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The Get Healthy Tampa Bay Podcast
Bringing all things health and wellness to Tampa Bay, FL from your very own family and obesity medicine physician, Dr. Kerry Reller, MD, MS. We will discuss general medical topics, weight management, and local spots and events focusing on health, wellness, and nutrition in an interview and solo-cast format. Published weekly.
The Get Healthy Tampa Bay Podcast
E122: Perimenopause, Menopause & Hormone Therapy with OB-GYN & Cancer Survivor Dr. Juyia
Welcome to the Get Healthy Tampa Bay Podcast with Dr. Kerry Reller! This week, I’m joined by Dr. Lauren Juyia, a board-certified OB-GYN and stage 4 colon cancer survivor. In this empowering episode, Dr. Juyia breaks down the differences between perimenopause and menopause, explains common symptoms, and shares practical, evidence-based guidance on hormone therapy. We also discuss myths around estrogen, the risks and benefits of HRT, and why women deserve more support and better education during this stage of life.
Dr. Juyia opens up about her personal cancer journey and how it has fueled her mission to increase awareness about colon cancer in younger adults. Tune in for expert insights and compassionate advice for navigating midlife health with confidence.
00:00 – Introduction to Dr. Lauren Juyia
02:15 – Dr. Juyia's cancer journey and colon cancer awareness
06:40 – What is perimenopause vs. menopause?
10:30 – Early symptoms of perimenopause
14:05 – Why menopause symptoms seem “random”
17:50 – Estrogen receptors & how they affect the whole body
20:30 – Why hormone therapy is misunderstood
27:45 – Is hormone testing useful? Dr. Juyia explains
34:20 – FDA-approved vs compounded/pellet hormones
42:00 – How to advocate for yourself and get the care you deserve
Connect with Dr. Lauren Juyia
Connect with Dr. Kerry Reller
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Dr. Kerry Reller:
Hi everybody, and welcome back to the Get Healthy Tampa Bay Podcast. I’m your host, Dr. Kerry Reller, and today we have a very special guest—Dr. Lauren Juyia. Welcome to the podcast!
Dr. Lauren Juyia:
Thank you! I'm glad to be here.
Dr. Kerry Reller:
I'm so glad we could connect this way—especially since I refer so many patients to you. I’m excited for this conversation. Let’s start by having you tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.
Dr. Lauren Juyia:
Sure! I'm a board-certified OB-GYN. I graduated from my program in Albany, New York, in 2015, and I now have a private GYN-only practice in the northwestern suburbs of Tampa. Our offices are in Clearwater, Brooksville, and Wesley Chapel. I have one amazing nurse practitioner partner, and thanks to you, Dr. Reller, our Clearwater office stays very busy!
I've been practicing for 10 years. I’m 40, married, with two young kids—just living a joyful, busy life. But three years ago, I was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. That experience really shifted my focus. In addition to practicing GYN, I now also work to raise awareness around colon cancer, especially in younger people. Screening has always been important to me, and it’s even more so now. I’m very proactive with my patients when it comes to colon cancer screening, especially when they have GI symptoms, because they often overlap with things like endometriosis and pelvic pain.
Dr. Kerry Reller:
Wow. Your story is incredible. And you’re only 40—not even at the recommended screening age yet, which recently dropped from 50 to 45. Can you talk a little about that?
Dr. Lauren Juyia:
Yes, exactly. The guidelines now say start screening at 45. But I was 37 when I was diagnosed. I had no risk factors. No family history. Sometimes it just happens. And that’s part of my message: you don’t have to have risk factors to be at risk. I found out because the cancer had metastasized to my ovaries. As an OB-GYN, I recognized the signs of an ovarian mass and was able to get imaging and surgery quickly. I was lucky in that way, but not everyone is.
Dr. Kerry Reller:
It’s amazing that you’re using your experience to educate and empower others. Today we’re going to shift focus to your GYN expertise—specifically perimenopause, menopause, and hormone therapy. I also love your Instagram handle, @thebenigngyn—we’ll link to it in the show notes.
So let’s start there: what’s the difference between perimenopause and menopause?
Dr. Lauren Juyia:
Great question. In medical terms, menopause is defined as going 12 consecutive months without a period—on your own, not because of surgery or medication. Everything before that is considered perimenopause. So even if you’re having symptoms like hot flashes or irregular cycles, if you’re still having any periods at all, you're in perimenopause. After that one-year mark, you're postmenopausal.
Dr. Kerry Reller:
That’s such an important distinction. What kind of symptoms might someone experience during perimenopause?
Dr. Lauren Juyia:
The most common early sign is a shortened cycle length. If you were always a 28-day person, it might shift to 21 or 24 days. Bleeding patterns also change—some get lighter, some heavier, and that can lead to anemia.
Hot flashes are classic, but they don’t always look like the sweating you see on TV. It can be heat intolerance or cold sensitivity due to dysregulated temperature control in the brain as estrogen declines. You may also notice worsened PMS, breast tenderness, mood changes, anxiety, lower libido, or even ADHD symptoms. Estrogen receptors are everywhere—in our brains, joints, hearts—which is why the symptoms can seem so “random.”
Dr. Kerry Reller:
That’s so helpful. Why do you think there’s such a gap in knowledge and care when it comes to menopause?
Dr. Lauren Juyia:
Honestly, it’s a mix of things. Historically, most medical research was done on 170-pound men. Women have been understudied. There’s also a cultural and medical tendency to ignore women’s health concerns once fertility ends. Thankfully, that’s starting to change. There’s more research now and more advocacy for women in midlife and beyond.
Dr. Kerry Reller:
Yes, and the workplace is finally catching on too, with efforts to support women during these transitions. Where do you recommend patients go to learn more about menopause?
Dr. Lauren Juyia:
My top recommendation is menopause.org, home of The Menopause Society. It has excellent, evidence-based information for both clinicians and patients. For podcasts, I love Ovary Active—it’s run by OB-GYNs who do clinical research and aren’t selling anything. They make the science approachable and fun.
Dr. Kerry Reller:
Let’s talk labs—do you typically check hormone levels to diagnose perimenopause?
Dr. Lauren Juyia:
Not usually. Lab testing isn't very helpful unless you're under 45 and we’re trying to rule out other conditions like thyroid disease. Hormone levels fluctuate wildly during perimenopause, so results vary day to day. There’s no “target” estrogen level to aim for—what matters is whether symptoms improve with treatment.
Dr. Kerry Reller:
And if someone starts hormone therapy, how do you decide on what and how to prescribe?
Dr. Lauren Juyia:
Estrogen is the workhorse—it effectively treats symptoms like hot flashes and poor sleep. Progesterone is added to protect the uterine lining if the patient still has a uterus. I usually start with FDA-approved formulations—patches, gels, or pills—which are safe, effective, and covered by insurance. Compounded or pellet-based hormones are generally unnecessary unless absolutely nothing else works. And yes, “bioidentical” is more of a marketing term—many FDA-approved options are bioidentical already.
Dr. Kerry Reller:
What about breast cancer risk? That’s a common concern.
Dr. Lauren Juyia:
Understandably so. But the risk is much lower than most people think. The initial panic came from the 2002 WHI study, which had serious limitations—older women, outdated hormone types, and overinterpretation. Today, with estradiol and natural progesterone, the risk is very low—less than 1%. Estrogen alone does not increase breast cancer risk. And interestingly, estrogen may reduce the risk of colon cancer.
Dr. Kerry Reller:
So many women are on compounded pellets—how do you approach that?
Dr. Lauren Juyia:
I’ve never needed to prescribe compounded therapy in 10 years. There’s always an FDA-approved option that works. Pellets are often overhyped, expensive, and not evidence-based. Unfortunately, patients sometimes end up there because they felt unheard elsewhere. We, as physicians, need to listen better and explain what’s possible within evidence-based care.
Dr. Kerry Reller:
Absolutely. And it’s important to note that dedicated appointments—not wellness visits—are the best time to address menopause symptoms. Insurance limitations make it hard to fit everything into one visit.
Dr. Lauren Juyia:
Exactly. We need that focused time to educate and empower. I tell my patients, this is an investment in your future—you don’t have to be miserable. Let’s work together to find a plan that improves your quality of life.
Dr. Kerry Reller:
That’s such a powerful message. Where can people follow you or work with you?
Dr. Lauren Juyia:
You can follow me on Instagram at @thebenigngyn and on Facebook under my name, Lauren Juyia. My practice is Elite Women’s Care, with locations in Clearwater (soon moving to Tarpon Springs), Brooksville, and Wesley Chapel.
Dr. Kerry Reller:
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom—and your story—with us today. This was such a valuable conversation.
Dr. Lauren Juyia:
Thank you! It was great to be here.
