Prescription Medications
Non-Hormonal Prescription Medications for Menopause
Effective, Evidence-Based Relief Beyond Hormones
While Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is the gold standard for managing many menopausal symptoms, it is not the right choice for every woman. Whether due to a specific medical history (such as a history of breast cancer), personal preference, or because you’ve experienced side effects, you deserve to have safe, effective, and scientifically-proven alternatives.
At MyMenopauseSupport, I am committed to providing a full spectrum of care. There are excellent, licensed non-hormonal prescription medications that can provide significant relief from the most disruptive symptoms of menopause, particularly hot flushes, night sweats, and mood changes. My goal is to work with you to find the right solution to restore your quality of life.
Prescription Options
Your Prescription Options for Managing Menopause Symptoms
We will have a thorough discussion to determine which, if any, of these medications is the most appropriate and safest choice for your specific symptom profile and health history.
SSRIs & SNRIs (Antidepressants)
SSRIs and SNRIs are modern antidepressants that, in menopause care, are used at low doses not to treat depression but to act on the brain’s temperature control centre, reducing hot flushes and night sweats and helping with anxiety, irritability, and low mood; common options include venlafaxine, citalopram, and escitalopram.
Gabapentin
Gabapentin is a medication also used for nerve pain and epilepsy, and in menopause it can be especially helpful if night sweats are disrupting sleep by acting on the brain’s temperature regulation center, so it’s often taken at night for its mild sedative effect.
Oxybutynin
Oxybutynin is commonly used for overactive bladder, and it can also reduce hot flashes and night sweats by blocking a brain chemical involved in temperature control, making it a good option if you also have urinary urgency.
Clonidine
Clonidine was developed for high blood pressure and may offer modest relief from hot flashes, so it is useful when other treatments are not suitable.
Fezolinetant (Veozah)
Fezolinetant (Veozah) is a newer, non-hormonal medicine designed specifically for menopausal hot flashes; it targets the KNDy pathway in the brain to calm the temperature control center and can effectively reduce hot flashes and night sweats without affecting mood or other systems.
