Gyno Girl Presents: Sex, Drugs & Hormones

The FDA told him no in 1992. They said giving estrogen to breast cancer survivors would put women at "unacceptable risk." He did the study anyway.

Dr. Avrum Bluming is a medical oncologist, emeritus clinical professor of medicine at USC, former senior investigator for the National Cancer Institute, and co-author of Estrogen Matters. He's been fighting estrogen fear for over 30 years long before it was safe or popular to do so.

His origin story starts with his wife. At 45, she developed breast cancer. The chemotherapy he gave her threw her into premature menopause. She couldn't sleep...

There are 80 million women over 40 in America. Only 4,100 menopause certified clinicians. The gap is real. And my guest is working on changing that.

Dr. Kelly Casperson is a urologist, sexual medicine physician, and bestselling author of The Menopause Moment and You Are Not Broken. She's been leading the charge on women's health advocacy from serving on the FDA panel that removed the box warning on estrogen to pushing for testosterone deregulation. She has a large following, but as Kelly says: it's just a drop in the bucket.

HThere are 80 million women over 40 in America. Only 4,100...

What happens when your family stages an intervention because they've been avoiding you 10 days every month?

I'm sharing the story of a patient who had a complete breakdown at Christmas dinner. She snapped at her husband, her kids, her mom, her in-laws—everyone. A few hours later, her family told her: "We love you, but for 10 days every month, we actively avoid you."

She came to me asking: Am I bipolar? Am I manic? What's happening to me?

This is PMDD premenstrual dysphoric disorder. And when it collides with perimenopause, it becomes a pe...

What does it mean when 6,000 women a day enter menopause but there are only 4,100 certified clinicians to treat them?

In this year end solo episode, I'm reflecting on 2025 in women's health.

It was a year that felt heavy at the start personally for me after losing my mother, and globally with so much suffering and injustice. But even in all of that, women's health moved forward in meaningful ways. Not perfectly. Not fast enough. But enough that it deserves reflection.

I'm covering the moments that shifted conversations this year from the FDA removing...

What happens when a medication designed to help you lose weight also changes what brings you pleasure?

In this solo episode, I'm doing a deep dive into what nobody's discussing about GLP-1 medications (Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound) and what they do to your sex life.

These medications have been absolutely transformational for metabolic disease, obesity, and cardiovascular health. But they don't just work on your gut and pancreas they work centrally in your brain, in your reward pathways, in your pleasure centers.

I'm sharing stories from my practice: the glamorous patient who suddenly...

One of my brave patients shares her story with lichen sclerosis from being dismissed and told it was "all in her head" to finding proper treatment and relief.

I'll never forget the day Jess walked into my office. By the time she found me, she'd already been dismissed by multiple doctors including specialists at what was supposed to be one of Chicago's premier women's health centers. They told her the severe pain and skin changes she was experiencing were "all in her head." Two different physicians suggested she needed a therapist, not medical treatment. Her depression history...

Have you ever wondered why trauma seems to "live" in the body? Or why so many women struggle with sexual dysfunction after difficult childbirth experiences that they're told they should just be "grateful" for?

Join me as we explore the profound connection between trauma and sexual health with Erika Kelley, an award-winning clinical psychologist who specializes in women's sexual medicine and trauma treatment.

Erika Kelley is revolutionizing how we understand and treat the intersection of PTSD and sexual dysfunction. Winner of the prestigious Irwin Goldstein Award at ISSWSH for her groundbreaking research on childbirth-related PTSD...

It's our 100th episode! I celebrate this milestone with Karen Bradley, NP, discussing the biggest wins, most common questions, and key themes from nearly two years of podcasting about women's sexual health and menopause.

We dive into the FDA's recent decision to remove the boxed warning from vaginal estrogen a huge victory for women's health advocacy. This warning has prevented countless women from getting treatment for painful sex, recurrent UTIs, and other symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause.

I share a powerful story of a patient with breast cancer history who was denied hormone therapy...

Dr. Noor Al-Humaidhi is a general practitioner from New Hampshire who discovered a massive gap in midlife women's healthcare.

After experiencing perimenopausal symptoms herself and realizing how little she understood about the connection between hormones and chronic disease, she started Lifestyles by Dr. Noor a multidisciplinary practice focused on prevention, metabolic health, and helping women stop suffering through menopause.

We discuss why stress management isn't just "woo woo" but creates measurable biological changes in blood sugar and cardiovascular health, how continuous glucose monitors reveal the real-time impact of stress on your body, and why women...

Dr. Jila Senemar is a board-certified OB-GYN in Miami who's integrating longevity medicine with menopause care. After nearly two decades in traditional practice, part of her work is catching women in their 30s and 40s before chronic disease develops.

We discuss why your standard annual labs are missing the markers that actually predict heart disease and diabetes, how to finally break free from the cardio-only mentality that's keeping you from building muscle, and why eating more protein feels impossible when you've been trained to restrict food your entire life. Dr. Senemar reveals the advanced testing she runs...

Dr. Arthur "Bud" Burnett is a legend in urology whose pioneering work on nitric oxide helped make Viagra possible. As a Professor at Johns Hopkins and author of "The Manhood Prescription," he brings nearly 40 years of research to understanding how men's sexual health impacts their partners.

We discuss why erectile dysfunction in male partners directly affects female sexual dysfunction, the treatments for Peyronie's disease that most couples don't know exist, and why testosterone replacement is straightforward for men but controversial for women. Dr. Burnett explains his holistic approach beyond just prescribing pills and shares insights on helping...

Last week was the Menopause Society meeting in Orlando, and while I couldn't attend in person due to getting sick, I spent the weekend watching all the sessions remotely from bed. What struck me most were the cardiovascular sessions.

Recording this on the eve of my mother's one-year death anniversary from a massive heart attack, I want to talk about the real changes that happen when estrogen leaves the chat and why cardiovascular disease awareness among women has actually dropped from 65% to 44% in recent years.

I talk through the key cardiovascular takeaways including why white...

Have you ever felt stuck, ashamed, or just plain confused about your sexual wellness? I am so excited about today’s conversation. I am diving deep with Dr. Jennifer Litner, a brilliant sex therapist and founder of Embrace Sexual Wellness, to talk about how we can unlearn sexual shame, communicate better in relationships, and teach the next generation about healthy sexuality.

I love exploring the how sexual wellness, shame, and communication, all need to work together. Jennifer shares her journey into the world of sex therapy, why she believes naming what we do is so powerful, and ho...

You've probably heard of cancer survivors, but have you heard of previvors? These are women with genetic mutations like BRCA1, BRCA2, or CHECK2 who are at higher risk for cancer but don't have it yet. October is both Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Menopause Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to discuss genetic testing, cancer risk assessment, and what previvors need to know about their options.

Using a 28-year-old patient with CHECK2 mutation as an example, I walk through when genetic testing makes sense, how to calculate your lifetime risk, and what screening protocols change when...

If you've been following along, you may have noticed things look a bit different around my practice. In this episode, I'm sitting down with my amazing team—Karen Bradley (NP) and Grace Prete (pelvic floor PT)—to talk about why we transitioned to concierge medicine, changed our name to the GSM Collective, and what this all means for the care we provide.

We discuss how insurance restrictions meant that even when we spent 30 minutes with patients more than most providers could offer it still wasn't enough time for patients with complex conditions like PGAD, vaginismus, and chronic pelv...

Dr. Rachel Pope explains how her sister's cancer diagnosis and a patient in Malawi asking "can you fix my vagina" opened her eyes to the massive gap in sexual health education within gynecology.

As a fistula repair surgeon working in Sub-Saharan Africa for four years, Dr. Pope realized that even after successfully repairing bladder leaks, many patients couldn't have intercourse due to vaginal scar tissue yet providers never asked about sexual function.

Meanwhile, her sister battling cancer was asking basic questions about intimacy that Dr. Pope, despite all her training and a fellowship, couldn't answer.<...

This conversation with Lauren Tetenbaum revealed how her journey from reproductive rights lawyer to therapist led her to write "Millennial Menopause" after realizing she had no idea what was coming next in her late 30s. Her unique perspective combines legal advocacy, mental health expertise, and millennial pop culture references to make perimenopause education accessible and relatable.

Lauren emphasized that millennials are still being dismissed by providers with harmful phrases like "you're too young" and "your labs are normal so you're fine." She stressed that perimenopause can start in the late 30s and that normal lab results don't...

This conversation with Dr. Carolyn Moyers revealed how personal experience with perimenopause transformed her from a general OBGYN into a Menopause specialist. Her journey began when her youngest son pointed out she was getting "mean as she got older," leading her to recognize her own perimenopause symptoms and start estrogen therapy.

Dr. Moyers emphasized the critical importance of debunking perimenopause myths that continue to harm women. The most damaging myths include "it's all in your head," "your labs are normal so you're fine," "you're too young for perimenopause," and "hormone therapy just delays the inevitable." She stressed...

If you've always managed just fine but suddenly feel like everything is falling apart in your 40s, the problem might not be perimenopause alone it could be revealing ADHD that's been masked your entire life.

This conversation with therapist Mandi Dixon revealed a critical connection between ADHD and perimenopause that's leaving countless women struggling without answers. Dixon's work focuses on the intersection of neurodivergence and hormonal changes, addressing why so many women receive their first ADHD diagnosis during midlife transitions.

The discussion explored how ADHD in girls and women presents differently than in boys...

Dating after divorce, widowhood, or decades of marriage feels impossible - but what if the problem isn't that love is scarce, but that nobody ever taught you how to find the right person?

This conversation with dating expert Bella Gandhi revealed why traditional approaches to finding love fail and how midlife presents unique opportunities for rewriting your romantic story. Gandhi's philosophy centers on "fixing your picker" learning to identify and choose partners based on compatibility rather than superficial chemistry or outdated checklists.

The discussion explored the cultural challenges faced by South Asian women and others...

Perimenopause isn't just a buzzword it's the missing vocabulary that finally explains why your body feels like it's betraying you in your late 30s and 40s.

This conversation with Dr. Jackie Piasta explored why perimenopause has become such a powerful word for women finally finding answers to years of unexplained symptoms. We discussed the complex hormonal orchestra that begins breaking down in the late 30s and early 40s, creating a cascade of physical and emotional changes that often leave women feeling like they're "not themselves."

The physiology behind perimenopause involves the ovaries becoming less responsive...

I sat down with plastic surgeon Dr. Dahlia Rice to uncover why the beauty industry's biggest lies are keeping you from aging on your own terms.

This conversation explored the evolution of plastic surgery from dramatic transformations to natural, undetectable enhancements. The discussion covered how celebrity influence, particularly Kris Jenner's recent facelift, has normalized conversations about aesthetic procedures while highlighting the shift toward subtlety over obvious results.

A major focus was the reality of dermal fillers contrary to marketing claims about 12-16 month dissolution, many patients retain fillers for years due to individual metabolism differences...

I'm thrilled to have Dr. Justin Lehmiller, renowned psychologist, sex researcher and author of "Tell Me What You Want," join me to uncover what people really fantasize about based on his groundbreaking survey of over 10,000 adults.

In this fascinating episode, I dive into the hidden world of sexual fantasies with Justin a psychologist who has conducted the largest study on what people actually fantasize about. As someone who works daily with patients struggling with sexual health concerns, I found this conversation incredibly revealing about what's happening in people's minds behind closed doors.

Justin reveals the...

Dr. Tiffany Moon, anesthesiologist, entrepreneur, and author of "Joy Prescriptions," joins me for a candid conversation about the hidden struggles behind external success.

After years of following the traditional achievement pathway elite schools, medical training, career advancement Dr. Moon found herself asking "is this it?" despite checking all the boxes society told her would lead to fulfillment.

In this deeply personal episode, Dr. Moon shares her transformation from a people pleasing perfectionist to someone who prioritizes authentic joy and connection. She opens up about her challenging fertility journey with twins, the systemic barriers she faced...

I’m joined by Amy Ege, professional organizer and founder of Amy Louise Organizing, to explore how physical clutter can intensify hormonal upheaval and why bringing order to your environment may be the most overlooked step toward emotional clarity during perimenopause.

Many women in midlife find themselves overwhelmed by clutter but don’t connect it to their irritability, fatigue, or mental fog. In this episode, we explore how disorganization can worsen the emotional toll of perimenopause, and why seeking support without shame is both practical and therapeutic.

Amy shares how hormone shifts intersect with household stre...

Dr. Lyndsey Harper built Rosy to fill the void medicine left behind this episode dives into how she's reshaping sexual health for women through tech, data, and desire.

Rosy isn’t a one size fits all app. It’s a platform built by a variety of clinicians and trained experts in their fields to support women with low libido, arousal issues, and the systemic failures around both. Through erotica, CBT based coaching, education, and clinical trials, Rosy is setting a new standard for how sexual health care can actually work.

In this episode, Dr. Harper shar...

In this candid conversation, Dr. Fenwa Milhouse board-certified urologist and fellowship-trained specialist in female pelvic medicine joins me to talk about conditions that affect so many of our patients but are often dismissed or misunderstood. She also happens to be my urologist, so I know firsthand the impact of her work.

We discuss her journey into urology, the importance of representation in medicine, and her focus on female pelvic health from prolapse and incontinence to the surgical and non-surgical treatments that can dramatically improve quality of life.

From mid urethral slings to bulking agents like...

Could vaginal estrogen be the missing piece for some of your menopause symptoms? Many women find it has been a game-changer for their relief.

I often talk about the lack of current information many doctors have about hormones. This is a global issue, which is precisely why I wanted to have a leading UK menopause expert on the show.

Have you ever felt like your own body was working against you? Like your mood, memory, or even sexual health just aren't what they used to be, and no one's really listening? In this episode, I...

Midlife isn’t just about hot flashes or forgetting names it’s a time when many women start noticing subtle (and sometimes not-so-subtle) shifts in how they feel, think, and relate to the world around them. For some, it’s frustration they can’t quite name. For others, it’s sleep disruptions, mood changes, or a fading sex drive. These changes aren’t imagined and they’re not always easy to talk about.

In this episode, I talk with Dr. Kate White about what really happens to the body and mind during midlife and why so many women feel uns...

What if your health risks weren’t just about what you eat or how you move—but about the history your ancestors survived?

As a South Asian woman and gynecologist, I’ve long seen the ripple effects of misunderstood metabolic conditions, especially in women who don’t “look” unhealthy. In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. Mubin Syed—also known as DesiDoc on Instagram—whose new book Healing From Our History connects the dots between colonial-era famines and today’s alarming rates of disease in South Asians. His personal health scare led to years of research, and the result is a...

They call her The Vagina Whisperer for a reason Sara’s mission is to make pelvic floor therapy as normal as going to the dentist. And after hearing her story, you’ll understand why it needs to be.

Let’s talk about the pelvic floor the part of your body no one teaches you about, yet it’s tied to nearly everything we experience as women. In this conversation with Dr. Sara Reardon, I felt like someone was finally explaining what so many of us were never taught to understand.

We discuss what really happens to the p...

We’ve both treated thousands of women and lived through it ourselves. The truth? Perimenopause doesn’t begin in your 40’s. It starts years earlier, and too many are left struggling without answers.

If you’ve been told you’re “too young” for perimenopause, you’re not alone—and you’re not too early. In this conversation with Dr. Fatima Khan, an Australian menopause specialist, we dig into what perimenopause really looks like and why so many women fall through the cracks of outdated definitions.

Dr. Khan explains how progesterone and testosterone begin declining in our late 30s, long b...

Everyone thinks hormone therapy is finally getting attention but no one’s really talking about the fact that estrogen can be life-saving. The data is right there: lower mortality, fewer hospitalizations, less sepsis. So why is it still being overlooked?

In my practice, I see patients every day who are silently suffering dealing with UTIs, vaginal dryness, painful sex, and bladder issues they think are just part of aging. But these symptoms often point to something much bigger: Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause. And what’s worse, it’s still widely misunderstood or ignored.

A recent study...

Mast cell activation syndrome isn’t widely recognized, but for many women, it may explain years of pain, fatigue, and hormone related chaos no one could solve.

I see a lot of patients who are struggling with fatigue, pain, and hormone symptoms that don’t seem to make sense on paper. And I’ve noticed a pattern but I wanted to talk to someone who lives in the complexity of it every day.

Dr. Tania Dempsey, is one of the few physicians who’s helped bring mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) into the spotlight. Years ago, she...

You’re doing everything right. You're on hormones, you’ve cut the caffeine, maybe you’ve even bought one of those expensive sleep trackers. So why are you still waking up at 3am, wired and restless?

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Andrea Matsumura—board-certified sleep physician and women’s health specialist—to finally unpack why sleep is such a persistent struggle for women, especially during perimenopause and menopause. Andrea breaks down the biological, psychological, and cultural reasons why women are conditioned to expect poor sleep—and why it doesn’t have to be that way.

We ta...

If you've ever been told "just relax" while in vulvovaginal pain, you're not alone—and you're definitely not crazy. This conversation is about the silent epidemic women keep getting dismissed over.

This episode hit me hard. Not because the stories were shocking—but because they weren’t. Dr. Chailee Moss joined me to talk about the groundbreaking study she co-authored, recently published in JAMA, that finally puts numbers to the gaslighting so many of our patients experience.

We dug into what dismissal looks like in a medical setting and how phrases like "have a glass of win...

What if the pain isn’t just physical—and what if fixing the body is only half the battle?

Sexual pain is one of the most misunderstood issues in medicine. I invited my friend and colleague Dr. Corey Babb to dive into why so many women still struggle with pain, even after their doctors tell them everything looks “normal.” Corey just released his new book A Practical Guide for Female Sexual Medicine, which aims to help clinicians actually treat sexual dysfunction—not just study it.

We unpack the deeper reasons patients experience conditions like vaginismus, vestibulod...

What if the biggest reason women stop life-saving treatment isn't the medication—but clinicians talk to them about it?

In this eye-opening episode, I talk with Dr. Janeane Anderson, a powerhouse researcher and faculty member at the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health, about the hidden reasons so many women stop taking critical medications like tamoxifen. It’s not just about the side effects—it’s about the silence surrounding them.

We dig into her research on how poor communication, racial bias, trauma, and lack of sexual health conversations lead to lower adhe...

Is it just mood swings—or something deeper? If you’ve ever felt like a completely different person before your period, you’re not alone—and you’re not crazy.

I’m diving into something I see all the time in my practice: mood disruption during perimenopause that goes far beyond PMS. We’re talking about that "I don’t feel like myself" feeling that so many women deal with—and the deeper hormonal patterns behind it.

PMDD (Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder) is real. It’s not just feeling irritable—this is a full-body, mind-altering shift that can wreck relatio...

What if your low libido isn’t about hormones at all? What if the mental load you're carrying is quietly draining your desire?

So many women come to me wondering what happened to their sex drive. They blame hormones, aging, or even themselves—but rarely do they consider the daily grind of their own lives. In this episode, I'm diving into a topic that sparked massive discussion at a recent sexual health conference: how gender dynamics in heterosexual relationships can play a major role in low desire.

Inspired by a presentation from sex therapist and auth...