When Sarah Maddocks started having debilitating hot flashes and night sweats, she knew there had to be a solution.
A former military nurse, educator, and operating room nurse at 鶹ѧƷ, Maddocks is no stranger to the field of medicine. She reached out to her doctor, Jennifer J. Trauscht-Van Horn, MD,
for advice and was prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT). For several years, HRT did the trick and Maddocks’ symptoms stopped completely.
In May 2024, Maddocks suffered a mini-stroke and a clot that went to the vasculature of her right eye. After her stroke, both Trauscht-Van Horn and Maddocks’ neuro-ophthalmologist, Judith Warner, MD, advised her to stop HRT. Although the medication regimen had helped keep her hormone levels balanced, it was no longer the safest option. Maddocks knew it was the right call, but she was nervous.
“I was kind of scared because I remember the hot flashes that I had before starting HRT, and they were pretty debilitating back then,” she said. “I didn’t want to have to deal with that again after having relief for so many years.”
As soon as Maddocks started weaning off the HRT, the hot flashes returned with a vengeance.
“To be honest with you, I was so miserable,” she said. “The hot flashes and night sweats interfered with my sleep, and I was up and down all night long. I had terrible brain fog.”
Trauscht-Van Horn referred Maddocks to meet with Camille Moreno, DO, MSCP.
Moreno specializes in the care of midlife women. She addresses conditions including perimenopause, menopause, and related syndromes with a focus on individualized hormone therapy, bone health, and sexual wellness.
“Dr. Moreno can answer the ‘What is wrong with me?’ question that middle-aged women ask when they are dealing with life-altering symptoms,” Maddocks said.
Moreno also leads the Midlife Women’s Health and Menopause Program at U of U Health. The menopause clinic currently has five dedicated locations, each with a team of providers focused on treating patients in midlife. Moreno and her colleagues often see patients like Maddocks who have a more complicated health history.
"Sarah was doing well for such a long period of time, until her neurological event last year. When things like this happen, an individualized approach is the best way to navigate the complexity of the situation."
Moreno helped Maddocks get to the bottom of her symptomology and create a safe treatment plan based on her health history. She prescribed Veozah™, a non-hormonal drug that helps with night sweats and hot flashes for menopausal women. Veozah™ is a new treatment option only made available to patients in 2023.
“It’s not a miracle drug,” Maddocks said. “But that was definitely a turnaround point for me once I started taking it.”
After six months of monitoring Maddocks’ symptoms, Moreno also prescribed vaginal estrogen cream.
“I’m on a very comprehensive treatment regimen, and I am super grateful,” Maddocks said. “These new treatments are increasing quality of life across the life span for women, and it’s monumental.”
For Maddocks, this new treatment impacts every aspect of her life—in a positive way.
“When you’re 68 and you’ve been through several nights of night sweats, you’re so tired you feel like you’ve been hit with the dumb stick, Dr. Moreno just brings you along and gets you the help you need,” she said. “I can’t even articulate to you how pleased I am that we have this at the U and that it’s available for the women in our community.”
Now that Maddocks is feeling like herself again, she spends the majority of her time running her business.
“Nursing will always be in my life—it’s who I am,” Maddocks said.
But right now, her primary focus is on border collie behavior.
“I’ve spent the past 20 years breeding border collies, but two years ago I decided to shift the focus from breeding to dog behavior,” she said. “There are so many border collies and border collie rescues in Utah, and people just don’t understand the actual needs of the dog,”
Maddocks became certified as a family dog mediator to help pet owners better understand the needs of their dog. She does education and training for people who want to understand their border collies’ behavior.
“My job is to help people shift their perspective that allows them to better understand why their dog behaves a certain way,” she said. “I help families and their dogs make positive behavior shifts, and everyone ends up happier.”
Maddocks is grateful to be back in action and knows she couldn’t do what she’s doing without the help she received from Moreno and the menopause clinic.
“Now I can perform my daily activities and aspire to things that I had on my docket that would have been stopped or blunted had I not gotten treatment,” Maddocks said. “This is just absolutely life-changing for me. I am back in the game, and I have a life again.”
Maddocks isn’t the only one who is grateful. Moreno is also glad to see a bigger focus on menopause care.
“I like how patients like Sarah are asking and initiating questions around this topic,” Moreno said. “I don’t think it’s the elephant in the room anymore, and women are feeling more empowered to talk about it. When that happens, providers like me can step in and really make a difference.”
Learn More From Our Specialists
The Science Behind Hot Flashes in Women and How to Cope
Hot flashes are a signature symptom of menopause, but for some women, they last far longer than expected—sometimes up to 15 years. What causes them, and why do they vary so much from person to person? Learn about the treatment options and when to seek help.
