PCOS has a new name, and a lot of people are asking the right question: does this actually change anything? In this episode, I break down the shift from PCOS to PMOS—polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome—and why I see it as directionally positive, but nowhere near sufficient on its own. The old name was misleading. It made “cysts” the focus, even …
Have you ever started perimenopause hormone therapy and expected relief, only to feel more bloated, more irritable, more tired, or more in the grip of insomnia instead? If that sounds familiar, you are not imagining it. In this episode, I talk with Dr. Pamela Langenderfer about why hormones can be an important tool, but not the whole story. A prescription …
If you have PMDD and feel like you’ve tried everything—SSRIs, birth control, progesterone, gut protocols, antihistamines, supplements, cycle tracking—and you’re still crashing every luteal phase, this episode is for you. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten breaks down why PMDD treatment is not one-size-fits-all, why some women feel better on standard care while others feel …
It seems like everywhere women turn lately, someone is talking about using Allegra or Pepcid to get through the worst days of their cycle. The stories are consistent: a few pills, and the dark cloud lifts. The question is — is it real? The short answer is: histamine can be involved in PMDD. But the longer, more important answer is …
Many women are told that lab work is normal while symptoms keep getting louder. Weight-loss resistance can worsen even with a normal A1C. Mood can crash before a period even when routine testing shows nothing unusual. Anxiety can intensify after birth and still be brushed aside as part of new motherhood. Digestive symptoms can flare every luteal phase and still …
Can a GLP-1 medication change the way progesterone works in endometriosis? That is the central question Dr. Brighten explores in this episode, and it is not a throwaway idea. It sits at the intersection of inflammation, hormone receptor signaling, and the reality that many women are told to manage endometriosis with options that reduce symptoms without stopping the disease process. …
Before we get started, I want to share something I’ve been working on with you. My new book, ADHD and Women, was born out of years of seeing women struggle with symptoms that are often overlooked, misdiagnosed, or dismissed entirely. So much of the conversation around ADHD has been centered on men, and it leaves women without clear answers. In …
What if the first sign that perimenopause is shifting hormones is not a hot flash, but broken sleep? For many women, the earliest clues are more subtle: waking at 2 a.m., feeling wired but tired, noticing more palpitations, or realizing that brain fog and irritability are showing up alongside restless nights. In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with …
What if targeted, evidence-informed changes to daily habits could improve your chances of conceive without turning your life upside down? In this episode, I walk you through a practical fertility protocol that centers metabolic health, ovulatory function, and simple habit shifts that actually stick. I focus on what the data shows is most actionable—which labs to run and how to …