Gyno Girl Presents: Sex, Drugs & Hormones

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 compelling case for why our bodies still carry the burdens of our history.We also unpack what this means for PCOS, early menopause, and the misdiagnoses that come from trying to fit diverse bodies into Eurocentric templates. If you're South Asian, female, or both, this conversation will likely shift how you understand your symptoms—and how urgently we need better, more specific care.It’s not all gloom. Mubin and I dive into actionable strategies, from rethinking white rice and walking more to using CGMs and reconsidering hormone therapy earlier. It’s knowledge, not fear, that lets us take the reins on our future health. His book, Healing From Our History, is a must-read if you want to go deeper into the research, the history, and the path forward for South Asian health.HighlightsThe real story behind Mubin’s “healthy” heart attack.What to test for now especially if you’ve been dismissed before.How British colonialism and famine still shape South Asian metabolism.Why lean South Asian women may still face PCOS and early menopause.Epigenetics explained: your genes didn’t change, but their expression did.If you're a healthcare provider or part of the South Asian community, I hope this episode brought clarity and context to the health challenges we often face. Share it with someone who might benefit whether that’s a colleague, a patient, or a family member. And don’t forget to subscribe, leave a comment, and like the show. Your support helps amplify conversations that matter.Dr. Syed's Bio:Mubin Syed, MD, is a nationally recognized physician with almost 30 years experience, specializing in endovascular therapy. He is also a health historian, a medtech entrepreneur, anda medical products inventor holding 28 patents. He is the author of a medical guide on pain treatment and two works focusing on the modern South Asian health crisis. He has been a TEDx speaker, and was featured in the “Healthy Minds, Healthy Bodies” PBS documentary, and in CNN International/The Guardian and HuffPostUK.Get in Touch with Dr. Syed:WebsiteInstagramBookGet in Touch with Dr. Rahman:WebsiteInstagramYoutube

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 pelvic floor during pregnancy and postpartum (it's not just about vaginal delivery), and how most women are sent home with little more than stool softeners and good luck. Sara shares the recovery tips every mom deserves, from managing that first postpartum poop to understanding why pelvic floor strength is essential for long term health not just for sex or leaking.We also talk about the issues that make healing harder like short postpartum visits, the myth of bouncing back, and how clenching (yes, even in traffic) is wrecking your pelvic health. We also talk on bladder habits, poop positions, why “just do Kegels” is bad advice, and what your body needs in every stage of life, from lactation to menopause.Sara’s insights go beyond trendy wellness they’re practical, backed by science, and grounded in almost two decades of treating real patients. This episode is packed with tools that will leave you feeling informed, validated, and ready to take action.Dr. Reardon’s Bio:Dr. Sara Reardon is a board-certified pelvic floor physical therapist with over 18 years of experience helping individuals prevent and overcome pelvic floor issues including, urinary leakage, painful sex, prolapse and discomfort during pregnancy, postpartum and menopause. Sara has been featured in Time, Yahoo, Harper’s Bazaar, Romper, InStyle, Today, and numerous other podcasts, publications, and professional conferences about her advocacy and educational work as a pelvic floor therapist. She is also a TED presenter on Rethinking Postpartum Care. Sara is the Founder of The V-Hive, an online, on-demand pelvic floor fitness platform for pregnancy, postpartum, menopause, painful sex and pelvic floor strengthening.  Sara lives in New Orleans with her husband and two sons. FLOORED: A Complete Guide to Women’s Pelvic Floor Health at Every Age and Stage is her first book.If this conversation helped you feel seen or gave you practical tools to work with please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs it.Get in Touch with Dr. Reardon:WebsiteInstagramTikTokBookGet in Touch with Dr. Rahman:WebsiteInstagramYoutube

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 before estrogen crashes. The result? Fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, and heavy bleeding symptoms often brushed off or misdiagnosed. We discuss how the stress of modern life, poor sleep, and constant cortisol spikes are pouring gasoline on an already intense hormonal fire.But this isn’t just about hormones it’s about support. From rethinking your exercise habits to building better boundaries and giving up the need to control everything (easier said than done), we talk about real-life tools that make this phase survivable and maybe even freeing.Whether you're a clinician or someone living through the chaos, this episode offers a new lens on the perimenopause transition one that goes far beyond HRT and into the heart of what women truly need.Highlights:Why current definitions of perimenopause don’t reflect what women actually experience.The early symptoms no one talks about: anxiety, fatigue, and mood swings.The role of progesterone and testosterone before estrogen becomes the issue.How cortisol and chronic stress intensify hormonal symptoms.Practical tools for nervous system support and reclaiming your energy.If you found this episode helpful, make sure to subscribe, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, and share it with someone who might need it too.Get in Touch with Dr. Khan:WebsiteInstagram Get in Touch with Dr. Rahman:WebsiteInstagramYoutube

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 with new data stopped me in my tracks. Over 11 million patient records showed that vaginal estrogen doesn’t just improve quality of life it dramatically reduces serious outcomes like sepsis and even death. That kind of impact should be front-page news in every medical journal, yet here we are… still debating whether it’s “necessary.”We also talked about the brand new AUA guidelines, which now make it clear: local estrogen is first-line therapy. It's safe, even for many patients who were once told they couldn't use hormones. These guidelines finally reflect what we’ve known clinically for years that low-dose vaginal estrogen isn’t just symptom relief. It’s prevention.There’s still a lot of confusion about systemic absorption, cancer risk, and when to refer out. So in this episode, I’m breaking down what’s new, what’s misunderstood, and what every patient and provider needs to know. I’m also sharing how I approach treatment options from estrogen and DHEA to pelvic floor therapy and even energy-based devices (yes, we go there).If you’ve ever been told this is just part of aging, or you’re not sure what your options are, I hope this gives you clarity—and maybe a little validation, too. Highlights:Why vaginal estrogen can lower mortality, sepsis, and hospital stays.What the AUA’s 2025 GSM guidelines say—and why they matter.Clearing up myths about hormone absorption and cancer risk.When to consider DHEA, Ospemifene, or non-hormonal options.The role of pelvic floor therapy in managing GSM.Resources:AUA’s GuidelinesGyno Girl-GSM VideoGet in Touch with Dr. Rahman:WebsiteInstagramYoutube

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 was treating a patient who just wasn’t getting better until she stumbled on a paper about mast cells that changed everything. That one article led to a phone call, a new way of thinking, and a career shifting collaboration with one of the leading voices in the field.In this conversation, we explore how MCAS shows up in gynecology especially in cases involving PCOS, perimenopause, and unexplained pelvic pain. We discuss why some patients are unusually sensitive to progesterone, how inflammation fuels insulin resistance, and what’s actually going on when mast cells become overactive. We also get into the clinical triad so many of us see MCAS, hypermobility, and POTS and how they often appear together in patients who are struggling to get answers.Tania also talks about how she built her practice by spending more time listening to her patients and trusting that their symptoms meant something, even when the labs didn’t show it. Highlights:What mast cells do and how they become overactive in MCAS.The overlooked link between PCOS, perimenopause, and mast cell dysfunction.Why some patients react badly to progesterone—and what to do about it.How GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic may help calm inflammation in MCAS.What to know before seeking a diagnosis or starting treatment.If this episode opened your eyes or gave you language for what you’ve been going through, please subscribe, leave a review, and drop a comment. I’d love to hear what resonated most with you.Dr. Dempsey's Bio:Dr. Tania Dempsey, MD, ABIHM is a world-renowned expert in complex, multisystem diseases. As founder of the AIM Center of Personalized Medicine, in Purchase, NY, Dr. Dempsey uses functional and integrative medicine to get to the patient’s root cause(s) of illness and to help them find a path to optimum health. Her extensive knowledge and experience with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, Mold, and Lyme and other Vector-Borne Diseases, has propelled her to the forefront of the medical community as a recognized and trusted speaker, researcher, advocate, and physician.Dr. Dempsey is Board-Certified in Internal Medicine and Integrative and Holistic Medicine. She received her MD degree from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and her BS degree from Cornell University. She completed her Internal Medicine Residency at NYU Medical Center.She was recently elected to the Board of Directors of ILADS (International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society). She is also a member of the U.S. ME/CFS Clinician Coalition, the American Academy of Ozonotherapy, and ISSWSH (International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health).She is an accomplished international speaker, writer and thought leader and has 8 peer-reviewed articles in the medical literature. Her latest endeavor is cohosting the new podcast, Mast Cell Matters.Get in Touch with Dr. Dempsey:WebsiteFacebookInstagramYoutubeGet in Touch with Dr. Rahman:WebsiteInstagramYoutube

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 talk melatonin myths (the dose matters), the silent epidemic of undiagnosed sleep apnea in women, and why most wearables are only telling part of the story. Andrea also explains why cannabis, supplements, and even hormone therapy may help—but won’t fix the root cause for many women.Plus, we get into the real reason cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) actually works—if you’re willing to do the work—and how the entire medical system is failing women by ignoring gender-specific data in sleep studies and diagnostics.If you’re tired of being tired and want real, practical answers—not just another supplement or influencer sleep hack—this conversation is for you.HighlightsWhy hormone therapy helps some women sleep—but not all.How sleep apnea presents differently in women and often goes undiagnosed.The truth about melatonin: why most people take the wrong dose at the wrong time.Cannabis and sleep: what the research really shows.Why CBT-I is the gold standard for insomnia (and why apps alone aren’t enough).Do you like what you heard? Don’t forget to subscribe, like, and leave a comment on Apple Podcasts your support helps us reach more listeners who deserve better answers.Guest Bio:Dr. Andrea Matsumura MD MS FACP FAASM is a board certified sleep specialist and menopause expert, event and corporate speaker, group facilitator, co-founder of the Portland Menopause Collective, and creator of the Sleep Goddess MD D.R.E.A.M. Sleep Method™ and Sleep Goddess Archetype™.Dr. Matsumura attended medical school at The University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio. She moved to Portland, Oregon for her residency in Internal Medicine and was an Internal Medicine Physician with Northwest Permanente for 13 years before entering her fellowship in Sleep Medicine. She attended Oregon Health and Science University as a fellow in Sleep Medicine. She became a partner at The Oregon Clinic in Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine after completing her fellowship. During her tenure there she focused on women’s health and became a sought-after expert on women and sleep. She is currently the Medical Director of primary care services and medical home development for Cascadia Health in Portland, Oregon and has plans to develop sleep services.Get in Touch with Dr. MatsumuraWebsiteInstagramGet in Touch with Dr. Rahman:WebsiteInstagramYoutube

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 wine" or "your exam is normal" can cause lasting harm. For patients living with vulvovaginal pain, being told it’s "all in your head" is not just invalidating—it can delay care, destroy trust, and lead people to give up entirely.Dr. Moss shared how her own experiences as a patient shaped her path as a physician. We also talked about the deep-rooted system issues in training and documentation that continue to reinforce doubt instead of compassion. The problem isn’t just one bad doctor. It’s a medical culture that doesn't know how to listen to women in pain.This isn’t just about statistics. It’s about rebuilding the broken parts of medicine so more women feel seen, heard, and actually treated. If you’ve felt dismissed by the system or know someone who has, this episode is for you.sHighlights:Why patients with vulvovaginal pain are often told to "just relax".The power of naming gaslighting and measuring it in clinical care.How medical training creates blind spots around pain and gender.The importance of early diagnosis to prevent years of unnecessary suffering.Resources and organizations helping patients find the right care.If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Let’s keep pushing for better care.Dr. Moss’s Bio: Dr. Chailee Moss is a gynecologist specializing in vulvovaginal disorders in Washington, D.C.   She first became interested in vulvovaginal disorders at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she earned an M.D. in 2013. She engaged in research on pain and gynecologic surgery during residency training in Ob/Gyn at The Ohio State University where she was a chief of resident education  and earned awards for her research and clinical care.  Upon graduation, Dr Moss joined the faculty at Johns Hopkins University where she continued to research pain and publish original research in this and other areas.   Dr. Moss is board certified by the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology and has been an active member of the Society for Academic Specialists in OB/GYN, serving on the research committee and paper award committee. In her free time she enjoys cooking, camping, and travel with her husband and their three energetic children in Baltimore, MD.Resources:BookJama ArticleTight LippedDr. Rahman with Tight LippedIsswsh The National Vulvodynia AssociationGet in Touch with Dr. Moss:InstagramYoutubeRedditWebsiteGet in Touch with Dr. Rahman:WebsiteInstagramYoutube

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, vestibulodynia, and hypertonic pelvic floor, including trauma, religious shame, and outdated medical training. Corey and I also explore the groundbreaking Pacik method for treating vaginismus, including why Botox and dilators can truly change lives (and minds).But as we both know, treatment is never just about the body. We talk about the psychological side of healing—including why some patients avoid intimacy even after their pain resolves. Corey shares his insights on retraining the brain, rebuilding trust, and supporting patients beyond the exam room.We also discuss why pelvic pain is so often dismissed, how to empower women to advocate for themselves, and why our field still has so much work to do when it comes to teaching clinicians about sexual health.If you’ve ever been told to “just relax” or “drink some wine” to fix your pain—you’ll want to hear this.Highlights:Why sexual pain can persist even after physical treatmentHow trauma and religious shame impact vaginismusThe Pacik method: Botox and dilator therapy explainedWhy desire and intimacy often lag behind pain reliefThe critical need for better sexual health education in medicineIf this episode helped you feel seen or gave you new insights, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts and share the episode with someone who might need it. Your reviews help more people find this important information and advocate for their health!Dr. Babb’s Bio:Dr. Corey Babb is a Tulsa native who has dedicated his life to bringing awareness and acceptance to female sexual health. Through education, activism, and empathy, he helps people feel heard and validated, empowering them to find answers in a complicated medical environment.  In addition to being a board-certified gynecologist, he is a Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health, a Menopause Society Certified Menopause Practitioner and a member in the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disorders. Currently, Dr. Babb serves on the board of directors for ISSWSH, is a reviewer for multiple sexual medicine journals, is a respected lecturer and educator, and has been featured in numerous national and international publications, as well as the author of A Practical Guide to Female Sexual Medicine (CRC Press).Get in Touch with Dr. Corey Babb :WebsiteFacebookInstagramTikTokGet in Touch with Dr. Rahman:WebsiteInstagramYoutube

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 adherence rates, especially for Black women. We also explore the idea of epistemic injustice—how patients are often dismissed, even when they know something is wrong. Janeane shares how this harm shows up in the room and what clinicians can do to build trust and improve care.From religious shame to relationship dynamics, sexual trauma, and systemic inequality, this conversation doesn’t shy away from the messy, painful, and very real barriers women face in their health journeys. But we also talk about hope—what it looks like to listen better, ask different questions, and create safer spaces for patients to advocate for themselves.If you're a patient who's ever felt unheard, or a clinician who wants to do better, this one's for you.Highlights:Why Black women are disproportionately affected by advanced-stage breast cancer.The link between sexual dysfunction and stopping cancer treatment.How religion, shame, and duty shape sexual health after diagnosis.What epistemic injustice means and how it plays out in exam rooms.Simple but powerful questions doctors can ask to avoid retraumatizing patients.If this episode resonated with you, please hit subscribe, leave a review on Apple Podcasts, and share it with someone who needs to hear it. Let’s change how we talk about women's health—together.Dr. Janeane N. Anderson Bio:Janeane N. Anderson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Community and Population Health in the College of Nursing at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) in Memphis, TN. Dr. Anderson completed postdoctoral research fellowships at Emory University and UTHSC. She earned a Ph.D. in Communication and a Master of Public Health degree from the University of Southern California.Dr. Anderson’s research targets the relationship between patient-clinician communication practices and clinical and quality of life outcomes among Black adults with chronic health conditions, specifically breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, and vulvovaginal and pelvic pain.Past extramural funding from National Cancer Institute supported studies that explored patient-clinician communication, treatment adherence, and sexual health challenges among women with early-stage, HR+ breast cancer. Funding from the Washington DC Center for AIDS Research supported development of a shared decision-making tool to improve uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among Black sexual minority men; the Tennessee Department of Health funding supported development and implementation of a training for healthcare professional students to improve communication practices for PrEP education and counseling.Currently, she is the Co-PI of a $1.58 million industry-sponsored grant to investigate multilevel barriers to healthcare access and utilization among Black women with de novo metastatic breast cancer and those with increased risk for advanced breast disease in the U.S. Mid-South region.Dr. Anderson’s professional activities also include developing faculty resources and university-level programming to address diversity, equity, and inclusion goals and objectives. She is frequently invited to give lectures on systems of oppression, patient-centered communication practices, and sensitive and socially relevant topics within U.S. healthcare system for national and international organizations.Get in Touch with Dr. Janeane N. Anderson:WebsiteInstagramGet in Touch with Dr. Rahman:WebsiteInstagramYoutube

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 relationships, sabotage careers, and leave you wondering what the hell is going on. And during perimenopause, those symptoms can go from bad to unbearable.I’m breaking down the science behind why some women are more sensitive to hormonal fluctuations, how PMDD is diagnosed and the surprising connection to earlier menopause and severe hot flashes. You’ll also hear my thoughts on treatment options—from cognitive therapy to hormonal suppression.If you’ve been dismissed, told to just “relax,” or handed a birth control pill that made everything worse… this episode is for you.Highlights:What PMDD really is—and how it’s different from regular PMSHow perimenopause can trigger or worsen mood disordersThe overlooked connection between progesterone sensitivity and mental healthWhy some women with PMDD enter menopause earlierTreatment options that go beyond the pill (including a smart use of Duavee)If this episode hit home, please like, share, and leave a review on Apple or Spotify. And follow me on Instagram and YouTube @GynoGirlTV for more unfiltered women's health talk.Get in Touch with Dr. Rahman:WebsiteInstagramYoutube