Episode Details

“Night sweats. I cannot go on like this. What are people taking who can’t take HRT?”

That was a recent post in our community and the replies came flooding in.

Venlafaxine. Oxybutynin. Acupuncture. HRT. Lifestyle changes. So many people trying different things to manage debilitating hot flushes and night sweats after cancer.

But increasingly, two new names are appearing in these conversations: fezolinetant (Veoza) and elinzanetant (Lynkuet).

These newer non-hormonal medicines have been specifically developed to treat menopausal hot flushes and night sweats. But what are they? How do they work? And, crucially for our community, can you take them after cancer?

I’m joined once again by the wonderful Dr Zoe Schaedel, NHS GP, menopause specialist and sleep expert, to give us a practical roadmap.

We discuss:

• How fezolinetant and elinzanetant work and why they're different from some of the older non-hormonal options
• What we currently know about their use following different cancers
• Side effects, contraindications and the concerns you've perhaps heard about
• How to actually access them
• Why access can vary across the NHS
• What your local formulary and its “traffic light” classification can tell you
• Whether your GP can prescribe or whether you may need a menopause specialist or oncologist

And for our listeners outside the UK, we also talk about some of the barriers to accessing these medicines elsewhere, including the frustrating issue of insurance coverage in the US.

We’ve been following this story for a while…

Way back in Episode 46, I spoke to Professor Waljit Dhillo, one of the researchers behind this new approach to treating hot flushes.

At the time, these medicines felt like an exciting glimpse into the future.

Well, the future is here.

People in our community are now taking them and we're hearing experiences like this:

“Veoza!! After a year on these, I am starting to get a few again, but still a million times better than before!”

So this episode moves the conversation from “What might be coming?” to:

Could this be an option for me and how do I get it?

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Intro

06:23 Treating menopause with neurokinin blockers

09:36 Navigating menopause after cancer

12:02 New menopause treatment options

15:15 GP and menopause specialist roles

19:14 Discussing Vioza and cancer treatment suitability

21:59 Discussing Vyosa and cancer treatment safety

24:47 Observing NICE approval process

29:46 Helping patients stick with treatment

30:26 Discussing Vioza side effects

33:41 Discussing Vioza safety concerns

40:00 Access to new prescription approval

40:47 Understanding UK Medication Access

Here is more info about Dr Zoe Schaedel:

https://www.mylahealth.co.uk/

Other episodes mentioned today:

Ep 124 “How to Fix Your Sleep Issues – From Medication to Mindfulness”

Ep 143 “Alternatives to HRT. Prescribable Non-Hormonal Options”

Ep 146 “Your Plan For Better Sleep.”