Dr. Jolene Brighten, ND - Endometriosis, Adenomyosis, PMDD, PMOS and Postpartum Hormones
Women are often told that painful periods, irregular cycles, bloating, mood changes, fatigue, brain fog, postpartum symptoms, and hormonal shifts are “normal.”
But common does not mean something should be ignored.
In this episode, Dr. Jolene Brighten, ND joins me for a practical deep dive into female-specific conditions that are too often missed, minimized, or treated in isolation, including endometriosis, adenomyosis, PMDD, PCOS/PMOS, fibroids, postpartum thyroid changes, and the gut-hormone connection.
Dr. Brighten explains why endometriosis is not just a reproductive condition, how adenomyosis differs from endometriosis, why PMDD is not simply “bad PMS,” how histamine may play a role in cyclical symptoms, and why PCOS is now being reframed as a broader metabolic and endocrine condition.
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In this conversation:
Why endometriosis is a full-body inflammatory condition
The difference between endometriosis and adenomyosis
The three types of endometriosis and why imaging matters
Why painful periods, ovulation pain, gut symptoms, and fatigue deserve investigation
The connection between histamine, estrogen, progesterone, and cyclical symptoms
Why PCOS is now being reframed as PMOS
Insulin resistance, GLP-1s, estrogen metabolism, and inflammation
Chapters
00:00:00 Trailer / Cold Open
00:01:13 Why Female-Specific Symptoms Need Better Answers
00:02:14 Endometriosis Is Not Just Period Pain
00:05:20 Why Endometriosis Can Take Decades to Diagnose
00:07:38 Imaging, Laparoscopy, and Better Surgery Planning
00:10:18 Dr. Jolene Brighten’s Endometriosis Story
00:14:10 The 3 Types of Endometriosis
00:17:46 Birth Control, Hormone Suppression, and What It Does Not Fix
00:19:13 Ovulation Pain, IBS Symptoms, and Gut-Hormone Clues
00:41:18 Supplements, GLP-1s, Progesterone, and Emerging Endometriosis Research
00:49:55 How to Choose the Right Endometriosis Surgeon
00:59:48 Adenomyosis, HIFU, Fibroids, and the Reproductive Microbiome
01:11:57 PMDD, Histamine, and Why PMS Is Not the Same Thing
01:24:10 PCOS/PMOS, Insulin Resistance, GLP-1s, and Myo-Inositol
01:39:09 Creatine, Endometriosis, and Individual Risk
01:42:38 Postpartum Hormones, Thyroid Screening, and Final Takeaways
Connect with Kayla:
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Connect with Dr Jolene:
Website: https://drbrighten.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drjolenebrighten
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DrJoleneBrighten
Order Her New Book: https://drbrighten.com/adhd-in-women/