PERI and POST Menopause Testing and Treatment Options with Dr. Jill Carnahan

Written on 02/20/2025
BettyRocker

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Looking for relief from symptoms in perimenopause or postmenopause? I sat down with Dr. Jill Carnahan (who is my functional medicine doctor and has treated my hormones for the past 5 years), and talked to her about the specific tests she orders for women in the different menopause stages, plus we delve into the treatment options that she’s used for hormone balance, and we get into the other layers of our health that can be a part of the hormone conversation.

I also shared a variety of sources for online support with hormone balancing (in the US, the UK and AUS – see shownotes below for CAN) many of which include telehealth options (if you have trouble finding someone near you) if this is an area you’d like to explore. The more we know, the better we can advocate for ourselves, find the support we need, and navigate our changing bodies.

We’re covering….

⭐️ Why HRT is still seen as potentially problematic
⭐️ The phases of perimenopause and symptoms you might experience
⭐️ Tests for perimenopause symptoms, frequency and types
⭐️ Treatment options for symptom relief and hormone balance in perimenopause
⭐️ Who might not be a good candidate for hormone replacement therapy, and contraindications
⭐️ Testing you might benefit from in postmenopause
⭐️ Treatment options available in postmenopause for symptom relief and general health
⭐️ Considerations and contraindications for hormone balancing options for postmenopausal women
⭐️ The importance of gut health in processing hormone byproducts
⭐️Environmental factors that can disrupt our hormones
⭐️Telehealth options for women in different countries (USA, UK and Australia), see links below for Canada
⭐️Suggestions for other ways to find support

Links to follow up from this episode:

Episode Transcript

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Betty Rocker (00:18):

What’s up, rock stars Coach Betty Rocker here. Hey, thanks so much for joining me. My guest today is Dr. Jill Carnahan, a frequent guest on this show. You may have heard her before. She is dually board certified in family medicine, a practitioner of integrated holistic medicine, and is also a functional medicine expert. She’s the author of Unexpected, a very inspiring read, and she’s also the subject of a documentary called Doctor Patient. She’s got a fabulous podcast and a really, really helpful blog, just packed with great free content you can access anytime and is a survivor of breast cancer, Crohn’s disease and toxic mold illness. She brings a unique perspective to treating patients in the midst of complex and chronic illness. She’s the medical director at the Flatiron Functional Medicine Center just outside of Boulder, Colorado. And my own personal doctor and I always feel really lucky to get to work with her and also to be able to share her with you guys because she really helps make sense out of so many complex health related subjects that are relevant to us all. Please join me in welcoming her to the show. Great to see you, Dr. Jill. Thanks so much for joining me today.

Dr. Jill Carnahan (01:31):

You’re welcome. So good to be with you again.

Betty Rocker (01:34):

Yes, it’s always great to get to check in and, and have a conversation. And one thing I feel like has been on my mind and on the minds of many of the women I serve, um, is this conversation about menopause, perimenopause and post menopause. Right? The all-encompassing menopause umbrella,