Navigating Perimenopause: Understanding Hormones and Health Risks

🎙️ Episode 324: Perimenopause is Real—What You Need to Know with Jackie Piasta, WHNP-BC

Perimenopause is real—and often misunderstood. In this episode, I sit down with women’s health nurse practitioner Jackie Piasta to unpack the truth about this critical (and neglected) phase of midlife. If you’ve been told “you’re too young” or “just tough it out,” this conversation will feel like the validation you’ve been missing.

Jackie and I dive into what perimenopause really looks like—from migraines and mood swings to weight gain and disrupted sleep—and why these symptoms deserve real answers, not dismissal.

We talk through what’s happening hormonally, why lab tests aren’t the gold standard, and how to shift from a “birth control” mindset to a hormone-optimization mindset in your 30s, 40s, and beyond.

In this episode:

• Why perimenopause can start in your 30s—even with regular periods

• Common myths that keep women suffering in silence

• How to track symptoms and cycles instead of chasing lab results

• The role of hormonal birth control—and when it helps vs. masks symptoms

• How estradiol, progesterone, and vaginal hormones can support brain, sleep, and libido

• Supplements and newer options: magnesium, L-theanine, flibanserin, even topical CBD

• Real-world patient cases that show how individualized care changes lives

Top takeaways:

• Perimenopause is a clinical diagnosis—there’s no perfect test.

• Hormonal fluctuations can cause real physical, emotional, and cognitive changes.

• Bone loss, lipid changes, and heart risks start before menopause.

• Progesterone is often underused but powerful for night sweats, anxiety, and sleep.

• SSRIs are not first-line for new-onset mood changes in perimenopause.

• Early intervention matters—don’t wait until menopause to get help.

We also talk about newer birth control formulations, managing migraines, and what the research is showing us about how menopause impacts heart health and brain function. Spoiler: it’s not just about hot flashes.

This episode is your permission slip to stop toughing it out and start asking for care that actually helps.

🔗 Referenced Studies & Resources:

• Brinton RD et al. Perimenopause as a neurological transition state. Nat Rev Endocrinol. 2015;11(7):393-405.

• Wu B et al. Trajectories of Blood Lipids Profile in Midlife Women. J Am Heart Assoc. 2023;12(22):e030388.

• SWAN Study: Lipid trajectory insights through the menopausal transition

https://www.instagram.com/jackiep_gynnp

https://www.mymonarchhealthco.com/

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