{"podcast":{"title":"Peri & Pause The Podcast","slug":"peri-pause-the-podcast-7706684","podcast_index_feed_id":7706684,"rss_url":"https://feeds.transistor.fm/the-peri-pause-podcast","website_url":"https://periandpause.com","image_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/_8eFZ9YQ3E1l00WK5I03wKSl5fHLHgT6UQim-aTCjZM/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:1400/h:1400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9lYmY4/MDgzODRlZGU3YzI0/MzMwMzkzNjVkODI0/MmNjYi5qcGc.jpg","author":"Jamie Gallagher","episode_count":14,"summary":"The Peri & Pause Podcast is for women in midlife who know something in their body has changed—but haven’t been given real answers, or have been left overwhelmed by conflicting information. Hosted by Jamie Gallagher, DNP, FNP-C, MSCP, a nurse practitioner specializing in perimenopause and menopause care, the show explores hormones, metabolism, mental health, sleep, sex, weight changes, and chronic conditions through an evidence-based, deeply practical lens. We unpack the physiology of midlife alongside the lived experience of women navigating careers, relationships, finances, and identity during this transition. Every woman deserves this conversation—and the clarity, language, and confidence to advocate for better care. Because “Your Labs Are Normal” Is Not the Whole Story.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-01T00:18:21.670594+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/peri-pause-the-podcast-7706684"},"episode":{"title":"Hormone Testing During Menopause: What Every Woman Should Know","slug":"hormone-testing-during-menopause-what-every-woman-should-know","published_at":"2026-06-16T11:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/peri-pause-the-podcast-7706684/hormone-testing-during-menopause-what-every-woman-should-know","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/peri-pause-the-podcast-7706684","url":"https://share.transistor.fm/s/d2ff88d3","audio_url":"https://media.transistor.fm/d2ff88d3/a7bd8ae5.mp3","summary":"Women often hear conflicting information online about estrogen, progesterone, and hormone testing. Jamie explains why hormone levels fluctuate dramatically during perimenopause, why a single blood test rarely tells the full story, and why symptoms often provide more useful information than lab values alone. This episode also covers stopping birth control pills in midlife, hormone testing after pregnancy, when hormone testing is appropriate, and why some women may still benefit from lab work in specific situations. If you've ever wondered whether hormone testing can confirm perimenopause or menopause, this episode will help you understand what hormone tests can, and can't, tell you. 00:00 – Welcome back to Perimenopause the Podcast 00:25 – Listener questions about hormone testing 00:55 – Should women routinely check hormone levels? 01:15 – Why hormone levels fluctuate so dramatically 01:40 – Understanding hormone changes during perimenopause 02:00 – Why symptoms matter more than a single lab test 02:15 – Stopping birth control in your 40s: what to expect 02:40 – How birth control affects hormone testing 02:55 – Could birth control be masking menopause? 03:10 – Hormone testing after pregnancy and childbirth 03:35 – When hormone testing may be appropriate 03:50 – Testosterone monitoring and hormone therapy 04:10 – New research on estrogen and bone health 04:35 – Why hormone testing is trending online 04:50 – The better question to ask about your symptoms 05:15 – Final thoughts and listener questions","meta_description":"Women often hear conflicting information online about estrogen, progesterone, and hormone testing. Jamie explains why hormone levels fluctuate dramaticall…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":372,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/peri-pause-the-podcast-7706684/episodes/hormone-testing-during-menopause-what-every-woman-should-know/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/peri-pause-the-podcast-7706684/hormone-testing-during-menopause-what-every-woman-should-know.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}