Frequently Asked Questions

Midlife Medicine is a direct-care practice and does not contract with insurance companies. The office can provide superbills that patients may submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement.

Clinical visits and many related medical expenses may be HSA or FSA eligible, but patients should confirm eligibility with their own plan administrator.

Midlife Medicine sees patients who reside in or are physically present in Virginia or Washington, D.C. at the time of a medical appointment.

Many visits can be completed virtually when clinically appropriate and when the patient is in Virginia or Washington, D.C. at the time of care.

Dr. Stephanie Todd evaluates hormone and non-hormone options based on symptoms, history, goals, risk factors, labs when indicated, and shared decision-making.

When appropriate, Midlife Medicine generally uses FDA-approved options, including FDA-approved bioidentical estradiol and progesterone products, and typically avoids pellets and compounded medications unless there is a medical reason.

Yes. Midlife Medicine is a specialized menopause and midlife consultative practice. Patients should maintain primary care and OB-GYN relationships for routine screenings and urgent issues.

No. Midlife Medicine is not an emergency or urgent-care service. For emergencies, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.

No. Midlife Medicine is direct care - you can book a Meet & Greet Call or an Initial Consultation online without a referral from another doctor. See How care works.

No. Visits are paid directly at flat, published prices. Insurance usually still covers your labs and prescriptions, superbills are available for possible out-of-network reimbursement, and most visit fees are HSA/FSA eligible. See How care works.

The Initial Consultation is 60 minutes, follow-ups are about 30 minutes, and the Annual Check-In is 45 minutes - substantially longer than typical insurance-based visits. See How care works.

Most care works well by secure video if you're physically in Virginia or Washington, D.C. at visit time. Occasional needs like a physical exam are flagged clearly and handled in person at the Great Falls office or with a local clinician. See How care works.

No - it works alongside your primary care physician and OB-GYN, focusing specifically on perimenopause, menopause, and midlife health. Records and results can be shared with your other clinicians. See How care works.

Booking is online and real-time - you pick from actual open appointment slots when you book, so you'll know your visit date immediately. See How care works.

You'll have a written plan, any lab orders and prescriptions sent out, and a required Follow-Up Visit about 4-6 weeks later to check response and adjust. After that, an Annual Check-In keeps care and prescriptions current. See How care works.

766 Walker Road Suite A, Great Falls, VA 22066, open Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm. Call or text (571) 546-3461. See Service area and telehealth.

Great Falls, McLean (about 10-15 minutes away), Vienna (about 15-20 minutes via Route 7), Reston, Herndon, Tysons, Falls Church, Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax, Ashburn, and Leesburg. See Service area and telehealth.

Yes. Virtual visits are available for eligible patients who are physically located in Virginia or Washington, D.C. at the time of the appointment. See Service area and telehealth.

Lab orders are sent to a Labcorp or Quest location near you, and prescriptions go to the pharmacy you choose. Results are reviewed together at your next visit. See Service area and telehealth.

Women in perimenopause, menopause, or the wider midlife transition who want physician-led, longer-visit care for symptoms, hormone questions, sleep, mood, weight change, libido, and health strategy. See Service area and telehealth.

Book a Meet & Greet Call if you want to ask fit questions, or an Initial Consultation if you are ready for clinical care. See Service area and telehealth.

Menopause is defined as twelve consecutive months without a period. In the U.S. the average age is around 51, with a normal range of several years on either side. See Menopause care.

Not necessarily. The right choice depends on your age, time since menopause, symptoms, and health history — exactly the individualized risk-benefit conversation we have at an initial consultation. See Menopause care.

Often yes. Some of the most important post-menopause changes — to heart, bone, and metabolic health — are silent. Proactive care protects the decades ahead. See Menopause care.

Declining estrogen and natural muscle loss shift fat to the abdomen and worsen insulin resistance. It’s physiology, not a willpower problem, and it responds to a thoughtful plan. See Menopause care.

For most women perimenopause begins somewhere in the late 30s to mid-40s and can last anywhere from a few years to a full decade. It officially ends one year after your final period, which is the point you are considered to be in menopause. See Perimenopause care.

Yes. Perimenopause is a clinical diagnosis based on your symptoms, menstrual pattern, and history, not on a single lab value. You do not have to wait until your periods stop to get relief, and treatment can begin while you are still cycling. See Perimenopause care.

Because your ovaries are still working unpredictably, hormone levels such as FSH and estradiol can swing from normal to abnormal week to week. A single blood test is like reading a bouncing fuel gauge, so perimenopause is diagnosed from your story and symptoms rather than one random lab draw. See Perimenopause care.

For many women hormone therapy is safe and effective, but the right choice depends on your personal health history, symptoms, and goals. Treatment during perimenopause is more nuanced than after menopause because your own hormones are still fluctuating, which is why it calls for individualized care and follow-up rather than a one-and-done online prescription. See Perimenopause care.

Yes. Midlife Medicine offers telemedicine for eligible patients in Virginia and Washington, D.C., alongside the Great Falls, VA office. See Perimenopause care.

No. Hormone therapy can help many patients, but suitability depends on symptoms, age, timing, health history, contraindications, goals, and individual risk-benefit review. See Hormone therapy.

Yes. Non-hormonal medications, sleep support, lifestyle strategy, pelvic or sexual health support, supplements when appropriate, and referrals may be part of care. See Hormone therapy.

Labs are used when they are clinically useful for the question being answered. Dr. Todd explains why a test is or is not recommended. See Hormone therapy.

When clinically appropriate, Dr. Todd can prescribe medications for eligible patients in Virginia or Washington, D.C. See Hormone therapy.

It’s for women who can’t safely take hormones (for example breast-cancer survivors or those with a history of certain clots or strokes), women who prefer not to, and women who want extra help alongside hormone therapy. See Non-hormone options.

No. For the right woman it can be the safest and most values-aligned path. There are FDA-approved, well-studied medications and well-researched non-drug approaches that effectively relieve symptoms. See Non-hormone options.

Yes — they’re often a powerful adjunct. Many women do best with a layered plan, such as hormone therapy plus a targeted medication for mood, sleep, or genitourinary symptoms. See Non-hormone options.

Depending on your symptoms: prescription medications, sleep and mood support, vaginal or sexual-health therapy, nutrition, fitness, and coaching — coordinated with your primary care and OB-GYN clinicians. See Non-hormone options.

These FDA-approved medications are used for patients who are overweight or obese and want safe, sustainable weight-loss support. Candidacy and supervision are determined during a clinical visit. See GLP-1 and weight support.

Insurance coverage varies; most plans require a BMI above 30, and some an additional condition. For patients paying out of pocket, costs are often in the range of $299–$399 per month using manufacturer pricing or pharmacy coupons when appropriate. See GLP-1 and weight support.

Protecting muscle is a core part of the plan. We pair medication with adequate protein and resistance training so the weight you lose is fat, not the muscle and bone you need in midlife. See GLP-1 and weight support.

They’re backed by science and used under physician supervision, with attention to side effects and monitoring. They work best as part of a complete plan, not as a stand-alone quick fix. See GLP-1 and weight support.

Yes — telemedicine is available for eligible patients in Virginia and Washington, D.C., alongside the Great Falls, VA office. See GLP-1 and weight support.

No. Coaching is not therapy — an important, separate part of health and well-being — and it’s not cheerleading. It looks at where you are and where you want to go, and helps clear the obstacles between. See Personal coaching.

Dr. Todd is both physician and coach, so she can treat the biology and support the human living inside it — optimizing hormones, sleep, and physical health, then doing the deeper work of boundaries, mental load, and reconnecting with yourself. See Personal coaching.

Dr. Todd is certified through Martha Beck’s Wayfinder Life Coach Training, a globally recognized program focused on helping you create a life of meaning, find clarity, and experience joy, with practices and action plans you can use. See Personal coaching.

That’s normal and part of feeling overwhelmed. Learning to sense and trust what’s right — and wrong — for you is part of the coaching process. See Personal coaching.

Yes — coaching sessions are available virtually for clients in Virginia and Washington, D.C., alongside the Great Falls, VA office. See Personal coaching.