Navigating Menopause After Cancer

“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.”
And have a listen to Episode 46: A Revolutionary Non-Hormonal Treatment for Hot Flushes! with Professor Waljit Dhillo to hear where this story began.
As always, this podcast is for information and education and isn't a substitute for personalised medical advice. Please discuss your individual circumstances and treatment options with your healthcare team.
Connect with us:
For more information and resources, visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org
Follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer
Find us on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@NavigatingMenopauseAfterCancer
Join my NEW blog ‘Still Becoming’ on Substack: https://substack.com/@danibinnington?...
Buy my book ‘Navigating Menopause After Cancer’: https://amzn.eu/d/07dUoYBb
Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub

Making difficult decisions after cancer isn’t something we talk about enough.
The kind where there isn’t a clear “right” answer.
Where every option comes with trade-offs.
Where you’re weighing up your long-term health, your quality of life… and sometimes, parts of your identity.
In this episode, I’m joined by the incredible Jen Delvaux — cancer survivor, podcast host, and founder of a thriving community in the US. Jen’s story is uniquely complex, with both her and her husband navigating cancer diagnoses, bringing a deeply personal perspective on survivorship.
Together, we explore the realities of life after treatment — including sexual health, bone health, basically - all aspects of the often-overlooked impact of treatment-induced menopause.
You can find Jen here: https://www.jendelvaux.com/
And this is her podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/not-today-cancer/id1436449587 and Instagram https://www.instagram.com/jendelvaux
Podcast Episode Mentions:
Episode 215 - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/episode-215-bone-health-after-cancer-menopause-what/id1631842514?i=1000764218500
Episode 113 - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ep-113-the-impact-of-endocrine-disruptors-on/id1631842514?i=1000663146637
Get a copy of Dani’s book here: https://amzn.eu/d/bjU18OM
Episode Highlights:
00:00 Intro
06:09 Living with cancer's emotional weight
08:19 Discussing cancer treatment decisions
12:21 First experience with symptom relief
14:08 Diet and menopause insights
17:17 Balancing health and happiness
19:26 Living life to the fullest
23:26 Coping with cancer as parents
28:43 Discussing osteoporosis diagnosis
32:04 Planning post-treatment support
39:30 Discussing difficult health decisions
Connect with us:
For more information and resources, visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org
Follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer
Find us on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@NavigatingMenopauseAfterCancer
Join my NEW blog ‘Still Becoming’ on Substack: https://substack.com/@danibinnington?...
Buy my book ‘Navigating Menopause After Cancer’: https://amzn.eu/d/07dUoYBb
Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub

Let's stop the toxic positivity! Just because active cancer treatment may have ended, we don't have to be endlessly positive and grateful for it all. What comes next can be hard.
That's why I invited Jessica Zucker, clinical psychologist, author of the bestselling book ‘Normalize It: Upending the Silence, Stigma, and Shame that Pervade Women's Lives’ and breast cancer survivor, to talk about the long silence that often follows women through miscarriage, breast cancer, tamoxifen and medical menopause.
Jessica and I talk about what it means to live with the aftermath of treatment, when the symptoms linger, the uncertainty stays, and the pressure to keep smiling can feel almost unbearable.
We also discuss the hidden toll of tamoxifen, the emotional impact of medical menopause, and why phrases like “you’re a warrior” or “at least” can sometimes do more harm than good.
Jessica was so open about how even she, as a psychologist, found the experience of tamoxifen and long-term side effects surprising and difficult.
We talk about exhaustion, brain fog, loss of creativity, grief, perfectionism and the illusion of control, and why so much of this still goes unsaid.
This is a conversation about naming the harder parts out loud, and making space for honesty, nuance and connection.
Key topics
The pressure to stay positive after cancer and the harm of toxic positivity
Jessica’s experience of tamoxifen and medical menopause
Exhaustion, brain fog and the emotional impact of treatment side effects
Grief, uncertainty and the pressure to make the “right” decisions

Find Jessica’s fantastic book ‘Normalize It: Upending the Silence, Stigma, and Shame That Shape Women's Lives’ here https://a.co/d/0hLfwz2z
Episode Highlights:
00:00 Intro
04:07 Discussing the stigma of grief
09:08 Getting a life-changing diagnosis
12:43 Discussing cancer diagnosis and treatment
13:54 Discussing tamoxifen
23:10 Therapists seeking therapy for themselves
24:38 Coping with tamoxifen side effects
28:43 Pressure of Being a Cancer Warrior
31:57 Controlling health outcomes reality check
37:30 Coping with grief and aging
42:58 Sharing personal challenges for impact
A little favour...
If you enjoy listening each week, I'd love to ask one small favour. Would you consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts?
Every review helps more people discover the podcast, and with your support we've now grown into one of the top 1% of podcasts worldwide. That's something we've achieved together, and I'm so incredibly grateful.
Leave a review here:
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Thank you for being part of this wonderful community. x
Connect with us:
For more information and resources, visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org
Follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer
Find us on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/@NavigatingMenopauseAfterCancer
Join my NEW blog ‘Still Becoming’ on Substack: https://substack.com/@danibinnington?...
Buy my book ‘Navigating Menopause After Cancer’: https://amzn.eu/d/07dUoYBb
Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub

Welcome to the first guest episode of Navigating Menopause After Cancer.
In the last two episodes, I shared why the podcast has entered a new chapter and reflected on the power of stories: how they help us navigate uncertainty, create connection and remind us that we're never alone.
Today's conversation is a really beautiful example of exactly that.
I'm joined by Michelle and Becky, two incredible women diagnosed with anal cancer back in 2024.
I learned on a previous episode on anal cancer (episode 209) that anal cancer is often surrounded by stigma, shame, embarrassment and silence. It's a cancer that simply isn't talked about enough. And treatment for anal cancer can also induce menopause - so we have to talk about it!
Yet despite receiving the same diagnosis at almost the same time, Michelle and Becky's experiences were very different.
Michelle openly shared her diagnosis but struggled to find someone else living with anal cancer who truly understood what she was going through.
Becky found support from others with anal cancer from the very beginning, but didn't feel comfortable telling many of the people around her she had anal cancer, choosing instead to say she had bowel cancer.
Together, they share an honest conversation about diagnosis, treatment, menopause, intimacy, identity, stigma and why sharing our true stories matters.
One of my favourite parts of this story actually happened away from the recording. After meeting Michelle in person, I introduced her to Ali who had previously shared her own anal cancer story on this podcast... and something rather special has grown from that connection.

Episode Highlights:
00:00 Intro
04:01 Finding support after cancer diagnosis
11:19 Dealing with surgical menopause
13:22 Post-treatment challenges and loneliness
19:17 Rebuilding confidence after cancer
22:01 Adjusting to life after stoma surgery
23:59 Dealing with radiation side effects
28:56 Discussing anal cancer stigma
33:01 Connecting with others on TikTok
40:06 Cancer treatment challenges and recovery
45:06 Returning to fitness after radiotherapy
47:49 Finding support during cancer

Links:
Find Michelle & Ali’s new anal cancer support here: The Brave Behinds https://www.instagram.com/thebravebehinds/?hl=en
Macmillan Anal Cancer Support Forum: https://community.macmillan.org.uk/cancer_types/anal-cancer-forum

Ali Stripling’s episode: Beyond the Pink - Anal Cancer, Menopause & Awareness Day: https://youtu.be/V0_5MedxjKw?si=QB-i9XO1uWhQ1Mwf

This podcast episode was supported by an unrestricted grant from Incyte Biosciences. Incyte had no involvement in the development, content, or editorial review of the activities associated with this initiative.

After four years, hundreds of conversations and countless stories, it's time to share what the next chapter of this podcast is going to look like...
In this special solo episode, I reveal the new name and look of the podcast and, more importantly, the reason behind it.
Your feedback made it very clear that the conversations, the experts, the survivor stories and the honesty are exactly what make this community so special. You asked me NOT to make any changes!
But, after reading an amazing book and a visit to the British Museum that followed, I knew I wanted to make a change regardless.
I have goosebumps writing this: I was standing in front of one of the oldest surviving stories ever written!! I mean - how cool is that! And so of course, I found myself reflecting on the power of stories to help us make sense of uncertainty. It reminded me that none of us simply "gets through" menopause after cancer.
We navigate it.
Together.
That's why this podcast has a new name, one that reflects the journey so many of us are on every single day. And of course it also reflects my book title ‘Navigating Menopause After Cancer’.
Thank you for being part of this next chapter.
In this episode we discuss:
Why I decided to rename the podcast after four years.
What I learnt at the British Museum!! And I love it!
Why stories have helped humans navigate uncertainty for thousands of years.
Why "Navigating Menopause After Cancer" better reflects the journey so many of us experience.
The inspiration behind the new artwork and how it connects with my book.
What isn't changing (don't worry... the experts, survivor stories and honest conversations are all staying!).
How your feedback shaped every decision.

Links to today’s episode:

Substack: If you'd like to stay connected beyond the podcast, you can also find me writing personal reflections over on Still Becoming, where I share the behind-the-scenes of building Menopause and Cancer, life after cancer, motherhood, identity, and everything I'm still learning.
Subscribe to my Substack: https://substack.com/@danibinnington
Book: As a thank you for being such an incredible community, I'm also celebrating the first anniversary of my book, Navigating Menopause After Cancer. For a limited time, I've reduced the Amazon price so that more people can access it, or perhaps gift a copy to someone they love.
You can buy the book here: https://amzn.eu/d/0dqOczqf
Thank you for listening, for sharing this journey with me, and for helping shape what comes next.