E161: Dr. Alex Reyes on Perimenopause Myths, WHI, and Modern Hormone Therapy Options

Welcome back to the Get Healthy Tampa Bay Podcast with Dr. Kerry Reller! This week, I’m joined by Dr. Alex Reyes, a board-certified OBGYN and one of Tampa Bay’s most sought-after menopause providers.In this episode, we unpack why menopause care has historically been misunderstood—from limited medical training to the long-lasting impact of the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) headlines. Dr. Reyes breaks down what the WHI did (and didn’t) show, why the study population matters, and how today’s body-identical hormone therapy differs from older synthetic formulations.We also cover the recent change that has many women talking: the FDA removal of the estrogen “black box warning” and why that matters for access, fear, and real-world adherence—especially for vaginal estrogen.Dr. Alexandria Reyes is the private practice owner and founder of Magnolia Gynecology in Tampa, Florida, and also the owner of a virtual menopause care practice, serving the entire state of Florida. She has dedicated her practice to midlife and menopause care, offering compassionate virtual care and comprehensive education on all menopause and hormone therapy options. Dr. Reyes empowers all going through the menopause transition —including survivors of hormone-sensitive and gynecologic cancers—to confidently navigate midlife and make informed, personalized choices for their health, longevity, and well-being.Dr. Reyes completed her undergraduate education at Kansas State University, earning honors in Food Science.  She earned her medical degree, with honors, at Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences and completed her residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine – Wichita.Dr. Reyes is Board Certified in Obstetrics and Gynecology and a Menopause Society Certified Practitioner.00:28 – Introduction to Episode #161 and welcome to Dr. Alex Reyes01:26 – Why menopause care has historically fallen short in medicine03:55 – The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI): what really happened vs media headlines06:10 – Breast cancer risk, hormone therapy, and putting risk in proper context09:42 – Myths about how long women can stay on hormone therapy12:36 – The estrogen “black box warning” and why its removal matters15:22 – How fear led to under-treatment and overuse of non-hormonal meds18:10 – Perimenopause symptoms beyond hot flashes (mental health, joints, sleep)23:30 – Rebuilding trust in menopause care and why women seek care elsewhere29:40 – How to know when to seek another opinion for menopause symptomsConnect with Dr. ReyesFacebook and Instagram: @dr.alexandria.reyesWebsite: http://www.dralexreyes.com/Connect with Dr. RellerPodcast website: https://gethealthytbpodcast.buzzsprou... LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerryrellermd/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClearwaterFamilyMedicineInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/clearwaterfamilymedicine/Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kerryrellermdClearwater Family Medicine and Allergy website: https://sites.google.com/view/clearwa...Podcast: https://gethealthytbpodcast.buzzsprou...Subscribe to the Get Healthy Tampa Bay Podcast on Apple podcasts, Spotify, Amazon music, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Pandora.