Perimenopause Power: Navigating the Change with Dr. Maya Rodriguez

This is your Women's Health Podcast podcast. Welcome back to the Women’s Health Podcast, the space where we put real information and real power back into women’s hands. Today we’re diving straight into perimenopause: what it is, what’s happening in your body, and how you can take charge instead of feeling blindsided. Perimenopause is the transition time leading up to menopause, when estrogen and progesterone start fluctuating and your ovaries slowly wind down. Cleveland Clinic explains that this phase can last several years and often starts in your 40s, though for some women it begins in their late 30s. Those hormone swings can bring irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats, mood shifts, brain fog, sleep problems, and changes in libido. If you’re thinking, “I don’t feel like myself anymore,” you are not imagining it. In today’s episode, I’ll be talking with Dr. Maya Rodriguez, a gynecologist and menopause specialist, to unpack what’s normal, what’s not, and what you can do. Here are some of the questions I’ll be asking her, so you can listen for the answers that matter most to you. First, I’ll ask Dr. Rodriguez to define perimenopause in plain language and walk us through the earliest signs she wants women to notice, like changes in cycle length, heavier or lighter bleeding, and sleep disruption. I’ll ask her how she distinguishes perimenopause from other conditions like thyroid problems or anemia, and what tests a listener can request at a visit with their clinician. Then we’ll move into symptoms. I’ll ask her why hot flashes and night sweats happen, and what’s going on in the brain and blood vessels. I’ll ask about mood: anxiety spikes, irritability, and low mood that seem to come out of nowhere. UCLA Health and Mayo Clinic both emphasize that these symptoms are biologically driven, not a personal weakness, and I want her to explain that clearly. Next we’ll get practical about treatment options. According to Mayo Clinic and The Menopause Society, hormone therapy with estrogen, often combined with a progestogen if you have a uterus, is one of the most effective ways to treat hot flashes, night sweats, and vaginal dryness. I’ll ask Dr. Rodriguez who is a good candidate for hormone therapy, how timing matters when starting during perimenopause, and what the real risks and benefits look like today, especially as new research from The Menopause Society suggests earlier use may carry lower risk for some women. I’ll also ask about nonhormonal options, including newer medications like fezolinetant for hot flashes, low‑dose antidepressants for mood and temperature symptoms, and gabapentin for hot flashes and sleep, as highlighted by Mayo Clinic and UCLA Health. We’ll cover lifestyle approaches too: exercise, a balanced diet, sleep routines, and stress reduction tools like yoga and mindfulness. As we close the interview, I’ll ask Dr. Rodriguez for three empowering steps every woman in her late 30s and 40s can take this year to prepare: tracki This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.