Menopause shouldn’t feel like a mystery you solve in the dark. We pull back the curtain on overlooked symptoms and the relief many women are still told to fear—from local estrogen for UTIs and urethral irritation to transdermal estradiol that supports heart and brain health. Alongside our guest Daisy, we trace a two-year odyssey through shrugging specialists, “normal” labs, and finally a team that connected the dots: thyroid conversion issues, deep vitamin D deficiency, low iron, and classic perimenopause symptoms hiding in plain sight.
We talk plainly about what too many guides skip: itchy ear canals, phantom cigarette smells, sleep shattered by hourly bathroom trips, rage that spikes out of nowhere, and a belly that refuses to budge because fat is making up for lost estrogen. We explain why timing matters for HRT safety, how patches and micronized progesterone change the profile, and why a single hormone test can’t capture a system in flux. The bigger picture emerges when you zoom out—estrogen influences hundreds of functions, so “random” problems often share a common root.
This is a call for evidence over alarmism and agency over resignation. If unwarranted black box labels scare you, we walk through what’s changed, where the data is strongest, and encourage you to find a doctor who listens to you! Bring a clear symptom log, ask about transdermal options, test vitamin D, iron, and full thyroid markers, and don’t accept “you’re fine” when your body says otherwise. We’re Gen X loud on purpose regarding HRT: so you can feel better sooner, protect your heart and bones, think clearer, and keep joy in your body. If this helped, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs answers, and leave a review to push this conversation further.
Email us at info@thewomenareplotting.com, and find us on all the socials. Be safe and be excellent to each other.
