Women's Digital Health

Understanding Perimenopause: Hormone Therapy, Symptom Tracking, and the Power of FemTech

• Season 3 • Episode 23

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This season, we're discussing perimenopause and how technology intersects with this often overlooked phase of life. 

Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with Heidi Davis. She's the CEO and co-founder of Peri, a groundbreaking wearable device designed to help women track their symptoms and gain objective data to discuss with healthcare providers. With a global perspective and background in nutrition and molecular medicine, Heidi is at the forefront of a movement that’s changing the narrative around women’s health.

Layered over our conversation, you'll also hear insights from Dr. Lareessa Ferdinand, a board-certified ob-gyn and perimenopause expert.

This episode is a blend of technology, clinical expertise, and lived experiences, all aimed at empowering women to understand their bodies better. As a physician, I find these discussions not only informative but also essential for my growth as a healthcare provider.

Topics include: 

  • How perimenopause manifests differently for each woman, influenced by factors like race, ethnicity, and personal health history.
  • The role of technology in providing real-time feedback rather than relying on memory or guesswork.
  • Examples of personal stories and collective action in driving change, illustrating how women sharing their experiences can lead to systemic changes in healthcare.
  • The importance of data that reflects the unique experiences of women, facilitating informed conversations with healthcare providers, and moving away from outdated guidelines and assumptions.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

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The information in this podcast is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.

The personal views expressed by guests on Women's Digital Health are their own. Their inclusion here does not constitute an endorsement from Dr. Brandi, Women's Digital Health, or associated organizations.

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Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: Hello and welcome back to the Women's Digital Health Podcast. In today's episode, we're diving deep into the Perimenopause exPerience, what it feels like, how it shows up in our lives, and how technology is stepping in to help us make sense of it all. I have the absolute pleasure of speaking with Heidi Davis, CEO and co-founder of PERI, a new wearable designed to help women track their symptoms, validate their exPerience, and finally have objective data to bring into conversations with their healthcare providers. PERI is launching this June, and it's about to change the game. Heidi brings a global perspective. She was born in Paris, raised in Norway, and now lives in Ireland with her family. With a background in nutrition and molecular medicine, she spent her career pushing scientific innovation forward. And today, she's channeling that passion into women's health. But that's not all. We're gonna layer a voice of someone who might sound familiar to those who have been following women's digital health for a while. Remember, we had a conversation with Dr. Larissa Ferdinand, a board-certified ob-gyn and Perimenopause expert and founder of Estrogen Doctor Company and Thrive Beyond Wellness Center in Orlando, Florida. And in today's show, she's going to return to us in soundbites, offering insights and wisdom that pairs perfectly with Heidi's mention. If you want to hear Dr. Larissa's full interview, you can find it on our Women's Digital Health newsletter archive under the April 2023. Even if you subscribe now, you'll still get access to it. So check it out. This is the kind of dialogue I love. Tech meets clinical meets lived experience. As a physician, I'm having these conversations not just to inform you, but to challenge myself to become a better doctor, a better listener, and a more holistic advocate for women. So let's get into it. 

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield [intro]: Welcome to the Women's Digital Health Podcast, a podcast dedicated to learning more about new digital technologies in women's health. We discuss convenient and accessible solutions that support women with common health conditions. Join us as we explore innovations like mobile health applications, sensors, telehealth, and artificial intelligence, plus more. Learn from a board-certified anesthesiologist the best tips to filling some of your health exPerience gaps throughout life's journey.

Heidi Davis: I'm a scientist and I spent many years bringing products forwards and I usually did studies with mainly men. And I didn't even think through that. That was just how it was done. You just followed the protocols, right? And then I suppose one day I realized this, this is making no sense. Why are we saying women are too complicated? Why are we testing these supplements only on men?

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: following the protocols, making assumptions, and then getting embarrassed. I deeply echo the sentiment from Heidi as I navigate this new world of understanding Perimenopause, not just as a doctor, but as a woman. I've come to realize how many assumptions I made. I mean, I believed the studies. When I was in medical school, I just assumed that all the things I was taught equally applied to women. But the deeper I dive into technology and research, the answer becomes clearer. The data is sparse. The studies were not done. The technology was not designed for us. That's why this interview is so meaningful. Heidi Davis is an entrepreneur. She's the founder of a company called Peri, she'll tell you more about. But more importantly, she's a part of a growing movement of women challenging the status quo. Shedding light on the science we've ignored for far too long.

Heidi Davis: These women are looking for answers and they're saying, where can I get answers? So that kind of barrier of going towards technology might be a little bit lower because they're actually just, they need answers.

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: I'm recording this conversation on the evening of Oprah Winfrey's The Menopause Revolution, a synchronicity that speaks volume. Women are waking up to their bodies in real time. They're asking questions and they're demanding better. And many of us, doctors included, are still just reaching the precipice of understanding how to truly support women through Perimenopause. As Dr. Larissa shared in our conversation.

Dr. LaReesa Ferdinand: It's being aware and understanding that with these body changes, whether it's Perimenopause or menopause or what have you, These are connections that we can start having with ourselves and understanding our trends. So if you still have a uterus intact, many of these hormonal changes may reflect in heavier cycles or more scanty cycles or more painful cycles. And many of us are dealing with fibroids or a history of endometriosis, which are still prominent estrogen related or dominant type of disorders.

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: But this moment of reckoning, both for researchers and clinicians, lays the foundation for everything that follows. Let's zoom in on what sparked real public-facing momentum in the UK. For Heidi, this movement wasn't just professional. It was public and personal. It was fueled by women all over the UK demanding better.

Heidi Davis: Davina

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: That anger became action, and that action led to major policy shift. Hormone replacement therapy is now free in the UK. Not because a top-down institution decided it was time, but because women said enough. And this is where the U.S. is catching up. As I reflect on what Heidi shared, I'm reminded again that the systemic change often starts with women sharing their stories, sharing their symptoms, refusing to be gaslit.

Dr. LaReesa Ferdinand: If they're not meeting what you need or what you feel comfortable with, because many women feel, four out of 10, feel like they've been dismissed.

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: Then we ask better questions of ourselves, of each other, and our health care system. Let's keep going. By now, you're probably wondering, How does PERI actually work? And this is where Heidi's tech background and lived exPerience collide in the best way. So let's pause for a quick reminder. PERI is this wearable that women use to track objective signs and symptoms of Perimenopause, like hot flashes, night sweats, and anxiety. This data isn't based on memory or guesswork. It's your body providing real-time feedback.

Heidi Davis: So the wearable itself sits under the breast and it's the first time that it provides objective data on Perimenopausal symptoms. When I say objective data, it means it gives you your hot flushes, your night sweats, your anxiety level, all based on your body signals instead of you self-reporting and trying to understand your body.

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: Yeah, that's the phrase to hold on to, trying to understand your body. Not your friend's body, not your favorite influencer's body, and not some outdated guideline from 20 years ago.

Dr. LaReesa Ferdinand: Being aware of how your body's functioning, what it's doing right now, understanding there's a metabolic and a hormone-driven thing that's taking place in this time Period. that something that may work for your girlfriend may not necessarily work for you.

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: This is the promise of precision care, where data meets personalization. You know, all of this talk about precision care reminded me of a story of a woman that I interviewed that I put in Hormone Harmony, Kira, in her late 40s, managing two kids, her aging parents, and she's got a full-time job. And underneath all of this, she's dealing with irregular Periods, night sweats, deep fatigue that's not going away. And she's getting more foggy at work. She's second-guessing her own ability to work. And she finally brings it up to her doctor, and she was told, it sounds like anxiety. Maybe we can try low-dose antidepressants. There was no discussion of hormones. There was no mention of Perimenopause. Kira's story isn't unique. It's just rarely acknowledged. But, you know, I was thinking if Kira had something to track to give her this clarity and her confidence along with a specialist like a Perimenopause or menopause specialist or even an endocrinologist, With a wearable like PERI, she doesn't have to write it down. She can just show up, it's personalized, it's timestamped data. And I think, you know, talking about technology along with these symptoms really gives validation to women. And if you're thinking you want to learn more about Perimenopause in general, don't forget to check out my ebook, Hormone Harmony and the companion guide, Digital Health Essentials for Perimenopause. And you can find both of those in the show notes and in our website. As we've explored so far, Perimenopause isn't one size fits all. The tools, the data, the symptoms, they're all shaped by the person exPeriencing them, which brings us to a crucial truth. Not all women exPerience Perimenopause the same way. What Heidi and Dr. Larissa both underscore through tech and clinical care is that race, ethnicity, and environment all play a role.

Heidi Davis: We needed to make sure that this was for all women. So our next trial is in Canada. We have less than 5% white Caucasian women and the rest is across other ethnic groups to understand the differences between the symptom profiles. Because we know African-Americans have more severe vasomotor symptoms, for example.

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: This isn't just about representation. It's about recognition, and the data backs it up. Black women are more likely to exPerience intense and prolonged hot flashes, according to the study of Women's Health Across the Nation, or SWAN, study. Their symptoms can last up to 10 years on average, longer than white women, which average 6.5 years, or Latino women, which average about 8.9 years. Latino women tend to enter Perimenopause earlier than white women and can exPerience a longer transition Period before reaching Perimenopause. This extended phase can include fatigue, mood shifts, gastrointestinal issues, and hot flash symptoms that persist longer. Asian women generally report fewer hot flashes, but studies show that they may face higher risks of osteoporosis due to faster bone loss that begins even before Perimenopause. White women often fall in the middle for hot flash symptoms but tend to report more sleep disturbances and mood disruptions. Now, again, Perimenopause is personal. Just because you identify with one of these ethnic groups or more doesn't mean you will or won't exPerience certain symptoms or exPerience them more or less intensely. This is early data, and we're still in the infancy of understanding just how diverse the Perimenopausal transition can be. But recognizing those patterns is the first step towards more personalized cultural care. This is where technology and equity intersect. It's not just about collecting more data. It's about collecting better data that reflects the full spectrum of a woman's exPerience.

Heidi Davis: It's a way for women to say, you got to take me seriously. It's not in my head because unfortunately a lot of women are being told this is all in your head. So it's not in my head. It's real. Where do we go from here?

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: Because that's what it comes down to. Empowerment is really your insight.

Dr. LaReesa Ferdinand: Old tried and true is write it down, right? Be prepared just like you would for, you know, a speech or at work or doing things for your family. Because I always say the more prepared you are to be in front of your healthcare provider, the more optimum you're gonna get from that exchange.

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: And whether or not you get that insight from a wearable, an app, a journal, a conversation with your doctor, it only matters if it's rooted in what you're actually exPeriencing. Now that we've explored how Perimenopause looks differently across bodies and backgrounds, let's shift to what it feels like day-to-day, moment-to-moment. Because data's one thing, but what does empowerment actually look like in real life? How do we use this data, not just to diagnose, but to support ourselves through mental, physical, and emotional waves that come with this transition? That's where we're headed next. As we start to wrap this conversation, I wanna bring it back to something that often gets lost in all the data and diagnostics. What does empowerment actually feel like to you in your everyday life? What does it look like to trust yourself? For Heidi, it's personal.

Heidi Davis: For me to have information and know that these three days, I feel anxious and it's okay. In three days, I can make more decisions again and it actually really helps me plan my month.

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: This ability to track subtle shifts to know when your body is asking you to slow down or restart is not about perfection. It's about permission. It's that kind of tracking. The intersection of emotions and energy with your hormones. This is what gives women an understanding for what they're exPeriencing. It reminds us all that this isn't weakness, this is physiology.

Heidi Davis: And I hate when I feel okay I'm just so tired I'm wiped for three days because I know I could do so many things normally and just I just can't now but once I can understand why I feel like that I'm okay with it. I'm like, that's okay. I'll be really productive next week and I'll get lots done then.

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: And this is the heart of it all. Technology, when done right, doesn't replace your intuition. It actually helps validate what you already know about yourself. So if you're in this season and you're feeling off, you're feeling unseen or you're feeling unsure, I hope you walk away from this episode knowing that one, there are tools being developed. Number two, there's language that exists to describe the midlife hormonal change. And number three, there are women like Heidi and Dr. Larissa helping us bridge data, dialogue, and care. We've talked about tracking language and tech, but what ties it all together is awareness. awareness about your body, awareness about your background, and awareness about what's actually normal for you. Because the Perimenopause exPerience is deeply shaped by who you are, your genetics, your history, your culture, your stress load, and the systems you had to navigate. After many interviews and personal reflections and conversations with friends and family, I get it. For many of us, Perimenopause can feel like a betrayal of the body that we once knew. But what if it's not a betrayal? What if it's just a different language we're learning to speak? And what if we understood the true benefits of learning this new language? When I asked Dr. Larisa how she guides women through this season, she emphasized the true benefit of understanding what our bodies are already telling us.

Dr. LaReesa Ferdinand: I want to help women not only have a better lifespan, but to be there for the communities they serve. Heal women, heal the world.

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: This simple yet profound statement underscores the bigger picture. The care we offer women during Perimenopause affects more than just her. It impacts families, communities, and the world.

Dr. LaReesa Ferdinand: I'm all about, let's get rid of mediocrity, women. Let's get rid of just saying normal is OK. Because it's not OK. Optimal is where the magic is.

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: Dr. Larisa's call to aim for optimal rather than normal resonates deeply. It challenges us to rise above mediocrity and pursue a deeper understanding of ourselves during Perimenopause, not just settle for what's considered normal. When navigating this transition, it's about integrating our physical, mental, and emotional health, and that includes trusting the signals our bodies are sending us.

Heidi Davis: So what I will say about what we have done at Piri is our whole goal was to make sure that you can live your life as normal when you have the technology. So it doesn't feel like you're using technology in that sense. And that the outputs of the information you get is meaningful. And when I talk about meaningful, I'm talking about information that is easy to understand. You don't have to go through graph after graph and try to decipher what each of them mean.

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: Just a quick note here. At the time of this recording, I have no financial relationship with PERI. I'm not paid or sponsored by them. My role is describing the technology. It's not promotional. It's to help you understand, you know, how deep the need is for technology like this. The demand for answers and solution around Perimenopause is so great, it's driving innovation in real time. And this is promising because it means that women's health is finally being seen as a space worth building for. And that means there is light.

Dr. LaReesa Ferdinand: The important thing is to be able to partner with a provider that can be able to see you, be able to evaluate you, understand the symptoms and things that you are exPeriencing, and give you a plan that can work for you within those realms. Someone who understands risk factors.

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield: Clarity is key, and with the help of technology and wearables like PERI or other digital health tools, we now have the ability to track and understand our bodies with a level of precision and personalization that wasn't possible. This technology doesn't replace our intuition. It enhances it, offering us the opportunity to be more in tune with what's happening in our bodies. As Dr. Larisa and Heidi have shown, the key is not only knowing what's happening, but trusting the signals your body is sending you. Before I go, I want to let you in on something special. If you're curious to hear the full unedited interview with Heidi Davis, including the parts we couldn't fit in today's episode, head over to womensdigitalhealth.com and subscribe to our newsletter. You'll get access to the entire conversation plus bonus insights and behind the scenes moments we couldn't include here. And while you're there, you can also still access Dr. Larissa Ferdinand's full interview from April 2023, one of our most popular deep dives on hormones, personalized medicine, and the future of women's health. Because this isn't just about one episode, we're about building a community. We're about making women's health prioritized, personalized, and powerful. So join us, get the full interviews, and keep showing up for your health, one question, one insight, one story at a time. If you found this episode helpful, share it with a friend, a sister, or a colleague. You can also join our Women's Digital Health WhatsApp community. The link is in the show notes, where we keep the conversations going between episodes. Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and TikTok. And make sure you check out our eBooks, Hormone Harmony, and Digital Health Essentials for Perimenopause. You'll find those in the show notes as well. And as always, remember, you are more than enough, even more than that. Bye for now. 

Dr. Brandi Sinkfield [outro]: Although I'm a board-certified physician, I am not your physician. All content and information on this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice and it does not establish a doctor-patient relationship by listening to this podcast. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you heard on this podcast. The personal views of our podcast guests on women's digital health are their own and do not replace medical professional advice.