Treatment for vaginal dryness, painful sex, frequent UTIs, and urgency.
Treatment for vaginal dryness, painful sex, frequent UTIs, and urgency.
Last Updated: February 10, 2025
If you are looking for specialized care for common menopause and post-menopause concerns, then Interlude is the place for you. Through Interlude, you can explore a range of treatments and connect with a qualified doctor. Whether you want to restore vaginal moisture, enjoy intimacy, prevent frequent UTIs, or stop urgent peeing, we're here to help.
Interlude is a supplement to your once-yearly PCP or GYN appointments. We offer an easy and comfortable way to get a personalized care plan, prescription treatment, and unlimited followups.
To get started you'll select your preferred treatment, and then create a secure account. After completing checkout, you'll then complete an online assessment that will be reviewed by our medical team. A board-certified MD or GYN will review this information and message you within 3-4 hours with information about your prescription.
Yes! We accept payment by HSA or FSA. You can also visit your account to download a receipt for reimbursement.
You can contact our amazing support team at support@getinterlude.com. We're here to help with any questions about your account, your shipments, and your payments. We're lighting fast at responding and you can expect a response within one day or less.
You can message your medical provider through your secure account. We aim to respond to all questions within one business day or less.
The vulva, vagina, urethra, labia, bladder, and clitoris are tissues in the body that exist because they contain estrogen. When your ovaries stop producing estrogen beginning in perimenopause, these tissues begin to atrophy. (We hate that word as much as you do. But atrophy is normal. And we're here to tell you that treatment is normal too.)
Also known as vulvar vaginal atrophy (VVA) or the genitourinary symptoms of menopause (GSM), vaginal atrophy is when the tissues feel dry, thin, too tight, or tender. You may notice changes in the shape of your vulva. You may even experience bleeding. As the tissues change due to lack of estrogen, the vagina produces less mositure, the vaginal canal shrinks, the vaginal folds lose elasticity, the clitoris becomes less prominent, blood flow and nerve sensation is reduced, and the urethra is exposed to abrasion and infection. This leads to painful sex, frequent UTIs, urgency to pee, yeast infections, loss of sexual pleasure, and discomfort in everyday activities. (Even wiping with toilet paper can be painful!)
We have chosen not to accept insurance and are prioritizing price transparency and affordability instead. Our online consult and prescription treatments are less than the price of a standard copay.
For information about our refund policy, please visit to our refund policy page.
Absolutely yes. Vaginal estradiol is applied to the vulva and the vaginal opening and restores moisture, plumpness, and elasticity to the tissues that have atrophied due to lack of estrogen.
Unlike oral forms of estrogen, vaginal estradiol is prescribed in low doses and is minimally absorbed in the bloodstream. It has not been shown to increase the risk of cancer, stroke, or clot and women's health advocates have been lobbying the FDA to remove these warnings from the boxed safety information.
Improvement is noticed starting in the first month, with a slower progressive improvement for the following 24 months.
If you're not seeing expected results or if you're experiencing side effects, talk to your Interlude clinician. They may be able to help figure out a solution. Checkins and messaging are included with your treatment and we look forward to helping you with any questions that come up.
Women seeking medical therapy can start when symptoms are severe (usually 10 years post-menopause) or earlier. Keep in mind that some vulvar tissues can disappear entirely in the post-menopausal years. The labia minora, for example, can completely dissolve without estradiol. When this happens, the urethra may be exposed to abrasion or bacteria. Vaginal estradiol can prevent this much like sunscreen prevents sun damage.
Vaginal estradiol cream is applied as directed by your Interlude clinician - usually once daily for two weeks and then twice weekly. A plastic applicator comes with the medication, but women find that it wastes medication and is uncomfortable to insert into the vagina - especially if irritation is already present. Ask your Interlude clinician to help create a routine that suits your needs - it may be perfectly fine and sometimes even preferable to apply instead with your fingers to the affected areas of your vulva and vagina.
Typically, yes. Vaginal estradiol mainly acts locally and only a small amount goes systemic. Even if there was significant systemic absorption the combination would still be in range.
Vaginal estrogen is not available over-the-counter, so you'll need a prescription. We make that part super simple with our online consult and prescription delivery.
To find when your shipment is arriving, log into your account and go to your Shipments page. There you can see an estimated date for when your order will ship. We'll also email you a tracking code as soon as we have it.
To schedule your shipment, log into your account and go to your Shipments page, and click "Reschedule refill shipment". From there you can set an earlier date for your shipment
We do not offer the ability to turn off automatic shipments. As part of our efforts to provide a transparent and convenient service, we do make it easy for you to either postpone your shipment or cancel all shipments entirely. Before your order ships, we send you an email and text message in case you need to postpone or cancel. To postpone, go to your Shipments page, and click "Reschedule shipment". To cancel, go to your Payments page, and click "I want to cancel".
To postpone your next shipment, go to your Shipments page and click "Reschedule next shipment".
If you're not getting the results you're expecting, or experiencing unintended side effects, consider messaging your provider. They will be happy to help figure things out. You can easily message them from your secure account. If there's something else, or if you just want to cancel shipments, go to your Payments page and click "I want to cancel".
Yes, you can get your prescription filled at your local pharmacy. The price you pay will depend on your pharmacy and insurance coverage. If you would like to transfer your prescription to your local pharmacy, just email support@getinterlude.com and we can assist you with the next steps.
Your one-time online visit fee covers up to 12 months or 6 refills, whichever comes first. We ship refills every 2 months with free shipping. When it's time for a refill and your prescription is expired, we will notify you to update your health profile so that our medical team can ensure that your medication is still appropriate and effective for you. An online visit fee may apply.
For information about our refund policy, please visit to our refund policy page.
