Garcelle Beauvais thought she was having a private summer. She wasn’t.
She was on set for a fitting when the heat hit. Out of nowhere. It caught her off guard, just like it catches so many women during that first year of menopause. Almost half of them. The stats are hard to ignore.
“Your hot flashes due to menopause are Worth treating.” — Nurse Barb
That’s Barbara Dehn speaking. Nurse Barb. She knows the drill. She sat down with Marty Munson and Garcelle at the Women’s Health Lab in NYC. May 18, 25th anniversary? No, the third annual edition. The topic wasn’t fashion or politics. It was Lynkuet. Or at least the problem it solves: moderate to severe hot flashes from menopause.
Nurse Barb breaks it down. It’s simple but effective. Tell your provider what’s happening. Not later. Now.
How do you start? Describe the flash. Is there sweat? Can you keep working or do you need to stop entirely?
If you’re drenching in sweat and have to abandon your task? That’s severe.
Heat without sweat? Mild.
Heat with sweat, but you power through? Moderate.
Context matters. It helps doctors figure out the next move. And there is a move to be made.
Enter Lynkuet. It’s an FDA-approved pill. Prescription only. 60mg capsules. Here is the kicker. It doesn’t contain hormones. Most options do. Lynkuet is different. It targets the neuropeptide receptor instead of messing with your estrogen or progesterone levels.
Why does that matter? Maybe it fits better in your plan. Maybe you can’t take HRT. Clinical studies showed results early. Some women saw fewer hot flashes after just one week. Others saw changes at week 4. By week 12, the reduction in both number and severity was clear. Day or night.
I encourage you to talk to your provider… and work together on a treatment.
But read the fine print. Always read it.
Lynkuet isn’t for everyone.
- Pregnant? No.
- Trying to conceive? Wait until you’ve stopped.
- Liver problems? Talk to your doctor.
- History of seizures? Disclose it.
There’s also a rule about grapefruit. Avoid the fruit and the juice while you’re on the pill. It changes how the med works in your gut. You don’t want that mix-up.
Side effects happen. They do.
Drowsiness. Dizziness. Spinning head. Fatigue.
If you feel like you might faint or can’t stay awake, put the car keys down. Don’t drive. It’s serious business. CNS impairment is real.
Then there is the liver watch. Your doctor needs blood work before you start. Then again at three months. Watch for yellowing eyes or pale stool. Those aren’t just inconveniences. They are red flags. Stop the med. Call the doctor.
Nurse Barb’s advice is practical. It strips away the stigma. You don’t have to manage this in silence. You don’t have to wear layers and hide the sweat stains. You have options. Lynkuet is one of them. But it is a tool. Not a cure-all. Not magic.
So talk to the person who can actually write you the prescription. Bring the details. Frequency. Intensity. Disruption.
It might just be what you need to get your focus back. Or it might not be for you.
Which is why the conversation starts long before you swallow a capsule.
Start by admitting it’s a problem.
Then ask the right questions.
