OvaryActive

Dr Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su, Dr Amy Voedisch
  • 4.9 (119)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Bimonthly

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 reproductive health of those born with uteruses for a while now. And the doctors are frankly pretty tired of how those body bits — and the people they belong to — get ignored by medical science when they are no longer ideal baby-makers. Half of a woman's life comes after her Build a Baby shop shuts down; however, the medical community does little to educate her about or treat her for issues related to her peri- and post-menopausal body. In this smart, funny, incredibly informed, wonderfully irreverent podcast, Doctors Rebecca and Amy give us the down low on our… down lows. What is perimenopause? What can I expect? How can I feel better? And for crying out loud, WHEN IS IT OVER? Tune in on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month to get the real information without the hype, the sales, the myths, superstitions, and nonsense. Are your ovaries starting to overreact? Grab a partner, a buddy, a random woman who looks on the verge of tears, and listen up. You're not in this alone. And as the docs say, "You're not crazy. This is actually happening."

  1. 1d ago

    Ep 48 | Progesterone in Perimenopause: Sleep Savior, Uterus Protector, Internet Celebrity

    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 progesterone is formulated the way it is; and why progesterone creams and "natural" wild yam products are not doing what TikTok may have promised.  The episode also looks at progesterone's reputation for improving sleep, why some people feel dramatically better while others feel absolutely nothing, and the small subset who can experience poor mood effects instead of calm. Finally, Rebecca and Amy tackle the complicated evidence around micronized progesterone, breast cancer risk, and long-term hormone therapy.  Listeners will walk away knowing what the research actually says, what it definitely does not say, and why "it depends" remains medicine's least satisfying but frequently most correct (for now) answer. What you'll hear in this episode: [0:46] Progestogens: Pick a Lane [3:43] Micronized, Not Magical [5:34] Please Don't Put That There [8:10]  Protecting the Uterus, Ideally [12:12] Bleeding: Worth Investigating [17:51] Allopregnanolone Enters the Chat [21:27] When "Calming" Backfires [23:16] More Doesn't Always Mean Better [25:10] Sleep Savior? Let's Check the Data [32:20] Breast Cancer Risk: Hello, Nuance [41:07] The Five-Year Rule That Isn't Really a Rule [42:17] Progesterone: Neither Villain Nor Savior Follow the show @OvaryActive Instagram | YouTube | perimenopausedrs.com/ovaryactive Estrogen, Interrupted by Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su & Dr. Amy Voedisch Support the show: patreon.com/cw/OvaryActive 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 This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.

    Ep 48 | Progesterone in Perimenopause: Sleep Savior, Uterus Protector, Internet Celebrity

  2. Aug 27

    Ep 47 | Is Estrogen Safe After a Blood Clot? The Answer Is Annoyingly Complicated

    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 estrogen, including findings from the Million Women Study.  They also explain what "provoked" blood clots really mean, when prior clots may make estrogen especially risky, why a hematologist might need to join the group chat, and how shared decision-making should work when the research doesn't give a clean yes-or-no answer.  Listeners will come away understanding why hormone therapy recommendations need to be individualized, what questions to ask their clinician, and why "we don't have enough data yet" is sometimes the most medically accurate answer available. What you'll hear in this episode: [0:43] Clot risk controversy [1:54] Not birth control estrogen [3:15] Million Women Study [10:31] Let's talk about our high risk ladies [12:03] Provoked clots debate [18:54] Prior clot evidence [25:05] Clinical counseling approach [30:25] Shared decision making   Follow the show @OvaryActive Instagram | YouTube | perimenopausedrs.com/ovaryactive Estrogen, Interrupted by Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su & Dr. Amy Voedisch Support the show: patreon.com/cw/OvaryActive 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 This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.

    Ep 47 | Is Estrogen Safe After a Blood Clot? The Answer Is Annoyingly Complicated

  3. Aug 13

    Ep 46 | Sex After 40: More Pleasure, Fewer Rules with Julie Weitlauf

    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 time, better stimulation, fewer distractions, and a willingness to stop comparing forty-something you to your nineteen-year-old self. Julie explains how mindfulness, body image, relationship dynamics, sexual shame, past experiences, and changing identities can all influence desire and pleasure. Big surprise, simply telling yourself to relax is not a particularly effective treatment plan. This conversation offers practical ways to expand the sensual menu, reconnect with pleasure, and approach midlife intimacy with curiosity instead of panic.  What you'll hear in this episode: [1:35] Perimenopause, Sex Myths, & Midlife [5:07] Recenter what you want [9:13] Relationships & Life's Mental Load [13:55] Normal Desire & Pleasure Gaps [16:51] Expand Your Menu [26:17] Menopause Sex Concerns (mindfulness, sensate focus, body image, scheduling) [40:26] Substance Use and Sexuality [44:08] Questioning Sexual Identity in Midlife [48:07] Relationship and Family Dynamics [52:47] Make Pleasure a Priority by Expanding Your Intimacy Menu   Resources: Julie Weitlauf on LinkedIn Managing Hot Flushes and Night Sweats by Myra Hunter psychologytoday.com/us   Follow the show @OvaryActive Instagram | YouTube | perimenopausedrs.com/ovaryactive Estrogen, Interrupted by Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su & Dr. Amy Voedisch   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 This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.

    Ep 46 | Sex After 40: More Pleasure, Fewer Rules with Julie Weitlauf

  4. Jul 30

    Ep 45 | Swallow This, Part 3: Hope Is Not a Clinical Trial

    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 medical studies almost fun. This episode tackles berberine, glucosamine, CoQ10, collagen, and NAD+, separating promising science from clever marketing. Rebecca and Amy explain why the quality of a study matters just as much as the headline, how industry-funded research can paint a very different picture than independent studies, and why "natural" doesn't automatically mean effective, or even safe. Listeners will learn which supplements may have a role for specific medical conditions, which ones don't live up to the hype for perimenopause, and why the phrase "more research is needed" is sometimes the most honest answer in medicine.  What you'll hear in this episode: [0:55] Berberine buzzkill [3:05] Natural GLP-1... maybe? [6:32] Leave your liver alone [8:03] Dog joint medicine? Glucosamine reality check [14:21] CoQ10 heart talk [20:00] Collagen vs. wrinkles [25:17] Lasers in the vag (please don't) [29:34] NAD+ hype train [32:43] DON'T INJECT RANDOM STUFF! [33:47] Cowboy hats for the Wild West [35:29] Social media vs. science   Studies Mentioned: Gianturco SL, Mattingly AN. Distinguishing between compounding facilities and the development of the 503B bulk drug substance list. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). Jan-Feb 2021;61(1):e8-e11. doi:10.1016/j.japh.2020.06.024 A 2-yr Randomized Controlled Trial on Creatine Supplementation during Exercise for Postmenopausal Bone Health. Philip D Chilibeck et al. Med Sci Sports Exerc.2023. Prokopidis K, Witard OC. Understanding the role of smoking and chronic excess alcohol consumption on reduced caloric intake and the development of sarcopenia. Nutrition Research Reviews. 2022;35(2):197-206. Prokopidis K, Giannos P, Triantafyllidis KK, Kechagias KS, Forbes SC, Candow DG. Effects of creatine supplementation on memory in healthy individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Nutr Rev. Mar 10 2023;81(4):416-427. doi:10.1093/nutrit/nuac064 Avgerinos KI, Spyrou N, Bougioukas KI, Kapogiannis D. Effects of creatine supplementation on cognitive function of healthy individuals: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Exp Gerontol. Jul 15 2018;108:166-173. doi:10.1016/j.exger.2018.04.013 Ye Y, Liu X, Wu N, Han Y, Wang J, Yu Y, Chen Q. Efficacy and Safety of Berberine Alone for Several Metabolic Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Front Pharmacol. 2021 Apr 26;12:653887.   Follow the show @OvaryActive Instagram | YouTube | perimenopausedrs.com/ovaryactive Estrogen, Interrupted by Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su & Dr. Amy Voedisch Support the show: patreon.com/cw/OvaryActive   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 This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.

    Ep 45 | Swallow This, Part 3: Hope Is Not a Clinical Trial

  5. Jul 16

    Ep 44 | Swallow This, Part 2: Creatine and Peptides

    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 peptides, the trendy injectable alphabet soup being marketed for healing, metabolism, anti-aging, and performance. The verdict? Big no. We think you'll understand once you hear what peptides actually are and why FDA-approved peptide medications are very different from what is being sold online. Then the Docs turn to creatine, which thankfully has more information and science behind it and does not immediately need to be thrown into the medical dumpster fire.  This episode covers what looks promising, what looks sketchy, what is probably safe, and what should absolutely not be injected into your body unless you are in an actual doctor's office and not a cash-pay wellness cave. What you'll hear in this episode: [0:29] Supplements, again [1:39] Influencer red flags [2:57] Peptides: alphabet soup and a hard nope [10:17] Safety risks and compounding [13:47] Creatine enters politely dressed as muscle sprinkles [22:27] Kidney caveat [24:37] Supplement quality roulette [25:35] Please don't inject things Follow the show @OvaryActive Instagram | YouTube | perimenopausedrs.com/ovaryactive Estrogen, Interrupted by Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su & Dr. Amy Voedisch Support the show: patreon.com/cw/OvaryActive 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   This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.

    Ep 44 | Swallow This, Part 2: Creatine and Peptides

  6. Jun 25

    Ep 43 | A Terrible Strength: Dr. Kemi Doll on Black Women, Perimenopause, and the Womb Care We're Still Getting Wrong

    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 damage. They get into it all, the stories, science, and systemic failures behind disparities in fibroids, endometriosis, heavy bleeding, uterine cancer, and routine gynecologic care. Dr. Doll shares why maternal mortality is only the tip of the iceberg. And she also shares how Black women are often conditioned to minimize pain and symptoms and why doctors need to stop asking vague questions like, "Any problems with your period?" when someone may be casually working from a bathtub in an adult diaper.  Listeners will learn how language shapes care, why "normal" bleeding is not always normal, how misinformation finds its opening, and why better questions, better data, and better listening can literally change outcomes.  Also: nuance is not as catchy as a wellness influencer selling chamomile DNA rearrangement, but unfortunately for the internet, it matters. What you'll hear in this episode: [0:34] Meet Dr. Kemi Doll [3:03] Beyond maternal mortality [5:22] Uterine cancer and menopause [7:00] Power of patient stories [10:25] Dismissal and invisibility [13:22] Asking better questions [19:30] Rebranding birth control [29:01] Why write? [32:04] Endometriosis misdiagnosis story [38:38] Nuance over quick fixes [45:37] Bleeding patterns and cancer risk [48:38] Let's talk HRT, unopposed estrogen, and estrogen cream [56:39] Myths! We always have to cover myths! [1:04:28] Wrap up Links:  kemidoll.com kemidoll.com/book @kemidoll on Instagram @kemidollcoach on Facebook @kemidoll on LinkedIn   Follow the show @OvaryActive Instagram | YouTube | perimenopausedrs.com/ovaryactive Estrogen, Interrupted by Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su & Dr. Amy Voedisch 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   This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.

    Ep 43 | A Terrible Strength: Dr. Kemi Doll on Black Women, Perimenopause, and the Womb Care We're Still Getting Wrong

  7. Jun 16 ·  Bonus

    BONUS: Estrogen, Interrupted UNBOXED

    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 to make this stage of life less confusing, less isolating, and slightly less "why are my pants suddenly attacking me? Links:  Get your copy of Estrogen, Interrupted: bit.ly/Estrogen-Interrupted-preorder   Follow the show @OvaryActive Instagram | YouTube | perimenopausedrs.com/ovaryactive Estrogen, Interrupted by Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su & Dr. Amy Voedisch This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.

    BONUS: Estrogen, Interrupted UNBOXED

  8. Jun 11

    Ep 42 | Hormones, Heart Health, and Hot Flash Hype: What Menopause Hormone Therapy Can Actually Do

    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 thousand menopause panic spirals.  The doctors explain why timing matters, why older hormone therapy data does not always apply to today's estradiol options, and why oral versus transdermal estrogen is more nuanced than "patch good, pill bad." So yes, hormones can be fabulous. But no, they do not replace exercise, lipid screening, diabetes care, statins when needed, or the deeply annoying truth that lifestyle still matters. What you'll hear in this episode: [2:45] Where the "estrogen protects the heart" idea came from [5:02] The Women's Health Initiative and why timing matters [6:31] Plaque, blood clots, and starting hormones later [7:26] The timing hypothesis and "window of opportunity" [7:59 Older hormone therapy studies don't always match current treatments…why? [12:04] What we know about oral estradiol, transdermal estrogen, and the liver [16:40] Medicare data, mortality claims, and why database studies are tricky [18:37] Can MHT prevent cardiovascular disease? [20:37] Proven heart-health strategies that matter most [22:42] What hormones can help with, and what they CAN'T promise   Follow the show @OvaryActive Instagram | YouTube | perimenopausedrs.com/ovaryactive Estrogen, Interrupted by Dr. Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su & Dr. Amy Voedisch   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 This episode was produced by Audiotocracy Podcast Production.

    Ep 42 | Hormones, Heart Health, and Hot Flash Hype: What Menopause Hormone Therapy Can Actually Do
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4.9
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About

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 reproductive health of those born with uteruses for a while now. And the doctors are frankly pretty tired of how those body bits — and the people they belong to — get ignored by medical science when they are no longer ideal baby-makers. Half of a woman's life comes after her Build a Baby shop shuts down; however, the medical community does little to educate her about or treat her for issues related to her peri- and post-menopausal body. In this smart, funny, incredibly informed, wonderfully irreverent podcast, Doctors Rebecca and Amy give us the down low on our… down lows. What is perimenopause? What can I expect? How can I feel better? And for crying out loud, WHEN IS IT OVER? Tune in on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month to get the real information without the hype, the sales, the myths, superstitions, and nonsense. Are your ovaries starting to overreact? Grab a partner, a buddy, a random woman who looks on the verge of tears, and listen up. You're not in this alone. And as the docs say, "You're not crazy. This is actually happening."

Information

  • Creator
    Dr Rebecca Dunsmoor-Su, Dr Amy Voedisch
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    50
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2024
  • Show Website
    OvaryActive