The Dr. Brighten Show

Perimenopause hormones can make you feel like your body changed overnight—even when your labs look “normal,” and in this AMA Dr. Jolene Brighten answers your biggest questions about estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, HRT, birth control, Mirena, ovulation, POI, and postmenopause. View the complete show notes, references, and resources at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/perimenopause-hormones/ 📖 PREORDER ADHD AND WOMEN: https://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen What You’ll Learn in This Episode 🧪 Why “normal” hormone labs don’t necessarily explain how you feel during perimenopause 😤 What symptoms like rage, anxiety, poor sleep, and irritability may tell you about progesterone 🥚 How to tell whether you’re still ovulating in perimenopause using cycle patterns, cervical mucus, temperature, LH, and progesterone 🩸 Why a shortening luteal phase may be an early clue that progesterone production is changing 🔬 Which hormone tests Dr. Brighten finds useful—and why testosterone, thyroid, insulin, and other markers deserve attention too 🧠 What we know—and still don’t know—about progestins, progesterone, GABA, BDNF, and women’s brain health 🌀 Where the Mirena IUD may fit during perimenopause, heavy bleeding, adenomyosis, and hormone therapy 🌙 When cyclic versus continuous progesterone may make sense 🧴 Dr. Brighten’s approach to estradiol, estriol, Biest, testosterone, and compounded hormone therapy 🏋️ How declining estrogen can affect muscle, connective tissue, mitochondria, exercise tolerance, and recovery ❤️ Why menopause doesn’t have to be a story of decline—including the part nobody talks about enough: sex can get better 🩺 When symptoms like varicose veins deserve further evaluation rather than being dismissed as “just hormones” Resources 📖 ADHD and Women — Preorder + Bonuses: https://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen 🌐 Dr. Brighten Website: https://drbrighten.com 🎙️ The Dr. Brighten Show: https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/ 🌟 Free Hormone-Friendly Recipes: https://drbrighten.com/hormonekit/ Sponsorship & Resources 🧠 Dr. Brighten Essentials — Radiant Mind: https://drbrightenessentials.com/products/radiant-mind Podcast listeners can use POD15 for 15% off. 👩🏻‍⚕️ About Dr. Jolene Brighten Dr. Jolene Brighten is a board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, nutrition scientist, women’s health educator, and author of ADHD and Women. Her work focuses on translating complex hormone science into practical information women can use to better understand their bodies and have more informed conversations with their healthcare providers. 👩🏻‍⚕️ Follow Dr. Jolene Brighten 💻 Website: https://drbrighten.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten 🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten 🧵 Threads: https://www.threads.net/@drjolenebrighten ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrJoleneBrighten 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drjolenebrighten 👍 If this episode helped you, like the video, subscribe to The Dr. Brighten Show, and share it with a woman who has been told her labs are “normal” even though she knows something has changed. And tell me in the comments: what perimenopause or hormone question should we answer in the next AMA? ⚠️ Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or replace individualized medical care. Always discuss symptoms, medications, supplements, testing, and hormone therapy with an appropriately qualified healthcare professional. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Late diagnosed ADHD & autism can change the story you’ve been telling yourself (and your relationship) for decades. In this episode, Dr. Brighten joins Rich and Rox Pink of ADHD Love and the Late Bloomers podcast to talk diagnosis, masking, relationships, perimenopause, HRT, and what finally made their lives make sense; view the full show notes and resources at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/late-diagnosed-adhd-and-autism/ . Rich and Rox Pink have built a community of more than 5 million followers by showing the messy, funny, painful, and deeply human reality of neurodivergent life. In this candid conversation, Rox opens up about receiving her ADHD diagnosis after years of believing she was lazy, broken, and incapable of maintaining relationships, while Rich shares what it has been like to realize in his 40s that the “neurotypical husband” was actually autistic. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN Why late diagnosed ADHD and autism can completely rewrite decades of shame and self-blame Why traits like lateness, forgetfulness, social awkwardness, sensory sensitivity, and executive dysfunction are so easily interpreted as personal failures How masking can become so automatic that you may even mask in therapy Why trauma and neurodivergence can overlap—and why treating every neurodivergent trait as “just trauma” can miss the bigger picture Why women with ADHD are so often diagnosed later in life How puberty and hormonal changes may alter the way ADHD presents in women Why needing accommodations can bring up unexpected guilt and shame What Dr. Brighten discovered when she finally began using disability accommodations while traveling Why accessing an ADHD or autism diagnosis can still be incredibly difficult How undiagnosed ADHD can contribute to attempts to self-medicate How perimenopause can intensify ADHD symptoms, brain fog, anxiety, sleep disruption, and executive dysfunction Why Rox reached the point where she thought she might have to walk away from her music career What changed for Rox after starting estrogen and progesterone hormone therapy Why testosterone matters in women—and its relationship with energy, motivation, muscle, and follow-through How ADHD can influence novelty, intense relationships, impulsivity, and the experience of falling in love Why Rich and Rox credit learning how to actually communicate as one of the biggest shifts in their relationship Why traditional therapy doesn't always feel accessible or effective for neurodivergent people Why socializing, public speaking, travel, touch, noise, and other seemingly ordinary experiences can require enormous amounts of energy Why someone can love being around people while still desperately needing silence afterward How Rich and Rox stopped interpreting neurodivergent behaviors as rejection or bad intentions The relationship philosophy they now use: “us versus the ADHD” and “us versus the autism” Why curiosity and giving your partner the benefit of the doubt can change a neurodivergent relationship ABOUT RICH & ROX PINK Rich and Rox Pink are the couple behind ADHD Love, known for their candid and often hilarious conversations about ADHD, autism, shame, relationships, addiction, recovery, and learning to work with a neurodivergent brain instead of constantly fighting it. Together, they are bestselling authors and hosts of the Late Bloomers podcast, where they share the lessons they learned after years of believing they had simply failed at being adults. 🌐 ADHD Love: https://www.adhd-love.co.uk/ 📸 Rich & Rox / ADHD Love Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adhd_love_/ 📚 Rich & Rox books + resources: https://linktr.ee/ADHD_Love 🎧 Late Bloomers Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/late-bloomers/id1788035047 RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE 📖 Dirty Laundry by Richard Pink & Roxanne Emery: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/743719/dirty-laundry-by-richard-pink-and-roxanne-emery/ 💗 ADHD Love: https://www.adhd-love.co.uk/ 🎧 Late Bloomers: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/late-bloomers/id1788035047 🌻 Hidden Disabilities Sunflower: https://hdsunflower.com/ 🧠 More episodes from The Dr. Brighten Show: https://drbrighten.com/podcast/ 📚 ADHD and Women by Dr. Brighten: http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen THIS EPISODE IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY Dr. Brighten Essentials Radiant Mind  Want a science-backed formula created to support women’s brain health through every stage of life. If you’ve ever felt the brain fog of perimenopause or noticed how ADHD can amplify challenges with focus, memory, mood, or sleep, you’re not alone. Radiant Mind combines clinically studied saffron extract, Bacognize® Bacopa, Cognizin® Citicoline, and zinc to help nourish your brain chemistry and support clarity, calm, and resilience.  Exclusive for podcast listeners: use the code POD15 for 15% off your order Shop now: https://drbrightenessentials.com/products/radiant-mind FOLLOW DR. BRIGHTEN 💻 Website: https://drbrighten.com 🎙️ The Dr. Brighten Show: https://drbrighten.com/podcast/ 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten 🎥 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten ▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrJoleneBrighten 📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drjolenebrighten Dr. Brighten is a naturopathic physician, Certified Menopause Specialist through The Menopause Society, Fellow of the American Board of Naturopathic Endocrinology (FABNE), author, researcher, and women’s health expert focused on translating complex hormone and health science into information women can actually use. ❤️ LIKE this episode if something in Rich and Rox’s story made your own experience make more sense. 📤 SHARE it with someone who may have spent years believing their ADHD, autism, or neurodivergent traits were character flaws. 🔔 SUBSCRIBE to The Dr. Brighten Show for evidence-based conversations about ADHD, hormones, women’s health, menopause, relationships, and the topics women deserve better answers about. 💬 COMMENT BELOW: What is something you understand differently about yourself since learning more about neurodivergence? 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Brain inflammation may influence behavior, sensory processing, sleep, mood, and cognition in ways many families never realize. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten and Dr. Pejman Katiraei explore the connections between the immune system, gut health, environmental exposures, ADHD, autism, PANS/PANDAS, and neuroinflammation; view the complete show notes at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/brain-inflammation-and-behavior/ Neurodivergence Is Not the Problem This episode does not suggest that autism or ADHD should be erased, “fixed,” or reduced to inflammation. Instead, the conversation explores an important distinction: A person’s neurodivergent wiring may be an intrinsic part of who they are. Pain, severe anxiety, sleep disruption, gut dysfunction, overwhelming sensory sensitivity, aggression, or sudden regression may represent additional challenges affecting that person’s quality of life. Understanding that distinction can help families support the whole person without treating their identity as a disease. Signs That May Deserve a Closer Look These symptoms do not confirm a diagnosis, but clusters of symptoms may warrant a more comprehensive conversation with a qualified healthcare professional: Sudden or dramatic changes in behavior New fears, phobias, compulsions, or repetitive thoughts Severe sensory sensitivity to sound, touch, clothing, food, or water Chronic constipation, diarrhea, abdominal pain, reflux, or bloating Eczema or recurring skin symptoms alongside digestive concerns Restrictive eating that appears driven by texture, smell, or sensory distress Significant sleep disruption or waking consistently during the night Repeated ear infections, respiratory infections, or unexplained inflammatory symptoms Symptoms that worsen after illness, certain foods, antibiotics, or environmental exposures A child expressing beliefs such as “I’m bad,” “I’m mean,” or “I’m stupid” after struggling to control their behavior Always work with an appropriately licensed healthcare professional before beginning medications, antifungals, restrictive diets, parasite protocols, or treatment for suspected mold-related illness. 👨‍⚕️ About Dr. Pejman Katiraei Dr. Pejman Katiraei works with children and families experiencing complex combinations of behavioral, neurological, immune, gastrointestinal, and environmental health concerns. In this episode, he shares clinical observations from his work with children experiencing neuroinflammation, sensory challenges, PANS/PANDAS, gut dysfunction, and significant behavioral changes. Dr. Pejman Katiraei’s Website: https://drkatiraei.com/ Dr. Pejman Katiraei’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wholistickids/?hl=en Dr. Pejman Katiraei’s Substack: https://pkatiraei.substack.com/ 👩‍⚕️ About Dr. Jolene Brighten Dr. Jolene Brighten is a board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, Certified Menopause Practitioner, nutrition scientist, certified sex counselor, bestselling author, and host of The Dr. Brighten Show. Her work focuses on women’s hormones, reproductive health, ADHD, neurodivergence, perimenopause, menopause, and the complex ways the brain, immune system, gut, and endocrine system interact. 🌐 Dr. Brighten’s Website: https://drbrighten.com 📸 Follow Dr. Brighten on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten/ 🎵 Follow Dr. Brighten on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten ▶️ Subscribe on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrJoleneBrighten 📘 Follow Dr. Brighten on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/drbrighten ⚠️ Medical Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It does not replace individualized medical advice. Always consult an appropriately qualified healthcare professional regarding symptoms, testing, medications, supplements, environmental concerns, or treatment decisions. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When it comes to hormone therapy and breast cancer, few topics create more confusion, fear, and conflicting information. Women are often told they need to be concerned about breast cancer risk, yet many never receive a nuanced discussion about screening, lifestyle factors, inflammation, environmental exposures, or how to evaluate their individual risk profile. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with former breast surgeon Dr. Jenn Simmons to discuss breast cancer screening, hormone therapy, risk assessment, inflammation, lifestyle factors, and the questions women should be asking about their long-term health. This conversation explores both conventional and emerging perspectives on breast health while emphasizing the importance of individualized care and informed decision-making. Women listening to this episode will gain insight into current screening conversations, breast cancer risk factors, lifestyle interventions, metabolic health, environmental exposures, and the role of personal empowerment in supporting long-term wellness. This Episode Is Brought to You By Dr. Brighten Essentials Want science-backed supplements formulated by a doctor who actually understands women’s health? 🌿 At Dr. Brighten Essentials, every product is crafted to support your hormones, boost your energy, and help you feel your best—inside and out. From targeted nutrients for glowing skin to essentials that fuel your daily vitality, you’ll get the highest-quality ingredients in forms your body can truly use. Exclusive for podcast listeners: Use code POD15 at checkout for 15% off your order. Shop now https://drbrightenessentials.com LUMEBOX Ready to take your skincare results to the next level—right from home? 💡 LUME Box delivers professional-grade LED light therapy in a sleek, easy-to-use device that targets fine lines, pigmentation, and dullness at the cellular level. Just minutes a day can help boost collagen, calm inflammation, and reveal that lit-from-within glow. It’s the same science trusted in top dermatology clinics, now in your hands. Shop now → https://drbrighten.com/lumebox use code drbrighten for our exclusive community discount on your purchase. LMNT Electrolytes Want a clean, science-backed way to stay hydrated and energized? At LMNT, electrolytes are formulated with a precise balance of sodium, potassium, and magnesium — with no sugar, no artificial ingredients, and no unnecessary fillers. Designed to support hydration, muscle function, and daily energy, LMNT helps you feel your best through workouts, busy days, and everyday life. Exclusive for podcast listeners: Visit http://drinklmnt.com/Brighten to receive a free sample pack with any purchase. 👩🏻‍⚕️Follow Dr. Jolene Brighten: 💻 Website:⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.drbrighten.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 📸 Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎥 TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@drjolenebrighten⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🧵Threads: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@drjolenebrighten⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🌟 Grab my free hormone friendly recipes here! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://drbrighten.com/hormonekit/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 🎧 Subscribe to the Podcast: Apple: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dr-brighten-show/id1786362161⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5VWcYWJFzi3OnwidT25IXi?si=481df20ef0a6417⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube:⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@drjolenebrighten⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 👉 If you found this episode valuable, drop a comment below to tell us what you loved most, and share it with a friend! Let’s spread the knowledge. 💬 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices