The Dr. Brighten Show

ADHD medication can feel different across your menstrual cycle, and a difficult month doesn’t automatically mean your treatment has failed. View the show notes and episode resources at https://drbrighten.com/podcast/adhd-medication-and-your-period/ . 📚 ADHD and Women — If this conversation has you rethinking what ADHD can look like through a woman’s life and cycle, my book ADHD and Women goes deeper. It explores the connection between ADHD, hormones, and the symptoms women are too often told to push through. Learn more: https://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen 🎧 Podcast: https://drbrighten.com/podcast 📺 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrJoleneBrighten 📝 Show notes: https://drbrighten.com/podcast/adhd-medication-and-your-period/ In this conversation, Dr. Jolene Brighten, board-certified in naturopathic endocrinology, nutrition scientist, and author of ADHD and Women, talks with board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Agnes Kwan Simone, board-certified pediatric psychologist Dr. Anne-Louise Lockhart, and Annika Joya,…

ADHD rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), women’s mental load, and the relationship fights that never seem to end—this episode explores how ADHD can affect communication, friendship, intimacy, and the stories we tell ourselves about being “too much.” View the full show notes and resources at DrBrighten.com: https://drbrighten.com/podcast/adhd-and-relationships/ Before we get into today’s episode: ADHD and Women is officially out https://amzn.to/4mPBO2x, and I am so deeply grateful for every person who has bought the book, shared it, posted about it, recommended it to a friend, or simply sent me a note of support. You are helping change the conversation around women, hormones, and ADHD—and I do not take that lightly. And if you are a midlife woman whose brain suddenly feels like it is struggling—more forgetful, scattered, emotionally reactive, exhausted, or unable to focus—this book is for you, too. Perimenopause can look and feel a whole lot like ADHD, and you deserve answers that go deeper than “you’re just…

ADHD and hormones are deeply connected, and shifts in estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone may help explain why focus, mood, executive function, and even the experience of ADHD medication can change across the menstrual cycle and during perimenopause. View the full show notes and additional resources at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/adhd-hormones-in-women/. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, I’m joined by board-certified psychiatrist Dr. Agnes K. Simone, MD and ADHD nutrition researcher Annika Joya, MS, for a conversation about what happens when ADHD meets the menstrual cycle, PMDD, and perimenopause. We talk about why some women feel like they have a completely different brain depending on the week of their cycle, why ADHD medication may feel less effective before a period, how estrogen interacts with dopamine, and why women can reach their 40s and suddenly feel like the systems that worked for decades no longer work. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why the follicular phase may feel easier for…

ADHD in women symptoms can hide behind straight As, a successful career, a packed calendar, and the exhausting work of appearing “fine.” In Episode 1 of the ADHD in Women series, Dr. Jolene Brighten joins psychiatrist Dr. Agnes Kwon Simone, pediatric psychologist Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart, and clinical s/xologist Dr. Leann Borneman to unpack the signs women mask, the assessment gaps that lead to missed diagnoses, and how to advocate for a thorough evaluation. View the full show notes at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/adhd-in-women-symptoms/ . 📘 Preorder ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten: https://drbrighten.com/adhd-and-women/ 👍 Like this video, share it with the woman who has been told she is “too successful” to have ADHD, and subscribe to The Dr. Brighten Show so you do not miss the rest of this eight-part series. Many women with ADHD were never disruptive in class. They may have been the student who got straight As, the employee who pulled off impossible deadlines, or the partner who carried the entire…

Did you know women with endometriosis are twice as likely to be diagnosed with ADHD? In my new book, ADHD and Women, I connect the dots between hormones, pain, mood, focus, and the symptoms women are too often told to simply push through—so you can finally understand what is happening in your body and brain. Get your copy: https://drbrighten.com/adhd-and-women/ Endometriosis in perimenopause can become more painful, more inflammatory, and far more confusing, but it is not “all in your head,” and it is not simply a matter of estrogen being too high. In this AMA, Dr. Jolene Brighten and Angela, who works with her behind the scenes, answer your biggest questions about endometriosis, adenomyosis, progesterone, HRT, surgery, fibroids, and what changes as hormones shift; view the show notes at https://drbrighten.com. 💬 If this conversation helps you feel more informed, please like, share, comment, and subscribe to The Dr. Brighten Show so more women can access evidence-informed conversations about their health.…

ADHD rejection sensitivity can make one comment, one text, or one change in someone’s tone feel like proof that everything is falling apart. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Alex Partridge joins me to unpack rejection sensitivity, masking, identity, self-trust, and the hidden emotional cost of ADHD; view the full show notes at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/adhd-rejection-sensitivity/ 📚 My new book, ADHD and Women, explores the relationship between ADHD, hormones, the nervous system, nutrition, and the experiences women are so often never taught to connect. 🎁 Preorder the book and see the current limited-time bonuses here:https://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen In This Episode Why ADHD can make rejection and criticism feel disproportionately intense How childhood comments like “you’re too much,” “stop being so emotional,” or “why are you so weird?” can shape the way you see yourself as an adult How masking can slowly shift the question from “Who am I?” to “Who do I need to be so people will accept me?”…

Cellular aging may be happening faster than your chronological age suggests—and in this episode, Dr. Will Cole explains what can accelerate it, what mitochondrial dysfunction can actually feel like, and what may help protect your healthspan; view the full show notes at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/cellular-aging/. We break down the science of biological age, organ aging, inflammation, metabolic health, circadian rhythms, nutrition, movement, and practical longevity strategies you can actually use. IN THIS EPISODE Why people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s may be experiencing accelerated cellular aging How your heart, brain, kidneys, and other organs can age at different rates Why brain fog, fatigue, feeling wired-but-tired, and anxiety with exhaustion may be clues worth paying attention to How inflammation and “cellular confusion” may affect mitochondrial function and aging Which metabolic, cardiovascular, and inflammatory markers Dr. Cole considers clinically meaningful How environmental toxins,…

Perimenopause hormones can make you feel like your body changed overnight—even when your labs look “normal,” and in this AMA Dr. Jolene Brighten answers your biggest questions about estrogen, progesterone, testosterone, HRT, birth control, Mirena, ovulation, POI, and postmenopause. View the complete show notes, references, and resources at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/perimenopause-hormones/ 📖 PREORDER ADHD AND WOMEN: https://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen What You’ll Learn in This Episode 🧪 Why “normal” hormone labs don’t necessarily explain how you feel during perimenopause 😤 What symptoms like rage, anxiety, poor sleep, and irritability may tell you about progesterone 🥚 How to tell whether you’re still ovulating in perimenopause using cycle patterns, cervical mucus, temperature, LH, and progesterone 🩸 Why a shortening luteal phase may be an early clue that progesterone production is changing 🔬 Which hormone tests Dr. Brighten finds useful—and why testosterone, thyroid, insulin, and other markers deserve…

Endometriosis pain can rewire the brain and nervous system, yet women are still told to tolerate severe pelvic pain, traumatic IUD insertions, and years of medical dismissal; explore the research and resources in the show notes at http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen. In this AMA, Dr. Jolene Brighten explains central sensitization, vagus nerve dysfunction, cycle-related inflammation, copper IUD pain, omega-3s, food sensitivities, and what it can take to recover after chronic pain. 🧠 In this episode, you’ll learn: How unmanaged endometriosis and adenomyosis pain can change pain processing in the brainWhy pain may persist after excision surgery or a hysterectomy What central sensitization means and why recovery can take time How endometriosis may disrupt vagal tone and autonomic nervous-system function Why a hysterectomy can treat adenomyosis but does not treat endometriosis outside the uterus How copper IUDs create localized inflammation Why severe IUD pain, bleeding, fainting, or loss of function deserves…

Late diagnosed ADHD & autism can change the story you’ve been telling yourself (and your relationship) for decades. In this episode, Dr. Brighten joins Rich and Rox Pink of ADHD Love and the Late Bloomers podcast to talk diagnosis, masking, relationships, perimenopause, HRT, and what finally made their lives make sense; view the full show notes and resources at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/late-diagnosed-adhd-and-autism/ . Rich and Rox Pink have built a community of more than 5 million followers by showing the messy, funny, painful, and deeply human reality of neurodivergent life. In this candid conversation, Rox opens up about receiving her ADHD diagnosis after years of believing she was lazy, broken, and incapable of maintaining relationships, while Rich shares what it has been like to realize in his 40s that the “neurotypical husband” was actually autistic. IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL LEARN Why late diagnosed ADHD and autism can completely rewrite decades of shame and self-blame Why traits like lateness,…

Endometriosis inflammation may have implications far beyond pelvic pain, including associations with cardiovascular disease, autoimmune conditions, and long-term health risks. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten explains what the research actually shows, why a normal CRP doesn’t necessarily rule out inflammation, and what women and clinicians should understand about endometriosis as a whole-body disease. View the complete show notes at Dr. Brighten: https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/endometriosis-inflammation/ Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation ⁠⁠http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen What You'll Learn in This Episode Why endometriosis is about much more than misplaced tissue or retrograde menstruation How immune dysregulation and inflammatory cytokines may contribute to the endometriosis environment Why normal CRP or hs-CRP doesn't necessarily mean inflammation isn't present The…

Brain inflammation may influence behavior, sensory processing, sleep, mood, and cognition in ways many families never realize. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten and Dr. Pejman Katiraei explore the connections between the immune system, gut health, environmental exposures, ADHD, autism, PANS/PANDAS, and neuroinflammation; view the complete show notes at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/brain-inflammation-and-behavior/ Neurodivergence Is Not the Problem This episode does not suggest that autism or ADHD should be erased, “fixed,” or reduced to inflammation. Instead, the conversation explores an important distinction: A person’s neurodivergent wiring may be an intrinsic part of who they are. Pain, severe anxiety, sleep disruption, gut dysfunction, overwhelming sensory sensitivity, aggression, or sudden regression may represent additional challenges affecting that person’s quality of life. Understanding that distinction can help families support the whole person without treating their…

Melatonin benefits extend far beyond helping you fall asleep. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, I sit down with nutrition scientist Dr. Deanna Minich, MS, PhD, CNS, IFMCP, to explore the surprising science behind melatonin, circadian rhythms, color, inflammation, brain health, and why being deficient in darkness may be one of the most overlooked threats to your long-term health. For additional resources, research, and key takeaways, be sure to visit the full show notes at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/melatonin-benefits/ Whether you're struggling with poor sleep, hormone imbalance, chronic inflammation, or simply want to optimize healthy aging, this conversation will completely change how you think about light, darkness, and the body's innate healing capacity. Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation ⁠⁠http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen In This Episode You'll Learn Why melatonin is one of the…

Chronic inflammation is at the root of many of today's most common health conditions, including autoimmune disease, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, leaky gut, chronic pain, fatigue, and brain fog—but it's often overlooked until significant damage has already occurred. View the full show notes, research, and resources mentioned in this episode at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/chronic-inflammation/ . In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with Dr. Daniel Cárdenas, a conventionally trained physician, functional medicine practitioner, and medical homeopath, to explore why inflammation rarely exists in isolation. Together, they discuss how the gut, immune system, thyroid, nervous system, mitochondria, sleep, nutrition, stress, and environment all interact to influence long-term health—and what you can start doing today to address inflammation at its source. Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and…

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What happens when being the strong one becomes the reason your body starts breaking down? In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten explains how chronic stress, hypervigilance, nervous system dysregulation, and emotional over-functioning can contribute to burnout, hormone symptoms, autoimmune disease, and chronic illness. For additional resources and references, visit the show notes at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/being-the-strong-one/ Whether you're the woman everyone depends on, the caregiver, the fixer, or the one who never asks for help, this conversation will help you understand why your body may be asking you to finally put the weight down. Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation ⁠⁠http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen In This Episode You'll Learn: Why "being the strong one" isn't just emotional—it's biological How chronic hypervigilance rewires your nervous system Why capable women often become invisible…

Motherhood can expose ADHD and autism in ways many women never expect. In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten and Vanessa D’Souza discuss how postpartum hormones, burnout, masking, sensory overload, and relationship dynamics can leave neurodivergent women feeling like they’ve lost themselves—not because they’re failing, but because no one prepared them for what happens after birth. For the complete show notes, research, and resources, visit Dr. Brighten: Vanessa D’Souza joins Dr. Brighten for an honest conversation about why pregnancy may feel easier than postpartum for women with ADHD and autism, how estrogen and progesterone influence executive function, why postpartum burnout is often mistaken for depression, and what partners, families, and healthcare providers need to understand to better support neurodivergent mothers. ✨ In This Episode 🧠 Why ADHD and autism often become much more noticeable after childbirth 🌸 The dramatic hormone shifts from pregnancy to postpartum 🎭 Why masking suddenly becomes…

High-masking autism in women often goes unnoticed because success can hide disability. In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with MasterChef UK contestant Vanessa D'Souza to discuss autism, ADHD, sensory processing, masking, autistic burnout, and why so many women aren't diagnosed until adulthood. 📖 For show notes, resources, and links mentioned in this episode, visit: https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/autism-and-adhd/ Pre-order your copy of ADHD and Women and unlock exclusive bonuses—including my PMDD Solution Workshop, bonus trainings, downloadable resources, and more before they're gone! 👉 Pre-Order Here: http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen You'll Learn Why MasterChef became the perfect storm for autistic burnout Why autism in women is still so frequently overlooked The hidden cost of high masking and why success doesn't mean someone isn't struggling How sensory processing affects food, cooking, and everyday life Why so many women don't receive an autism diagnosis until adulthood What autistic…

Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation ⁠http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen In early 2020, my life completely changed when I contracted COVID-19. As a doctor, I thought I knew what to expect—but my symptoms didn't look like anything on the news. Instead of a cough or high fever, I experienced a subtle, terrifying decline in my ability to breathe. When I finally went to the ER, a physician stood across the parking lot and told me to get my affairs in order. But that was just the beginning. What followed was a debilitating, multi-system shutdown known as Long COVID—bringing crushing fatigue, brain fog, POTS, and nerve pain. In this episode, I’m pulling back the curtain on my personal health journey and the exact cellular framework I used to rebuild my body from the ground up. I break down the emerging science behind viral mitochondrial damage and the four-part protocol (focusing on oxidative stress and ATP…

Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen Endometriosis and Endometriomas are often misunderstood, leaving many women without answers for years. In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with endometriosis surgeon Dr. Amanda Chu, MD, to discuss how endometriomas may signal more advanced disease, why they're frequently dismissed, and what every woman should know about diagnosis and treatment. For the complete research, resources, and show notes, visit https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/endometriomas-and-endometriosis/ If you've been told it's "just a cyst," have been sent home from the ER without answers, or wonder whether surgery is the right next step, this conversation will help you better understand your options and how to advocate for yourself. 👩‍⚕️ About Today's Experts Dr. Jolene Brighten, NMD, FABNE is a board-certified naturopathic endocrinologist, Certified…

Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation. Endometrioma may be one of the most overlooked signs of advanced endometriosis—and it could have major implications for pain, fertility, ovarian reserve, and long-term health. For full show notes, resources, and links mentioned in this episode, visit https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/endometrioma/. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, I sit down with endometriosis specialist and minimally invasive gynecologic surgeon Dr. Amanda Chu to discuss what an endometrioma really is, why it's often called a "chocolate cyst," how it may impact fertility, and why many women are told not to worry about these cysts when they may actually be a sign of deep infiltrating endometriosis. We also discuss ovarian reserve, cancer risk, hormone therapy, surgical options, nutrition, inflammation, and the challenges women continue to face when seeking…

Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation. Overthinking at night can feel like anxiety, but for many women, racing thoughts, waking up at 3 AM, and feeling exhausted but unable to sleep may be connected to cortisol, blood sugar, ADHD, hormones, and nervous system dysregulation. View the full show notes at https://drbrighten.com/podcasts/overthinking-at-night/ for links, resources, and more from this episode. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten, board-certified in naturopathic endocrinology, Certified Menopause Specialist through The Menopause Society, certified sex counselor, and author of the upcoming book ADHD and Women, explains why your brain may feel loudest the moment your head hits the pillow. Drawing on her clinical experience working with women navigating ADHD, perimenopause, hormone changes, insomnia, and chronic stress, Dr. Brighten…

Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation. Have you ever found yourself snapping at your partner, feeling annoyed by your kids, or becoming irrationally frustrated by something as simple as a dirty dish in the sink—and then immediately wondering, What is wrong with me? If so, you're not alone. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten explores a question that countless women quietly ask themselves: Why am I so irritated all the time? Through the lens of women's health, hormones, emotional well-being, and nervous system function, she reveals why irritability is often not a personality flaw but an important signal from the body. Many women assume that constant irritability means they're becoming impatient, short-tempered, or less kind. But what if irritation isn't the problem? What if it's actually a messenger pointing toward unmet needs, hormonal shifts,…

When it comes to hormone therapy and breast cancer, few topics create more confusion, fear, and conflicting information. Women are often told they need to be concerned about breast cancer risk, yet many never receive a nuanced discussion about screening, lifestyle factors, inflammation, environmental exposures, or how to evaluate their individual risk profile. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with former breast surgeon Dr. Jenn Simmons to discuss breast cancer screening, hormone therapy, risk assessment, inflammation, lifestyle factors, and the questions women should be asking about their long-term health. This conversation explores both conventional and emerging perspectives on breast health while emphasizing the importance of individualized care and informed decision-making. Women listening to this episode will gain insight into current screening conversations, breast cancer risk factors, lifestyle interventions, metabolic health, environmental exposures, and the role…

My new book, ADHD and Women, is now available for pre-order! Learn how hormones influence ADHD symptoms and get your copy here: http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen End picky eating with practical, root-cause strategies from integrative pediatrician Dr. Elisa Song, MD, and view the full show notes at DrBrighten.com: https://drbrighten.com. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten and Dr. Song discuss picky eating, zinc, gut health, sensory food aversions, and simple ways parents can help kids expand their diet with less stress. 👩‍⚕️ Dr. Elisa Song, MD, joins Dr. Brighten to explain why picky eating may be more than “just a phase” and how nutrient status, the gut microbiome, sleep, movement, and nervous system regulation can influence a child’s food preferences. In This Episode, You’ll Learn: - Why zinc may be a key nutrient to consider for selective eaters - How sensory food aversions may connect to nutrient insufficiencies - How to involve kids in food choices without pressure - What…

I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd What if the IVF missing piece is not only the embryo—but the environment that embryo is trying to implant into? In this powerful episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with Dr. Gerardo Barroso Villa, a world-renowned fertility expert and reproductive biologist, to talk about recurrent miscarriage, IVF, endometritis, sperm health, PGT-A, and why fertility care should look at the full picture—not just the egg. Dr. Barroso brings an extraordinary depth of expertise to this conversation. He is introduced as a fertility expert and reproductive biologist trained at prestigious institutions including the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine and Cornell University, with advanced expertise in microsurgical male factor treatment and IVF techniques, a doctorate from Eastern Virginia Medical School, more than 2,500 international citations for his…

I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd What if your brain fog, low mood, and poor focus were not just “in your head,” but connected to what is happening in your immune system, gut microbiome, and daily food choices? In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with Dr. Austin Perlmutter to unpack the connection between brain inflammation and food, including why the brain is literally built from the nutrients you eat, how added sugar may influence systemic inflammation, and why the gut-brain connection is one of the most important conversations in brain health right now. Dr. Austin Perlmutter is a board-certified internal medicine physician, New York Times bestselling author, and Managing Director of Big Bold Health. His work focuses on brain and body health, including the biological roots of mental and physical “stuckness,” how environmental factors shape cognitive and emotional…

I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd Most women with endometriosis are told their imaging is "normal" — sometimes for years, sometimes for decades — while the disease silently progresses through their body. When Bryan Johnson posted a viral photo of his girlfriend Kate Tollo undergoing a transvaginal ultrasound, it exposed more than just one couple's private medical moment. It exposed how little most people — including those with enormous platforms — understand about what proper endometriosis imaging and diagnosis actually require. In this episode, I respond to that viral post and use it as a teaching moment. I walk through why normal imaging can never rule out endometriosis, how most radiologists miss the disease entirely, and what the right diagnostic pathway actually looks like. I also share my own story of being dismissed as "attention-seeking" by a radiologist — only to be diagnosed with stage four…

Pre-order ADHD and Women by Dr. Jolene Brighten http://drbrighten.com/adhdandwomen and discover how hormones shape focus, motivation, executive function, and emotional regulation. This conversation is about one of the most misunderstood areas in women’s health: how hormones interact with the brain. Dr. Brighten explains why estrogen is not just a reproductive hormone, why dopamine is not just a “pleasure chemical,” and why hormonal changes can influence motivation, reward, focus, working memory, task initiation, emotional bandwidth, and the way your brain responds to stress. You’ll also learn why perimenopause can be such a blindsiding experience for women who previously felt like they were “holding it all together.” Estrogen doesn’t always decline in a neat, straight line. It can fluctuate, surge, and drop, and those changes can feel disruptive for the brain, especially if you already have ADHD, PMDD, premenstrual exacerbation, depression, anxiety, chronic stress, trauma, or a history of traumatic brain…

I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd If symptoms get worse before a period but do not let up once bleeding starts, is it really PMDD, or could it be PME instead? In this episode, Dr. Brighten breaks down why PMDD vs PME is not a small wording difference but a clinical distinction that can change what treatment needs to address. Listeners will learn how to tell whether symptom timing fits PMDD or PME, why the symptom-free or mostly symptom-free window matters so much, what two months of daily tracking can reveal before a doctor's appointment, which underlying issues can be mistaken for PMDD, including ADHD, depression, anxiety, thyroid problems, and chronic pain, and why severe mood symptoms, self-harm thoughts, or suicidal thoughts need medical and mental health support instead of self-diagnosis. For anyone who has been told it is just hormones, this episode leaves one question hanging: what does the full…

I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd Autoimmune disease management is often reduced to one question: which medication comes next? This episode pushes back on that narrow frame. For listeners living with fatigue, brain fog, pain, or gradual loss of function, that frustration is real. The conversation with Dr. Terry Wahls centers on a different idea: autoimmune disease is not only about immune signaling, but also about mitochondrial energy production, nutrient status, gut integrity, environmental load, and hormone transitions. That does not turn the episode into an anti-medication message. It makes the case that symptom burden and progression may be shaped by modifiable lifestyle factors that deserve far more attention than they usually get. So what happens when the standard conversation is too small for what patients are actually experiencing? This episode changes the conversation. This Episode is Sponsored…

I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at https://drbrighten.com/pmdd 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 though those findings were often just follicles, and it helped turn ultrasound imaging into the main character instead of the patient sitting in front of the provider. That needed to change. But a more accurate label does not automatically produce more accurate care. If clinicians still reduce this condition to irregular periods, acne, infertility, or a weight problem, then women are still going to be missed, misunderstood, and treated one symptom at a time. What You’ll Learn in This Episode What PMOS means and why PCOS is…

I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at ⁠https://drbrighten.com/pmdd⁠ 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 is only one piece of the puzzle. What your body can metabolize, clear, and tolerate matters just as much as the hormone itself. That means the gut, liver, thyroid, bowel habits, histamine load, and environmental exposures may all influence whether hormone therapy helps or feels like one more thing your body has to manage. This is the conversation I want more women to hear before they assume they simply need a higher dose, a different hormone, or another supplement. Sometimes the real question is not, “What hormone…

I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at ⁠https://drbrighten.com/pmdd⁠ 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 worse, and how PMDD can overlap with ADHD, perimenopause, histamine issues, endometriosis, progesterone intolerance, inflammation, and brain sensitivity to hormone changes. The biggest message: if your PMDD treatment has failed, you are not broken—the treatment may not have matched your biology. Learn more about the upcoming PMDD workshop hosted by Dr. Brighten here https://drbrighten.com/pmdd In this show, you’ll learn why PMDD is more than “bad PMS,” why normal hormone…

I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at ⁠https://drbrighten.com/pmdd⁠ 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 that histamine alone is not the whole story. This episode of The Dr. Brighten Show breaks down exactly why that distinction matters — and what women deserve to know before building a routine around over-the-counter antihistamines. This Episode Is Brought to You By Dr. Brighten Essentials Want science-backed supplements formulated by a doctor who actually understands women’s health? 🌿 At Dr. Brighten Essentials, every product is crafted to support your hormones, boost your energy, and help you feel your best—inside and out. From targeted…

I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at ⁠https://drbrighten.com/pmdd⁠ 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 get labeled as nothing more than hormones. This Hormone AMA focuses on the gap between what patients feel and what standard care often catches. I walk through the patterns that tend to show up before a formal diagnosis appears on paper. Instead of treating these issues as separate problems, I connect insulin signaling, inflammation, progesterone, thyroid function, the gut, and the nervous system. That framing matters because many women are not being ignored by a single uncaring clinician. They are being managed…

I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at ⁠https://drbrighten.com/pmdd⁠ 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. This episode examines a novel mechanistic theory: GLP-1 agonists may help restore progesterone responsiveness by lowering inflammatory signaling inside endometriosis lesions. The conversation is careful about the evidence stage. The research is promising, but it is still emerging, and the episode makes that distinction clear while still taking women’s lived experience seriously. That matters because women with endometriosis are often told to accept unbearable pain, mood changes, and gut…

I'm hosting a live PMDD Relief Workshop on June 10th, free when you pre-order ADHD and Women. Get your spot at ⁠https://drbrighten.com/pmdd⁠ When I say ADHD in women, I am not talking about simple distraction. I am talking about the kind of overload that happens when the brain is already working hard, and then motherhood asks for a million tiny decisions before noon. That is the reality I wanted to talk about in this episode. Because for many of us, the hard part is not that we do not care. It is that we care about everything, all at once, while our executive function is trying to keep up. In this conversation, I get honest about what it feels like when time blindness, shame, and hormone shifts collide. I also talk about the supports that help me stay functional: movement, creatine, omega-3s, magnesium, sleep, and the recovery routines I lean on when my body is asking for help. This Episode Is Brought to You By Dr. Brighten Essentials Radiant Mind Want a science-backed formula created to support women’s…

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 Cynthia Thurlow, nurse practitioner, author, podcast host, and intermittent fasting expert, to unpack why sleep often becomes the first visible sign that the body needs more support in midlife. The conversation does not reduce perimenopause to sleep hygiene tips or blame women for not doing enough. It connects sleep disruption to progesterone, estradiol, testosterone, stress physiology, muscle loss, fasting, and recovery capacity. Women are often told these changes are random or simply part of getting older. This episode takes a different approach: it treats symptoms as information and asks what the body is signaling. If perimenopause has brought brain…

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 interpret them, which nutritional strategies and supplements have the strongest evidence for preconception support, and how sleep, stress biology, and circadian alignment shape your fertile window. I also cover quick environmental wins to reduce chemical and thermal exposures that can undermine reproductive outcomes and share short-term strategies you can implement this week while you pursue longer-term optimizations. This isn’t about one-size-fits-all promises; it’s about prioritizing changes that change physiology, using markers we can measure, and tailoring the approach to where you are now in your cycle and life. If you’re trying…

Most dry eye treatment focuses on drops. This episode is about what drops don’t fix — and the daily habits that actually change things. In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten talks with Dr. Carly Rose (Dr. Rose) about what dry eye really is, why it keeps showing up, and what actually helps. Dry eye is often less about “not making tears” and more about the tear film not staying stable—especially when the oil layer isn’t doing its job. That’s why habits like lid hygiene, warm/hot compresses, and complete blinking can make such a difference over time. This Episode Is Brought to You By Pique – Pu’er Tea Duo Gut health isn’t just about probiotics—it’s also about nourishing your microbiome. Pique’s Pu’er Tea Duo delivers polyphenol-rich support to help promote microbial diversity, gut lining health, and balanced digestion. Featuring Green Pu’er for antioxidant support and Black Pu’er for digestion and reduced bloating, it’s an easy daily ritual for whole-gut wellness. Get 20% off at…

If you’ve ever wondered why you used to be able to hold it all together and now suddenly feel like your brain is working against you, this episode will hit home. In this conversation, Dr. Brighten unpacks the reality of ADHD masking, why so many women go decades without a diagnosis, and how perimenopause ADHD symptoms can make long-standing coping mechanisms stop working almost overnight. This episode connects the dots between hormones, executive dysfunction, burnout, sensory overload, and the invisible labor women carry every day, making it especially relevant for women who have spent years being told they are lazy, too emotional, or simply need to try harder. In this episode, listeners will learn why ADHD masking is not “faking it,” but a survival strategy many women rely on to fit in, perform, and protect relationships. They will also hear how hormonal shifts, especially during perimenopause, can strip away the brain’s ability to compensate, revealing symptoms that may have been present all along. Dr.…

What if the condition of your skin was saying far more about your health than whether you need a new moisturizer? In this conversation, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with microbiologist Kiran Krishan to unpack a provocative idea: that skin barrier dysfunction may be linked not only to dryness, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation, but also to systemic inflammation, hormone shifts, gut health, and even long-term disease risk. This episode challenges the modern skincare mindset and asks a bigger question: are we trying to make skin look better while quietly making it less healthy? This Episode Is Brought to You By Dr. Brighten Essentials Myo-Inositol Plus— a research-backed formula designed to support hormone balance, metabolic health, and ovarian function. Featuring the clinically studied 40:1 ratio of myo-inositol to D-chiro-inositol, it helps promote healthy ovulation, improve insulin sensitivity, and support more regular cycles—making it a powerful daily tool for PCOS, fertility, and overall hormone support.…

If you’ve been wondering whether Ozempic, semaglutide, tirzepatide, or other GLP-1 medications could help with endometriosis symptoms, chronic pelvic pain, adhesions, fatigue, or endo belly, you are not alone. More and more women with endometriosis are reporting that GLP-1 medications may be helping with symptoms that go far beyond weight loss, from lower inflammation and less pain to improved energy and better blood sugar stability. But what does the science actually say? In this episode of The Dr. Brighten Show, Dr. Jolene Brighten breaks down the emerging research and real-world clinical observations around GLP-1 receptor agonists and endometriosis, including what is currently known, what remains theoretical, and why this conversation may be one of the most important developments in women’s health right now. You’ll learn how GLP-1 medications like Ozempic (semaglutide), Wegovy, Mounjaro (tirzepatide), liraglutide, and exenatide may influence inflammatory signaling, fibrosis, metabolic dysfunction, and…

If you’ve ever been told to “just go on birth control” for endometriosis, this episode is going to change the way you understand endometriosis and hormones. Hormonal therapy is often the first-line treatment for endometriosis, but not all hormones work the same way and for many women, birth control helps symptoms without ever addressing the underlying disease. In this powerful final panel episode of our endometriosis expert series, leading excision surgeons and hormone specialists unpack the truth about the best birth control for endometriosis, progesterone resistance, HRT, perimenopause flares, and whether endometriosis is truly a hormone imbalance. You’ll learn why some women feel better on hormonal suppression, why others feel dramatically worse, and what every woman deserves to know before being told to wait for menopause, try Lupron, or start HRT. This Episode Is Brought to You By Dr. Brighten Essentials Want science-backed supplements formulated by a doctor who actually understands women’s health? 🌿 At…

Perimenopause doesn’t announce itself the way most women expect. There’s no official start date, no clear signal—just a slow unraveling of things that used to feel easy. Your brain misfires mid-sentence. Your body sends strange, almost unbelievable signals. And somewhere along the way, you’re told, “Your labs are normal.” In fact, many women start searching things like “itchy ears perimenopause,” “burning tongue menopause,” “perimenopause weird symptoms,” or “why do I feel electric shocks in my body in my 40s” because the symptoms don’t seem connected to hormones at all. In this episode, we unpack the most overlooked and misunderstood symptoms of perimenopause (the ones that leave women questioning their sanity) and more importantly, what’s actually driving them beneath the surface. Because once you understand the “why,” you can finally do something about it. And I’ll guide you on when symptoms may be more serious and when it is time to see a doctor. This episode is brought to you by: Dr. Brighten Essentials…

In this powerful surgical roundtable, Dr. Jolene Brighten sits down with four leading endometriosis surgeons to unpack what truly determines success in endometriosis surgery and why so many women are left worse off after procedures that were supposed to help. This is the 3rd episode in our endometriosis panel expert series—be sure to check out the previous episodes for more endometriosis specific information. This is not a generic “what is endometriosis” conversation. It is a deep dive into surgical skill, systemic failures, fertility trade-offs, nerve involvement, recurrence myths, and the hard truths about hysterectomy. If you’re considering surgery — or recovering from one — this episode may change how you think about your options. In this discussion, you’ll learn how to identify red flags in a surgical consult, what “peek and shriek” means (and why it can sometimes be safer than incomplete surgery), why reimbursement structures influence care, and what realistic recovery looks like. This Episode Is…

If you are looking for natural ways to manage endometriosis, the most important thing to understand is this: endometriosis is not just a surgical condition. In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten explains why many women continue to experience pelvic pain, fatigue, brain fog, gut issues, and flares even after surgery, and what a more complete support plan can look like. The conversation covers inflammation, gut health, estrogen metabolism, stress physiology, pelvic floor dysfunction, immune resilience, and blood sugar stability so women can better understand why symptoms persist and what may help support long-term recovery. This framing closely matches the episode itself, which centers on six biological systems influencing symptoms and emphasizes that surgery can help, but is not always the whole answer. If you have ever felt dismissed, confused by ongoing symptoms, or frustrated that your body still does not feel better after treatment, this episode offers a more useful roadmap. Women with endometriosis wait…

This conversation dives deep into endometriosis relief of pain, laparoscopy for endometriosis pain, and the treatment of chronic pelvic pain in females, offering insight into why conventional approaches often fall short. The experts discuss how endometriosis pain can evolve over time, from inflammatory pelvic pain to complex nervous-system-driven chronic pain, and why a comprehensive treatment strategy is often required. If you’ve ever been told your pain is “normal,” that imaging looks fine, or that suppression is your only option, this episode explains what medicine often gets wrong about chronic pelvic pain in females and what women deserve to know instead. This Episode Is Brought to You By Dr. Brighten Essentials – NACDr. Brighten’s N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) https://drbrightenessentials.com/products/n-acetyl-cysteine is a high-quality formula designed to support glutathione production — your body’s master antioxidant. It helps promote healthy detoxification, immune resilience, respiratory health, and…

If you’ve ever wondered “why do I get migraines before my period?” or felt weirdly “allergic” to your own cycle, you’re not imagining things. You may be stuck in the estrogen histamine feedback loop, a biologic back-and-forth where hormones and immune chemistry keep poking each other until symptoms flare. This is the part that makes people feel dismissed: your labs can look “normal” while your body clearly isn’t acting normal. You bounce between an allergist for hives, a neurologist for migraines, a GI doctor for bloating, and maybe someone offering an antidepressant for the sudden anxiety that shows up like clockwork. Still, the pattern keeps repeating. The reality is that estrogen and histamine aren’t separate storylines. They’re in the same conversation—sometimes as allies, sometimes as accelerants. Once you see the connection, a lot of “random” symptoms finally start to make sense. This episode is brought to you by: Dr. Brighten Essentials https://drbrightenessentials.com/ Want science-backed supplements…