Stella FAQs
Our most frequently asked questions about Stella.
What is Stella?
Stella has everything you need to help perimenopause and menopause symptoms, including access to clinical support with board-certified clinicians experienced in women’s health, tailored lifestyle change plans through our menopause app, and prescriptions for FDA-regulated hormone therapy, if right for you.
Get started with our assessment which asks questions about your health. It is designed for those aged 35 to 70 years.
The Stella menopause app gives holistic support through access to live coaches and a library of articles curated by experts, audio meditations, recipes, and more. You can also join our community for regular virtual Q&As with experts.
Do you use blood tests to identify my menopause stage?
If you have not had a period for 12 months, you can be very confident that you are in menopause and do not need confirmation with a blood test. In fact, there isn’t a reliable blood test to find out if you are in perimenopause. You can read more in this article.
You may have seen that some clinics and providers recommend one or more hormone tests, but this may be more about generating revenue than understanding your health. It is difficult to get a reliable understanding of your reproductive hormone levels as they are constantly fluctuating.
Blood tests, such as FSH, estradiol, and progesterone, will only give you a snapshot of your hormone levels when the sample was taken. Your levels could be radically different even by the next day. The danger is that you and your healthcare provider will make the wrong decisions based on a false-positive or false-negative test.
A large study looked at blood tests and concluded that currently available blood tests were not more accurate than paying attention to symptoms.
The most accurate way to decide whether you are in perimenopause is by a careful evaluation of your symptoms, such as:
- A change in periods
- Hot flashes
- Fatigue
- Mood changes, including low mood, anxiety, and irritability among others
- Sleep issues
- Problems with memory and concentration, including brain fog
- Weight gain
- Vaginal symptoms, including burning, tightness, dryness, painful sex, itching
- Urinary symptoms, including recurrent infections, needing to pee more often and pain when peeing
Our assessment evaluates all of these symptoms. Read more about testing for menopause.
How much does Stella cost?
Stella costs $150 for the initial consultation. It is $75 for follow-up consultations. We will contact you to review new or changing perimenopause and menopause symptoms, and any side effects every three months. Our customer care team is here to answer any questions you have at (866) 856-2140 (toll free) or email support@onstella.com.
How do you book a consultation and get a prescription?
Once you complete your online assessment you can book your initial consultation. It is easy to book a time that suits you.
During your consultation, you can discuss with a clinician which treatments are right for you, such as FDA-regulated hormone therapy.
Prescriptions are sent to your preferred pharmacy for you to pick up. Medications are not included in your consultation cost.
What type of hormone therapy (HT) do you prescribe
HT is also referred to as hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and menopausal hormone therapy (MHT). We prescribe FDA-cleared medications that are proven to be safe and effective treatments for menopause symptoms including hot flashes, mood changes, and sleep problems. FDA-regulated medications are manufactured to exacting standards that are constantly monitored.
There are many FDA-cleared HT medications that are identical to those made in your body. These are sometimes referred to as body identical. Body identical HT medications are not the same as bioidentical HT medications.
When body identical HT is produced by regulated pharmaceutical companies, there are strict quality control processes in place to guarantee the strength, purity, and safety of the product supplied.
Unregulated compounded bioidentical HT is not currently recommended due to concerns about the safety and reliability of the medications provided, the testing processes used to recommend doses, and the way these hormones are administered.
Which symptoms does Stella support?
There are more than 30 perimenopause and menopause symptoms and we can help with most of them, such as vaginal dryness, hot flashes, mood changes, sleep issues, brain fog, and more!
How much will my insurance or employer cover?
Some private or employer-designated insurance providers may pay for Stella, but this depends on your specific insurance plan and deductible. You can also opt to pay out-of-pocket and submit your receipts to your insurance provider for possible reimbursement.
You may be able to use your HSA (Health Saving Account) and FSA (Flexible Spending Account) to pay for Stella at checkout.
How does virtual care with Stella compare to an in-person visit?
Virtual care is much more convenient without the travel and waiting time you might experience with an in-person visit.
When you talk to a clinician online you get the same high-quality advice. They will review your menopause assessment answers before your consultation so you can make the most of your time together.
Our online consultations are easy to use. We will email you a link to connect and you can use the camera on your phone, laptop, or other device. If you have a question, our customer care team is here to help you find the answers you need. You can contact them on (866) 856-2140 (toll free) or email support@onstella.com.
