More than one in five Canadians do not have a doctor or health care provider they can see regularly (OurCare.ca, 2023) and for those who do, physicians often do not have sufficient training in menopause care, leaving millions of women suffering needlessly for years. 

In this episode, family physician and menopause specialist Dr. Sarah Naomi Shaw discusses the many barriers to accessing effective menopause care in Canada, from lack of doctor training in medical school, to long waitlists for specialists, to persistent misconceptions about the risks of treatments like menopause hormone therapy and more. Dr. Shaw tells us where and how to find a certified menopause specialist in your area and how patients can best prepare for doctor visits to receive the best care possible. 

Finally, Dr. Shaw discusses all of the treatment options available to women from lifestyle changes, to non-hormonal therapies, to menopause hormone therapy. 

The main non-hormonal medications categories for hot flashes are:

• SSRI/SNRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors/selective norephinephrine reuptake inhibitors) medication. These drugs are most often used to treat depression and anxiety but also can help manage hot flashes. For example, paroxetine, venlaxfaxine, escitalopram 
• Gabapentinoids
• Oxybutinin

Fezolinetant is approved in the USA and hopefully will be available in Canada in 2024.

Find Dr. Shaw and her colleagues on Instagram at @ItsOurTimeCanada.

Find Melissa Grelo on Instagram @MelissaGrelo and @AgingPowerfullyWithMG, or on her website AgingPowerfullyWithMelissaGrelo.com. Find clips of the show on YouTube @MelissaGrelo. 

Producer: Melissa Grelo

Technical Producer and Editor: Drew Garner