How to Get Expert Menopause Care (Without Leaving the House)

Maybe it starts at 3 a.m.: You wake up too hot, kick off the covers, then pull them back on minutes later. By morning, you’ve misplaced your phone and lost your train of thought halfway through a sentence twice. You might blame a bad night’s sleep or a particularly stressful week. But when the pattern keeps repeating, it may be worth considering another explanation: your hormones.

Menopause symptoms are incredibly common, but seeking help for them still isn't: In a recent study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings of nearly 5,000 women ages 45 to 60, more than three-quarters reported experiencing menopause symptoms — yet 87 percent hadn’t sought out medical treatment to deal with them. 

So why are so many women still going without care, and what would make getting that help easier? 

Why so many women go without perimenopause and menopause treatment

Part of the answer lies in the healthcare system itself. Around 1.3 million women in the U.S. experience menopause each year, yet only about 30 percent of OB/GYN residency programs provide formal menopause training.  

That leaves women facing two challenges at once: figuring out what's behind issues like vaginal dryness, mood swings, brain fog, and sleep problems — and finding a provider equipped to offer informed guidance. Too often, women are left to make sense of it all on their own, Googling symptoms and wondering whether what they're feeling is normal. But getting answers (and relief) can be simpler than you might think. 

How online menopause care works 

Here's where support built for the way women actually live can help close the gap. Perimenopause & Menopause by Hers was built specifically to make getting evaluated less of an ordeal. It starts with an online intake covering your health history and what you've been experiencing — no waiting room required. A licensed medical provider trained in women's health then reviews your information and determines whether treatment is right for you.

There's no one-size-fits-all menopause experience, so Hers doesn't offer one-size-fits-all care. If you're eligible, you'll get access to a personalized kit of up to three components: an estradiol cream, an estradiol pill or patch, and a progesterone pill. Your provider determines which combination, if any, is appropriate for your symptoms and health history.

If prescribed, your medication ships directly to you, for free. That's one less errand to deal with, and allows you to start addressing symptoms without changing into "outside pants." 

The relationship doesn't end once your prescription arrives: Hers patients get unlimited online access to provider messaging, regular check-ins, and treatment adjustments as needed. That matters, because your needs may shift over time.  Your treatment plan can change with them, and you won't have to search for care all over again.

The bigger picture on menopause care

Perimenopause and menopause both come down to the same underlying change: fluctuating, then declining, levels of estrogen and progesterone. In perimenopause, those swings can be unpredictable, which is part of why symptoms often feel confusing or hard to pin down. And left unaddressed, they tend not to resolve on their own.

That's why providers often encourage women to get evaluated sooner rather than later. But many women still hold back, often because of lingering fears around hormone therapy that trace back to a single, widely publicized 2002 study — one whose findings have since been reevaluated and placed in a more nuanced context. Our understanding of the risks and benefits of hormone therapy has evolved considerably since then, even if the cultural conversation hasn't always kept pace. 

None of that means every woman needs the same approach, or that hormone therapy is right for everyone. It does mean that disruptive or confusing symptoms are worth discussing with a qualified provider who understands them.

You don’t have to manage the change alone

Menopause is natural. That's never been in question. But "natural" and "something you have to muscle through alone" aren't the same thing.

If hot flashes are interrupting your meetings, poor sleep is wrecking your mornings, or brain fog has you wondering where your old self went, you don't have to wait for things to get worse — and you don't have to navigate this alone. Perimenopause & Menopause by Hers makes it possible to get evaluated, create a plan, and receive ongoing support from home, on your own schedule. Getting started takes just a few minutes, and it could be the first step toward feeling like yourself again.

Try Perimenopause & Menopause by Hers