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Madison Brown, PA-C

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Richmond, VA
Madison Brown, PA-C

Family Medicine PA 👩🏻‍⚕️ + Mom 🎀
Sharing tips and tricks to keep you and your family healthy!
(2)

09/01/2026

Being a working mom is hard enough, we need to stop putting even more guilt on plate that doesn’t belong there!

Now tell me which one you relate to most?

08/29/2026

If you’re stumped… try testing for tick borne illnesses.

I have found alpha gal more than once in a person reporting a constellation of symptoms that seemed to make no sense together- fatigue, mood changes, GI upset/bloating/nausea, skin changes, and so much more.

Especially in states with high reported cases- Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, Arkansas, Missouri.

Remember, a person may not report seeing a tick… and it can still happen!!

What’s your experience with alpha gal??
If you’re a person who has been diagnosed with it- how was it found!?

08/28/2026

A firefighter schooled me in clinic today 😂

We were talking about creatine when he told me that he was currently taking 20 g per day and had noticed a significant reduction in headaches, fatigue, and brain fog. When I looked at him, dumbfounded, he asked if I’d seen the research looking at higher-dose creatine after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

I hadn’t. 👀

So naturally, I went down the research rabbit hole.

Most people think of creatine as a supplement for muscle, strength and exercise performance—but your brain uses creatine too.

And after a traumatic brain injury, the brain can experience significant changes in cellular energy metabolism, which is one reason researchers are interested in whether increasing creatine availability could potentially support recovery.

One small human study in children and adolescents with TBI used 0.4 g/kg/day of creatine for 6 months—MUCH higher than the typical 3–5 g/day people commonly take for fitness.

The creatine group reported improvements in symptoms including:

🧠 Headaches
😵‍💫 Dizziness
🥱 Fatigue

Pretty fascinating, right?

BUT—and this is important—this does NOT mean everyone with a concussion or chronic headache should start taking 20–40 grams of creatine.

The human research is still limited. We don’t yet know the optimal dose, duration, or which patients might benefit most, and high-dose creatine is not currently a standard guideline-recommended treatment for TBI.

So my takeaway isn’t:

❌ “Take 30 grams of creatine for headaches.”

It’s:

👉 Creatine research is expanding WAY beyond the gym—and what we’re learning about its potential role in brain health is really interesting.

And also…

Sometimes your patients teach YOU something. 😂👏🏼

So thank you to the firefighter who sent me home with homework this week.

Share this with someone you think may find an interesting!

Educational only. This isn’t a recommendation to use high-dose creatine or individualized medical advice. Talk with your healthcare professional before using supplements therapeutically, particularly at high doses.

08/27/2026

Before asking for a hormone panel, there are other labs worth talking about!

One of the biggest misconceptions I hear is that we can simply check a “hormone panel” and it will answer all of your questions.

And unfortunately it’s just not that simple!

During perimenopause, estrogen and FSH can fluctuate significantly, which means a single snapshot may be completely “normal” even when you’re experiencing very real symptoms.

For many women—especially over 45 with typical symptoms—perimenopause is primarily a clinical diagnosis based on your age, symptoms and menstrual history.

But here’s what I DON’T want us to do:

Assume every new symptom in your 30s or 40s is automatically perimenopause.

Because several other things can look VERY similar.

Depending on your symptoms and history, I may consider:

🩸 CBC + ferritin/iron studies → anemia or iron deficiency, especially with heavier periods

🦋 TSH ± free T4 → thyroid dysfunction can cause fatigue, weight changes, palpitations and menstrual changes

🧠 Vitamin B12 → particularly with fatigue, brain fog, numbness/tingling or risk factors for deficiency

🍬 A1C ± fasting glucose → screening for prediabetes/diabetes when appropriate

🤰🏼 Pregnancy test → yep! If pregnancy is possible, a late or missed period isn’t automatically perimenopause

☀️ Vitamin D → sometimes appropriate depending on symptoms, risk factors and medical history

And this does NOT mean every woman needs every one of these tests.

The point is to have a better conversation than simply:

“Can you check all my hormones?”

Instead, try:

“I’m having new symptoms that I think could be perimenopause. Could we talk about whether anything else needs to be ruled out?”

👏🏼 THAT is a conversation worth having.

And remember: you don’t need an abnormal hormone level to prove that your symptoms are real or deserve treatment.

SAVE this for your next appointment—and send it to the friend who’s been saying, “I swear something has changed, but all my labs are normal.” 🤍

Educational only and not individualized medical advice. Testing should be based on your symptoms, age, medical history and clinician’s assessment.

08/25/2026

It’s happening ALREADY! But don’t freak out, here’s what to do 👇

Yep- school went back THIS WEEK and the Covid cases are already popping up.

How do we treat it?
For most healthy kiddos- SUPPORTIVE CARE

When can we go back to school?
24 hours fever free WITH improving symptoms!

Praying you and your fam stay healthy 🤞🏼🙏🏼

08/24/2026

You might be taking Benadryl every night… without realizing it. 👀

Benadryl is the brand name for diphenhydramine—a first-generation antihistamine that also has strong anticholinergic effects.

And diphenhydramine isn’t only found in a bottle labeled “Benadryl.”

Depending on the formulation, it’s also found in many common nighttime products like:

💊 Tylenol PM
💊 Advil PM
💊 Aleve PM
💊 Some Unisom products
💊 Generic “PM” and nighttime sleep aids

So flip the bottle over and check the ACTIVE INGREDIENTS.

Why does this matter?

Research has found an association between higher cumulative exposure to strong anticholinergic medications and an increased risk of dementia.

But this distinction is REALLY important:

👉 The studies are observational. They show an association—not proof that Benadryl causes dementia.

👉 Taking Benadryl occasionally is very different from taking a strong anticholinergic medication every night for years.

We also know these medications become more concerning as we age because they can contribute to confusion, next-day sedation, dry mouth, constipation, urinary retention and falls.

So my takeaway isn’t “Never take Benadryl.”

It’s this:

If you’re relying on diphenhydramine every night to sleep, let’s figure out WHY you’re not sleeping instead of simply covering it up night after night.

And please don’t suddenly stop a medication you need because of something you saw on Instagram. Talk with your healthcare provider about your medications and the safest options for you.

Now I’m curious…

Go check your nighttime sleep aid. Does it say DIPHENHYDRAMINE on the back? 👀👇

Educational only and not individualized medical advice.

08/19/2026

5 medications that could be sabotaging your weight 👇👀 And #6 surprises almost everyone!

Some medications can make weight loss harder by affecting appetite, metabolism, insulin sensitivity, fluid retention, or energy levels:

1️⃣ SSRIs — certain antidepressants
2️⃣ Beta blockers
3️⃣ Prednisone and other corticosteroids
4️⃣ Certain diabetes medications — insulin, glipizide, pioglitazone
5️⃣ Mood stabilizers + antipsychotics
6️⃣ BONUS: Zyrtec (cetirizine) 🤯 — antihistamines have been associated with higher body weight, although the evidence isn’t as strong as it is for several medications above.

Important: This does NOT mean you should stop your medication. Many of these medications are incredibly important and sometimes lifesaving. But if you’ve noticed unexplained weight gain since starting one, it’s worth talking with your healthcare provider about whether it could be contributing and if alternatives exist.

Save this + check your medication list. 💊

— Madison Brown, PA-C

For education only. Not individualized medical advice.

Grüns

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