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 medical history that actually matters.

The Docs will guide you through the options and even cover what a combination approach might look like. Most importantly, shared decision-making, not social media panic, should guide treatment choices.

This episode reminds you that perimenopause is real, complicated, and highly individual. And the right plan is the one that treats your physiology, not someone else's algorithm.

What you'll hear in this episode:

[1:05] Birth control vs. hormone therapy

[2:49] Contraception needs during perimenopause

[5:34] Understanding menopausal hormone therapy

[7:45] Assessing symptoms

[16:59] So many choices! How do you choose?

[22:03] Breakthrough symptoms

[23:51] Combination approaches (Amy's FAV)

[29:58] You didn't miss the window!

[35:32] Alternative methods & why they may not be a good fit

[40:22] You're NOT crazy!

Follow the show @OvaryActive Instagram | YouTube

Meet the Docs:

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

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 OvaryActive, 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 existential dread of week three of your cycle.

This episode sheds light on the difference between migraines with and without aura, why estrogen drops can send your brain into chaos, and what treatments actually work.

You'll know your options, understand your triggers, and realize (important!) that you do not have to suffer through perimenopausal migraines alone.

What you'll hear in this episode:

[1:57] Why do migraines appear or get worse during perimenopause?

[3:40] Headaches vs. true migraines

[8:03] What the what is a migraine "aura"?

[13:33] Can you prevent migraines?

[21:25] Migraines can also mean anxiety, sleep issues, and hot flashes

[22:27] Practical treatment options

[29:46] What's new in the migraine treatment world?

[32:39] OTC remedies for when a migraine happens

[38:41] You're NOT CRAZY!

Resources:

curablehealth.com

Meet the Docs:

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

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 understand night sweats, "superflushers," the brain circuits that freak out for no good reason, and why some people glow for a year while others suffer for… well… a decade.

As always, the Docs are delivering solid science, introducing us to vasomotor symptoms, candy neurons (not as fun as they sound), social determinants of health, and the fact that estrogen is not the only character in this soap opera.

You'll saunter out of this episode knowing what causes hot flashes, how long they might last, how to treat them, and most importantly: that you're not losing your mind. You're just in perimenopause.

What you'll hear in this episode:

[2:04] What are hot flashes…actually?

[3:24] Hot flashes vs. night sweats

[5:54] The FAQ: How common? When do they start? When will they LEAVE?

[12:05] Let's get nerdy: the science behind hot flashes

[17:38 The lasting impact

[20:34] Hot flashes and cardiovascular risk are related

[22:15 The good stuff: treatment options

[36:30] Let us validate you!

Follow the show @OvaryActive Instagram | YouTube

Meet the Docs:

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