GLORIA REUBEN: EPISODE LINK

VEOZAH: LINK

TRANSCRIPT:

Colleen: – Welcome back to Hot Flashes and Cool Topics. We are excited today to be joined by Gloria Reuben. You will know her as actress, amazing singer,

and so many other hats. Welcome to the show

Reuben: . – Thank you. Thanks, ladies. It’s so great to be here.

Colleen:  – We kind of wanted to start with, you know, Bridgett and I obviously talk about menopause a lot on this podcast. And then all of a sudden there you were on screen talking

about Veozah  and your hot flashes. So I thought that would be a great place to

start. Let’s talk about your journey through menopause and what you were challenged

with and how you found a solution.

Reuben: Yes. Well, what a journey it’s been and

continues to be.

I remember about maybe, you know, five or six years ago when I started experiencing

hot flashes and night sweats due to menopause. Very natural process in life.

Of course, needless to say, first time for me experiencing these things. So at

first, I was like, wait a minute, okay, it’s a hot day, you know, of course, I’m

going to be sweating a little bit. And then maybe, you know, a few months later in

the middle of winter, it’s like, it’s not a hot day. And I’m sweating like crazy.

So there’s something, there’s no more denying it anymore. Really though, there would

be times when, you know, when it got to the point where out of the blue, whether

I was on a set, and I, you know, there’s a close- up in a scene. And then I

started to feel the inner fire burning, not because of the dialogue or the chemistry

with the other actor, but because of a hot flash that was brewing like the little

dragon inside the belly that was about to, you know, open its mouth and out comes

the fire. And my face would start to sweat. There was always some, always this

experience when that was happening, whether on set or whether I was on a date or

something where, and I’ve heard this from a number of women where the anxiety would

build because I could feel what’s going on. I knew what was happening and I felt

completely, you know, no control over it. It was going to end.

And here it comes. And there, there was no way of the external expression of what

was going on to be hidden. You know, and there was that aspect as well.

I don’t, it didn’t feel very good to have whatever medical situation was going on.

And this is a medical situation, needless to say, for other people to know about

it, unless I wanted them to know about it, but hot flashes and their night sweats,

due to menopause, there was no hiding it, everybody could tell. So I was

experiencing these symptoms, I, you know, kind of tried to ride the wave as they

came and went. And then I saw an ad for a treatment called “Veozah.” And I saw

this ad and I remember as soon as I heard the voiceover thing,

a treatment for moderate to severe hot flashes and night sweats due to menopause.

I literally, I was in my living room right where I am now and I literally stopped

in my tracks, turned to the television and like, wait, what? And, uh, Veozah. So I

went to Veozah.com. And I already had, uh, you know, a checkup with my doctor that

was already scheduled. First thing that I spoke about with her when I walked through

that door was Veozah. And it just so happened that I was one of,

if not her first patient, who had asked about it. However, I am certainly one of

many now who has. So we talked about Veozah and its potential benefits,

of course, and of course, it’s also the potential  side effects, including

liver problems.

So, you know, for those who are listening, I definitely encourage women to speak

with their healthcare provider and or go to Veozah.com to hear about,

to learn more about these potential serious side effects. When I was speaking with

my doctor about it, she set up an appointment for me to do a liver test to ensure

that my liver was fine and healthy, and it was. And I continued to do follow -up

liver tests for the first nine months. And I went for 12 months, every three

months, I went to ensure that my liver was working properly. So That’s what

happened. I started the Veozah shortly thereafter and my body responded in the most

positive way to this treatment and I have been experiencing much, much fewer and less

intense hot flashes and night sweats. You know how happy I am when I can sleep to

the night? Y

Bridgett: e yes, actually we do!  We’re right there with you I remember them

well, and you know, because it is non -hormonal, that can help so many women who

can’t take hormones or don’t want to take hormones. And then when you brought up

the anxiety part about it, that is like even a whole other part.

So, you know, you’re already suffering through these vasomotor symptoms, and then you have the

anxiety there.

Colleen: And you know, you brought up how it worked. How much did it

interfere with your work?

Reuben:  – Well, very much so, because of those two reasons. Let me

just backtrack here a little bit. For me, it was very important for me to seek out

a treatment that was hormone free. That was important to me. And you know, every

woman is different to everybody. Every woman should speak with her healthcare provider

about that situation. But FDA approved and hormone free were vital for me before I

started any treatment. Now, the anxiety or the pressure, literally like a pressure

cooker, you know, as an actor, there’s a lot of anxiety and pressure to begin with

when you’re working. It’s that’s kind of a given, you know, no matter how many

years one has been, I can’t speak for everybody, but I know for myself. I’ve been

doing this for a long time and still great fun. However, there can be quite a bit

of anxiety and pressure. And when I could feel, prior to taking Veozah and when I

could feel that hot flash brewing and about to erupt, it took me out of work.

It took me out of the scene. And whether it’s an actor or whether it’s attorneys,

female attorneys with whom I’ve spoken, or a nurse or a doctor like these women

that have experienced these same vasomotor symptoms,

how they as well would feel this anxiety and this pressure, and it had been a huge

distraction for my professional life. No question about it.

Colleen: How long were you struggling with hot-lashes before you went on Veozah, and how

long have you been on Veozah?

Reuben: I had been, the vasomotor symptoms had been a big challenge for me for about two

and a half, maybe three years at most before I saw the ad for

2023.

Does that make sense? Yeah, that makes sense. Yeah.

Colleen:  So you’ve been on it and so

you’ve been on it long enough to be able to say, no, this has consistently worked

and continues to work for you.

Reuben: And my experience, 100 % Veozah has consistently worked

and continues to work for me. And I, on my own volition,

frankly, I continue to do liver tests. I mean, this is the thing, not just, you

know, I do blood tests once a year, if not every, you know,

seven or eight months, overall, you know. Science is,

you know, thank God for science, you know, like the real science, not just people

that play scientific things without being a scientist. But actual science actually

works. So as science has improved for so many things as we all know, I like to,

you know, as much as possible, be aware and take the tests that are available to

me in order to ensure that as much, again, you know, things happen. But in order

for me to take better care of myself as best as possible. You know, I am,

what did you call it? I’m part of this 60 plus club.

Bridgett: – Yes, the women over 60

club that we have been interviewing lots of women who are living just their happiest

time of life.

Reuben: – I tell you, there is, I don’t know what’s going on,

but I don’t need to know what’s going on because I’m just enjoying it. I’m like,

“Great, this is kind of awesome.” Not even kind of awesome. Needless to say,

things change as they always do. And how my body is changing,

how I’m learning to embrace it and continue to discover and explore as my body

changes, as I change as a woman, as a human being? Who am I in the world?

What do I want to offer the world? You know, that’s, that’s been a big reflective

thing for me as I age. I have always been that way, but especially at this

stage, you know, how do I want to portray a woman who is 60 years old in the

world right now? You know, now I’m no saint.

I certainly dropped the F -bomb.

Bridgett: Don’t we all? Don’t we all? Hopefully, sometimes more often than not depending on

what’s going on. We have F’s left.

Reuben: That’s funny. And you know,

continuing to discover and unfold and reveal to myself, you know, a lot of healing

has been going on in a short amount of time for me personally and spiritually and

emotionally and professionally, you know, healing and also taking steps for the

And part of this continuum is taking better care of myself in all of those formats,

sometimes all at once. If I am so able to, if I do have a little bit of time,

not necessarily off, a little down time. All right, let me just check and make sure

that I check in with myself. How am I spiritually, am I really, am I just being

swayed by the chaos that’s happening or am I practicing staying connected to the

divine one to the great spirit to whatever you want to call the universe whatever

am I making that my priority and the more I do that the more things fall into

place it’s not easy because we’re all being pulled into God knows how many

But and not but yet part of that taking care and part of that moving forward is

the physical taking care of myself physically You know, mind -body spirit all

connected as we all know Mind for sure meditation exercising. Oh boy.

When it you know, I live in New York City It’s been so freezing for so long And

for at least especially in the beginning of the year and I I like to run in the

morning. I like to run outside. I’ve tried multiple times to do that and I would

make it about 10 feet and I’m like, “Oh, can’t do it. I’m all wrapped up and oh

my gear, didn’t matter.” I’m like, “I’m gonna freeze my tushy off before I get to

the corner.” So, but boy, when I would not move my, I’d find other ways to move

my body, but the movement of the body, you know, there’s this thing I’ve heard a

while ago, move a muscle, change your thought. I find that so true. If unless I’m

moving my body, then my mind gets stuck, my emotions get stuck,

and I’m not able to process stuff. It just for me, I have the body, exercise,

sleep, water, water, water, meditation, science, blood tests,

mammogram, sonogram, like the whole, the whole head -to -toe if I can.

You know, I’m lucky. I’m lucky to be on this planet at 60.

And I ain’t done yet.

There are things that I still want to do. There are stories that I’m determined to

tell. Oh God willing, Before I leave this planet, I’ll tell those create those

stories creatively and leave a mark in a way that will, you know, bring light to

this world.

Bridgett:  Thank you so much for sharing that that, you know, the life.

It’s a health span. It sounds like you’ve just, you’re, it’s, it’s what you just

mentioned. We talked to Dan Buettner about the, the Blue Zones that wrote the book on

the blue zones. And it sounds like you’re really hitting those points in the blue

zones because of spirituality and your health span and taking care of your body and

movement, which are so important in a great health span.

– And the

great health span indeed. And they circle all the way back to Veozah. You know, this

treatment for me has alleviated, as I mentioned, the less intense, the fewer hot

flashes in the night, but the sleep, being able to sleep throughout the night

because I’m not experiencing that intense hot flash or that intense night sweat. You

know, if I’m not sleeping through the night, it’s for other reasons, much more fun.

Colleen: – I was gonna say, are you talking about fun reasons? (laughing) – ‘Cause that’s good

for your health span too.

Reuben: – It’s absolutely 100 % imperative. – Falls right into the

exercise while you sleep too for the rest of the day.

Colleen: You know, you are such a

strong advocate for your own health and a lot of women are not. So what do you

want women to know when they walk into a doctor’s office? What do you hope that

they will say?

Reuben:  You know, I’m struggling. A lot of women, they are afraid to say

that. It’s true. And one of the things I’ve loved about partnering with Astellas,

and specifically about the Veozah treatment is to begin the,

be participating in the eradicating, eradicating any kind of shyness or stigma or

shame when it comes to  vasomotor symptoms, hot flashes,

night sweats, in particular, due to menopause, yes? And so, for instance,

when I walked into my doctor’s office, again, I already, after I saw the advertisment,

I had known for myself that I was looking for hormone -free FDA -approved

treatment options, so as soon as I walked into my doctor’s office,

I started asking questions. I’m a big question asker. And she loves to answer them.

So she is actually we were sitting there chatting about yours for so long that her

assistant ended up knocking on the door saying, you know, you have other patients

like, Oh, yeah, we got to do this test. But no, really. First of all, do you

know, the asking questions knowing what’s important to one’s own

taking care of oneself physically and medically and other ways as well, but we’re

talking about, you know, the medical part of it. I’m asking questions and.

And not being afraid to take up as much time as you need. All right,

that’s let the assistant knock on the door and say, excuse me. Uh, Dr,

whomever.

You have a debate. Yes, I understand. Oh, yes. You know, no more. Oh, I’m sorry.

I’m taking up too much time. No, women apologize too much for nothing. I’m sorry.

I literally, I, and I do it as well, but maybe partly because I’m from Canada

originally. I swear to God, we are born saying I’m sorry. We’re, we are born. And

then we say, oh, sorry for being here. Like, wait, what? It’s so true.

But I mean, really, I joke as a Canadian, but it’s I had to literally have to

relearn how to not apologize for things that I don’t need to apologize for getting

walking into a door and a woman is walking out. And, and, you know, the same

thing, walking in and walking out. Oh, I’m sorry, she would say. And I don’t know,

it’s okay. Why are you sorry, you’re just leaving, you’re just walking out of a

door. No more saying sorry for stuff that doesn’t need to be apologized for

Absolutely, and that includes asking questions and taking as much time as you need

with your doctor going online Taking as much time for yourself. I understand it

careers families Parents children My goodness,

it’s just whatever life You got to take time for yourself and do the research

yourself as well, legitimate research with science. And I know science is under

attack right now. Yes, it is. It is scary.

Bridgett: The great thing about Veozah was, like you said, you saw it on a commercial. It’s

one of the first products that I’ve ever

seen for menopause for a woman that has televised nationally.

Reuben: – I know, me too. That’s why I literally was like, what is happening right now? And

also I was watching, I think I was watching a baseball game. I was watching a

sporting event.

Colleen:  – The Super Bowl.

Reuben: – The Super Bowl. I know, man. And I’m a huge

football fan. I’m a huge sports fan. Well, I have an and I’m like,

I should talk to them about like getting it

Colleen: . – Right. – I love that the wheels are turning because, you know, in our

demographic, we’re still so creative and you were talking about stories that you’ve

told and gosh, I just loved E .R. That was just huge for me. And the fact

that you were one of the first main characters that was living with HIV and in

the 90s was so impactful. How important is it to be like you said with Veozah one

of the first to stand up and say this is okay I’m taking a stand here whether it

be an HIV character it’s there’s you speak so much through your stories how

important is that for you.

Reuben:  I’m so glad you mentioned ER because to this day people

come up to me on the street or wherever I am, and mention that show,

and particularly mention the storyline of Jeannie Boulet. You know, during the

pandemic, the, well, still two, you know, all the episodes reaired. So there’s a

whole new generation that has seen the show. And when it details another time,

but when the storyline of Jeannie Boulet having HIV positive, 1995, 1996,

when, you know, that was agreed upon, I insured that whenever the story would end,

whatever that time would be, that Jeannie Boulet would not die of AIDS, because that

was no longer the situation for everyone, because the medicine had changed.

And I was not going to be the face of HIV equals AIDS all the time.

And it still does in certain countries don’t get me wrong. But at a time when the

medicine was working for a lot of people and cut to, good God,

30 years later, Veozah, the medicine has changed.

That no longer that women can go and ask about this new treatment that’s available

to help with this medical situation that can be debilitating.

You know, I know HIV aids, of course, is life and death. I’m not diminishing that.

All I’m saying is that I you’re so grateful to so many decades later,

be able to be the face of the possibility of healing.

And that alone, oh, no, sorry. I can’t remember.

Bridgett:  – Yeah, we both say it’s a secret,

Reuben: – No, but it is kind of a, it’s a continuum of the fact that you

are standing up for men and women, because men have to live with us when we’re

going through this sometimes, sometimes, but you’re standing up and saying,

no, we’re living with whatever this condition may be. And there are options.

And that’s so important for women to hear. It’s so important for them to hear

indeed. And for men to hear as well, because we have to live with men too.

Exactly. And their bodies change. And there’s medicine that’s available for certain

issues, certain medical issues. There’s no shame or stigma about that at all,

or silence, or you know, not wanting to ask their physician doctor or their

questions. Nope. So then

why should we, why should there be any stigma or shame?

when it comes to HIV, whatever it is, no more, nope. Their medicine,

the science is here to help us. – Bravo.

Colleen: Do you walk around and you see women with portable fans and walk over and say, “Listen, I

have a solution for you.” (laughs) – Yeah, I do. (laughs) I do.

You know, I’ve heard, have you ever heard of Veozah? No kidding. That’s true.

That’s true. Look, look at Veozah.com. No, but really, I’ve texted it to friends.

I’ve texted Veozah.com to men whose wives or sisters or daughters are going through,

you know, hot flashes of night sweats, what’s going through menopause. I certainly talk

about to girlfriends like a girlfriend I met her for a concert at Lincoln Center

and she was a few minutes late just like oh my gosh I’m so sorry I’m a few

minutes late you know I started having this really bad hot flash and I had to go

inside and change and I was and I let her talk about and I just sitting there

like quite as a mouse oh really Well, I’d love to tell you about Veozah and I

told her all about it and my partnership with Astellas. So yep. Because it is

women are in charge. It is sharing it with other women and having these conversations

be normalized.

Colleen: Yes. It’s going to change the way the world looks at menopause and

post menopause because Bridgett and I are now both postmenopausal and a lot of women

are still having symptoms. It’s not like the day you postmenopausal, your symptoms

go away. Exactly. And talk, yes, like you say, talking with women and talking with

men. To, you know, as you said, normalize it to not, uh, oh,

yeah, it’s really, it’s really kind of amazing this whole place where I am in my

life right now. So, yeah, So, yeah, are you enjoying the moment?

Are you trying to be present and saying this is just an incredible time of my

life?

Reuben: I am enjoying the moment. I am, um, to the,

you know, to the best of my ability, not future tripping too much. However,

I am also, you know, doing my part when it comes to the creating the stories that

I am looking to tell and participating joyfully in the stories that I’m already

participating in, like the new Amazon Prime series that’s coming out. Boy, that was

a good segue when the—

Colleen: – Can we talk about that?

Reuben: – Yes, we can talk about that.

(laughing)

Colleen:  – Can you tell us a little bit about that?

Reuben:  – Yes, it’s called “The Better

Sister” And it stars Elizabeth Banks and Jessica Biel and great cast,

fellow cast member Lorraine Toussaint and Matthew Modine. And yeah, so that’s coming

out late spring. I’m also on the CBS hit series “Elsbeth.” I’ve been doing a few

episodes of that, which has been great fun. I have been writing a play that’s in

process based Um, the woman I portrayed in Steven Spielberg’s film Lincoln played a

woman named Elizabeth Keckley and have written a play on her relationship with

Elizabeth Keckley and her relationship with Mary Lincoln. A Theater has

commissioned that play and more music. Thank you. More music. I have not been

singing enough and people keep asking when next time I’m singing. So – Yeah,

singing, music. – So it’s just getting better.

Bridgett: – I’m excited about Elizabeth Keckley.

I’m going to New York to see it. I know, I read the book. Was it called

“Lincoln’s Dress?” I forgot what it was. There was a book.

Reuben:  – Yes. – At the title.

– Yes, no, no, there have been a couple of books. One of them is that title I

believe

make it the book that that has had deeply inspired me and that I am you know

aligned with when it comes to this production and for the screen as well is a book

by Jennifer Fleischer called Mrs. Lincoln and Mrs. Keckley, the Unlikely Friendship of

a First Lady and a Former Slave and it goes way back in both women’s lives,

childhood and generationally as much as they could for Elizabeth Keckley is a little

trickier and to the time when they met and after President Lincoln’s murder,

frankly. So it’s chock full of that relationship.

And I think that it’s, I know that it’s a relationship that, you know, just these

two women, it’s a  90 -minute one -act play, Elizabeth Keckley and

Mary Lincoln six weeks after the assassination. Yeah just the two of them.

Colleen: Oh, please come back and talk about that because we love to hear about that.

What you’re saying you  want to continue to tell stories and you’re so I mean

full of energy and life and what do you want women to know about this next

chapters as far as telling our stories. A lot of women think I’m invisible. Nobody

sees me, nobody hears me, but we disagree with that. We believe you’re only getting

better, wiser, happier. What would you tell women? Would that feel like the best was

behind me, not in front of me? You know, not being seen,

not

Reuben: Uh, has been, um, have been experiences in my life for most of my life.

Um, I have written and published a book in honor of my two brothers who passed.

Colleen: Your brothers, yes.

Reuben: And, um, my little brother, you know, Well,

let me just say that

music or telling a story, like I never wanted to be an actor,

you know, and those who have wanted that when they were a child, fantastic. But for

me, it was like an extension of music,

the story telling through music, you know. And being seen,

being heard, I understand that, you know, so much of our culture and many,

many women have that experience in this world, in this time, in this particularly in

this country, I think, where, you know, you reach a certain age and you’re

invisible. And I have to say that the more

That I’m seeing myself

truly The more that I’m discovering more about myself and The more that I listen to

myself The intuition that got the spiritual guy whatever the more that I listen to

myself The more I’m seen in the world more I listen to myself and express myself

creatively, the more I’m heard.

So I just encourage women,

it ain’t over till it’s over.

And when, where there’s life, there’s hope. So just just keep,

I encourage women just to keep exploring themselves,

keep an open mind and keep opening it up to themselves.

Colleen: That’s so powerful. Thank you. Please come back on when your play is ready to be

shown. We would love to hear all about it. And thank you for all you’re doing for

women that are struggling with moderate to severe hot flashes with your partnership

with the Astellas. I think it’s going to help so many women. And it’s such an

important conversation. So thank you for coming on.

Reuben:  It was really my pleasure. Thanks to the both of you. I really appreciate it. I look forward to next time.

Thank you.