If you've ever sat in a doctor's office describing brain fog, mood swings, terrible sleep, and a body that no longer responds to anything you try — only to be sent home with a shrug and maybe an antidepressant — this one's for you. Dr. Mary Claire Haver, Board-Certified OBGYN and Certified Menopause Specialist, is back for round two, and she came prepared.

In this episode, she breaks down the hormonal wildfire she calls 'The Zone of Chaos,' explains why perimenopause looks nothing like what your doctor was trained to treat, and gives you the actual language to walk into your next appointment and finally get some answers. Buckle up.

Episode Overview (timestamps are approximate):
(0:00) Intro/Teaser
(5:00) The Zone of Chaos
(9:00) How Do You Know You're in Perimenopause?
(13:00) "I Don't Feel Like Myself" - The Universal Symptom
(15:00) 10 Doctors, Polypharmacy & a Hysterectomy
(17:00) How to Get Answers
(19:00) Your Brain on Perimenopause
(23:00) The ADHD Connection
(26:00) Bone Density & Muscle Mass
(29:00) Calming the Chaos, Not Replacing What's Lost
(44:00) What Mary Claire Actually Does
(53:00) Fasting, Menowashing & Your Bull$h!t Radar
(56:00) A Letter to My 35-Year-Old Self
(1:00:00) After Party: Dr. Stephanie's Takeaways

Resources mentioned in this episode: https://drstephanieestima.com/podcasts/ep462/

We couldn’t do it without our sponsors:

ONESKIN - Harness the power of peptides for fuller hair and glowing skin. Save 15% at https://oneskin.co/better with code BETTER.

APOLLO - The Apollo wearable supports energy, focus, relaxation, and sleep by syncing with your rhythms. Go to https://ApolloNeuro.com/BETTER to get $99 off Apollo with Smart Vibes AI.

LMNT - Stay hydrated without the sugar, food dye, and other dodgy ingredients found in popular electrolyte and sports drinks. Receive a free LMNT Sample Pack with any order when you make a purchase at https://DrinkLMNT.com/Better

BIOPTIMIZERS - Magnesium Breakthrough contains multiple types of magnesium plus cofactors like B6 to enhance absorption. Visit https://bioptimizers.com/better and use code BETTER to save 15%.

****************************
P.S. When you're ready, here are two ways Dr. Stephanie can help you:

Subscribe: The Mini Pause — My weekly newsletter packed with the most actionable, evidence-based tools for women 40+ to thrive in midlife.

Build Muscle: LIFT — My progressive strength training program designed for women in midlife. Form-focused, joint-friendly, and built for real results.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Powell, Then Phil