I’m Dr. Heather Hirsch, board-certified internist, menopause specialist, and founder of the Menopause & Midlife Clinic at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Welcome to my podcast where I give you the straight tea on everything midlife and menopause—real symptoms, real solutions, and what actually works—so you can understand your body and take back control of your health.
For a deeper dive into my no BS approach to menopause care, I’ve written Unlock Your Menopause Type and The Perimenopause Survival Guide. You can find me most days guiding patients at The Collaborative, my telemedicine practice
73. Taking to our daughters about menopause
Feb 24, 2021
Show notes What will we leave the next generation with when it comes to menopause knowledge? If the future truly is female – we need to do our best to talk to our daughters and young females about midlife and menopause. In this episode, Dr. Hirsch explores the importance of relaying a new and honest message about menopause to the next generation and spreads ideas on how and when we can best do so. MORE ON DR. HEATHER HIRSCH BELOW: GET THE FREE MENOPAUSE HEALTH GUIDE: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f787bdd57796e835ea84e10 Follow Dr. Hirsch on youtube for weekly videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrAeWep_qZiP7QeR7ogcCPA Say hi on instgram: https://www.instagram.com/hormone.health.doc/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatherhirschMD For a deeper dive, Dr. Hirsch hosts the course “The Complete Guide to Menopause” which is available at this link: https://the-menopause-course.teachable.com/p/menopause/?product_id=2919066&coupon_code=MENO Website: www.heatherhirschmd.com
72. What your partner needs to know and learn about the menopause transition, from Dr. Heather Hirsch.
Feb 17, 2021
Show notes The menopause transition is confusing enough, that explaining it to someone you love is even more challenging. This special episode is one to listen to together or to send to your partner. Dr. Hirsch breaks down the significant hormonal, physiologic, and psychologic aspects of the menopause transition for your partner to learn from. Listen together or send to a loved one in your life. The tips and tricks that your loved one needs to know are jammed packed in this informative episode. MORE ON DR. HEATHER HIRSCH BELOW: GET THE FREE MENOPAUSE HEALTH GUIDE: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f787bdd57796e835ea84e10 Follow Dr. Hirsch on youtube for weekly videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrAeWep_qZiP7QeR7ogcCPA Say hi on instgram: https://www.instagram.com/hormone.health.doc/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatherhirschMD For a deeper dive, Dr. Hirsch hosts the course “The Complete Guide to Menopause” which is available at this link: https://the-menopause-course.teachable.com/p/menopause/?product_id=1681827&coupon_code=MENO Website: www.heatherhirschmd.com
71. Why you should get off menopausal pellet injections
Feb 10, 2021
Show notes (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); As confusion and seemingly conflicting messages are being sent to women in menopause about the safety of hormone therapy, more and more women are choosing unregulated non-FDA approved hormone therapy. In this important public health episode, Dr. Hirsch discussed how this industry got its wings, and how it is taking advantage of women seeking help during menopause and midlife. In this episode, Dr. Hirsch discusses the history of compounded non-FDA approved hormone therapy, and the many dangers these compounds have on women. SHOW NOTES: Hey everyone, welcome back to this show. Well, it’s a little noisy in my house. We are excited because we are renovating the attic space and I just can’t wait because I’m going to put my office up there. We’re doing the shiplap, the whole HD thing, totally psyched about it, but they’re literally one floor above, pounding nails and hammering away. So if you hear any of that noise during this episode, that’s why. This episode today, I wanted to talk about pellet injections, as well as the other non-compounded, non-FDA approved hormone therapy regimens that are out there. And specifically, I want to talk about this because I want to explain a little bit more behind the boom in this industry and the dangers of using these types of medications and then ultimately a why and how to get yourself off of them. And if you have a friend in a similar scenario, how to talk her out of it as well, certainly she could listen to this episode, but my dream is that you also gleam some background information that can help explain this to someone else because when we can explain it to someone else, that means we’ve learned it. So for many of you who’ve been listening to my show for a long time now, you know that there was a lot of misleading information from the initial results of the Women’s Health Study or the Women’s Health Initiative that came out in the early 2000s. If you had not already listened to my podcast episode on the Women’s Health Initiative, it’s a few episodes down so scroll back and I would definitely listen to that before you complete listening to this, because it will put it in a lot of context. But because of those fears from the use of commercially available conjugated equine estrogens, which was Premarin at the time, and it’s combination buddy medroxyprogesterone acetate, which is the progesterone component if you had an intact uterus, there grew a new field of air quotes, safe, and air quotes, hormone therapy. Now, if you really think about it, this was a pretty genius move. People who were looking to invest, or to make money, or who were burned out of their traditional either academic positions, or some of these folks were pharmacists or other allied healthcare professionals looked around and said, “Ah, there’s a niche here for women in menopause who don’t feel good. There’s a niche to help women with vague symptoms. There’s a niche that women are going to fill. They’re going to do anything they can to improve the look and feel of their bodies, their sexuality, their hair, their weight, anything.” We certainly live in a society where getting a miracle cure is a really great marketing tool. So these wellness clinics formed. Now, I use the term wellness clinics,
70. Menopause in Miami with Dr. Leo Blachar
Feb 03, 2021
Show notes Dr. Hirsch continues her ‘menopause around the globe’ series with colleague Dr. Leo Blachar, OB/GYN and NAMS provider in Miami Flordia. Together, they explore the unique challenges that women face down South when menopause symptoms arise. Miami is certainly famous for its booming cosmetic surgery and youth-promoting products, and the menopause experience is no exclusion. Dr. Blachar shares his accounts with women and how they navigate the menopause transition in Flordia and beyond. MORE ON DR. HEATHER HIRSCH BELOW: GET THE FREE MENOPAUSE HEALTH GUIDE: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f787bdd57796e835ea84e10 Follow Dr. Hirsch on youtube for weekly videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrAeWep_qZiP7QeR7ogcCPA Say hi on instgram: https://www.instagram.com/hormone.health.doc/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatherhirschMD For a deeper dive, Dr. Hirsch hosts the course “The Complete Guide to Menopause” which is available at this link: https://the-menopause-course.teachable.com/p/menopause/?product_id=1681827&coupon_code=MENO Website: www.heatherhirschmd.com
69. Take back your sexuality at midlife! With Dr. Becky Lynn MD
Jan 29, 2021
Show notes Women often ask the question of “what is a normal sex drive” at midlife and at menopause?” Women are often faced with different and difficult situations in midlife that make them often question the role or need for a healthy sex life. This episode will give women a new and fresh perspective from sexual health expert and OB/GYN Dr. Becky Lynn on what is “normal” in midlife and menopause, and what the obstacles are in overcoming disruptions to your sex life. Reclaim your sexuality if you like by learning from Dr. Hirsch and Dr. Lynn in this upbeat and fun episode. Find Dr. Becky Lynn here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beckyklynnmd/ Find Dr. Becky Lynn on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbbBwOBHMtXDuRDAcnLBeFQ MORE ON DR. HEATHER HIRSCH BELOW: GET THE FREE MENOPAUSE HEALTH GUIDE: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f787bdd57796e835ea84e10 Follow Dr. Hirsch on youtube for weekly videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrAeWep_qZiP7QeR7ogcCPA Say hi on instgram: https://www.instagram.com/hormone.health.doc/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatherhirschMD For a deeper dive, Dr. Hirsch hosts the course “The Complete Guide to Menopause” which is available at this link: https://the-menopause-course.teachable.com/p/menopause/?product_id=1681827&coupon_code=MENO Website: www.heatherhirschmd.com
68. Menopause around the globe: From London to Melbourne with Dr. Fatima Khan.
Jan 20, 2021
Show notes MENOPAUSE AROUND THE GLOBE SERIES: EPISODE 1: Dr. Hirsh is launching the first episode in her new series “menopause around the globe,” with an international friend and colleague Dr. Fatima Khan. Dr. Kan trained to be a menopause expert in London and later took her expertise to Melbourne Australia. In this episode, she discusses the advances that menopause has seen in the UK, and how menopause is currently viewed in Melbourne. What a difference a plane ride can make! Listen in to learn about the social, cultural, and medical differences in menopause education and treatment around the globe- you won’t want to miss this! Find Dr. Khan here on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/menopausespecialist/ GET THE FREE MENOPAUSE HEALTH GUIDE: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f787bdd57796e835ea84e10 Follow Dr. Hirsch on youtube for weekly videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrAeWep_qZiP7QeR7ogcCPA Say hi on instgram: https://www.instagram.com/hormone.health.doc/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatherhirschMD For a deeper dive, Dr. Hirsch hosts the course “The Complete Guide to Menopause” which is available at this link: https://the-menopause-course.teachable.com/p/menopause/?product_id=1681827&coupon_code=MENO Website: www.heatherhirschmd.com
66. Menopause at work.
Jan 06, 2021
Show notes Menopause affects a women’s life from every angle- including how it impacts their work and productivity. In this episode, Dr. Hirsch discusses the many ways that menopause affects job performance. She also talks about tips and tricks to help you work around your most troublesome symptoms. Finally, she discusses what you can do to take this to the next level, i.e. how to talk to your boss or manager about menopause. In her newest podcast feature, you can now call in via google voice to tell Dr. Hirsch your menopause work story because she wants to hear from you! GET THE FREE MENOPAUSE HEALTH GUIDE: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f787bdd57796e835ea84e10 Follow Dr. Hirsch on youtube for weekly videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrAeWep_qZiP7QeR7ogcCPA Say hi on instgram: https://www.instagram.com/hormone.health.doc/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatherhirschMD For a deeper dive, Dr. Hirsch hosts the course “The Complete Guide to Menopause” which is available at this link: https://the-menopause-course.teachable.com/p/menopause/?product_id=1681827&coupon_code=MENO Website: www.heatherhirschmd.com
65. Rheumatoid Arthritis.. Or Not? An Interview with Dr. Alexa Meara.
Dec 23, 2020
Show notes Achy pains in some, or all, of your joints? Have you ever wondered if it was more than just wear n’ tear? If this seems familiar to you or a friend, you won’t want to miss this week’s episode. This week Dr. Hirsch interviews friend and colleague Dr. Alexa Meara, a board-certified rheumatologist, and medical educator. Dr. Meara discusses the difference between osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and other rare autoimmune conditions. Her frank discussion may help clue you into what you are facing. You won’t want to miss this one! Find Dr. Meara on Twitter: https://twitter.com/lexmeara GET THE FREE MENOPAUSE HEALTH GUIDE: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f787bdd57796e835ea84e10 Follow Dr. Hirsch on youtube for weekly videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrAeWep_qZiP7QeR7ogcCPA Say hi on instgram: https://www.instagram.com/hormone.health.doc/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatherhirschMD For a deeper dive, Dr. Hirsch hosts the course “The Complete Guide to Menopause” which is available at this link: https://the-menopause-course.teachable.com/p/menopause/?product_id=1681827&coupon_code=MENO Website: www.heatherhirschmd.com
64. Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause. AKA, how to keep things normal down there – With Jill Krapf MD
Dec 16, 2020
Show notes Women of all ages, and particularly after menopause, are likely going to experience changes in the vagina, vulva, and bladder. Dr. Hirsch keeps it real with her friend and colleague Dr. Jill Krapf who specializes in vulvo-vaginal disorders. Together they discuss both the hormonal and environmental factors that can disrupt the sensitive tissue, list common symptoms, and ways to treat dryness, pain, and more. You wont want to miss this one! Find Dr. Kraph here: https://www.instagram.com/jillkrapfmd/ ——————————————————————————————————————————————– GET THE FREE MENOPAUSE HEALTH GUIDE: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/5f787bdd57796e835ea84e10 ——————————————————————————————————————————————— Follow on youtube for weekly videos: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrAeWep_qZiP7QeR7ogcCPA Follow on instgram: https://www.instagram.com/hormone.health.doc/ Follow on Twitter: https://twitter.com/heatherhirschMD For a deeper dive, Dr. Hirsch hosts the course “The Complete Guide to Menopause” which is available at this link: https://the-menopause-course.teachable.com/p/menopause/?product_id=1681827&coupon_code=MENO Website: www.heatherhirschmd.com