Menopause Symptoms and Hormone Therapy with the OvaryActive Doctors

Written By Lora Shahine, MD

Could your sleepless nights, mood swings, joint pain, or “I just don’t feel like myself” feelings be connected to perimenopause? Do you really need hormone testing to know what is happening? And is menopause hormone therapy actually as scary as we were once told? 

Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch, hosts of OvaryActive and co-authors of Estrogen, Interrupted, join Dr. Lora Shahine for this episode of Brave & Curious. Their conversation opens up a thoughtful, funny, and myth-busting conversation about menopause, perimenopause, hormone health, and why women deserve to understand their bodies.

They also explain the difference between menopause and perimenopause, why symptoms can start years before periods stop, why hormone labs often do not tell the full story, and how symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, anxiety, vaginal dryness, weight changes, itchy ears (yes, we said “itchy ears”), burning mouth, and joint pain can all fit into the bigger picture.

Perimenopause is often a “story-based” diagnosis rather than a single lab result, and treatment options are available. This conversation will walk listeners through all of that and more. Listeners will feel informed, validated, and ready to ask better questions.

In this episode you’ll hear:

[0:24] Meet The Doctors of Ovaryactive Podcast

[10:45] Defining menopause and perimenopause

[14:55] Common Symptoms (More than Hot Flashes)

[18:37] Why labs fall short

[23:07] Unusual menopause symptoms

[28:05] Diagnosing perimenopause and menopause

[32:17] Non-hormonal treatment options

[42:18] The WHI study

[50:45] Breast cancer risk and Hormone Therapy

[59:51] Talking to your doctor

Resources mentioned: 

perimenopausedrs.com/ovaryactive

Follow the show @OvaryActive Instagram | YouTube 

Estrogen, Interrupted by Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su & Dr. Amy Voedisch

More information about Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su: 

Gennev:  www.gennev.com/clinician/dr-rebecca-dunsmoor-su

LinkedIn @rebecca-dunsmoor-su

More information about Dr. Amy Voedisch:

Stanford Medical Clinic: stanfordhealthcare.org/doctors/v/amy-voedisch.html

Dr. Shahine’s Weekly Newsletter on Fertility News and Recommendations

Follow @drlorashahine Instagram | YouTube | Tiktok | Her Books

Join the Learn at Pinnacle app to earn FREE CE Credit for listening to this episode!

This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.

Lora Shahine, MD

Dr. Lora Shahine, reproductive endocrinologist at Pacific NW Fertility and Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Washington in Seattle, completed her residency in OBGYN at the University of California in San Francisco and fellowship in reproductive endocrinology at Stanford University. She is dedicated to educating and advocating for increased awareness of infertility, miscarriage, and the impact on environmental toxins on health through an active social media presence, teaching, clinical research, and authoring multiple blogs and books including best selling, ‘Not Broken: An Approachable Guide to Miscarriage and Recurrent Pregnancy Loss.’

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Ovarian Rejuvenation: The Race to Extend Fertility with Roohi Jeelani, MD