If you're a woman over 40 with joint pain, unexplained weight gain, fatigue, or an autoimmune diagnosis — this episode connects dots that most doctors never connect.

Dr. Diana Girnita, double board-certified rheumatologist and founder of Rheumatologist OnCall, sits down with Dr. Mirela Titianu, menopause and lifestyle specialist, for a frank conversation about what actually happens to women's bodies during perimenopause and menopause — and what the latest science says about treating it.

They cover the real risk profile of HRT in 2025, why the decade-old fear of hormone replacement no longer holds up, how estrogen loss raises the risk of autoimmune flares, and why GLP-1 medications like Ozempic and Mounjaro may be doing far more than helping women lose weight.

IN THIS EPISODE:
— Why joint pain, brain fog, and fatigue cluster together at menopause
— How estrogen protects the immune system — and what happens when it drops
— The updated 2025 evidence on HRT and autoimmune disease
— Transdermal vs. oral estrogen: why route of delivery changes the risk
— The FDA's 2025 removal of the black box warning on vaginal estrogen
— GLP-1 medications as an anti-inflammatory tool, not just weight loss
— Microdosing GLP-1 in autoimmune patients already on biologics
— Myth-busting: HRT and cancer risk, aging and weight, Ozempic as "cheating"
— What to do right now if you can't access a specialist

This episode is essential listening for any woman navigating menopause with rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, psoriatic arthritis, Sjögren's syndrome, or any other autoimmune condition — and for anyone who cares for them.

BOOK WITH DR. Titianu (telehealth — CA, FL, OR):
https://rheumatologistoncall.com/womens-hormone/

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More info about Dr. Diana Girnita, MD PhD

• Website: https://rheumatologistoncall.com/
• Email: Contact@rheumatologistoncall.com
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@rheumatologistoncall
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/diana-girnita-md-phd-07b57810/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rheumatologistoncall/
• Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/RheumatologistOncall/
• Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/3685130571554200