by Dr Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su, Dr Amy Voedisch · English · Health
Two gynecologists walk into a recording studio.
Sounds like the start of a joke, and frankly, perimenopause can feel like the start of a joke too. Only this joke is on you. And it's not that funny. But back to those two OB/GYNS….
Dr Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch have been caring for the
Join us for one of our LIVE events: https://bit.ly/3UeeHEL Perimenopause is hard enough without being told you need expensive supplements, miracle hormones, and a new workout routine that apparently requires becoming an Olympic athlete. With menopause misinformation everywhere and wellness influencers selling solutions to problems you didn't know you had, how do you separate science from a really good sales pitch? Women's health and fitness coach Amanda Thebe joins the Docs on this episode of OvaryActive for a refreshingly unfiltered conversation about menopause, hormone therapy, and the…
Is it ADHD, perimenopause, or has your brain simply decided it has reached maximum capacity? In this episode of OvaryActive , the Docs are talking about the very real overlap between ADHD symptoms and perimenopause. This includes brain fog, forgetfulness, disorganization, overwhelm, and the sudden inability to keep all those carefully balanced plates spinning. ADHD may become more noticeable in midlife, especially for women whose inattentive symptoms went undiagnosed as kids. They explain what ADHD can actually look like in women, why old coping strategies may stop working during…
We have an announcement! OvaryActive has a Patreon! Help support the show — become a patron for as little as $5/month! patreon.com/cw/OvaryActive Progesterone: soothing hormone, sleep savior, uterine bodyguard… or wildly overhyped perimenopause celebrity? In this episode of OvaryActive, Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch take on micronized progesterone, progestins, and the many confident claims the internet has made about both. Because apparently even hormones need a PR team. The Docs explain the difference between progesterone, progestogens, and progestins; why micronized…
We have an announcement! OvaryActive has a Patreon! Help support the show — become a patron for as little as $5/month! patreon.com/cw/OvaryActive Blood clots and hormone therapy: two things that can make perimenopause feel even more delightfully complicated. In this episode of OvaryActive , Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch dig into the risk of blood clots with menopausal hormone therapy, and why the internet's favorite phrase, "It's totally safe," deserves a few very large asterisks. Rebecca and Amy take a data-driven look at what we actually know about oral versus transdermal…
We have an announcement! OvaryActive has a Patreon! Help support the show — become a patron for as little as $5/month! patreon.com/cw/OvaryActive Perimenopause can change your sleep, your body, your mood, and — because apparently the transition needed another hobby — your sex life. Returning guest Julie Weitlauf, PhD, joins the OvaryActive Docs to talk about low libido, vaginal dryness, unpredictable bleeding, less-intense orgasms, and the deeply unsexy experience of thinking about tomorrow's dinner during intimacy. The conversation explores why satisfying sex in midlife may require more…
We have an announcement! OvaryActive has a Patreon! Help support the show — become a patron for as little as $5/month! patreon.com/cw/OvaryActive Perimenopause has officially entered its supplement era, and apparently every capsule on the internet is promising to fix your metabolism, your wrinkles, your joints, your brain, and maybe your credit score. In the third installment of the Swallow This series, Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch sort through another round of popular supplements with their trademark mix of evidence, skepticism, and just enough sarcasm to make reading…
We have an announcement! OvaryActive has a Patreon! Help support the show — become a patron for as little as $5/month! patreon.com/cw/OvaryActive Perimenopause is apparently the new Black Friday for supplement marketing, and this episode is here to check the receipt. In part two of the Swallow This supplement series, Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch dig into the body-building-adjacent products showing up all over social media, including peptides, creatine, and the many "miracle" promises aimed at people who are tired, foggy, sweaty, and understandably over it. They start with…
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 zoom out from the usual menopause chaos to talk about something bigger: the hidden crisis in gynecologic care, especially for Black women, and why "you're fine" has done a truly Olympic amount of…
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, better care, and a lot less medical shrugging. Listen in for a first taste of the book, including what perimenopause really is, why it can feel so unpredictable, and how Rebecca and Amy are working…
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 history of hormone therapy and heart health, from large observational studies like Framingham and the Nurses' Health Study to the much-debated Women's Health Initiative, a study that launched roughly a…
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 realization that the "boring stuff" might actually matter. This episode picks up with the Lancet Dementia Commission report and the 14 modifiable risk factors linked to dementia, including hearing…
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 migraines, hormones, cholesterol, hearing aids, and whether your brain is quietly packing its bags. Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch welcome Dr. Ayesha Sherzai, one half of the Brain Docs , for a reassuring and science-backed conversation about what is actually happening in the brain during perimenopause. They talk about estrogen, memory, sleep disruption, hot…
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 balance and your sanity. Is it hormones? Is it aging? Is it both? Welcome to the gray area. They are sharing what little research exists, where estrogen might be playing a role, and why so many of these…
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 Weitlauf joins the Docs to talk all about cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for menopause—because apparently, we can't control the hot flashes, but we can control how much they ruin our day. They…
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 low estrogen, why it's a diagnosis of exclusion, and how this condition shows up most often in younger women, even though its impact can follow you well into perimenopause and beyond. As a condition…
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, why insulin resistance sits at the center of the syndrome, and how symptoms like irregular periods, acne, hair growth, and weight changes can overlap with perimenopause. They also walk through how…
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 insufficiency (POI). This is a condition where ovarian function declines before age 40. Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch walk through what POI is and what it isn't. They also talk about why…
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 explain why the menopause transition is a critical (and often ignored) window for heart health. Preventive cardiologist Dr. Beth Abramson joins Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch to…
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. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch walk listeners through how clinicians actually think about this decision. The process includes contraceptive needs, bleeding patterns, symptom "greatest hits," and…
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 perfumes. Migraines are more than "just a headache" and there is a reason they love to show up right before or during your period. You'll hear about triggers ranging from hormones to allergens to the…
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 "my own personal summer". Our Docs explain what hot flashes actually are, why they show up, and why your brain, not just your hormones, is the real drama queen in this scenario. Listeners will finally…
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 or whether scream cream is a placebo disguised as foreplay… good news! They've got updates. This episode walks through the latest research from menopause experts covering the big three: sexual…
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, and a hangover all rolled into one? In this episode of OvaryActive , they kick things off with the biggest news of all: the Docs very own book on perimenopause is officially available for pre-order!…
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 healthy things they already know they should be doing. Spoiler: it involves fewer "shoulds" and more squats. Dr. Oppezzo shares her "Stronger" philosophy, a refreshingly guilt-free approach to…
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 science, sarcasm, and a few chin-year jokes. The Docs explain what testosterone actually does in women's bodies, why testing it is tricky, and how misinformation has turned a controlled substance…
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 sarcastic, scoop. Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch explain what your body truly needs (hello, vitamin D and calcium), what might help (fiber and omega-3s for the win), and what should probably…
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, the brilliant, and hilarious, minds behind Labia Logic . Ashley and Meredith spend their days — and an entire podcast — focused on vulvas, menopause, sexual health, and the often-overlooked…
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. Musa brings her scalpel-sharp expertise (she is a surgeon, afterall ) and a refreshingly candid approach to topics we'd rather avoid. Cervical and uterine cancers and pesky fibroids that multiply like…
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 basement from springing a leak. Joining the Docs is Tanya Goodrich, founder of Healthy Pelvis Physical Therapy and proud owner of the best blueberry analogy you'll ever hear. Tanya is here to prove that…
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 into why reading is a legit form of self-care during perimenopause––wine and doomscrolling can only take you so far. From brain health and stress reduction to reconnecting with yourself when your…
About OvaryActive
Two gynecologists walk into a recording studio.
Sounds like the start of a joke, and frankly, perimenopause can feel like the start of a joke too. Only this joke is on you. And it's not that funny. But back to those two OB/GYNS….
Dr Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su and Dr. Amy Voedisch have been caring for the
OvaryActive is a English health podcast from Dr Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su, Dr Amy Voedisch. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.
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