On this week’s podcast, Dr Louise Newson is joined by Dr Rebecca Walker, a GP who specialises in headache medicine and migraines. In this episode, Dr Rebecca and Dr Louise (who suffers from migraines herself) get back to basics, looking at what migraines are, why they can occur and management approaches, from lifestyle measures to medication. They also talk about how hormone changes during perimenopause and menopause can impact the frequency and severity of migraines, and bust some myths...

Joining Dr Louise Newson on the podcast this week is Jen Moore, a campaigner dedicated to raising awareness of endometriosis and adenomyosis. Jen started experiencing endometriosis symptoms at the age of 11, but it took her 22 years to receive a diagnosis of endometriosis, adenomyosis and fibroids. By this stage organ failure was a risk and she required multiple surgeries, including a hysterectomy. She has since become committed to helping other women – from speaking out to creating research...

This week, Dr Louise is joined by Nicola McFarlane, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) in 2023. Nicola shares the story of her MND diagnosis, as well as the barriers she faced in accessing treatment for perimenopause symptoms – including low mood, anxiety and recurrent UTIs – to improve her quality of life. Nicola talks about how health professionals often put her perimenopause symptoms (which pre-dated her MND diagnosis) down to her MND, and why she is sharing her own...

On this week’s episode Dr Louise is joined by Dr Marty Makary, Johns Hopkins professor, member of the National Academy of Medicine and bestselling author. Together they discuss the impact of the Women’s Health Initiative study on women’s hormone health, menopause education for healthcare professionals and the importance of patient-centred care that focuses on root causes, rather than just symptoms. Dr Marty talks about his new book Blind Spots, and the importance of asking big questions...

Joining Dr Louise this week are Dr Tash Mirando and Dr June Tan Sheren, who are GPs based at Osler Health International in Singapore. Dr Tash and Dr June explain the pillars of lifestyle medicine, including sleep, nutrition and exercise, and talk about longevity and the importance of taking a holistic approach to menopause care. They also discuss menopause care in Singapore, bust myths on how menopause can affect women of different ethnicities and highlight the importance of knowledge and...

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women and this risk increases after the menopause, and a woman’s risk of heart attack is around five times higher after the menopause than before*. Joining Louise on this week’s podcast is Dr Jeremy London, a board-certified cardiothoracic surgeon based in the US, to discuss heart health, hormones and menopause. They discuss the role of oestrogen in reducing inflammation in the body, why women typically present with different heart...

In a special episode to mark World Menopause Month, and ahead of World Menopause Day on 18 October, Dr Louise is joined by Dr Rebecca Lewis, co-founder of Newson Health. Together they cover some of the most frequently asked questions about perimenopause, menopause and HRT, including: When should I expect symptoms to improve after starting HRT? How long can I take HRT for? Plus advice on taking a holistic approach to menopause, tracking your symptoms, and talking to your healthcare...

Joining Dr Louise on this week’s episode is Victoria Faulkner, who was diagnosed with type one diabetes in childhood. Victoria talks about day to day life managing menopause and diabetes, as well as her experiences of a surgical menopause due to treatment for endometriosis. Finally she shares the three things she thinks women with type one diabetes should know about hormonal health, and what has helped her personally: Familiarise yourself with the NICE guidelines on diabetes and see what you...

Content advisory: this podcast contains themes of mental health and suicide Joining Dr Louise on the podcast this week is Linda Gask, retired psychiatrist and author of new book Out of Her Mind: How We Are Failing Women's Mental Health and What Must Change. In her book, Linda draws on the lived experiences of women, alongside expert commentators, recent history, current events, and her own personal and professional experience to look at women’s mental healthcare today. Dr Louise and...

On this week’s podcast, Dr Louise is joined by Dr Mohit Khera, a US-based leading urology specialist treating urinary tract disorders, male infertility, and male and female sexual dysfunction. They discuss the role of testosterone, the most biologically active hormone in the female body, why he believes testosterone is the best barometer of health of all hormones, and testosterone replacement. For more information about Dr Mohit, click here, and you can follow him on Instagram @...

Joining Dr Louise on this week’s podcast are US-based Kristin Johnson and Maria Claps, authors of new book The Great Menopause Myth: The Truth on Mastering Midlife Hormonal Mayhem, Beating Uncomfortable Symptoms, and Aging to Thrive. Kristin and Maria share their own menopause stories, why they wanted to write a book to help others and why menopause can be the best time of your life. The pair also share the four things, besides hormones, that can help women during this...

This week’s episode is all about Dr Louise Newson Menopause Masterclass, a brand new video-led, one-stop guide to perimenopause and menopause. In this episode, Dr Louise chats to Kate Muir, journalist, author, documentary maker and menopause activist, who worked with Dr Louise on developing Menopause Masterclass. Together they discuss the inspiration behind Menopause Masterclass, topics covered, featured experts and why it’s a must watch for everyone, whether you are menopausal, keen to be...

Joining Dr Louise on this week’s podcast is Melanie Verwoerd, political analyst, former member of parliament for the South African ANC party under Nelson Mandela, and former South African ambassador to Ireland. In this episode, Melanie shares her experience of radical hysterectomy, and her shock at just how little information is available to women before their operation. She tells Dr Louise how she is on a mission to close the information gap by chronicling her experiences in a book, Never...

In this week’s episode Dr Louise is joined by one of her patients, Lesley Henry, a nurse who lives in Northern Ireland. Lesley shares her experience of menopause, which started before she received a diagnosis of endometrial cancer. Her treatment for cancer led to a surgical menopause, which she found debilitating. Lesley explains she feared her brain fog and fatigue would prevent her from returning to work and from caring for her mother. A firm believer in the importance of quality of life,...

Menopausal women are the fastest-growing demographic in the UK workforce, yet a 2022 survey by the Fawcett Society found one in ten women leave work due to their menopause symptoms. This week, Dr Louise is joined by Oonagh Ferson, who researched the experiences of perimenopausal and menopausal women in the workplace as part of her MSc in HR management at Queens University Belfast. Oonagh shares her research findings and some of the stories of women she interviewed, and with Dr Louise...

This week on the podcast, Dr Louise is once again joined by her friend, retired consultant urologist Steve Payne. Together they look at the similarities and differences in women and men’s experiences of menopause and andropause, and the effect of low testosterone levels, including loss of libido and lust for life, lethargy, mood changes, depression and muscular weakness. They address the issues surrounding testosterone replacement and Steve questions if medical professionals can learn...

This week, Dr Louise is joined by Dr Claudia DeGiovanni, a consultant dermatologist with a keen interest in the menopause. Dr Claudia has published a four-part review on the effect of menopause on skin and hair and has carried out research into the effect of menopausal skin issues on quality of life. Here she talks about the prevalence of skin issues in menopause and their causes, the significance of oestrogen and what to look out for in products and what to avoid. Finally, she shares three...

This week on the podcast, Dr Louise is joined by Dr Ceri Cashell, a GP in Australia who specialises in female hormonal health. After completing Newson Health’s Confidence in Menopause course, Dr Ceri became passionate about educating both patients and fellow healthcare professionals about the importance of hormones, and busting myths around HRT. Here she talks about the advantages of longer consultations with patients and shares the things she thinks it’s important for healthcare...

This week Dr Louise is joined by sprinter Desirèe Henry who is representing Team GB at the Paris Olympics this year. Desirèe is no stranger to the Olympics – she was one of seven young athletes who lit the Olympic caldron at the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Games, plus she took home a bronze medal in the 4 X 100m relay at the 2016 Rio Games. And she’ll be heading to Paris on a high after being part of Team GB’s gold medal-winning women’s 4x100m relay team at the European Athletics...

This week on the podcast, Dr Louise is joined by Manisha Morgan, whose own experience of menopause led her to train as a nutritionist. Manisha offers support to women who are fed up with yo-yo dieting to build a positive relationship with food, lose weight, and lead a healthy lifestyle. She helps women learn mindset techniques to help improve self-confidence and implement habits that can lead to long-term success. Manisha talks about the importance of acknowledging cultural attitudes and...

This week on the podcast, Dr Louise is joined by Osama Naji, a Consultant Gynaecologist who is an expert in advanced gynaecological scanning at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust. In this episode Osama shares his vast knowledge on fibroids – common, benign growths that usually develop during a woman’s reproductive years when oestrogen levels are at their highest. He explains the impact menopause can have on fibroids, treatment options and the possibility of HRT. Finally, Osama...

This week on the podcast, Dr Louise is joined by Dr Corinne Menn, a New York-based, board-certified OB-GYN and North American Menopause Society Certified Menopause Practitioner, with more than 20 years of experience caring for women. When she was 28, Corinne was diagnosed with breast cancer. Following her BRCA2+ diagnosis, she underwent multiple surgeries and chemotherapy then navigated pregnancy and menopause plus longer term survivorship issues. Corinne received support from the Young...

This week on the podcast with Dr Louise, Consultant Dermatologist Dr Sajjad Rajpar returns to talk about acne and its effect on women during the perimenopause and menopause, including on their self-confidence and mental health. Dr Saj explains the causes of acne and the different treatments available, including an encouraging new treatment that could make a big difference to acne sufferers in the long term. Finally, Dr Saj shares his three tips for anyone who might have acne: Keep skincare...

About 28 million people in the UK are thought to be living with chronic pain – that’s 43% of the population, according to the 2011 Census. But what is chronic pain, and how can it overlap with the perimenopause and menopause? In this week’s episode Dr Louise is joined by Dr Deepak Ravindran, a consultant in pain medicine and author of The Pain-Free Mindset: 7 Steps to Taking Control and Overcoming Chronic Pain. Dr Deepak unpicks the science behind chronic, or persist, pain and the two discuss...