Perimenopause, GLPs, and the Medical Gaslighting of Women

Under the Influence with Jo Piazza

Jo Piazza, Influence Inc.

Technology, Kids & Family, Personal Journals, Society & Culture, Parenting

4.3 • 834 Ratings

🗓️ 22 January 2026

⏱️ 38 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

There are only a few topics women in their forties can’t stop talking about right now: perimenopause, hormone replacement therapy, and GLP medications. In this episode, we sit down with physician Dr. Mary Brandon for a no-bullshit conversation about what’s actually happening in our bodies—and why so many of us feel like we’re losing our minds. We break down how GLP medications really work (and why many women feel better on them beyond weight loss), the role inflammation plays in joint pain, sleep, mood, and energy, and what the next generation of these drugs could look like. We also get into hormone replacement therapy—what it actually does, why testosterone is so often ignored in women’s care, and how decades of fear, shame, and misinformation have made this phase of life harder than it ever needed to be. Follow Dr. Brandon's practice here. Follow Dr. Brandon here. Join our newsletter community here. ORDER The Parisian Heist here. Visit our lovely sponsors here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Olivia Culpo here to tell you all about the launch of the new Abercrombie spring denim collection,
0:05.5	made the way denim should feel. Their denim has always been a staple in my wardrobe and has a wide range of fits,
0:11.4	styles, and washes. Every jean is available in both their classic fit and viral curve love.
0:17.5	Shop in the app, online, and in stores.
0:38.9	Hey all, Joe here, and you are listening to Under the Influence.
0:43.7	There are only a couple of topics that my girlfriends and I are talking about these days.
0:49.7	I say it all the time. I just said it for the last episode. He did rivalry. Obviously one of them.
0:55.8	But then also perimenopause and HRT hormone replacement therapy and GLPs.
1:03.6	It's so much talk about patches and doses and, is this normal? Am I normal? Am I losing my mind?
1:10.5	Is it perimenopause? Am I hung over? Is it the state of the world? Are these side effects of my GLP? Our bodies feel real crazy right now,
1:15.4	and there is just no instruction manual for this phase of life. My guest today is here to talk all
1:22.2	about this. Mary Brandon is a physician who focuses on hormone replacement therapy,
1:28.1	GLP medications, and women's wellness at a moment when so many of us are realizing that our bodies just are not working,
1:35.7	the way that they used to, and pretending otherwise is no longer an option.
1:41.7	We're talking about what all of these drugs actually do, why so many women feel better
1:47.3	on GLPs beyond just weight loss, how inflammation plays into all of this, what exactly
1:56.1	hormone replacement really does, including testosterone therapy for women. And most importantly, why shame
2:04.5	and secrecy have just made women's health so much harder than it has to be. This is a no-bullshit
2:11.7	conversation about quality of life and advocating for yourself, because women deserve medical
2:17.4	care that actually reflects what is
2:19.9	happening to our bodies right now. Hello, Dr. Mary Brandon. I am so excited to have you on today.
2:36.4	Thank you for having me. I'm so excited to be here too.
	...

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