Connect with a menopause healthcare practitioner today

Many women manage their symptoms with natural remedies and lifestyle changes, but this doesn’t work for everyone. Clinically proven prescription medications that help manage hormone fluctuations are a primary treatment option to relieve symptoms of menopause. 

Always consult a healthcare provider before starting any natural treatments. Herbal supplements, in particular, may interact with other medications and are not subject to the same safety and efficacy regulations as prescription medications.

At Felix, we do not require testing to assess or treat menopause symptoms. This phase of life is natural and expected, and clinical guidelines recommend that treatment be prescribed by way of symptom review rather than lab tests or blood work.   

The standard recommendation is that if a patient is of an appropriate age to be going through menopause, and no other issues are present, labs testing hormone levels are not necessary and offer little value in diagnosing and treating symptoms normally seen in menopause. Due to fluctuating hormones, testing can end up being misleading and therefore problematic.

Treatment for menopause symptoms can differ in approach depending on the severity of symptoms along with your individual lifestyle and health needs. 

At its core, Menopause is about hormone fluctuations. Severe symptoms can be treated by rebalancing hormone levels. Taking hormones can smooth these fluctuations and help relieve symptoms. These medication options typically come in several different forms (pill, patch, cream) to accommodate various lifestyles.

For those who may have milder symptoms, allergies, or cannot take hormonal options, non-hormonal medications designed to treat specific individual symptoms can help alleviate discomfort. 

While they don’t target symptoms themselves, some vitamins and supplements can also help your general well-being by contributing to areas like energy levels and sleep.

Connect with a Felix healthcare practitioner trained in menopause symptom management to discuss what treatment options might be right for your symptoms and lifestyle.

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Though the menopause transition is universal, symptoms can vary widely from person to person. This means everyone’s individual experience is unique, and there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to treatment. 

Felix healthcare practitioners are trained in the treatment of menopause symptoms and will work with you to create a care plan that targets each of your symptoms. They’ll also customize your treatment options based on your lifestyle, and adjust your plan as required if your needs or symptoms change.

The menopause program has an initial visit fee of $99, which is only charged if your visit is approved and a prescription is issued. This covers:

1. Your first consultation with a Felix healthcare practitioner trained in midlife health and the treatment of menopause symptoms
2. A symptom-specific treatment plan to suit your individual needs and lifestyle 
3. Ongoing access to our chat to connect with your practitioner 24/7 for support or to ask them any questions you might have about your treatment
4. Free shipping and automatic refills of your chosen treatment option

If required, you can book additional follow-up visits with your practitioner for $40/visit — though if things are going well with your treatment these may not be necessary. 

Medication costs for the program are separate and will vary depending on the medication prescribed and your private insurance coverage. Medications authorized for sale by Health Canada are likely to be covered by your insurance provider, and we can bill them directly.

We use long-standing, proven medication options authorized for sale by Health Canada to treat menopause symptoms. Our solutions are the most common and effective medication options for symptoms of menopause as outlined by the latest clinical standards. 

As with any medication, there are risks associated with treatment. Our healthcare practitioners are trained to discuss these risks in detail with you and provide a treatment plan that works best with your medical history, symptoms and lifestyle.

Published in 2002, the Women’s Health Initiative study (WHI) revealed what turned out to be exaggerated risks associated with Hormone Treatment, severely impacting the way menopause is treated for decades to come.

The resulting media storm led to a communications catastrophe that drastically diminished the use of hormone treatments among women and led to the removal of menopause education from the medical curriculum for all Canadian doctors. Even today, menopause is not part of the standard curriculum in most medical schools.

We launched the Felix menopause program because we believe women deserve to know about all their treatment options and have a choice in how they manage their menopause transition.

Many different symptoms can accompany the menopause transition, but hot flashes and night sweats (also called vasomotor symptoms) are often the most well-known. A hot flash isn’t just a feeling of heat, it’s a wave that envelops the body (typically around the neck and upper chest) and makes it warm to the touch. Night sweats are essentially hot flashes that happen while you’re sleeping. 

The mechanisms behind hot flash and night sweat symptoms aren’t fully understood, but we know estrogen plays a role in temperature regulation. This means that a significant drop in estrogen levels can lead to your brain thinking you’re too hot (when you’re not) and it needs to rapidly cool you down. Everyone may experience hot flashes slightly differently, but they can happen anywhere and can often be distressing and unpleasant.

Side effects can differ depending on the treatments you’re taking to alleviate your symptoms. 

Some of the most common side effects could include breast tenderness, nipple sensitivity, bloating, leg cramps, nausea/heartburn, and headaches. 

Other common side effects could range from mood changes, PMS-type symptoms, breast tenderness, bloating, or headaches.

If side effects are intolerable, please talk to your healthcare practitioner to discuss side effect management.

Clinically proven, prescription medications that help manage hormone fluctuations are the primary treatment option to relieve menopause symptoms. 

Depending on the severity of your symptoms, other products, strategies, and lifestyle modifications can also help:

• Nonprescription remedies such as over-the-counter vaginal lubricants (silicone or water-based) or moisturizers with hyaluronic acid can be used as cooling techniques for vasomotor symptoms 
• Lifestyle modifications such as regular exercise, maintaining a healthy diet, and avoiding trigger substances like caffeine and alcohol can help support your overall health and reduce stress
• Dietary adjustments such as including more calcium and vitamin D can help maintain a healthy immune system as well as support bone and teeth health ‍
• Mind-body techniques such as yoga, tai chi, acupuncture, and meditation can help manage stress and improve mood

Colloquially, menopause is referred to as the entire transition from full ovarian function (ovaries capable of ovulating) to complete cessation (ovaries stop ovulating, meaning no more eggs are developed) — it’s essentially puberty in reverse. 

Medically speaking, menopause is just one day — the day twelve months after the final menstrual period. However, the full menopause transition is a continuum involving three stages: perimenopause, menopause, and postmenopause. These three stages will last between one-third to one-half of a woman’s (or anyone with ovaries) life.

Perimenopause marks the beginning of the menopause transition when the hormone levels in your body start to fluctuate. These fluctuations can trigger a range of symptoms including sleep disruption, mood swings, hot flashes, and night sweats. Perimenopause often starts in the mid-to-late forties (but can begin earlier), and lasts between 1-7 years depending on the person.  

‍Find out more information about perimenopause.

Progesterone is a hormone produced by your ovaries after ovulation. It helps balance estrogen levels during a normal menstrual cycle by regulating the growth of your uterine lining. During perimenopause, more estrogen and less progesterone can lead to longer and heavier periods that can be very uncomfortable. Increasing progesterone can level out hormones, alleviate irregular and painful menstrual cycle symptoms, and avoid unchecked thickening of the uterine lining. 

Transgender women, and women who have had a hysterectomy, have a hormonal IUD, or have a congenital absence of the uterus will not need progesterone.

Estrogen is a broader term used to describe the group of hormones that includes estradiol, estriol, and estrone. Estradiol is a specific type of estrogen hormone that is often referred to as the most potent form of estrogen. Estrogen hormones play an important role in reproductive health, as well as other bodily functions like metabolism, regulating temperature, stabilizing mood, and maintaining bone density and cardiovascular health.

During the stages of menopause, your estrogen levels decline. Though this decline is completely natural, it creates hormonal fluctuations that can lead to uncomfortable symptoms. Increasing Estradiol can help balance these fluctuations and alleviate menopause symptoms associated with a lack of estrogen. 

Learn more about what happens to your hormones during menopause

Common treatment options for symptoms of menopause include:

• Hormone treatment: A widely used treatment for relieving menopausal symptoms, especially hot flashes and vaginal dryness
• Topical treatments: Applied locally to relieve vaginal dryness, discomfort during intercourse, and some urinary symptoms
• Non-hormonal medications: typically used for women who cannot take hormones or are allergic to components of the medications. 
• Vitamins and supplements like vitamin D and melatonin: Often taken alongside common medications to help maintain overall good health.
• Diet and lifestyle changes: eating nutritious foods that include vitamin D and calcium, as well as regular exercise can help support overall health and immune system 

Felix healthcare practitioners are here to provide you with high-quality on-demand care. Felix healthcare practitioners are trained in the diagnosis and treatment of menopause symptoms. They will be able to give thoughtful medical recommendations, effectively assess your risks based on medical history and provide in-depth answers to all your questions. 

After your initial consultation, they’ll be available to chat with you 24/7, which means you can reach out with questions, concerns, or updates whenever you need.

Felix healthcare practitioners are licensed nurse practitioners (NPs) and doctors (MDs) who have been trained in the treatment of menopause symptoms. In addition to their invaluable clinical experience, they receive intensive training from nationally recognized experts in perimenopause and menopause.

No. We use an asynchronous telemedicine model so you can complete your online visit in your own time and we save your progress so you can come back later to finish it.

If you are completing a visit in the mental health or weight loss categories, your healthcare practitioner may require a phone or video call to discuss your medical profile further during the assessment process.

Most assessments do not require a phone or video conversation. Once a prescriber has reviewed the info in your assessment they will respond to you via secure instant messages that you can access within your Felix account.  

If you are completing a visit in the mental health or weight loss categories, your healthcare practitioner may require a phone or video call to discuss your medical profile further during the assessment process.

After creating an account, you will complete a medical assessment for evaluation by one of the Felix healthcare practitioners. 

During your assessment, you will have the opportunity to send your practitioner questions via secure messaging.  

In most cases, practitioners will complete your assessment with secure messaging alone but sometimes they may determine you require an audio or video visit and/or further diagnostic testing to help determine the best treatment plan for you. 

If your practitioner has determined a prescription treatment is appropriate, they will approve your visit and write you a prescription. Our pharmacy will then ship your prescription to your home.

You’ll be able to message your healthcare practitioner if you have questions or want to make changes to your treatment at any time.

You can expect to receive a response from a healthcare practitioner within 48 hours of submission.  Delays may occur at high volume periods or over statutory holidays – we thank you for your patience and look forward to supporting you.

Great, you’ve already taken the first step! Next, a healthcare practitioner will review your assessment and if necessary, will send you a link to book an online audio or video appointment with them. This appointment will help them determine the best treatment plan for you. If your healthcare practitioner thinks you will benefit from an available medication, they will write you a prescription. Our pharmacy can ship your medication to your home if you would like your medication dispensed through the Felix Pharmacy network.

Absolutely. Our online assessments have been designed to ask all the necessary questions required for diagnosis. We’ve worked with specialists to create an assessment process that can provide sufficient information for the healthcare practitioner to determine whether or not you are eligible for a prescription and craft an appropriate treatment plan.

No. Felix provides a faster, hassle-free way for you to get a treatment plan for certain conditions, but our service does not replace your primary care provider. For matters that extend beyond obtaining a lifestyle treatment safely and easily, we encourage you to consult your primary health practitioner in person — whether for checkups, personal health concerns, or to inform them about your current treatments or treatment plans.

Call 911 or proceed to your nearest emergency room immediately. Felix is not intended for medical emergencies. Once the emergency has been addressed or resolved, contact your prescribing practitioner to inform them of your experience as this may impact your current treatment plan.

Felix is Canada’s first truly integrated healthcare platform. We provide on-demand treatment for everyday health needs like weight loss, mental health, sexual health, and more. Founded in 2019, our digital-first approach to healthcare includes everything from diagnosis to prescription — all accessible from the comfort of home.

Anyone who is 18 years or older (16 or older for acne and birth control prescriptions), and is located in Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan or Ontario. We cannot ship treatments outside of these provinces at this time.

Treatment coverage varies greatly between different insurance plans.

The good news is that if you are covered, Felix can bill your insurer directly, and then process your treatment plan at no additional cost to you. We recommend that you upload your private and/or provincial benefit card during the online visit so that our pharmacy partner can apply any coverage you are eligible for before processing your treatment plan.

Insurance coverage for treatment plans through Felix doesn’t include the cost of your visit.

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Go to Billing where you can add or update your insurance information on file.

You will find the official receipt for your medication costs within your package from the pharmacy. This receipt can be used to submit a manual claim directly to your insurance/benefits provider. Future refills will be direct-billed directly to your insurance provider, once you have uploaded your insurance information from the Billing tab of your account.

The coverage you are eligible for will not be deducted until the pharmacy processes your refill, so the price you see in your profile is the estimated maximum medication cost before benefits. Once the pharmacy ships your meds, the actual cost will be displayed for the respective refill.

A Felix online visit is considered asynchronous since it is conveniently completed through a secure chat bases system. Currently, asynchronous visits are not covered by insurance or provincial health plans so you will be charged a visit fee, depending on the category of treatment you are requesting.

A signature upon delivery may be required.

Your address can be updated from the Shipping tab of your account. Kindly note that any changes need to be made 48hr ahead of your refill date.

Not long. After completing your assessment, a practitioner will generally respond within 24 hours, and often much sooner.

The pharmacy will process and fill your prescription within 2-3 business days of your prescription approval date if there is nothing blocking them from doing so.

All packages are shipped via Express Post, which usually takes 2-3 business days. You will receive an email with your tracking number once your treatment has been shipped.

You have 14 days from the date your tracking link was sent to notify us of an undelivered or lost package, or damaged medication.

There is currently no cost to have your medication sent to you from our Felix Pharmacy network.

Absolutely. All Felix shipments arrive in a nondescript blister package so you can have your treatment shipped wherever makes sense for you as long as there is someone there to sign for it.

Depending on your province of residence and the treatment being dispensed, your Felix packages may require a signature on delivery. If this cannot be collected where necessary, your package will be available at the closest post office for pick up. Usually, packages are available for up to 14 days after the first attempted delivery. If you don’t pick up your package within the allotted time, it will be returned to the sender, which may cause a further delay in your delivery.

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Status updates for your prescription will appear in the Upcoming tab. You’ll be able to see if your prescription is being processed by our pharmacists or if it’s en route for delivery.

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Refill schedule (drug dependent)

• Monthly: refill is processed approx. every 20 to 23 days
• Every 2 months: refill is processed approx. every 50 to 53 days
• Every 3 months: refill is processed approx. every 76 to 84 days

Yes, the pharmacy will process your prescription to account for any expected delays due to the holiday season.

We are happy to facilitate requests for a release of your medical records with Felix to your primary care provider.

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Your privacy is our top priority. All your data is 256 bit SSL/TLS encrypted, and we take significant steps to keep your data secure. You can read our Privacy Policy for more information. 

Yes, your security is paramount to Felix’s mission. Personal health information provided during your medical assessment is strictly and legally confidential between you and the Felix healthcare practitioner.

Beyond that, all your account information (including the medical assessment, credit card, and shipping information, etc.) is also stored safely and securely. Felix is compliant with all federal and provincial health privacy legislation. It is our duty to protect your data with comprehensive security infrastructure and stringent data policies to ensure it stays private and secure.

Read more on our Privacy Policy.

Yes! In Canada, only a licensed healthcare practitioner can write a prescription, and only a registered pharmacist can fill that prescription. We are supported by leaders in the Canadian pharmacology and specialized medical fields. Felix adheres strictly to all the regulations set forth by all applicable Colleges of Pharmacists and Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons in which we operate.

Absolutely. All prescriptions obtained via Felix are provided by licensed Canadian healthcare practitioners—the same as you would get at a hospital, doctor’s office, or clinic. These practitioners do not provide prescriptions unless they deem it medically safe and appropriate to write them based on your medical profile and assessment answers. Our assessments have been crafted by the practitioners on our medical team. Finally, all Felix Pharmacies are provincially accredited just like any retail pharmacy.