormone therapy as part of my menopause treatment plan?
Hormone therapy is just one of the many treatment offerings we provide to our patients at HerMD. During your menopause appointment, we will listen to your deeply personal health needs and provide compassionate care. Multiple treatment solutions can be offered as part of your menopause treatment plan.
If your HerMD clinician determines you are a candidate for treatment with hormone therapy, rest assured that hormone therapy continues to be one of the most effective therapeutic options for the treatment of menopause symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats. Hormone therapy remains effective in treating many other symptoms of menopause as well.
The decision to use hormone therapy is individual specific. At HerMD, we partner with you in your healthcare, and we are able to offer a profile of hormone-based treatment options to you based on your unique health profile, if you are deemed a candidate for hormone therapy. Prior to initiating hormone therapy, we will conduct a thorough review of your personal and family health history, the severity of symptoms you are experiencing, calculate your specific risk for developing certain medical conditions, and prior use of hormone therapy. This approach ensures your clinical outcomes are maximized and any potential risks are minimized. Hormone therapy is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach, and we at HerMD utilize this framework in our approach to treatment offerings.
My sister started on a certain hormone therapy and I am also interested in starting on that same form of therapy. Is this possible?
If your HerMD clinician determines you are a candidate for receiving treatment for your menopause symptoms with hormone therapy, they will conduct a robust discussion with you about possible hormone therapy treatment offerings. As is the case with all medications, inherent potential risks are present when starting on treatment with hormone therapy. The potential risks associated with the use of hormone therapy will differ for each individual depending on the type, dose, duration of use, route of administration, and timing of initiation of the hormone therapy in question. Whether the use of additional hormones are needed will also be included as part of your individual risk calculation. Because each individual will have a unique potential risk profile when starting on any form of hormone therapy, not everyone will be a candidate for a specific type of hormone therapy. At HerMD, we pride ourselves on formulating a targeted treatment plan that will optimize your health outcomes.
If, after a discussion with my HerMD clinician, I decide to start treatment with hormone therapy, how will I be monitored?
If you’ve made the decision to move forward with hormone therapy after a discussion with your HerMD clinician, part of this discussion would have included targeted goals for treatment. It has been well-established that the goal of treatment with hormone therapy is to manage, and ultimately, improve, any menopause symptoms you may be experiencing. We will monitor your response to treatment based on the extent to which your menopause symptoms improve after starting on treatment with hormone therapy, as well as any potential side effects you may experience. At HerMD, we believe your healthcare is personal, and we partner with you to ensure you receive the best health outcomes. In the setting of administration of hormone therapy, we will see you, in person or virtually, at certain intervals to evaluate certain components of your health. We may use labs to provide insight into important clinical information, one of the many facets of evaluation to manage your delicate interplay of multiple menopause symptoms.
What about non-hormonal treatment options to alleviate menopause symptoms. Are those offerings available at HerMD?
In addition to hormone therapy treatments, relief from menopause symptoms can come from lifestyle changes and non-hormonal treatment approaches. Non-hormonal options are available for patients who are not interested in beginning treatment with hormone therapy or have contraindications to hormone therapy. Medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), gabapentin, and clonidine are examples of effective non-hormonal treatment options. Lifestyle modification approaches can also help to relieve menopause symptoms and aid in overall wellness.