Menopause Masterclass: My Menopause Toolkit – HRT and more

In this solo episode of unPAUSED, Dr. Mary Claire Haver answers one of the most asked questions she receives: what hormones do you actually take, and why? Rather than a general overview of menopause hormone therapy, this is a fully transparent, clinically grounded walk through her personal protocol, including every formulation she uses, why she chose it, and what the FDA-approved alternatives are for women whose needs or circumstances differ. Dr. Haver opens with systemic estrogen, explaining why she uses a transdermal patch as her primary delivery method, why she added a small dose of oral estradiol for bone protection after finding her serum levels were not reaching the threshold needed to preserve bone density, and why she believes routine estradiol level testing should become standard of care even though current guidelines do not yet reflect the latest absorption data. She walks through the key FDA-approved transdermal and oral estrogen options, including patches, gels, sprays, and oral formulations, covering the differences in delivery, cost, clotting risk, and SHBG implications. On progesterone, she explains why she takes oral micronized progesterone every night without fail, how it converts to allopregnanolone and binds to the GABA receptor to support deep sleep, and what the alternatives are for women who cannot tolerate it, including vaginal administration, the Combi Patch, progestin IUDs, and Duavee. She covers testosterone, including why she started it for muscle and bone preservation rather than libido, how she doses and applies the men's formulation off-label, what monitoring looks like, and why she is cautious about pellets. She also walks through the main vaginal and vulvar options for GSM, including estrogen cream, tablets, rings, suppositories, DHEA, and topical estriol for the face, explaining why she considers vaginal estrogen one of the most undertreated and underappreciated tools in menopause care. The episode closes with a full supplement review covering omega-3s, vitamin D, vitamin K, methylated B vitamins, CoQ10, genistein, collagen, creatine, fiber, magnesium L-threonate, and her sleep supplement formulation, and ends with a discussion of oral minoxidil for hair loss, including dose, cost, and why she switched from topical. Guest links: The 'Pause Wellness https://thepausewellness.com/ The ‘Pause Life https://thepauselife.com/?srsltid=Afm... Dr. Mary Claire Haver (Instagram)   / drmaryclaire   Dr. Mary Claire Haver (YouTube)    / @drmaryclaire   The Menopause Empowerment Guide https://thepauselife.com/pages/menopa... Books: “The New Perimenopause,” by Dr. Mary Claire Haver https://thepauselife.com/pages/the-ne... "The New Menopause," by Dr. Mary Claire Haver https://www.amazon.com/New-Menopause-... For full show notes, please visit: https://bit.ly/unPAUSEDDrMaryClaire 00:00:00 – Dr. Haver’s Menopause Routine Explained 00:03:00 – Systemic Estrogen & Why She Uses a Patch 00:07:00 – Bone Protection and Oral Estrogen 00:12:00 – Estrogen Options: Patches, Gels & Pills 00:20:00 – Progesterone for Sleep & Uterine Protection 00:26:00 – Perimenopause, Birth Control & Hormones 00:28:00 – Testosterone for Women: Benefits & Risks 00:38:00 – Vaginal Estrogen, GSM & Pelvic Health 00:45:00 – Non-Hormonal Menopause Treatments 00:48:00 – The Supplements Dr. Haver Takes Daily 00:58:00 – Her Protein Shake, Creatine & Fiber Routine 01:01:00 – Sleep Support & Magnesium 01:04:00 – Oral Minoxidil for Hair Loss 01:06:00 – Her Complete Daily Protocol & Final Takeaways Never miss an episode—sign up for The ’Pause Life Newsletter: https://thepauselife.com/pages/newsle... Medical Disclaimer: The information, including opinions and recommendations, on this platform is meant for informational and educational purposes only. Mary Claire Media, LLC, the unPAUSED podcast, and The ’Pause Life are not medical organizations. Medical advice or medical diagnosis cannot be provided to you through the platform, any associated website, or customer portals. Using this platform does not establish a patient-physician relationship.