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Many women reach their 40s and start feeling different. They find themselves more anxious, tired, forgetful or prone to migraines, without realising these are often early signs of perimenopause. In this episode, Dr Louise Newson speaks with Dr Mariza Snyder, a functional medicine doctor and hormone specialist, about how to recognise the subtle and often overlooked symptoms of hormonal change.
They discuss how fluctuating levels of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone can influence mood, cognition and sleep, and why these shifts can trigger or worsen migraines. The conversation also covers the importance of hormone replacement therapy and lifestyle strategies in restoring balance and protecting long-term health.
This episode helps women connect the dots between how they feel and what their hormones are doing, offering clarity, reassurance and practical next steps.
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This week Dr Louise is joined by broadcaster and former international gymnast, Gabby Logan. Gabby is the host of her own successful podcast The Mid Point where she speaks about midlife challenges, and here she shares her own experiences of the menopause.
Gabby reflects on the impact of the menstrual cycle on female athletes and the positive impact of speaking about it and increasing awareness. She shares how exercise is helping her to forge and cement friendships and make time for herself, and how HRT helped her to rekindle her vigour for exercise.
Finally, Gabby shares three reasons why we should all be exercising, regardless of our age:
1. It’s future proofing. I want to be active in my 80s, playing golf, going for long walks and getting myself out of a chair without it being a kind of a national incident. So I’m doing things now that are going to help empower me.
2. It’s good for your mental health. In my 20s, I realised somehow that exercise was good for me mentally. I knew that going for a run was about clearing my brain, getting back on track if I’d had a wobbly day or starting the day well. That feeling has grown and I know exercise is vital for mental health.
3. It’s about balance. Think 80/20. If you are going to fall off, have a glass of wine or a gin and tonic at the weekends, don’t feel bad about it. The exercise I’m doing will hopefully help to negate some of the toxins I might occasionally put inside me.
Follow Gabby on Instagram @gabbylogan
Leading US oncologist Dr Avrum Bluming joins Dr Louise Newson to talk about the crucial role of oestrogen in women’s health.
Despite HRT’s proven benefits in protecting against heart disease, bone fracture and cognitive decline, many women still avoid it over breast cancer fears.
It’s been more than 20 years since media headlines about a study called the Women’s Health Initiative linked HRT to an increased risk of breast cancer. In this podcast, Dr Bluming says that in fact we now know oestrogen alone decreases the risk of breast cancer development by 23% and risk of death from breast cancer by 40%.
He also disputes the findings of the WHI study that combined progesterone and oestrogen HRT leads to a small increase in breast cancer cases.
‘It is very upsetting when such an influential study continues to misquote their own data,’ says Dr Bluming, who has spent 25 years studying the benefits and risks of HRT in breast cancer survivors.
Dr Bluming points out that oestrogen used to be a treatment for breast cancer before chemotherapy was developed, and that rates of breast cancer increase as we age, despite the fact our oestrogen levels fall as we get older.
You can read about Dr Bluming’s latest paper here, and listen to an earlier podcast Dr Newson and Dr Bluming recorded here.
Raquela Mosquera joins Dr Louise Newson in this episode to talk about the turmoil, anxiety and unexplained bleeding she went through during her menopause.
Raquela is the mum of Joe Wicks, the fitness coach who kept the country moving during lockdown and who has also appeared on Dr Louise’s podcast. Joe put Raquela in touch with Dr Louise after she confided her worries over her symptoms.
The anxiety, brain fog and isolation led to Raquela leaving the job she loved, but adjusting her HRT has transformed her life. Listen to Raquela and Dr Louise share tips about how to get the right HRT dose and type to suit you to get the maximum benefit.
Raquela’s three tips:
1. Educate yourself on the symptoms of the menopause and right down all your symptoms before seeing your GP, including when these symptoms started and what can make them worse.
2. Be a menopause warrior. Chat about your experience to friends and family to reduce the stigma around the menopause.
3. Don’t be scared of HRT. Go to your GP and talk about whether it could work for you before making any decisions.
Testosterone is an important sex hormone for both men and women (although women have much lower levels) produced by your ovaries and adrenal glands and declines during the menopause.
When it comes to menopause, testosterone is a hormone that can be misunderstood, and many women struggle to access testosterone treatment on the NHS.
Here Dr Louise and her Newson Health colleague, GP and Menopause Specialist Dr Catherine Coward, talk about how it can be a valuable addition to HRT for women around the menopause and beyond.
NICE menopause guidance recommends testosterone can be beneficial for women experiencing low libido where HRT alone hasn’t helped. Yet Dr Louise and Dr Catherine talk how in their clinical experience, testosterone benefits can extend beyond sex drive-related symptoms, with patients reporting improvements including having more energy, and reduced brain fog and anxiety.
Personal trainer, wellness coach and mum-of-three Lavina Mehta MBE joins Dr Louise in this week’s episode to share her advice on boosting your activity levels during the perimenopause and menopause.
As a British Asian, Lavina is passionate about ensuring her message of the benefits of exercise reaches all communities, and highlights how exercise can treat, prevent and reduce the risks of chronic diseases like Alzheimer’s, diabetes and heart disease.
Lavina encourages busy women to begin ‘exercise snacks’, which are short bursts of activity that can be slotted into full days.
Finally, Lavina shares her three easy wins to improve future health:
1. Start strength training and prioritise building your muscle mass over losing weight.
2. Start off small with exercise ‘snacks’, which means adding little bite-sized chunks of exercise throughout your day. It all counts and it is never too late to start.
3. Keep talking, keep learning, keep educating yourself and keep sharing your journey with everyone around you.
For more about Lavina visit her website and follow on Instagram at @feelgoodwithlavina, plus feel good workouts and exercise snacks on her YouTube channel @feelgoodwithlavina.
In this episode, Dr Louise speaks to the youngest of her three daughters, Lucy, about all things menopause. Lucy, 12, recalls making her mother an HRT tote bag when she was six, plus hiding in her room when there were arguments at home, when Dr Louise was struggling with her symptoms.
Lucy shares her experience of having her mum in the public eye, gives Dr Louise sage advice for dealing with bullies and offers her views on why menopausal women need help to remain in the workplace. In a survey conducted for her book, Dr Louise discovered 75% of women had never discussed menopause in their home when they were growing up. Barriers included a lack of knowledge, embarrassment, lack of communication, being short on time and feelings of shame around the topic.
While Lucy has had lots of conversations about the menopause at home, she reveals that school education on the subject was limited. But conversations with children about the menopause are important as they can help normalise it.
Content advisory: this podcast episode contains themes of mental health and suicide
It’s a family affair on this week’s podcast as Dr Louise is joined by her eldest daughter Jessica for a special episode on the eve of World Menopause Day.
Jessica talks frankly about the impact of PMS and coping with hormone changes with migraine, as well as the strategies that helped her. Mother and daughter also discuss the importance of demystifying menopause and hormone changes through honest conversations between families, friends – and even complete strangers.
Contact the Samaritans for 24-hour, confidential support by calling 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
This week, Dr Louise speaks to Italian Menopause Society president Dr Marco Gambacciani.
Early in his career Dr Marco specialised in reproductive endocrinology. He became interested in the occurrence of cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis during the menopause, and his menopause clinic was the first in Italy to have a bone density scanner. On a personal level, Dr Marco saw the devastating effects of osteoporosis first-hand after his grandmother was diagnosed with the condition. Dr Marco also shares his frustrations on the lack of understanding of how hormones can affect women’s cardiovascular health. On a more hopeful note, he is urging the Italian government to make menopause clinics available all over Italy.
Finally, Dr Marco shares the three reasons why he believes women should consider HRT when they’re younger:
Follow Dr Marco on Instagram @m.gambacciani
October marks World Menopause Month, and on this week’s podcast, Dr Louise is joined by Newson Health colleague Dr Penny Ward to talk about the relaunch of our Confidence in the Menopause.
Confidence in the Menopause is a CPD-accredited online course from Newson Health which is designed to increase your knowledge of, and confidence in, managing all aspects of the perimenopause and menopause. The course contains free and subscriber-only modules and is designed not only for those working in healthcare: it’s for everyone. We’ve included tailored information for non-healthcare professionals, whether you are a woman looking for information to help you make the right decisions and get the most out of their healthcare consultations, or a partner, friend or colleague who simply wants to know more.
Dr Penny’s top three reasons for completing Confidence in the Menopause:
Find out more about Confidence in the Menopause here
Content advisory: this podcast contains themes of mental health and suicide
On this week’s episode of the Dr Louise Newson Podcast, Anna Mcgrory shares her story of how her mental health was severely affected by menopause.
Anna tells Dr Louise how therapy and medication had helped her successfully manage her obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and mild depression symptoms for over a decade. But out of the blue, Anna’s symptoms returned and quickly spiralled. Anna was admitted to hospital, on six psychiatric drugs but still didn’t feel better.
Thankfully, after learning about the impact of hormones on mental health and being prescribed HRT, things changed for the better.
Anna’s top three tips:
1. Have more open conversations, starting from at home with the kids. This will filter through society, making menopause less of an unspoken thing and more of a just another thing about the body.
2. Make sure your resources are evidence based. There’s a lot of information on social media, so just make sure that whoever you’re listening to is appropriately qualified.
3. Advocate for yourself. If your symptoms are hormone related and you’re being told you’re too young or whatever, try again and don’t just give up at that first hurdle.
Anna is on Instagram @Hormones.on.her_mind. Find out more about OCD through charities OCD-UK and OCD Action.
Contact the Samaritans for 24-hour, confidential support by calling 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
In this week’s podcast, food writer, author and award-winning entrepreneur Freda Shafi talks about her work raising awareness of menopause and recording the experiences in the Pakistani community in West Yorkshire.
Freda shares her own menopause story, and she and Dr Louise discuss key barriers women face accessing care, and ways to improve knowledge to empower women to advocate for themselves.
‘I’m a South Asian woman, I’m a Pakistani, I’m a British Pakistani woman, and I know I represent a certain demographic,’ says Freda.
‘I feel as though I can reach many women through the fact that I am from the community. That may be platforms for women like myself who are able to cascade that information and let that reverberate across those communities.’
Freda’s top three tips:
1. Help represent your community to spread awareness of menopause symptoms, treatments and services and help tackle the stigma that still surrounds this area.
2. Get a second opinion if you don’t feel your healthcare professional has given you the right diagnosis. Explore the materials that are out there, including the balance app, so that you’re informed when you see your doctor.
3. Boost training in the menopause for community leaders so that they can signpost women to local services that can help support them.
Follow Freda on Instagram @fredishafi_spiceitup
Bestselling author, screenwriter and TV presenter Emma Kennedy joins Dr Louise Newson in this episode to talk candidly about her menopause experience.
Emma describes how she thought she had got through her menopause when terrifying heart palpitations and anxiety struck.
After always being fearful of HRT due to a strong family history of breast cancer, a careful and detailed discussion with a GP around the risks and benefits led to her starting a low dose of hormones.
‘It’s the first time I’ve ever cried in front of a doctor,’ she says.
‘Ever, ever. I felt that terrible. [But] Just that tiny amount of estrogen and the heart palpitations stopped in 48 hours and they haven’t come back. It’s like a miracle.’
Dr Louise and Emma talk about the importance of a personalised discussion between a doctor and a patient to assess whether and what type of HRT may be the right choice. Emma also talks about the lifestyle changes she has made to reduce breast cancer risk and help control menopausal symptoms.
Emma, who wrote the bestselling The Tent, The Bucket and Me, also talks about her frustration with the pain and discomfort women are often expected to put up with during routine procedures.
She gives a stirring call to action for the speculum – the device used in many intimate procedures – to be, at the very least, radically improved. For more about Emma visit her website and you can follow her on Instagram @emma67 or Threads @emmak67
In this podcast, Jill Chmielewski, a nurse, educator and women’s advocate, talks about her mission to guide midlife women to greater wellbeing.
Dr Louise and Jill discuss the powerful and poorly understood role of hormones in women’s health throughout their life, HRT and the importance of women advocating strongly for their own needs. Jill advises women should prepare well in advance for the menopause, as hormonal changes can begin earlier than you may expect.
Jill’s three top tips:
For more about Jill visit her website here and you can follow Jill on Instagram @jill.chmielewski.
Content advisory: this podcast contains themes of mental health and suicide
Joining Dr Louise on the podcast this week are Lynsey and her husband Kieran. Lynsey movingly describes a rapid deterioration in her mental health during the perimenopause which saw her sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
‘I just felt desperate that this was a new version of me and I couldn’t work out why,’ she recalls.
Lynsey and Kieran, who is a GP, speak to Dr Louise about the need for greater understanding of how hormonal changes during the perimenopause and menopause can impact on mental health, coupled with improved access to HRT.
Contact the Samaritans for 24-hour, confidential support by calling 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
On this week’s podcast, Dr Louise is joined by award-winning US broadcast journalist, podcast host and menopause campaigner Tamsen Fadal.
Tamsen describes how she didn’t recognise she was menopausal after suffering from hot flushes, brain fog and heart palpitations, as she believed she was still having periods. This prompted her to find out more and support other women along the way, including spreading awareness via the #MenopauseTok campaign on social media.
Dr Louise and Tamsen discuss the impact of menopause on careers, barriers to accessing treatment, the importance of being informed – and the growing voice of menopausal women on social media.
Here are Tamsen’s top three tips:
1. Listen to yourself and your body and don’t miss signs that could be the perimenopause by putting them down to being busy or stressed.
2. Try and carve out time just for yourself, even when things are really busy.
3. Find your people: surround yourself with a community to support you through the perimenopause, menopause and beyond.
Follow Tamsen on Instagram @tamsenfadal and Tiktok @tamsenfadal.
Regular listeners will know there is much more to the menopause than hot flushes – but how do hormone changes affect your memory, mood and cognition?
This week Dr Louise is joined by Dr Dan Reisel, Specialist Registrar in gynaecology at University College London and Newson Health Clinical Research Lead, to take a closer look at the relationship between hormones and brain health.
Dr Dan says awareness is improving, but researchers must up their game when it comes to studying the female brain. While mood and memory symptoms are common in menopause, too often, studies focus on male brains as they don’t want to deal with the complexity of female sex hormones, he adds.
Dr Dan’s three take home tips:
1. If you’re going through the perimenopause or menopause and struggling with symptoms, don’t just accept how you feel. Seek out options for treatment such as HRT that can improve your symptoms.
2. Become an advocate for better care for women going through the menopause – speak to your friends, healthcare professionals and colleagues about your experiences.
3. If you are offered the chance to take part in research seize that opportunity to make your voice heard and improve the experience for women in the future.
You can follow Dr Dan on Twitter at @danreisel
Progesterone is a hormone produced after ovulation and dominates the second half of your menstrual cycle. Progesterone balances the effects of oestrogen, supports the body during pregnancy and is known as the relaxing hormone.
But how can progesterone impact your mental health in the run up to periods, after childbirth and during the perimenopause and menopause?
Joining Dr Louise this week is Newson Health GP and Menopause Specialist Dr Hannah Ward, whose interest in the menopause and HRT was ignited following her own hormonal struggles after the birth of her children.
Here, Dr Hannah shares her personal experiences of progesterone treatment, and takes us through the key differences between body identical progesterone and synthetic progestogens.
Joining Dr Louise this week is trailblazing US urologist and sexual health doctor Dr Rachel Rubin, to address these common menopause symptoms and the relief vaginal hormones – often used alongside systemic HRT – can bring.
Dr Rachel explains why we need to stop using terms like vaginal dryness and vaginal atrophy, which hugely downplay the impact of declining hormones on your whole genitourinary system.
‘When we say women have vaginal dryness, we minimise their symptoms, we minimise that it’s no big deal, that you can just use a little lubricant, a little moisturiser,’ says Dr Rachel.
Plus, Dr Rachel and Dr Louise also discuss DHEA – a hormone treatment which converts to oestrogen and testosterone in the vagina – and the benefits this can bring to women struggling with genitourinary syndrome of the menopause (GSM), again often alongside systemic HRT.
Dr Rachel's top three tips if you are struggling with GSM.
1. Know that if you have any symptoms that affect yourvagina, vulva or urinary system and you’re over the age of 45, you deserve avaginal hormone product.
2. Talk to your healthcare professional about access to thistreatment that can prevent urinary tract infections, decrease your frequencyand urgency of needing to urinate, decrease your pain in intercourse and leadto better lubrication, arousal and orgasm.
3. Keep using your localised hormone replacement: it is a safe product, so can be used long term to sustain the benefits.
Follow Dr Rachel on Instagram @drrachelrubin.
Noticed that your eyes are feeling drier, grittier or even more watery lately? It could be dry eye syndrome.
July marks Dry Eye Awareness Month, and what you may not know is dry eyes can be a hidden symptom of menopause.
In fact, one in four of the nearly 6,000 women surveyed ahead of the release of Dr Louise’s book, the Definitive Guide to the Perimenopause and Menopause, said they experienced dry eyes during the menopause.
Joining Dr Louise on this week’s podcast is Maria McGoldrick, a clinical performance consultant for Specsavers who is based in Scotland. Maria, who is an optometrist with 13 years’ experience, gives us the lowdown on the typical symptoms of dry eyes and treatments that can help.
Maria’s top three tips to optimise your eye health:
1. Have a regular eye test, ideally once every two years.
2. If you suspect you may have dry eyes, make an appointment with an optometrist so this can be assessed and a treatment plan devised.
3. If you are perimenopausal or menopausal and have an eye appointment coming up, mention this to your optometrist. This will help them support you and make the right treatment plan for you.
Podcaster, author and journalist Lorraine Candy returns to the podcast this week to talk about thriving in midlife and the importance of sharing menopause knowledge and spreading awareness.
Lorraine is co-host of the popular podcast series Postcards from Midlife, which often looks at the Generation X experience of the perimenopause and menopause. In this episode, she joins Dr Louise to discuss her new book What’s Wrong With Me? 101 Things Midlife Women Need to Know, which is a compelling and reassuring account of how to live a magnificent midlife. The book draws on many women’s experiences to look at the emotional side of midlife and how our identity as women can change during this time.
Lorraine shares three reasons you should buy her new book:
1. It will make you laugh – which is always important.
2. It is packed full of expert advice that can support you to change your life in midlife.
3. Find out more about the emotional changes and impact of midlife, looking at how your identity can change in your 40s and 50s.
Click here for more details on Lorraine’s new book. You can access the Podcasts from Midlife podcast here and follow her on Twitter and Instagram.
This episode looks at how hormone changes impact women in the workplace and in their personal lives – and why do many women put their own needs last?
Dr Louise is joined by Dr Claire Kaye, an executive career coach and former GP specialising in perimenopause and menopause in the workplace. Dr Claire explains how career coaching can help bring about clarity and focus, particularly when you’re dealing with physical and psychological symptoms during the perimenopause and menopause.
And both Dr Claire and Dr Louise offer advice on how to navigate these changes and overcome negative emotions to prioritise your own health and wellbeing.
Dr Claire’s top three tips for building self-esteem:
You can follow Dr Claire on Instagram @drclairekayecoaching, LinkedIn @drclairekaye or visit her website here.
Consultant dermatologist Dr Sajjad Rajpar returns to the podcast this week in a special summer episode to talk about melasma, a condition that leads to darkening or brown patches developing on the skin.
Up to 85% of those affected by melasma are women – and there is a connection between this condition and female hormones.
Dr Sajjad and Dr Louise delve into what is known about this chronic complex condition, why it is crucial to protect your skin from the sun and the wide range of treatment options available, including topical treatments and laser therapy.
Dr Sajjad’s three top tips on what to do if you suspect you have melasma, plus advice on self-management:
1. Educate yourself on how to tell the difference between melasma and freckles – look at the areas of the face where it occurs. Family history and background may mean you are more susceptible.
2. Sun protection is crucial in managing melasma. This means being really disciplined with using sun screen, and seeking out a tinted version that will block visible as well as ultraviolet light.
3. There are a wide range of active skin ingredients that can help with melasma; Dr Sajjad suggests starting with azelaic acid or arbutin to treat your condition.
For more information about Dr Sajjad, visit www.midlandskin.co.uk.
How do you work out what the right dose of HRT is for you and balance the benefits with any potential risks?
In this episode, Dr Louise talks about HRT doses with Corinna Bordoli, who began experiencing menopausal symptoms when she was just 10 years old.
Corinna shares her experience of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) – menopause before the age of 40 – and of the challenges she faced in getting a prescription for a higher dose of oestrogen to help both her symptoms and future health.
Dr Louise and Corinna discuss why hormone needs and absorption can vary from woman to woman, particularly for those with POI.
Corinna’s three tips for those who may suspect they have POI:
1. Keep track of your perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms so that you have evidence when you go to see your doctor.
2. If you are diagnosed with POI, make sure you seek out a specialist in the condition to get the best care.
3. If you have POI, find a community of other people with similar experiences for support, such as through the Daisy Network. Sharing your story and hearing other people’s stories can make a huge difference and be healing.
Find out more about the charity the Daisy Network mentioned in the podcast here, or on Twitter @thedaisynet.
On this week’s episode of the Dr Louise Newson podcast, Dr Louise welcomes Sharon Saunders.
Sharon is a menopausal woman with learning disabilities and is a wheelchair user.
During the episode, Sharon talks about when she first learned about the menopause from her mum, and her menopause symptoms, including joint aches and pains and headaches. She describes how these symptoms make her feel and the impact on her daily life, and Dr Louise and Sharon also talk about treatment options.
Finally, Sharon offers some important advice to other women with learning disabilities who are going through the perimenopause and menopause: speak up about how you are feeling, and don’t give up.
Sharon is supported by Dimensions, a not-for-profit organisations supporting people with learning disabilities, autism, behaviours of distress and those with complex health needs.
Click here for more information more about Dimension or on Twitter @DimensionsUK.
Henry Dimbleby, co-founder of Leon, food campaigner and writer, joins the podcast this week to talk about the dangers of a diet high in ultra-processed foods – that is, foods with a long list of ingredients such as preservatives and emulsifiers not typically found in home cooking.
While convenient, ultra-processed foods such as breakfast cereals and mass-produced breads do not fill us up, encourage us to eat more and contribute to weight gain, Henry says.
‘Food is by far the biggest thing making us sick,’ he says.
In this episode, Henry talks to Dr Louise about breaking the ultra-processed food cycle, ignoring calories and eating more food cooked from scratch. They also discuss his new book Ravenous, which looks at how to eat in a way that is better for you and the planet.
Henry’s three tips:
Find out more about Henry’s work here and follow him on Twitter @HenryDimbleby
Laura Bibby joins Dr Louise to share her experience of managing the perimenopause shortly after a life-changing spinal cord injury.
A senior nurse and an ambulatory wheelchair user, Laura shares her struggles to have urinary symptoms, crippling anxiety and joint pain recognised as being due to her perimenopause, and not just attributed to her injury.
In an empowering conversation, Laura and Dr Louise discuss the importance of persistence, and speaking out to help women with disabilities overcome barriers preventing them getting the menopause care and treatment they deserve.
Laura’s three tips:
Follow Laura on Instagram @blue__brick_disability.
The supply of HRT medication Utrogestan is being restricted by the UK government because of shortages amid increase demand.
Pharmacies will only dispense two months’ worth of Utrogestan 100mg capsules per prescription to help ensure continued access for women.
In this special episode, Newson Health pharmacist prescriber and menopause specialist Faiza Kennedy joins Dr Louise Newson to talk about the restrictions, and where and how to seek advice and help.
They talk about the importance of taking a progesterone as part of your HRT regime if you still have a womb, as well as alternatives to Utrogestan, including progesterone in pessary form, the Mirena coil and combined forms of HRT containing both oestrogen and progesterone.
Faiza’s top three tips:
1. Only order the amount of Utrogestan you need to help everyone get through the shortfall
2. Be organised around ordering your HRT prescriptions. Do it about two weeks before you run out so you have time in case you have any difficulties getting your supply or need to seek an alternative
3. Reach out for help if you are struggling with your supply.
Bestselling author of Chocolat Joanne Harris joins Dr Louise Newson to talk about her latest book, Broken Light.
Broken Light’s protagonist is Bernie, a 49-year-old who has given her life to her family and friends, and feels invisible. But Bernie finds her supernatural powers as she reaches the menopause, which becomes a metaphor for the anger of women in later life who are too often silenced in art and reality.
In this episode, Joanne talks about her own menopause experience, and her and Dr Louise discuss their work in ensuring the voices of women are heard as they get older – and the progress that still needs to be made.
Joanne’s four reasons to read her new novel:
Click here to find out more about Joanne Harris, and follow her on Twitter at @Joannechocolat
Content advisory: this podcast contains themes of mental health and suicide
Earlier this month Maternal Mental Health Awareness Week was marked across the UK. In this week’s episode Emma Hammond, an employment lawyer specialising in advising women who have experienced discrimination due to the menopause, generously shares her own story.
After a traumatic birth with her first child, Emma developed serious symptoms, including psychosis and not sleeping or eating, that ultimately led to medication and hospitalisation. While she wanted a second child, her periods stopped and she was told she was perimenopausal – but an unexpected development took place soon after she was admitted to a mental health hospital.
Here she and Dr Louise talk about the powerful role of hormones in women during pregnancy, birth and perimenopause, and how hormones can be overlooked by healthcare professionals caring for women struggling with their mental health.
This podcast follows an earlier episode with Emma where she talked about her career, and offered advice on menopause in the workplace.
Emma’s three tips:
Read more about Emma here.
Contact the Samaritans for 24-hour, confidential support by calling 116 123.
In a special episode on the eve of International Nurses Day, this week’s guest is Sue Thomas, an advanced nurse practitioner with an interest in menopause who works alongside Dr Louise at Newson Health Menopause and Wellbeing Centre.
They discuss Sue’s 30-year nursing career, including her work in cardiovascular disease prevention, and talk about the vital role nurses play in raising awareness and treating women during the perimenopause and menopause.
And with figures showing nine out of ten UK nurses are women, and more than half aged over 41, Sue and Dr Louise discuss the impact of the perimenopause and menopause on the nursing profession, with Sue sharing her own menopause experience and the barriers she faced when trying to access HRT.
Sue’s three take home tips for fellow nurses and healthcare professionals are:
1. Look for more education about the menopause, such as the free Confidence in Menopause course
2. If you are struggling with menopause yourself, be open with colleagues and line managers – we need to look after each other
3. Let’s make the menopause a positive thing.
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Making a welcome return to the podcast this week is menopause activist, author and documentary maker Kate Muir.
Kate is the author of Everything You Need to Know About the Menopause (but were too afraid to ask) and the producer behind Davina McCall’s two award-winning menopause documentaries; her third documentary, investigating the contraceptive pill, is currently in production.
This week, after more than 200 episodes of the Dr Louise Newson podcast, Kate is the one asking the questions. She asks Dr Louise about her hopes for HRT and menopause care over the next decade, and about the importance of hormones for healthy ageing and prevention of future disease.
They also talk about barriers to accessing HRT, the so-called natural approach to the menopause and tackle claims the menopause is being over-medicalised.
And in place of the usual top three tips, Dr Louise shares the four things in her handbag that she can’t live without.
For more about Kate visit her website
Dr Andrew Weber is Medical Director of the Bodyvie Medi-Clinic in London and has more than 40 years of experience as a GP and 25 years specialising in advanced medical aesthetics and cosmetic procedures.
In this episode, Dr Weber and Dr Louise Newson discuss the impact of the perimenopause and menopause on the skin and throughout the body, the importance of hormones and benefits of HRT, and why it is crucial healthcare professionals listen to their patients.
The episode also covers how HRT has advanced and the importance of individualising treatment to find the right dose – Dr Weber likens HRT to buying a bespoke, made to measure Savile Row suit, rather than an off-the-peg outfit.
For more about Dr Andrew Weber and the Bodyvie Medi-Clinic visit bodyvie.com
Follow Dr Andrew Weber on Twitter at @drandrewweber
Bone density for women can plummet around the time of the perimenopause and menopause.
An estimated one in two women over 50 (and who do not take HRT) worldwide will develop osteoporosis. This puts women at high risk of bone fractures, which can have a major impact on health and wellbeing.
Here Chicago-based Dr Kristi DeSapri, who specialises in bone health, joins Dr Louise Newson to talk about what can increase the risk of your bones becoming weak, the role of hormonal changes in this and what to do about it.
Hear what the latest research says about the valuable role that HRT can play in protecting bones to keep you fit and strong in the future.
Dr DeSapri shares her top three tips for listeners worried about their bone health:
1. Find out how healthy your bones are and whether you could be at risk of fractures. This could include booking a bone density scan, or completing free online assessments and taking that information to your doctor
2. Increasing evidence suggests HRT can help protect bone health, so consider this treatment option to keep your bones strong
3. Find out about the importance of bone health so that you can be your own advocate – make sure you have the right information to make the right decisions.
You can follow Dr DeSapri on Instagram @boneandbodywh. Her website is www.boneandbodywh.com
Consultant Dermatologist Dr Sajjad Rajpar makes a welcome return to the podcast this week to talk about the chronic skin condition rosacea, and how it can be impacted by the perimenopause and menopause.
In a special episode to mark Rosacea Awareness Month, Dr Louise and Dr Sajjad discuss the physical and psychological effects of rosacea, as well as offering practical advice on avoiding triggers, and treatment strategies.
Dr Sajjad’s top three tops if you have or suspect you have rosacea:
1. Really look at your skincare routine and strip it right back to a gentle non-foaming cleanser and a light moisturiser containing ceramides.
2. Sunlight can be a trigger for rosacea, so block out the sun as much as you can.
3. Consider talking to your GP about trying active topical ingredients such as azelaic acid, metronidazole and ivermectin, because they can be a real game changer.
For more information about Dr Sajjad, visit www.midlandskin.co.uk
Joe Wicks really needs no introduction: he’s a fitness coach, presenter and bestselling author who kept the nation moving during the COVID-19 lockdowns. Joe is also one of the expert contributors in Dr Louise Newson’s new book, The Definitive Guide to the Perimenopause and Menopause.
In this episode, Joe and Dr Louise discuss the importance of keeping active, and finding the motivation and time to exercise during the perimenopause and menopause.
Joe offers tips on setting achievable goals, plus beneficial exercises, and they talk about how replacing hormones with HRT will help ease symptoms so women can also better focus on exercise and nutrition.
Joe’s top three tips if you are struggling with motivation to exercise:
1. Prioritise your sleep: see sleep as an investment to give you more energy to work out
2. Work out in the morning: working out earlier can be transformative to how you take on stress at work, and for your relationships too
3. Prep like a boss: meal prepping on a weekend will protect you against fast foods and convenience foods during the week.
Follow Joe Wicks on Instagram @thebodycoach
Find out more about the Body Coach app on Instagram @bodycoachapp and online at www.thebodycoach.com
Content advisory: this podcast contains themes of mental health and suicide
In this episode, Jo shares a moving account of her menopause experience before finding the right treatment for her.
Struggling with numerous symptoms including vertigo, dry mouth and eyes, joint pain and vaginal dryness, Jo went from not visiting her GP for six years to monthly appointments. After being prescribed a cocktail of medication and spending thousands of pounds on dental treatment to no avail, Jo felt she was never going to get better.
She talks to Dr Louise about the effect of low hormones, and the transformative impact finding the right dose and type of HRT had on her mental and physical health.
Jo’s three top tips:
Contact the Samaritans for 24-hour, confidential support by calling 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org.
In this episode, Dr Louise is joined by Kat Keogh to talk about Dr Louise’s new book, The Definitive Guide to the Perimenopause and Menopause.
Packed with advice and information from leading experts, it is the definitive, accessible and evidence-based guide to help you navigate your perimenopause and menopause.
It covers key facts about hormones, family histories, the complete guide to HRT, libidos, mental and physical health, how menopause affects careers and relationships and so much more.
Kat, who works at Newson Health, shares her top three reasons to buy The Definitive Guide to the Perimenopause and Menopause:
Dr Walter Rocca is a neurologist from the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, USA, where he studies common neurological diseases as well as the aging processes between men and women. He has a particular focus on estrogen and the effects of menopause on health risks.
In this episode, Dr Rocca explains how sex hormones have a much greater role in many of the body’s functions than simply regulating the menstrual cycle and reproduction. He explains why it’s so important to treat women with hormone replacement after bilateral oophorectomy with or without hysterectomy or early menopause, especially younger women.
Dr Rocca’s three take home messages:
Dr Namugga Martha Monicah is one of four female urologists in Uganda.
She recently completed the Fellowship of the College of Surgeons (FCS) exam at the College of Surgeons East and Central and Southern Africa (COSECSA) exams, finishing top of her class. She was supported with a sponsorship from Newson Health.
This episode of the podcast, released on the eve of International Women’s Day which this year centres around equity for all, looks at women’s health and access to care in Africa.
Dr Monicah tells Dr Louise Newson about the barriers to women’s health in Africa, the shame surrounding it and the international support making a difference.
She also addresses the stigma around the menopause and the need to move past a ‘suffer in silence’ approach.
Martha’s three tips:
1. Anyone in the world who listens to the podcast, know that there is somewhere where menopause doesn’t have to be taken on humbly and that something can be done to improve your quality of life.
2. To the African girl child, know that despite all the challenges, the hurdles, you can still do it, you can still emerge victorious.
3. In whatever small way, any individual can do something to improve the life of another.
For more about Dr Namugga Martha Monciah, visit https://www.baus.org.uk/professionals/urolink/urolink_home.aspx.
Dorothy Byrne returns to the podcast this week to discuss her previous role as former Head of News and Current Affairs for Channel 4 television and the commissioning of and reaction to the menopause documentaries. She also updates us on her new role as president of Murray Edwards College, Cambridge University – one of only two higher education institutions in the UK for women only – and how she hopes to inspire young women especially in the fields of medicine and science.
During the conversation, Dorothy shares some of her experiences of how a menopausal lack of sleep affected her at work, why she continues to take HRT in her 70s, and the ongoing systemic gender discrimination in medicine and the workplace.
Dorothy’s advice to women who are struggling to get menopause treatment:
Nina McGowan is a visual artist, Bikram yoga practitioner and biohacker from Ireland who discovered freediving while on holiday in Egypt when she was in her mid-forties. Shortly after she turned 50, Nina secured a world record dive of 43 metres in the No Fins category that involved holding her breath for 2 minutes and ten seconds.
In this episode, Nina explains how her yoga practice helps her freediving and she outlines the benefits of eating well, sleeping well and clearing your mind to focus on your breath to you in the here and now. Nina also shares some of her own personal experience with her hormone journey and seeking out the right support.
Nina’s three priorities for a positive lifestyle change:
Follow Nina on Instagram and visit her website here.
Emma Hammond is a lawyer with gunnercooke LLP specialising in employment law. Often assuming the role of Investigating or Grievance Officer, Emma leads enquiries into complex bullying, harassment and discrimination complaints for individuals and organisations. Emma has an interest in mental health and its impact on the workplace and she incorporates as much pro bono work into her practice as possible, specialising in advising women who have suffered discrimination due to the menopause.
In this episode, Emma chats to Dr Louise Newson about the effects of the menopause at work, the intricacies of legal protections for women suffering professionally because of menopausal symptoms, and they discuss some positive examples of working in a menopause confident organisation.
Read more about Emma Hammond here.
Breast cancer specialist, Dr Tony Branson returns to the Dr Louise Newson podcast two years since his first appearance. Tony is a Consultant Clinical Oncologist at the Northern Centre for Cancer Care, based at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne.
In this episode the experts discuss the current situations women can find themselves in when having treatments for breast cancer and experiencing the onset of menopausal symptoms. Tony supports the women he sees through some challenging decisions around managing the risk of cancer recurrence while for some, treating menopausal symptoms with HRT to improve the quality of their lives.
Two important issues for women come together in this episode of the Dr Louise Newson Podcast featuring guest Joeli Brearley. Joeli founded the charity Pregnant Then Screwed after she was fired from her job the day after telling her employers she was pregnant. Joeli wanted to create a space for others to share their stories of discrimination at work, which quickly grew into Pregnant Then Screwed, a charity dedicated to ending the motherhood penalty and campaigning for change.
Joeli shares a personal story of her own changing hormones in her late 30s; she recounts her struggle to be listened to by healthcare professionals and to find the right treatment for her symptoms that were exacerbated by progesterone intolerance.
Joeli’s three tips for women who think they might be perimenopausal:
For more about Joeli’s work and her books, visit pregnantthenscrewed.com
Dr Louise Oliver, a GP and functional breathing practitioner and therapeutic life coach, joins Dr Louise Newson as a guest on the podcast this week. Louise Oliver has had a special interest in women’s health and menopause for many years and now incorporates her skills as a functional breathing practitioner to raise awareness of how breathing is altered by hormones, how this can lead to symptoms of inefficient breathing and how to improve the connection between our brain, body and breath.
Louise’s three tips to breathe more efficiently:
For more about Dr Louise Oliver, visit her website.
The video link mentioned in the episode from Mr Vik Veer, ENT consultant, to improve snoring and sleep apnoea can be found here.
Louise is on Instagram as @drlouiseolivertlc and on Facebook here.
Dr Marianne Tinkler is a respiratory consultant from Swindon. In March 2020, Marianne contracted Covid-19 and had to take a month off work with a severe cough and extreme fatigue. She returned to frontline work on the wards at the height of the pandemic but found it difficult due to ongoing symptoms of tiredness, breathlessness, a racing heart rate and significant brain fog. Later that year, when long COVID became more recognised and Marianne was continuing to experience severe symptoms, she was encouraged to take an extended break from work, and this gave her time to reflect on her hormonal journey as well as learning how to navigate life with long COVID.
In this episode, the experts discuss the relationship between long COVID and the perimenopause/menopause, the barriers to accessing treatment and some of the benefits of diet, movement and HRT for those suffering with long COVID.
Marianne’s advice if you have long COVID:
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Mr Osama Naji is a consultant gynaecologist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ hospital in London and he leads the busy department of women’s cancer diagnostics at Guy’s Cancer Centre. Mr Naji specialises in early detection of pre-cancerous conditions and is an international expert in advanced gynaecological scanning, contributing significantly to scientific research in women’s gynaecological health.
In this episode, the experts discuss the complexity and influence of the menstrual cycle, bleeding on HRT and when it should be investigated further, and the safety of HRT with regard to gynaecological cancers.
Mr Naji’s three take home messages are:
For more information on Mr Osama Naji, visit www.rylonclinic.com
GP and menopause specialist, Dr Sarah Ball, makes a record fifth appearance on the podcast this week to discuss her work exploring experiences of menopause care in women who have had breast cancer.
The experts discuss findings from a recent survey carried out by Sarah and the Newson Health team to highlight how things have improved in recent years and identify some of the ongoing needs.
Clinical Director of Newson Health, Dr Rebecca Lewis, returns to the podcast this week for a special end of year episode with Dr Louise Newson. The business partners and friends reflect on some of the positives over the last 12 months and discuss the continued challenges in trying to help more women with their experience of perimenopause and menopause.
Rebecca’s three hopes for 2023:
Follow Rebecca on Instagram at @dr.rebecca.lewis
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Professor Chris Harding is a Consultant Urologist working at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle upon Tyne and at Newcastle University. He has a particular interest in bladder dysfunction, continence and urinary tract infections (UTIs). In recent years, his research has focused on non-antibiotic treatments for recurrent UTIs and developing targeted treatments for specific patient groups.
In this episode, Professor Chris talks to Dr Louise about the challenges of diagnosing UTIs accurately, the severe impact recurrent UTIs can have on your life, how antibiotics can be used appropriately, and how to prevent UTIs occurring. The experts share some of their plans to study the effects of systemic HRT and vaginal hormone treatments on UTIs in women.
Chris’s advice if you have recurrent UTIs:
You don’t need to put up with UTIs in the perimenopause and menopause; there are many proven treatments available
Acknowledge that current tests for UTIs are not 100% accurate. If you think you have a UTI, you probably have, even if your test was negative – the diagnosis can always be questioned
Discuss with your doctor how you can prevent infections if you have had two episodes within six months, or three within a year
Hormone replacement, particularly vaginal treatments, are significantly protective and preventative against UTIs.
Follow Prof Chris Harding on social media at @chrisharding123
Dr Louise Newson is an award-winning physician, respected women's hormone specialist, educator, and author committed to increasing awareness and knowledge of perimenopause, menopause, and lifelong hormone health. Each week, Louise dives into the newest research, treatments and hot topic issues, providing accessible, evidence-based information to empower your future health. Joined by fellow experts and special guests, with answers to your burning questions, Louise explores how hormones impact every aspect of our lives.
Described as the "medic who kickstarted the menopause revolution", Louise aims to empower a generation of women to have a greater understanding, choice and control over their treatment, bodies, minds and future health through their hormones. She is the creator of the award-winning free balance app, a Sunday Times bestselling author and the founder of the Newson Health clinic. With over three decades of clinical experience, Louise is a member of the Royal College of Physicians, a Fellow of the Royal College of GPs, a Visiting Fellow at Cambridge, a regular contributor to academic journals including the Lancet and the British Journal of General Practice, and has been awarded an honorary Doctorate of Health from Bradford University.
