Treatment for vaginal dryness, painful sex, frequent UTIs, and urgency.
Treatment for vaginal dryness, painful sex, frequent UTIs, and urgency.
We've got answers!
If you are looking for specialized care for common menopause and post-menopause concerns, then Interlude is the place for you. Our team of medical specialists are experts in helping women to restore vaginal moisture, enjoy intimacy, prevent frequent UTIs, and stop urgent peeing.
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 create a secure account and complete payment. Then you'll take an online assessment that will be reviewed by our medical team. A licensed MD or GYN will create a prescription and care plan that's customized to your needs.
We are currently offering your first two months of prescription treatment for $15. After that, we'll ship refills for every two months. Your initial treatment requires a one-time $69 online visit fee. Unlimited messaging and free shipping are included in your care with us.
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 are a cash-pay service and do not accept insurance at this time. However, with rising out of pocket costs, high deductible plans, and high co-pays in the traditional health care system - our medical care is more affordable and accessible for most women - with or without insurance.
We primarily offer vaginal estradiol as a topical cream or vaginal suppository. The North American Menopause Society states in 2020: "For bothersome genitourinary syndrome of menopause symptoms not relieved with over-the-counter therapies in women without indications for use of systemic hormone therapy, low-dose vaginal estrogen therapy or other therapies (eg, vaginal dehydroepiandrosterone) are recommended."
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.
As developments in modern medicine continue to extend life expectancy beyond the menopausal years, caring for the vulva and vagina can help extend the life of tissue - and thus extend your enjoyment of your moment in life. Maintaining a healthy vulva and vagina decreases the risk of urinary tract infections, decreases bothersome vaginal dryness, decreases pain with sex, and reduces frequency and burning with urination.
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 fiture 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.
At Interlude we offer an online consultation with medical provider that's licensed in your state. All you need to do is take our online consultation. We'll pass your information along to a medical provider who will review your history and symptoms in detail and prescribe treatment if appropriate.
To find when your shipment is arriving, 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 refill for sooner, go to your Shipments page, and click "Reschedule refill shipment". From there you can set an earlier date for your refill. Note that you can re-order as soon as your current shipment is delivered.
We do not offer the ability to turn off automatic refills. As part of our efforts to provide a transparent and convenient service, we do make it easy for you to either postpone your refill or cancel all refills entirely. Before your order ships, we send you a text message in case you need to postpone or cancel. At that time, you can postpone by text. Or of course, you can postpone or cancel at any time from your account. To postpone, go to your Shipments page, and click "Reschedule refill shipment". To cancel, go to your Payments page, and click "I want to cancel".
To postpone your next refill, go to your Shipments page and click "Reschedule next refill".
If you're not seeing the expected results or having side effects, consider messaging your provider. They may be able to help with a solution. You can easily message them from your secure account. If there's something else, or if you just want to cancel because of something non-medical, go to your Payments page and click "I want to cancel".
Yes, you can get your prescription filled at your local pharmacy. Keep in mind that you will pay a fill fee at your local pharmacy and you may also pay a higher cost for medication. If you would like to transfer your prescription to your local pharmacy, just email support@getinterlude.com and provide the name, address, and phone number of the pharmacy you wish to use.
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.
