A Cozy Butter Appointment-Prep Resource

Dr. Pat Taylor Live Q&A

Medications & Key Takeaways to Discuss With Your Doctor

This guide was created from our Cozy Butter live Q&A with Dr. Pat Taylor. It is designed to help you remember what was discussed and prepare questions for your own healthcare provider. It is educational only and is not medical advice or a treatment plan.

From the livewhat Dr. Pat discussed Outside resourceFDA or The Menopause Society

Medications Mentioned

Vaginal estrogenGenitourinary symptoms of menopause DetailsHide

From the live

Discussed for genitourinary symptoms of menopause, including vaginal dryness, discomfort with sex, and urinary symptoms/UTI concerns.
Dr. Pat discussed local vaginal estrogen as distinct from systemic hormone therapy.

Learn more: The Menopause Society hormone therapy information

Systemic estrogenPatches, creams, and gels DetailsHide

From the live

Dr. Pat discussed patches, creams, and gels as forms of systemic menopausal hormone therapy.
Appropriate form and dose depend on the individual and should be determined with a clinician.

ProgesteroneAlongside systemic estrogen DetailsHide

From the live

Discussed in the context of systemic estrogen use in people who still have a uterus.
Also discussed in relation to temporary water retention after beginning or adjusting HRT.

Testosterone for womenLow desire & menopausal symptoms DetailsHide

From the live

Dr. Pat discussed testosterone primarily in relation to low sexual desire and menopausal symptoms.

Outside resource

Testosterone therapy in women is currently used off-label in the United States.
There is no FDA-approved testosterone product specifically for women.
Long-term safety evidence is still incomplete.

The FDA notes that testosterone is increasingly used off-label in menopausal women, while important questions remain about long-term safety and its effects on areas including sexual function, mood, cognition, and musculoskeletal health.

Learn more: FDA public meeting on testosterone use in menopausal women

VenlafaxineNon-hormonal option for hot flashes DetailsHide

From the live

An antidepressant that may also be prescribed for menopausal hot flashes.

GabapentinNon-hormonal option for hot flashes DetailsHide

From the live

A medication commonly used for nerve pain and other conditions that may also be prescribed off-label for menopausal hot flashes.

Veozah (fezolinetant)FDA-approved for hot flashes DetailsHide

From the live

A non-hormonal prescription medication FDA-approved for moderate to severe menopausal hot flashes.

Outside resource

Safety note: Veozah carries an FDA boxed warning regarding the rare risk of serious liver injury and requires liver-function testing before and during treatment.

Learn more: FDA safety information

Peptides mentioned during the liveCaution: discussed, NOT recommendations DetailsHide

Glutathione BPC-157 GHK-Cu

These came up during questions about inflammation, joint pain, and back pain. Dr. Pat specifically cautioned that he could not promise they would improve pain and said peptides should not be treated like ordinary over-the-counter supplements or used casually without knowledgeable medical guidance.

Key GLP-1 & HRT Takeaways

From the live · Dr. Pat’s clinical perspective

GLP-1 maintenance

When discussing GLP-1 maintenance, Dr. Pat explained that he generally prefers maintaining steadier medication levels with a lower dose more frequently rather than automatically stretching a larger dose farther apart. He also emphasized that response varies from person to person, including when food noise returns.

Do not change your GLP-1 dose or dosing schedule based on this guide. Talk with the clinician managing your medication, particularly if you have diabetes or another condition affected by blood glucose.

Starting or changing HRT

Dr. Pat encouraged giving HRT time before deciding whether a dose is working. During the live, he discussed allowing several weeks for the body to adjust and additional time for changes such as water retention to settle. Everyone’s timeline is different.

An early change on the scale after starting or adjusting HRT does not necessarily represent an equivalent gain in body fat.

GLP-1s & HRT

Dr. Pat discussed the interaction between menopause-related hormonal changes, insulin resistance, HRT, and GLP-1 treatment.
This was an area of discussion during the live, not a promise that HRT will increase weight loss for every person.

Body composition & muscle

Dr. Pat described muscle as the body’s “scaffolding.” Building or preserving muscle may improve body composition even when the scale slows down.

Someone can lose fat while gaining muscle.
Scale weight alone may underestimate progress.
Body composition changes can matter even during slower periods of weight loss.

Things to Discuss With Your ClinicianA checklist to bring to your appointment

Check the ones you want to bring up.

Could any of my symptoms be related to perimenopause or menopause? Would vaginal estrogen or systemic hormone therapy be appropriate for me? If low sexual desire is a concern, should we discuss testosterone or other options? If I am having hot flashes, what hormonal and non-hormonal options are appropriate for me? Could any of my recent scale changes reflect water retention rather than body-fat gain? How should we approach my GLP-1 medication as I move toward maintenance? Should we look at body composition, labs, symptoms, or waist measurements in addition to scale weight? Are there medications or conditions in my history that would affect whether HRT is appropriate? What monitoring or labs would be needed before or after starting treatment? How long should I give a treatment before we decide whether it is helping?

Notes / Questions for My Appointment

Type as you watch the replay. Notes stay on this device only.

Symptoms I want to talk about: Medications or treatments I want to ask about: Changes I’ve noticed since starting or changing treatment: Questions I do not want to forget: Labs or results I want to review: My next step after the appointment:

Message for My Doctor

Send this through your patient portal before your appointment and attach the PDF of this guide (or email it to the office staff). Fill in the brackets and edit anything you like.

Subject: Topics I’d like to discuss at my upcoming appointment

Hi [Clinician’s name],

Before my appointment on [date], I wanted to share a few topics I’d like to discuss so we can make the most of our time together:

[Topic, e.g. perimenopause or menopause symptoms]
[Topic, e.g. hormonal and non-hormonal options]
[Topic, e.g. my GLP-1 medication as I move toward maintenance]

I’ve [attached / sent your staff] a short appointment-prep guide from a live Q&A I attended with Dr. Pat Taylor, and I’ll bring a printed copy too. It lists the medications that were discussed, and each one links to its resource at the FDA or The Menopause Society, so you can review the original information yourself.

I’d like to go over it with you, talk through what may or may not be right for me, and work together on a care plan.

Thank you,
[Your name]

Resources to Check & Share With Your Doctor The original FDA, Menopause Society and research resources behind what was discussed.

At your appointment: your clinician can scan any QR code with their phone camera to open the resource directly.

The Menopause SocietyHormone therapy information

FDA: Testosterone Use in Menopausal Womenfda.gov

FDA: Veozah Safety Informationfda.gov

FDA: Compounded Drug Informationfda.gov

Study: Semaglutide & Hormone TherapyMenopause journal, 2024 · Mayo Clinic

Study: Tirzepatide & Hormone TherapyMayo Clinic, 2026