Elevate MD

Elevate MD 🩺 Physician-Led Hormone Optimization
👩🏻‍💻 Telehealth BHRT across the U.S.
👇🏻 Want to work with us? https://www.elevatemd.co/fb-link-in-bio
(12)

04/26/2026

If you’re in and you’re rapidly gaining weight despite doing everything “right”… there is a biological explanation. 😅

Perimenopause weight gain is one of the most misunderstood and under-addressed issues in women’s health… and the fitness industry is absolutely not helping.

Most advice you’re seeing online was written for women whose hormones are working WITH their bodies. Yours aren’t right now, and that changes everything. But here’s the most important thing… these metabolic issues impact more than just your weight.🥲

The leading cause of death for postmenopausal women is cardiovascular disease. The same hormonal decline that’s changing your body composition is also quietly impacting your heart health, your insulin sensitivity, your blood pressure, and your cholesterol (whether you feel it yet or not.)

Weight gain could just be the tip of the ice berg which is exactly why it’s so important to run comprehensive labs to address any underlying issues!

And if your labs come back suboptimal? Hormone therapy can make a profound difference in how your body manages inflammation, stores fat, and protects your long-term health.

Let me know in the comments if you’d like me to keep this series going, because there are so many things to unpack here! ❤️

🩺📲 If you’re in the US, & you’re interested in working with us for hormone optimization, go to the 🔗 in my bio to book a free call with my team to get started! 🤗

04/24/2026

This is a PSA to anyone in or menopause that is struggling to lose weight! 👇🏻

The internet is loud and confusing. There are so many fitness pages promoting different ways to “hack your metabolism” and lose weight. But the one thing that is not being taken into consideration or advocated for is hormone health.

When your hormones begin to decline during perimenopause, it creates a cascading effect across your entire endocrine system which can result in these common metabolic issues…

👉🏻 Weight loss resistance
👉🏻 Weight gain
👉🏻 Loss of lean body mass
👉🏻 Fat redistribution in abdomen & hips
👉🏻 Hypertension
👉🏻 High cholesterol
👉🏻 Elevated triglycerides
👉🏻 Elevated fasting glucose & A1C

These things are not the result of ‘laziness’ or ‘lack of effort’. This is a biological phenomenon resulting in metabolic dysfunction that is non-responsive to traditional weight loss tactics. Period. 👏🏻

Let me know if you guys would like me to post a follow up video with more info on what is actually happening and what you can do to address hormonal metabolic dysfunction without running your body into the ground. 🫶🏻

🩺📲 We are currently accepting new Telehealth patients in the US. If you are interested in working with us for hormone optimization, go to the 🔗 in my bio to book a free call with my team to get started! 🤗

📚 Patel P, Patil S, Kaur N. Estrogen and Metabolism: Navigating Hormonal Transitions from Perimenopause to Postmenopause. J Midlife Health. 2025;16(3):247-256. doi:10.4103/jmh.jmh_75_25

📚 Janssen I, Powell LH, Crawford S, Lasley B, Sutton-Tyrrell K. Menopause and the metabolic syndrome: the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation. Arch Intern Med. 2008;168(14):1568-1575. doi:10.1001/archinte.168.14.1568

04/23/2026

Part 2 of my story time about how I accidentally inserted my progesterone suppository into my urethra! 🥲🤣

I have gotten SO MANY questions about this incident, so I wanted to share a follow up to help explain what exactly happened here. 🙃

1️⃣ How does this even happen?
👉🏻 During perimenopause & menopause your vaginaI tissues begin to lose sensitivity & atrophy (loosen) due to estrogen decline. 🫠

2️⃣ Did it hurt?
👉🏻 No, I didn’t feel anything. But this incident let me know that I need to increase my vaginal estrogen frequency, because i definitely should have felt that. 👀

3️⃣ Did I go to the ER?
👉🏻 No, I was able to remove the suppository. It popped back out. 😅

4️⃣ What if I couldn’t get it out?
👉🏻 The suppository would have eventually dissolved and it would have been perfectly fine. 👌🏻

5️⃣ Why do I split my dose between oral and suppository?
👉🏻 I can only tolerate 300mg orally, but I feel my best on 400mg total progesterone. So I take 300mg oral for sleep, mood, anxiety, etc. and then I take the other 100mg for additional systemic support without the unwanted side effects. (I do not have a uterus, but you can still use progesterone suppositories if you aren’t tolerating oral progesterone. 👏🏻)

Let me know if you guys have any other questions about progesterone therapy, I hope this was a helpful learning experience for all of us! 🤣❤️

🩺📲 If you’re in the US, & you’re interested in working with us for hormone optimization, go to the 🔗 in my bio to book a free call with my team to get started! 🤗

04/22/2026

📢 This is a PSA to double check your holes! story time about how I somehow managed to lose my progesterone suppository… DO NOT JUDGE ME! 🤣

I was able to easily remove the suppository, but even if I wasn’t able to remove it, it would have been perfectly fine. Suppositories are typically inserted vaginaIIy or rectaIIy and they absorb directly into the vaginal tissues. So it wouldn’t have been harmful to leave it there, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend putting it there on purpose! 😂

Please feel free to share your perimenopause mishap stories in the comments, so I can feel better about this incident! LOL Love you, guys! 🫶🏻

04/21/2026

Speed Round: How many anxiety hacks can I list in under 30 seconds?🙃🏃🏻‍♀️

Anxiety is one of the most common symptoms we see in our perimenopause patients. 60% of women in perimenopause report experiencing anxiety, and over 40% of women experience heart palpitations. Hormonal fluctuations during perimenopause can trigger your fight or flight response and intensify anxiety related symptoms for no reason at all. 🫠

Hormone therapy is usually the best solution for perimenopause anxiety, but here are some other super helpful quick tips you can try! 🤗

✅ Nervous System Support:
👉🏻 Magnesium Glycinate + L-theanine

✅ Vagus Nerve Activation:
👉🏻 Ice Pack Hack: Hold an ice pack on your neck or chest for 10-15 minutes. This will quickly reset your nervous system.
👉🏻 Physiological Sigh: Deep slow breath in through the nose, at the top of the breath do one more quick inhale to fully expand your lungs, and then slowly exhale through your mouth. Repeat this 3-4x.
👉🏻 Sour candy & Boom Boom Stick for quick relief, really helpful for driving anxiety and panic attacks. 🙏🏼

🩺📲 We are currently accepting new Telehealth patients in the US. If you are interested in working with us for hormone optimization, go to the 🔗 in my bio to book a free call with my team to get started! 🤗

04/20/2026

Love it or leave it joint pain edition! 🫠

Here are some of the most common hacks you guys ask me about for perimenopause & menopause related pain & inflammation!

❌ Provitalize: I’m a fan of probiotics, just not for joint pain. 😅

✅ Magnesium Lotion: I loveee magnesium lotion for tight muscles, muscles spasms, & restless leg syndrome, but something like Voltaren or Penetrex may work better for joint pain.

✅ HRT: Hands down the best option for treating hormone related chronic pain & inflammation.

❌ Tiger Balm: This can be used to relieve tight muscles, but I still prefer Magnesium Lotion.

✅ Berberine: My ALL TIME favorite recommendation for perimenopause & menopause joint pain & inflammation. (Our berberine + inositol supplement is restocked in my bio 👏🏻)

✅ Collagen: Great for protecting connective tissues long term, but not super useful for acute pain and inflammation.

⚠️ Glucosamine: I do really love glucosamine, but it wouldn’t bey go-to for treating hormone related chronic pain & inflammation.

Let me know what we should cover next?! 🤔

🩺📲 If you’re in the US, & you’re interested in exploring hormone optimization, feel free to go to the 🔗 in my bio to book a free 30 minute call with my team to learn how to get started. 🤗

04/19/2026

Which supplements/hacks work best for these symptoms? (Speed Round) 🙃

Quick disclaimer before we dive in… perimenopause (& menopause) can cause a laundry list of symptoms. On average the average woman in perimenopause will commonly be experiencing a minimum of 12+ symptoms at ONCE! 🫠

Managing that many symptoms with supplements can be very challenging, and may not provide adequate or consistent relief. So if you are someone that is experiencing multiple symptoms that are impacting your quality of life, it would probably be advantageous to explore hormone therapy. 🫶🏻

🚙 Driving Anxiety: L-theanine or GABA, and a Boom Boom Stick for emergencies. I personally prefer L-theanine for anxiety, but some people prefer GABA. 👌🏻

👂🏻Tinnitus: Tinnitus is commonly caused by low iron &/or low B12. I find that Lipo-B12 works better than oral, but you can try either one!

🤧 Post-Nasal Drip: Flonase & NAC (N-Acetyl Cysteine is an expectorant. You can also try Mullein leaf tea, this may actually feel even better on your throat.

🤬 Perimenopause Rage & Irritability: L-theanine & Pregnenolone (Our Preg supplement has been restocked & is available in my bio 🔗)

👀 Dry Eyes: Systane for dryness & Pataday for itching, irritation, and watery eyes. (You can use these together. 🤌🏻)

What perimenopause symptoms should I cover next? 🙃

🩺📲 If you’re in the US, & you’re interested in exploring hormone optimization, feel free to go to the 🔗 in my bio to book a free 30 minute call with my team to learn how to get started. 🤗

04/17/2026

Speed Round: Let’s see how many hacks I can list off for Globus Sensation in just 30 seconds! 🙃🏃🏻‍♀️

Before we dive in… what exactly is Globus Sensation? 🤔

Globus Sensation is the medical term used to describe that weird sensation that feels like you have something stuck in your throat with no actual obstruction present.

Globus Sensation is usually the combination of a few different perimenopause related issues such as histamine intolerance, nervous system dysregulation, & hormonal fluctuations/ decline.

Estrogen plays an important role in maintaining smooth muscle tone, including the lower esophageal sphincter (the valve that prevents stomach acid, pepsin, & bile from flowing back into the esophagus & upper airway).

Declining estrogen levels during perimenopause can trigger more reflux (or silent reflux) & inflammation, which can exacerbate Globus Sensation. 🫠

If you are struggling with Globus Sensation, or any other perimenopause symptoms, and natural remedies aren’t providing the relief you are looking for, this is your sign that it might be time to get your hormome levels checked!

Quick Hacks:
👉🏻 Alkaline water (neutralizes pH in upper GI)
👉🏻 Antihistamines (Zyrtec, Claritin, Pepcid, etc.)
👉🏻 Quercetin (natural mast cell stabilizer)
👉🏻 DAO Enzymes (supports histamine metabolism)
👉🏻 Magnesium Glycinate + L-theanine (For nervous system support)
👉🏻 DGL Plus by Pure Encapsulations (Contains DGL, marshmallow root, slippery elm, & aloe Vera for ultimate reflux support)

🩺📲 We are currently accepting new Telehealth patients in the US. If you are interested in working with us for hormone optimization, go to the 🔗 in my bio to book a free call with my team to get started! 🤗

04/16/2026

If your doctor has ever told you that you can only be on hormone therapy for 5 years… THIS VIDEO IS FOR YOU. 👀🫵🏻

A new retrospective cohort analysis just completely changed the conversation around long term HRT safety, and every woman in or menopause needs to see this.

This study looked at 10 million patient records and compared the risks & benefits of long term HRT use (up to 14 years past the age of 65). The data highlights the following risk reductions for women that continued to take HRT past the age of 65:

⬇️ All-cause mortality risk down 19%
⬇️ Breast cancer risk down 16%
⬇️ Lung cancer risk down 13%
⬇️ Colorectal cancer risk down 12%
⬇️ Heart attack risk down 11%
⬇️ Dementia risk down 2%
⬇️ Reduced risk for CHF, AFib & blood clots

Regardless of whether you start hormone therapy in your 30’s, 40’s, 50’s, or 60‘s, this research shows that not only is long term hormone therapy safe, it is actively protective. Here are the key takeaways:

📌 Form of HRT matters
📌 Dosing matters
📌 Bioidentical hormones carry less risk than synthetic
📌 The 5 year rule is outdated. You don’t have to wait until menopause to start hormone therapy, and you don’t have to stop at 65!

If you are currently on HRT and your provider has told you it’s almost time to stop, or if you’ve been too afraid to start because of outdated safety concerns… we would love to talk with you. 🤗

🩺📲 We are currently accepting new Telehealth patients in the US! If you are interested in working with us, you can go to the 🔗 in our bio to book a free call with our team to learn how to get started.

04/15/2026

Welcome to our Peri After Dark Q&A: Get answers to your most pressing hormone questions! All questions welcome. 🩺🤗 If you are interested in working with us via Telehealth, click here to schedule a free 30 minute discovery call with my team: https://link.elevatemd.com/discovery-call-fb-post

If it feels like has stolen your spark… READ THIS! 🫶🏻Have you ever felt like you just don’t enjoy the things you used ...
04/15/2026

If it feels like has stolen your spark… READ THIS! 🫶🏻

Have you ever felt like you just don’t enjoy the things you used to? Like the things that once made you happy just… don’t anymore? You’re not depressed, you’re not ungrateful, and you are absolutely not broken.

There’s actually a clinical name for this feeling, and it’s called anhedonia.

Anhedonia is incredibly common during perimenopause, and it is a direct result of the hormonal shifts that are happening in your brain …not a character flaw, not burnout, and definitely not “just getting older.”

When estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels begin to decline, your brain’s ability to produce and respond to dopamine and serotonin takes a serious hit. These are the neurotransmitters responsible for motivation, pleasure, and your overall sense of joy. When they go sideways, so does your spark.

You deserve to feel like yourself again, and the fact that this is hormonal means it is absolutely addressable. 🙏🏼

🩺📲 If you’re in the US and you’re curious about hormone therapy for perimenopause or menopause symptom management, go to the 🔗 in my bio to book a free call with my team to learn how to get started. 🤗

04/14/2026

Love it or leave it insomnia edition! 😴

Here are some of the most common hacks you guys ask me about for perimenopause & menopause induced insomnia! 👇🏻

⚠️ Melatonin: Low dose melatonin (< 3mg) is fine for circadian regulation. You can take this short term to get your sleep back on track.

✅ L-theanine: This is fantastic for anxiety & sleep!

❌ Benadryl: Avoid 2nd generation antihistamines for long term use.

❌ Unisom: Same as Benadryl. Avoid using sleep aids like unisom or Z-quil long term.

✅ Sleep Hygiene: LOVE! This includes night time habits such as sleeping in a cool room, avoiding blue light before bed, limit caffeine intake past 2pm, maintain a consistent bed time schedule, etc.

✅ Magnesium Glycinate: This is the best form of magnesium for sleep. Take is 30-60min before desired bedtime.

✅✅✅ Progesterone Therapy: Great sleep quality starts with hormone support! If you’ve tried everything, and your sleep still sucks, this is your sign that it may be time to explore hormone therapy. 🙌🏻

Let me know what we should cover next?! 🤔

🩺📲 If you’re in the US, & you’re interested in exploring hormone optimization, feel free to go to the 🔗 in my bio to book a free 30 minute call with my team to learn how to get started. 🤗

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Elevate MD

We specialize in taking care of the whole patient. Not just your numbers, not just one symptom. We provide general women’s health care and gynecology as well as natural bioidentical hormone replacement for both men and women. We are the most well trained providers in peptide therapy in the Cincinnati area. We also specialize in office cosmetic procedures including liposculpture, Botox and fillers, PRP, and rejuvination procedures. Dr Franzese is the only physician in the Tri-State area providing the most advanced protocols for treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury for Military personnel and Civilians.