Finally with Dr. Raina Patel

Surprise pregnancies on Ozempic and Mounjaro are all over social media. But what’s really going on? In this episode, Dr. Raina Patel explains the biology behind “Ozempic babies.” She covers what anyone on a GLP-1 medication should know about fertility, birth control, and planning a pregnancy.She explains how weight loss and lower insulin can restart ovulation, especially in PMOS. She also explains why tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) and orforglipron (Foundayo) carry specific label warnings about birth control pills. Dr. Patel goes over which birth control methods aren’t affected and what to do about vomiting and emergency contraception. She also covers how long to stop semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy) and other GLP-1s before trying to conceive. Then she walks through the newest human pregnancy data, the latest ACOG guidance, breastfeeding, and how to plan for weight regain.New episodes every Monday (women’s health) and Wednesday (obesity medicine). Follow along on Instagram @drrainapatel.This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your own physician before making changes to your health.

Dr. Raina Patel welcomes back Dr. Kimberly Bekemeier, family physician and founder of Hormone Harmony OC, for a deep dive into perimenopause, the transition years before menopause that often start sooner than women expect.Many women describe hitting 40 and feeling like something changed. Dr. Patel and Dr. Bekemeier explain why that feeling is real, how fluctuating hormones create the “roller coaster” of perimenopause, and why this decade is a window of opportunity for long-term heart, bone, and brain health.In this episode, they cover:What perimenopause is and when it typically beginsCommon symptoms, from irregular cycles and sleep changes to anxiety, palpitations, and brain fogWhy lab tests usually aren’t needed to diagnose it, and when they areContraception and fertility during perimenopauseHormone therapy options, including how long women can stay on treatmentTestosterone for low libidoNonhormonal treatments, including SSRIs, fezolinetant (Veozah), and cognitive behavioral therapyMidlife weight changes, insulin resistance, and where GLP-1 medications fitVaginal estrogen for genitourinary syndrome of menopause and recurrent UTIsHow to start the perimenopause conversation at your next doctor’s visitMissed their first conversation? Listen to Episode 22 for the full menopause overview.Find Dr. BekemeierWebsite: hormoneharmonyoc.comInstagram: @hormoneharmonyocConnect with Dr. PatelInstagram and YouTube: @drrainapatelEmail: [email protected] podcast is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your own physician before making changes to your health.

If you’re on a GLP-1 medication like semaglutide or tirzepatide, you’re already taking a peptide. So what about all the other peptides showing up on social media, in med spas, and on websites selling vials labeled “research use only”?In this episode, Dr. Raina Patel, a double board-certified family medicine and obesity medicine physician, sits down with Dr. Carl Paige, an internist and pediatrician who co-founded the Medical Transformation Center in Louisville, Kentucky. After decades in traditional primary care, Dr. Paige now practices cellular and regenerative medicine and trains other physicians in this approach.They discuss:What cellular medicine is and how it differs from traditional primary careHow the gut microbiome may affect your body’s own GLP-1 signalingInsulin resistance, inflammation, and where GLP-1 medications fit inWhat peptides actually are and how they’re used in practiceThe risks of “research use only” peptides bought onlineWhy health span, not just lifespan, is the goalThis episode features a different perspective and much of the peptide research is still early. Most of the peptides discussed are not FDA approved for these uses. Talk to your own physician before starting anything new.For Dr. Patel’s evidence breakdown of popular wellness peptides, listen to Episode 19.Find Dr. Paige:medicaltransformationcenter.comInstagram and Facebook: @medicaltransformationcenterFollow finally.:Instagram and YouTube: @drrainapatelNew episodes every Monday (finally. Women’s Health) and Wednesday (finally. Obesity Medicine).This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.

About one in two women over 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis, yet most women don’t hear the word until after a fracture. In this episode of Finally, Women’s Health, Dr. Raina Patel sits down with endocrinologist Dr. Gauri Behari to talk about what women can do now to protect their bones.They cover:Why osteoporosis gets so little attention compared with heart disease and breast cancerWhat happens to bone when estrogen drops, and why bone loss can begin in perimenopauseWho should get a DEXA scan before 65, and what T-scores, Z-scores and FRAX actually meanCommonly missed risk factors, including type 2 diabetes and bariatric surgeryWhat menopausal hormone therapy can and can’t do for boneCalcium, vitamin D, and the kind of exercise that actually builds boneHow to protect bone and muscle while losing weight on GLP-1 medications like semaglutide (Wegovy) and tirzepatide (Zepbound)One thing every woman in her 40s can do this year for her bonesThis is Part 1 of a two-part series. Dr. Behari returns for Part 2 on osteoporosis treatment, including medication options, their real risks, and drug holidays.About the guest: Dr. Gauri Behari is double board certified in Internal Medicine and in Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, and is the founder of Axis Endocrinology. She built a TeleEndocrinology program at the VA, served as Executive Director of Healthcare Operations and Quality Management at the national VA level, and is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine Phoenix.Find Dr. Behari:Website: axisendocrinology.comInstagram: @axisendocrinologyFollow Dr. Raina Patel on Instagram and YouTube: @drrainapatelThis podcast is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your own physician before making changes to your health.

Lipedema affects a huge number of women, yet most have never heard the name. It often shows up as disproportionate, tender fat in the legs, hips, and sometimes arms that doesn’t respond to diet and exercise the way the rest of the body does. Many women spend years being told to eat less and move more before anyone recognizes what’s actually going on.In this episode, Dr. Raina Patel, a physician board certified in Family Medicine and Obesity Medicine, sits down with Dr. Minnie Cruz-Tolentino of My Wellness Physicians to break down what lipedema is and how it differs from obesity and lymphedema. They also cover how it’s diagnosed, what treatment looks like, and why health literacy matters so much for women trying to get answers. Dr. Cruz-Tolentino also shares her work with LiLy Collaborative and LiLy Socials.In this episode:What lipedema is and who it affectsHow lipedema differs from obesity and lymphedemaWhy it’s so often missed or misdiagnosedHow it’s diagnosed and treatedHealth literacy and advocating for yourselfLiLy Collaborative and LiLy SocialsConnect with Dr. Minnie Cruz-Tolentino:Website: mywellnessphysicians.comInstagram and Facebook: @mywellnessphysiciansConnect with Dr. Raina Patel:Instagram and YouTube: @drrainapatelEmail: [email protected] podcast is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice. Please consult your own physician before making changes to your health.