OvaryActive

Perimenopause is already a strange little carnival of bleeding patterns, hot flashes, hormone debates, and wondering whether your body has joined a group chat without you.  Dr. Kemi Doll, gynecologic oncologist, uterine cancer scientist, and author of A Terrible Strength: The Hidden Crisis of the Black Womb and Your Survival Guide to Healing joins this episode of OvaryActive . Together the docs zo...

In this special bonus episode of OvaryActive , Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch celebrate the arrival of their new book, Estrogen, Interrupted  and share an excerpt from the audiobook. This preview introduces their candid, science-backed approach to perimenopause: the symptoms no one warned you about, why "it's normal" is not a treatment plan, and why women deserve better information,...

Perimenopause is already handing out enough surprises without the internet yelling that menopausal hormone therapy is either a miracle cardiology cape or a one-way ticket to doom.  In this episode of OvaryActive , Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch take on the very confusing question of whether hormone therapy can help prevent cardiovascular disease in menopause. They walk through the hi...

Perimenopause is apparently the perfect time to start worrying about dementia, cholesterol, hearing aids, and whether your brain is quietly packing its bags.  This episode of OvaryActive is part 2 of the conversation with Dr. Ayesha Sherzai of the Brain Docs. Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch are talking with Dr. Sherzai all about dementia prevention, brain health, and the deeply rude r...

Perimenopause can make your brain feel like it left the room — not that it remembers why it went there in the first place. In this first part of a two-part series with the Brain Docs, OvaryActive is talking all about dementia, brain fog, and the very real panic that happens when midlife memory glitches start feeling a little too ominous. Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch welcome Dr. Aye...

Perimenopause: where your body starts doing weird things and then gaslights you about it.  In this episode of OvaryActive , Dr. Amy Voedisch and Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su dive into the "wait…what?" symptoms. Those random, head-scratching changes that pop up during the menopause transition. Think asthma out of nowhere, itchy ears that won't quit, or sudden dizziness that makes you question your balan...

Perimenopause: the phase where your body does whatever it wants, whenever it wants, and your brain has thoughts about it. So what happens when hot flashes hit, anxiety creeps in, and suddenly you're questioning everything from your wardrobe to your worth? And more importantly…what if the problem isn't just the symptom, but the story you've been told about it?  In this episode of OvaryActive, Julia...

Perimenopause is still taking the blame… but in this unexpected third installment (because Amy just got too excited), we're talking about functional hypothalamic amenorrhea (FHA).  Dr. Chrisandra Shuflet joins the Docs in this episode of OvaryActive to explain FHA, tell us why it is often missed or dismissed, and how it's diagnosed. The conversation explores how disrupted brain signaling leads to...

Perimenopause gets blamed for a lot of things – mood swings, weird cycles, rogue chin hairs – but sometimes the culprit isn't peri at all. In Part 2 of When It's NOT Peri , the Docs are talking about polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), a condition that looks suspiciously like perimenopause but actually comes from a completely different hormonal playbook. The hosts explain what PCOS actually is, wh...

Perimenopause gets blamed for a lot… but sometimes it's innocent. In this first episode of our two-part series When It's NOT Peri , the Docs talk about what happens when symptoms that look like perimenopause are actually something else entirely. Sometimes the ovaries aren't "transitioning"… they're waving a much earlier white flag. This episode of OvaryActive zeroes in on premature ovarian insuffi...

When we talk about perimenopause, we talk a lot about symptoms, but not nearly enough about what's happening to your heart. Since February is Heart Health Month, it's the perfect time to take a "beat" to focus on your cardiovascular health. In this episode of OvaryActive, the Docs zoom out from hot flashes and hormones to talk about the number one killer of women: cardiovascular disease. They also...

Birth control or hormone therapy? Why does this decision feel like a personality test you didn't study for?  In this episode of OvaryActive , the Docs tackle one of the most confusing (and hotly debated) topics in perimenopause: when birth control is actually the right choice, when menopausal hormone therapy makes more sense, and why TikTok might not be the best place for medical nuance. Dr. Rebec...

Hot flashes, mood swings, surprise chin hairs… and now migraines? Welcome to perimenopause, where your hormones throw a rave in your brain and forget to invite you.  In this episode of O varyActive , the Docs tackle the maddening intersection of migraine misery and perimenopause chaos, complete with aura weirdness, estrogen roller coasters, and the universal fear of bright lights and strong perfum...

Hot flashes: the unofficial mascot of perimenopause and the original reason so many midlife women carry a personal fan or freezer pack, or insist on that open window in January.  In this episode of OvaryActive, Dr. Amy Voedisch and Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su finally give hot flashes their own episode. The Docs turn up the heat (literally and emotionally) as they talk through the lived chaos that is "...

Perimenopause: the magical season where sleep disappears, hormones riot, and suddenly everyone thinks you're "doing great" when actually you're googling whether rage counts as cardio.  In this episode of OvaryActive , Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch return with their second annual Menopause Society Conference recap. If you're wondering whether testosterone drops off a cliff in midlife...

Welcome back to the annual holiday classic Merry Perimenopaus e. While there's not much "jolly" about perimenopause, these gifts can add a little more joyeux to your noël! Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch jingle all the way through help for your hot flashes, cold flashes, brain fog, bad backs, night sweats, and the eternal question: why does perimenopause feel like puberty, déjà vu, an...

Perimenopause: that magical stage where your body suddenly decides it's the boss, your pants shrink overnight, and your motivation to exercise hides under the bed.  On the episode of OvaryActive , Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch welcome the hilarious and whip-smart Dr. Marily Oppezzo from Stanford. She is a behavior-change expert who's figured out how to help people actually do the he...

You've seen it all over social media, testosterone is apparently the miracle cure for every perimenopausal woe. Low libido? Tired? Losing muscle tone? Influencers say "Just add T!" The Docs say…not so fast  Ready for the truth? In this episode of OvaryActive, Dr. Amy Voedisch and Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su are here for just that. Even though it is not exactly what you're seeing on social media––it is...

Feeling overwhelmed by the supplement aisle? Are there pills that might actually help during perimenopause or are you just buying expensive urine?   This episode of OvaryActive dives into the pharmacy aisle of supplements. The Docs are talking about everything from influencer "miracle" blends to your best friend's turmeric obsession. Separating data from drama and giving you the straight, if sarca...

Perimenopause: your hormones have packed up and left, your skin starts new hobbies, and your vulva occasionally throws a tantrum.  In this episode of OvaryActive, we're talking about that neglected body part everyone loves to ignore—until it itches, burns, bleeds, or grows suspicious bumps. Joining the conversation are gynecologists and fellow podcasters Dr. Ashley Fuller and Dr. Meredith McClure,...

Perimenopause is already a rollercoaster—hot flashes, brain fog, and now…SURPRISE! cancer screenings.  In this episode of OvaryActive , Amy and Rebecca sit down with Gynecologic Oncologist Fernanda Musa, MD MS to tackle the less-fun-but-super-important reality: perimenopause is also prime time for gynecologic cancers.  Think of it as the sequel nobody asked for, but everybody needs to watch. Dr. M...

Perimenopause: when sneezing, laughing, or even thinking too hard about a trampoline suddenly becomes a bladder hazard. And guess what!? Kegels aren't the cure-all we were promised. In this episode of OvaryActive , Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch take us below the belt to talk pelvic floor health—the underappreciated muscle group that keeps your insides from falling out and your basem...

If perimenopause has turned your brain to mush and your patience to vapor, fear not—we've got your next reading list and your next excuse to hide in a closet with a book.  In this episode of OvaryActive, Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch tackle the hot topic of hot flashes and paperbacks, reminding us that reading is not just fundamental—it's survival. These two brilliant minds dive int...

Welcome to the wild west of perimenopause, where hot flashes meet hashtags and popular influencers suddenly have a lab test recommendation—thanks, TikTok. Hormone lab testing is "trending" and the Docs are taking a skeptical scalpel to the flood of hormone lab testing trends that have invaded exam rooms and inboxes alike. In this episode of OvaryActive, Dr. Amy Voedisch and Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su...

In this episode of OvaryActive , the Docs dive headfirst into the hot (flash) topic of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for breast cancer survivors. It's complicated, it's emotional, and yes, it's got a healthy splash of perimenopause thrown in—because nothing says "fun" like navigating midlife with a side of oncology. They talk all about the swirling myths, the clickbait headlines, and the TikTo...