An Interview With Carrie Mapes and Patty Pappas About hello again Products - Managing Menopause with Cannabis!

I recently had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing two amazing women about a product they have created to help women deal with menopause. Most of my clients are GenX women - women in their forties to mid-fifties, so they are right in the middle of that phase of their lives when they are most likely dealing with symptoms of perimenopause. (Perimenopause is the period of time from the very beginning of your hormonal changes to a year after your last period which is considered the moment of menopause.) However, symptoms don’t always end at the moment of menopause and can continue well into your sixties, so treatments that address these symptoms can help a huge portion of the population of professional women. Am I hearing an applause here? You bet!

Meet Carrie Mapes and Patty Pappas of Hello Again (https://helloagainproducts.com/)! Carrie and Patty have been friends for 20 years. Together they had visited dispensaries out of curiosity as they had realized that cannabis was being used to address some of the typical symptoms of perimenopause: anxiety, hot flashes, mood swings, low energy and mental fog. These are the very symptoms that plague my clients who are dealing with menopause at work.

Carrie and Patty and I met over Zoom one afternoon recently. I am thrilled to share our conversation with you:

A Time of My Own(ATOMO): You mentioned that you had “a light bulb moment”. Tell me about that.

Carrie and Patty(C/P): That was the moment when we realized that cannabis was uniquely suited to address menopause. And, like many women, we didn’t want to smoke or vape. We also realized that edibles are inconsistent. And, importantly, not everyone wants to “get high” to deal with menopause.

ATOMO: So what did you do?

C/P: With some research and exploration, we determined that a vaginal suppositories was the perfect delivery system. There are cannabinoid receptors in the female reproductive tract and that they have a quick reaction time. Fun fact: The brain is most dense area in body for cannabinoid receptors and the female reproductive tract is second most dense! The eventual uptake through blood vessels and capillaries allows for 6hour relief. An addition health benefit is that vaginal delivery system bypasses liver. Also, a vaginal suppository allowed us to address vaginal dryness which continues after menopause.

ATOMO: Wow, really interesting! How did this become an actual product?

C/P: We found a formulator. Another benefit of this phase of life is that we have more relationship connections! We put it out there and someone knew someone who knew someone. We bought a pharmaceutical grade suppository filling machine. This was the defining moment! We made the choice to develop our branding alongside the product which paid off because it enabled us to launch before Covid.

ATOMO: How did you handle the distribution?

C/P: We got it on the first dispensary shelves in February 2020 in two locations. Then Covid hit March 2020 but despite that we have broadened our dispensary reach to 12 outlets in five counties and our products are now available in San Francisco and Marin!

ATOMO: How exciting. You’ve gotten some great traction? What kinds of responses have you gotten?

C/P: The Feedback has been a true joy!  We are helping women of all ages with endometriosis pain, pms, menstrual cramps, arthritis, bursitis, libido. The anti-inflammatory properties of the CBD is really giving women a sense of well-being and addressing all sorts of inflammation-related aches and pains/conditions. Of course, getting a good night’s sleep is helping well-being as well.
ATOMO: So what are the products that you have?

C/P: We currently have two products. Both have same basic ingredients: Cocoa Butter, Avocado Oil and Vitamin E base with Apple Cider Vinegar for pH balance and Helichrysum which is anti microbial/bacterial. And then the different ingredients of the two products are:

Hello Again, Everyday
8CBD:1THC
16 mg CBD: 2 mg THC
Hops and Valerian Root – regulate temps
Rose Geranium – mood stability
Schisandra – focus and concentration
Green Tea and Rosemary – energy

Hello Again, Sleep
1CBD:4THC
5mg CBD:20mg THC
Melatonin, Lavender, Cape Chamomile, Roman Chamomile, Neroli Oil

ATOMO: Thanks for spending some time with me, Carrie and Patty. Any final thoughts you would like to share?

C/P: Yes. We would never would have done this as younger women. At this point in our lives we have less domestic responsibility, more wisdom and more relationships to depend on for resources and support. We are more comfortable in our own skin and trust in our own guts, we don’t care what people think and we energized by learning something new every single day.

ATOMO: Wonderful. I meet so may women in their mid to late forties and fifties who feel the same way. It is exciting to meet you - you are such inspired and inspiring women. I look forward to sharing your story with my clients and other women in my circle. Your products are a terrific resource for them.

C/P: Thank you, Barbara! It has been great talking with you.

Be sure to visit the Hello Again website! https://helloagainproducts.com/ Fewer hot flashes and more good night’s of sleep are a click away!

And, to learn more about how I support women whose lives and careers are being impacted by perimenopause (That would be you, GenX women!) Contact me!

I am Dr. Barbara Mark, an executive, career development and life strategies coach for professional women in their 40s, 50s and 60s - the prime of life and the most dynamic decades of your professional life! If you would like some support in your career and/or your life please feel free to schedule a free consultation with me or sign up for my newsletter.