Update on Hot Flashes

Not only are they affecting 80% of women, they are very disruptive. Studies show that hot flashes alone as a healthcare issue cost businesses roughly $14 Billion dollars annually. And that doesn’t include the toll it takes on every business woman and her retention in the workforce. Dr. Sharon Seibel and I have a new book coming out on this  entitled Working Through Menopause: The impact on women, businesses and the bottom line. Hot flashes have also been associated with an increased risk of heart disease.

Treatments for hot flashes range from lifestyle changes to herbal options to non-estrogen prescriptions to estrogen itself, which is at present believed to be the most effective treatment, though it comes with some fears for literally millions of women, largely due to misinformation. That is the subject of an earlier book of mine entitled The Estrogen Window and later The Estrogen Fix. 

Two new medical options on the horizon that are in phase 3 clinical trials. I believe we will be seeing them in the new year. One is a medication that works on the brain and is a totally new way to treat hot flashes. It is a non-estrogen that will be in the form of a pill taken once daily. The second is a “new” bioidentical estrogen called estetrol. We’ve known about it for a while but it is now in advanced trials as mentioned above. There is also a soy derived supplement that has been around a while but a new study is causing it to get a lot of attention. It’s called Equelle. All are exciting options for what many consider the most bothersome of the menopause symptoms…hot flashes.

Click here to order you copy of Working Through Menopause to find out to address your menopause symptoms at work and what your business can do to support women in midlife. It’s a book every business woman and business should read.