663. Medication Truths: What Your Pharmacist Sees That Your Doctor Doesn't

What if vaginal dryness, painful sex, a disappearing libido, and urinary changes aren't just "part of getting older"? In this episode, I'm joined by my dear friend Dr. Anna Cabeca, The Girlfriend Doctor, a triple board-certified OB/GYN and best-selling author of The Hormone Fix, to unpack the symptoms so many women quietly live with through perimenopause and menopause. Dr. Anna explains the vaginal microbiome (yes, your vagina has its own balance of good and bad bacteria), how it connects to your bladder health, and why doing nothing about these symptoms isn't the safe, neutral choice it seems. We also get into the difference between local, topical hormone support and systemic hormone therapy, and why you may still have vaginal symptoms even if you're already on BHRT. Dr. Anna shares how topical DHEA may support vaginal and urethral tissue, why she's cautious about high-dose hormone pellets, and the everyday products and habits that can disrupt your vaginal health without you realizing it. What you'll learn: Why vaginal dryness, painful sex, and incontinence aren't symptoms you just have to accept What the vaginal microbiome is and why it needs different bacteria than your gut How your bladder's microbiome, the urobiome, may play a role in urgency and leaking Why an off-the-shelf probiotic isn't the same as a vaginal and bladder-targeted one What everyday products and habits can quietly disrupt your vaginal health How topical DHEA may support vaginal, vulvar, and urethral tissue without raising blood levels Why you may still need local support even if you're already on BHRT What Dr. Anna sees with high-dose hormone pellets, and why she's cautious about them Tune in to learn how to support your vaginal and bladder health so comfort and intimacy don't have to become a thing of the past. And check out my previous interview with Dr. Anna where we discussed libido, testing, and hormones: https://dramie.com/podcasts/399-libido-testing-hormones/ Listeners of The Thyroid (and Hormone) Fixer Podcast can get 20% off Dr. Anna's products with code DRAMIE at checkout. Look for the Viva V collection under Bundles at https://drannacabeca.com Connect with Dr. Anna: Website: https://drannacabeca.com Podcast: https://drannacabeca.com/blogs/podcast Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegirlfrienddoctor YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/thegirlfrienddoctor SHOP DR. AMIE’S FIXXR SUPPLEMENTS: betterlifedoctor.com Grab your Thyroid Fixer here: https://betterlifedoctor.com/(opens in new tab) (https://betterlifedoctor.com/) New here? Use code LISTEN20 for 20% off your first order LET’S GET YOUR LIFE BACK…Connect with Dr. Amie Hornaman Book a free thyroid and hormone solution call: https://dramiehornaman.com/pages/book-a-call(opens in new tab) CHECK OUT MY FREEBIES… JUST CLICK BELOW Thyroid Optimization Guide: https://health.dramie.com/thyropause(opens in new tab) 7 Day Thyroid Healing Kickstarter: https://fixyourthyroid.com/7daykickstarter(opens in new tab) RATE, REVIEW AND FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTS Enjoying the show? Leave a 5-star rating and review, and hit follow so you never miss an episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thyroid-fixer/id1529800263 CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Join my exclusive Facebook Group and get questions answered LIVE weekly, Just Fix Your Thyroid, for a Community of HOPE and SUPPORT in your thyroid journey. https://www.facebook.com/groups/dramie/ Like me on Facebook: Amie Hornaman Nutrition and Functional Medicine https://www.facebook.com/amiehornamannutrition/ Subscribe on YouTube: Dr. Amie Hornaman https://www.youtube.com/c/dramiehornaman Follow me on Instagram: @dramiehornaman https://www.instagram.com/dramiehornaman/ Disclaimer: Information provided on The Thyroid Fixer podcast is for informational purposes only. This information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or other healthcare professional, or any information contained on or in any product.

What if the reason you keep ending up in the kitchen at night, eating when you're not even hungry, has nothing to do with willpower? In this episode, I'm joined by Amber Romaniuk, who works with women on emotional eating, binge eating, digestion, and hormones, to unpack why food becomes the way so many of us cope with stress, quiet our thoughts, and take care of everyone but ourselves. Amber shares her own journey through binge eating, food addiction, and bulimia, and I open up about the disordered eating I went through during my bodybuilding years. We also get into the differences between emotional eating, binge eating, bulimia, and food addiction, how cortisol, poor sleep, low progesterone, and thyroid issues can turn up the volume on cravings, and why the shame spiral after a binge can keep the whole cycle going. Amber shares what to do after a binge instead of restricting or over-exercising, what real progress looks like beyond the scale, and her honest take on fasting and GLP-1s when you're healing your relationship with food. What you'll learn: Why emotional eating is rarely about willpower, and what may be driving it instead How repeating the same eating patterns can wire a habit pathway in your brain What separates emotional eating, binge eating, bulimia, and food addiction How high cortisol, poor sleep, and low progesterone can amplify cravings Why skipping meals with low thyroid function can set you up for nighttime overeating What to do after a binge instead of restricting, fasting, or over-exercising What progress looks like beyond the number on the scale Why Amber believes fasting and GLP-1s aren't the answer for healing your relationship with food Tune in to learn how to break the emotional eating cycle and build a relationship with food that isn't driven by shame. Resources from Amber: Take the Emotional Eating Quiz: https://amberapproved.ca Listen to The No Sugarcoating Podcast: https://apple.co/2pnDaZw Follow Amber on Instagram: @amberromaniuk (https://www.instagram.com/amberromaniuk/) Grab your Thyroid Fixer here: https://betterlifedoctor.com/ New here? Use code LISTEN20 for 20% off your first order Returning customers can use code LISTEN10 for 10% off SHOP DR. AMIE'S FIXXR® SUPPLEMENTS: betterlifedoctor.com LET'S GET YOUR LIFE BACK...Connect with Dr. Amie Hornaman Book a free thyroid and hormone solution call: https://dramiehornaman.com/pages/book-a-call CHECK OUT MY FREEBIES... JUST CLICK BELOW Thyroid Optimization Guide: https://health.dramie.com/thyropause 7 Day Thyroid Healing Kickstarter: https://fixyourthyroid.com/7daykickstarter Thyroid on Trial: https://health.dramie.com/thyroid-on-trial-optin RATE, REVIEW AND FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTS Show your love for Dr. Amie and The Thyroid Fixer Podcast! If you're enjoying our journey together, I'd be thrilled if you could take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps me reach and help more people just like you, guiding them towards their optimal selves! Just click HERE (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thyroid-fixer/id1529800263), scroll all the way down, give us those 5 stars, and share what you enjoy about my episodes in a review. Haven't subscribed yet? Make sure to follow The Thyroid Fixer Podcast to catch all the new episodes that come out every week. Follow HERE (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thyroid-fixer/id1529800263) and never miss out on a moment of the journey! CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Join my exclusive Facebook Group and get questions answered LIVE weekly, Just Fix Your Thyroid, for a Community of HOPE and SUPPORT in your thyroid journey. https://www.facebook.com/groups/dramie/ Like me on Facebook: Amie Hornaman Nutrition and Functional Medicine (https://www.facebook.com/amiehornamannutrition/) Subscribe on YouTube: Dr. Amie Hornaman (https://www.youtube.com/c/dramiehornaman) Follow me on Instagram: @dramiehornaman (https://www.instagram.com/dramiehornam

What if the reason you still feel exhausted, foggy, and stuck isn't your thyroid or your hormones on their own, but the fact that no one is treating them together? In this episode, I'm breaking down why your thyroid and your sex hormones (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) play in the same sandbox, and why splitting them between two providers who never talk to each other can leave you coordinating your own care. Consider this my public service announcement on hormones-in-a-box clinics, algorithm-based dosing, and what improperly managed hormones can mean for your health and longevity. We also get into why you can't supplement your way to optimal sex hormone levels, why "within normal limits" isn't the same as optimal, and how oral estrogen can raise binding proteins like SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin) and TBG (thyroid binding globulin), which may leave you feeling worse. I also share the exact questions to ask before you start hormone therapy, the red flags to watch for, and the training I look for in a hormone provider. What you'll learn: Why your thyroid and sex hormones need to be treated together, not by two separate providers Why supplements and over-the-counter creams can only take you so far in perimenopause and menopause What "within normal limits" misses, and why a total testosterone of 40 may still be below optimal for women How oral estrogen can raise SHBG and TBG and affect your thyroid and testosterone Why estrone matters and why it's worth testing alongside estradiol Which questions to ask a provider before you hand over your money What red flags to watch for in hormones-in-a-box and pop-up hormone clinics Why you may still benefit from progesterone even if you don't have a uterus Tune in to learn how to find a provider who knows which lever to pull when your body doesn't follow the textbook. Grab your Thyroid Fixer here: https://betterlifedoctor.com/ New here? Use code LISTEN20 for 20% off your first order Returning customers can use code LISTEN10 for 10% off SHOP DR. AMIE'S FIXXR® SUPPLEMENTS: betterlifedoctor.com LET'S GET YOUR LIFE BACK...Connect with Dr. Amie Hornaman Book a free thyroid and hormone solution call: https://dramiehornaman.com/pages/book-a-call CHECK OUT MY FREEBIES... JUST CLICK BELOW Thyroid Optimization Guide: https://health.dramie.com/thyropause 7 Day Thyroid Healing Kickstarter: https://fixyourthyroid.com/7daykickstarter Thyroid on Trial: https://health.dramie.com/thyroid-on-trial-optin RATE, REVIEW AND FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTS Show your love for Dr. Amie and The Thyroid Fixer Podcast! If you're enjoying our journey together, I'd be thrilled if you could take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps me reach and help more people just like you, guiding them towards their optimal selves! Just click HERE (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thyroid-fixer/id1529800263), scroll all the way down, give us those 5 stars, and share what you enjoy about my episodes in a review. Haven't subscribed yet? Make sure to follow The Thyroid Fixer Podcast to catch all the new episodes that come out every week. Follow HERE (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thyroid-fixer/id1529800263) and never miss out on a moment of the journey! CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Join my exclusive Facebook Group and get questions answered LIVE weekly, Just Fix Your Thyroid, for a Community of HOPE and SUPPORT in your thyroid journey. https://www.facebook.com/groups/dramie/ Like me on Facebook: Amie Hornaman Nutrition and Functional Medicine (https://www.facebook.com/amiehornamannutrition/) Subscribe on YouTube: Dr. Amie Hornaman (https://www.youtube.com/c/dramiehornaman) Follow me on Instagram: @dramiehornaman (https://www.instagram.com/dramiehornaman/) Disclaimer: Information provided on The Thyroid Fixer® podcast is for informational purposes only. This information is NOT intended as a substitute for the advice provided by your physician or

What if one of the most useful health trackers you could own wasn't on your wrist, but on your toilet? In this episode, I'm joined by Scott Hickle, engineer and founder of Throne, a camera that clips onto your toilet and tracks your gut health, hydration, and bathroom habits every time you go. We get into what your poop and pee can reveal about your health and what the Bristol Stool Scale (a 1-to-7 chart of stool form) actually tells you. We also cover why your memory of your own bathroom habits is far worse than you think. We also talk about how Throne's AI helps you connect gut changes to stress, travel, food, supplements, or new medications like GLP-1s. Scott walks through what can throw off the readings, from blue toilet cleaner to vitamin B and methylene blue. He explains why embarrassment can keep people from getting checked for things like colon cancer. He also shares a surprising link between under-hydration, vasopressin (the hormone that helps your body hold onto water), and your blood sugar response, which I connect back to thyroid function and weight. What you'll learn: What your stool form, color, and frequency can reveal about your gut health How Throne tracks hydration, bathroom habits, and urinary flow automatically Why your memory of your own bathroom habits is so unreliable How to run your own experiments with diet, supplements, probiotics, and GLP-1s What can throw off hydration readings, from vitamin B to methylene blue Why Scott believes embarrassment is a real risk factor for delayed diagnosis - How under-hydration may affect your blood sugar, thyroid, and weight What Scott says to look for in the toilet tomorrow, with or without a device If you've ever ignored what's happening in the toilet, this episode will show you why it's worth paying attention. Tune in to learn what your poop and pee may be telling you about your health, and why it's worth paying attention to what's happening in the toilet. ——— Thyroid Fixer listeners can save on Throne at https://thronescience.com/discount/DRAMIE or use code DRAMIE at checkout. Grab your Thyroid Fixer here: https://betterlifedoctor.com/ New here? Use code LISTEN20 for 20% off your first order Returning customers can use code LISTEN10 for 10% off SHOP DR. AMIE'S FIXXR® SUPPLEMENTS: betterlifedoctor.com LET'S GET YOUR LIFE BACK...Connect with Dr. Amie Hornaman Book a free thyroid and hormone solution call: https://dramiehornaman.com/pages/book-a-call CHECK OUT MY FREEBIES... JUST CLICK BELOW Thyroid Optimization Guide: https://health.dramie.com/thyropause 7 Day Thyroid Healing Kickstarter: https://fixyourthyroid.com/7daykickstarter Thyroid on Trial: https://health.dramie.com/thyroid-on-trial-optin RATE, REVIEW AND FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTS Show your love for Dr. Amie and The Thyroid Fixer Podcast! If you're enjoying our journey together, I'd be thrilled if you could take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps me reach and help more people just like you, guiding them towards their optimal selves! Just click HERE (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thyroid-fixer/id1529800263), scroll all the way down, give us those 5 stars, and share what you enjoy about my episodes in a review. Haven't subscribed yet? Make sure to follow The Thyroid Fixer Podcast to catch all the new episodes that come out every week. Follow HERE (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thyroid-fixer/id1529800263) and never miss out on a moment of the journey! CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Join my exclusive Facebook Group and get questions answered LIVE weekly, Just Fix Your Thyroid, for a Community of HOPE and SUPPORT in your thyroid journey. https://www.facebook.com/groups/dramie/ Like me on Facebook: Amie Hornaman Nutrition and Functional Medicine (https://www.facebook.com/amiehornamannutrition/) Subscribe on YouTube: Dr. Amie Hornaman (https://www.youtube.com/c/dramiehornaman) Follow me on Instagram: @dramiehornaman (https:/

What if Alzheimer's doesn't begin when you start forgetting things, but decades earlier, with your blood sugar, your waistline, and your hormones? In this episode, I'm joined by Dr. David Perlmutter, Board-Certified Neurologist and author of Grain Brain and his new book, Brain Defenders, to unpack why your brain's future is something you can influence. We talk about microglia, the brain's own immune cells, how they shift from protecting your brain to damaging it, and why chasing beta amyloid may be missing the bigger picture. We also get into how thyroid hormone, especially T3, fuels the mitochondria that help keep those immune cells supportive. We look at why the drop in estrogen during perimenopause may help explain why two-thirds of Alzheimer's patients are women. Dr. Perlmutter shares where he stands on hormone replacement therapy and testosterone and what the research says so far about GLP-1 medications and brain health. He also names the labs he wants everyone in their 30s, 40s, and 50s to know, including fasting insulin, A1C, and homocysteine. What you'll learn: Why Alzheimer's may begin decades before memory loss shows up Why Dr. Perlmutter says carrying the APOE4 gene variant means predisposed, not predetermined What microglia are and how they shift from supportive to destructive How blood sugar, gut inflammation, and head trauma can all affect your brain's immune cells How thyroid hormone and your mitochondria work together to support brain energy Why falling estrogen during perimenopause may put women's brains at greater risk Where Dr. Perlmutter stands on hormone replacement therapy and testosterone What the research says so far about GLP-1 medications and the brain Tune in to learn how to start protecting your brain now, long before any symptoms show up. Resources from Dr. David Perlmutter: Brain Defenders (book): https://braindefenders.com Website: https://drperlmutter.com Podcast: The Empowering Neurologist Follow Dr. Perlmutter on social media: Instagram: @davidperlmutter Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/DavidPerlmutterMD X: @davidperlmutter Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/david-perlmutter-md Grab your Thyroid Fixer here: https://betterlifedoctor.com/ New here? Use code LISTEN20 for 20% off your first order Returning customers can use code LISTEN10 for 10% off SHOP DR. AMIE'S FIXXR® SUPPLEMENTS: betterlifedoctor.com LET'S GET YOUR LIFE BACK...Connect with Dr. Amie Hornaman Book a free thyroid and hormone solution call: https://dramiehornaman.com/pages/book-a-call CHECK OUT MY FREEBIES... JUST CLICK BELOW Thyroid Optimization Guide: https://health.dramie.com/thyropause 7 Day Thyroid Healing Kickstarter: https://fixyourthyroid.com/7daykickstarter Thyroid on Trial: https://health.dramie.com/thyroid-on-trial-optin RATE, REVIEW AND FOLLOW ON APPLE PODCASTS Show your love for Dr. Amie and The Thyroid Fixer Podcast! If you're enjoying our journey together, I'd be thrilled if you could take a moment to rate and review the show on Apple Podcasts. Your support helps me reach and help more people just like you, guiding them towards their optimal selves! Just click HERE: (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thyroid-fixer/id1529800263), scroll all the way down, give us those 5 stars, and share what you enjoy about my episodes in a review. Haven't subscribed yet? Make sure to follow The Thyroid Fixer Podcast to catch all the new episodes that come out every week. Follow HERE: (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-thyroid-fixer/id1529800263) and never miss out on a moment of the journey! CONNECT WITH ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA: Join my exclusive Facebook Group and get questions answered LIVE weekly, Just Fix Your Thyroid, for a Community of HOPE and SUPPORT in your thyroid journey. https://www.facebook.com/groups/dramie/ Like me on Facebook: Amie Hornaman Nutrition and Functional Medicine (https://www.facebook.com/amiehornamannutrition/) Subscribe on YouTube: Dr. Amie Hornaman (https://www.youtube.com/c/dramieho