The Dr Louise Newson Podcast

A mother-daughter duo shares a heartfelt exploration of living with chronic migraine and PMDD. Jessica candidly discusses her debilitating symptoms and the struggle for proper care. Hormonal treatments, particularly HRT, play a crucial role in her journey to stabilization. They delve into the importance of listening healthcare providers and how holistic management can improve outcomes. Jessica emphasizes the necessity for better recognition of young women's health issues and shares empowering takeaways for others facing similar challenges.

In this conversation, Dr Louise Newson sits down with Matt Jones, Managing Director of Balance app, for an honest look at how a simple idea grew into a global tool supporting over a million women. They talk about the real stories behind the app, the messages from women who feel unheard, the gaps in medical care regarding hormones and why accessible, trustworthy information can make such a difference to women.Matt shares what drew him to the project, what he’s discovered and why the scale of unmet need has surprised him. Together they explore the future of Balance app expanding beyond menopause to hormonal health across a woman’s whole life, harnessing technology without losing the human touch and keeping the app free so knowledge remains within reach for every woman who needs it.It’s a thoughtful discussion about purpose, equity, and how digital tools can help women advocate for themselves with clarity and confidence.Want more from the podcast? Sign up to my premium offer: https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/premium-podcasts LET'S CONNECT  Subscribe here 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@menopause_doctor Website 👉 https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/Instagram 👉   / @drlouisenewsonpodcast  Download balance app 👉 / https://www.balance-menopause.com/balance-app/ LinkedIn 👉     / https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlouisenewson/ TikTok 👉   / https://www.tiktok.com/@drlouisenewson Spotify 👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/7dCctfyI9bODGDaFnjfKhg LEARN MORE Download my balance app 👉 https://www.balance-menopause.com/balance-app/Get tickets for my new theatre tour, Breaking the Cycle 👉 https://www.nlp-ltd.com/dr-louise-newson-breaking-the-cycle/ 

Dr. Rachel Rubin, a urologist and sexual medicine specialist, sheds light on how hormonal changes negatively impact women's urinary and vaginal health. She emphasizes the prevalence of recurrent UTIs and advocates for vaginal hormone therapies as a vital preventive measure. The discussion touches on the significant evidence supporting vaginal estrogen's safety and efficacy, the overlooked role of androgens, and the barriers preventing proper hormone therapy access. Informed patients and clinicians can transform approaches to menopause care and enhance quality of life.

Every day we hear from women whose symptoms are being misdiagnosed, which makes Penny Lancaster’s story hit close to home. She talks with Dr Louise Newson about the months she spent thinking she was depressed, the antidepressants she was offered in lockdown and the moment she realised her symptoms were linked to menopause.They touch on a bigger cultural shift too. Menopause is being mentioned more often now, yet many women still struggle to get clear guidance or access HRT. Old fears linger, and too many people feel pushed aside in their working and home lives just when they need support.Penny reflects on how getting the right information changed everything for her, and how the themes in her book Someone Like Me echo the resilience so many women quietly build. It’s a straightforward, reassuring listen for anyone trying to make sense of their own symptoms or wanting to understand this stage of life a little better.Want more from the podcast? Sign up to my premium offer: https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/premium-podcastsLET'S CONNECT  Subscribe here 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@menopause_doctor Website 👉 https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/Instagram 👉   / @drlouisenewsonpodcast  LinkedIn 👉     / https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlouisenewson/ TikTok 👉   / https://www.tiktok.com/@drlouisenewson Spotify 👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/7dCctfyI9bODGDaFnjfKhg LEARN MORE Buy Penny’s book, Someone Like Me 👉https://www.waterstones.com/book/someone-like-me/penny-lancaster/9781526686978 Take my online education course, Hormones Unlocked 👉 https://www.learningwithexperts.com/products/hormones-unlocked-dr-louise-newson Get tickets for my new theatre tour, Breaking the Cycle 👉 https://www.nlp-ltd.com/dr-louise-newson-breaking-the-cycle/ Download my balance app 👉 https://www.balance-menopause.com/balance-app/ 

Content advisory: this episode contains themes of mental health and suicide Many women experience menopause as more than hot flushes and periods stopping. It can also bring a deep sense of flatness, loss of joy, anxiety or even thoughts of hopelessness.In this episode, Dr Louise Newson speaks with Sally Wainwright OBE, the multiple BAFTA-winning writer and director known for Happy Valley, Gentleman Jack and Last Tango in Halifax. Her new BBC drama Riot Women has already had amazing reviews. Louise was the Medical Consultant for Riot Women.Sally discusses her personal experience of menopause, and how being prescribed hormones has transformed her wellbeing and how those truths shaped her latest BBC drama, Riot Women. She also talks openly about her mother, who had both osteoporosis and dementia.Together, they explore the link between menopause and mental health, the cost of silence around hormonal symptoms and the power of honest storytelling to change how women think and talk about menopause, as well as how they access hormone treatments. .Disclaimer: This podcast is not connected to the BBC.In the UK, you can contact Samaritans 24/7 at 116 123 or visit samaritans.org. If you're outside the UK, please reach out to a local crisis support service or emergency medical help.LET'S CONNECT  Subscribe here 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@menopause_doctor Website 👉 https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/Instagram 👉   / @drlouisenewsonpodcast  Download balance app 👉 / https://www.balance-menopause.com/balance-app/ LinkedIn 👉     / https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlouisenewson/ TikTok 👉   / https://www.tiktok.com/@drlouisenewson Spotify 👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/7dCctfyI9bODGDaFnjfKhg LEARN MORE Watch Sally’s latest BBC Drama, Riot Women 👉https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002hd7x Take my online education course, Hormones Unlocked 👉 https://www.learningwithexperts.com/products/hormones-unlocked-dr-louise-newson Sign up for my Confidence in Menopause Course 👉 https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/education---confidence-in-menopause  

Despite increased awareness, misinformation around menopause is still everywhere with outdated fears about hormone therapy, confusion over types of hormones and mixed messages about risks leaving many women unsure where to turn. In this episode, Dr Louise Newson sits down with Amy Alkon, an American author and science writer, for a clear-eyed look at what the evidence really shows. Amy’s book, Going Menopostal, unpacks the research behind menopause and exposes how gaps in medical education still affect women’s care.Their conversation covers the differences between hormone types, the importance of scientific literacy in medicine and the value of personalised, evidence-based treatment. It’s an honest, informative discussion that helps separate fact from assumption in menopause care.LET'S CONNECT  Subscribe here 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@menopause_doctor Website 👉 https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/Instagram 👉   / @drlouisenewsonpodcast  Download balance app 👉 / https://www.balance-menopause.com/balance-app/ LinkedIn 👉     / https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlouisenewson/ TikTok 👉   / https://www.tiktok.com/@drlouisenewson Spotify 👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/7dCctfyI9bODGDaFnjfKhg LEARN MORE Buy Amy’s book, Going Menopostal 👉https://www.amazon.co.uk/Going-Menopostal-Science-Menopause-Perimenopause/dp/1637742452 Take my online education course, Hormones Unlocked 👉 https://www.learningwithexperts.com/products/hormones-unlocked-dr-louise-newson Sign up for my Confidence in Menopause Course 👉 https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/education---confidence-in-menopause  

Dr. Mariza Snyder, a functional medicine doctor and hormone specialist, sheds light on the often-overlooked signs of perimenopause. She discusses how hormonal fluctuations can affect mood, cognition, and trigger migraines. The conversation dives into the misdiagnosis women face and the importance of tailored hormone replacement therapy. Dr. Mariza also offers practical strategies for managing migraines through lifestyle changes, emphasizing the need for sleep, nutrition, and movement. Her insights provide clarity and action steps for navigating this transformative stage in women's health.

Content advisory: this episode contains themes of suicide Too many women reach perimenopause and menopause only to feel unheard, unseen and underserved by the healthcare system. In this episode, Dr Louise Newson is joined by wellbeing pioneer Liz Earle MBE to confront that invisibility and explore how knowledge, improved access to hormonal treatments and open conversation can change the future of women’s health.Together, they discuss the barriers women still face when seeking care, the lack of research into female biology and the consequences of ignoring hormonal health as we age. Liz shares her personal experience of finding renewed strength and purpose later in life, while Dr Newson highlights what needs to shift in medicine to truly support women through menopause and beyond.In the UK, you can contact Samaritans 24/7 at 116 123 or visit samaritans.org. If you're outside the UK, please reach out to a local crisis support service or emergency medical help.LET'S CONNECT  Subscribe here 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@menopause_doctor Website 👉 https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/Instagram 👉   / @drlouisenewsonpodcast  Download balance app 👉 / https://www.balance-menopause.com/balance-app/ LinkedIn 👉     / https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlouisenewson/ TikTok 👉   / https://www.tiktok.com/@drlouisenewson Spotify 👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/7dCctfyI9bODGDaFnjfKhg LEARN MORE Take my online education course, Hormones Unlocked 👉 https://www.learningwithexperts.com/products/hormones-unlocked-dr-louise-newson Sign up for my Confidence in Menopause Course 👉 https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/education---confidence-in-menopause  Learn more about Liz Earle MBE and buy her book 👉https://lizearlewellbeing.com/ 

Content advisory: this episode contains themes of suicide More than a million worldwide undergo a hysterectomy each year, for reasons ranging from heavy bleeding to pain or other gynecological problems - but what happens to your body post-surgery is rarely discussed in depth. When your uterus and/or ovaries are removed, your body’s hormone production of progesterone, estradiol and testosterone reduces which can trigger a cascade of effects on your brain function, mood, bone health, cardiovascular function, sexual wellbeing and overall quality of life.In this episode of The Dr Louise Newson Podcast, Dr Louise speaks with Dr Kameelah Phillips, a leading New York obstetrician and gynecologist, founder of Calla Women's Health and author of The Empowered Hysterectomy. Together they unpack the science behind post-hysterectomy hormone changes, explain why estradiol, progesterone and testosterone remain important and discuss why so many women still miss out on the support and hormone treatment they both need and want.Their conversation also covers how healthcare professionals can better prepare patients for surgery and recovery, as well as the crucial questions women can ask before surgery, and why hormone treatment should be considered after a hysterectomy as a standard part of care. In the UK, you can contact Samaritans 24/7 at 116 123 or visit samaritans.org. If you're outside the UK, please reach out to a local crisis support service or emergency medical help.LET'S CONNECT  Subscribe here 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@menopause_doctor Website 👉 https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/Instagram 👉   / @drlouisenewsonpodcast  Download balance app 👉 / https://www.balance-menopause.com/balance-app/ LinkedIn 👉     / https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlouisenewson/ TikTok 👉   / https://www.tiktok.com/@drlouisenewson Spotify 👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/7dCctfyI9bODGDaFnjfKhg LEARN MORE Join me on my upcoming theatre event in London 👉 https://www.nlp-ltd.com/dr-louise-newson-qanda/ Buy Dr Kameelah Phillips’ new book, The Empowered Hysterectomy 👉https://www.callawomenshealth.com/the-empowered-hysterectomy Take my online education course, Hormones Unlocked 👉 https://www.learningwithexperts.com/products/hormones-unlocked-dr-louise-newson Sign up for my Confidence in Menopause Course 👉 https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/education---confidence-in-menopause  

For more than half a century, "the Pill” has been a routine part of women’s lives, prescribed not only for contraception but for acne, period pain and hormonal regulation. It’s so deeply woven into modern medicine and culture that most of us rarely question how it works or what it does beyond its prescribed use.In this episode, Dr Louise Newson speaks with psychologist, researcher and author Dr Sarah Hill about the untold story behind synthetic hormones and their impact on the brain. Together, they explore how shutting down natural hormone production and replacing it with synthetic versions can alter mood, motivation, cognition and mental health - changes that are often dismissed or overlooked in both medical practice and public conversation.Dr Sarah Hill also explains why progesterone remains one of the most misunderstood hormones in medicine. Far from being a simple reproductive regulator, it plays a vital role in neuroprotection, inflammation control and emotional stability with implications for conditions ranging from anxiety and depression to postnatal mental health and autoimmune disease.This episode challenges decades of cultural assumptions about women’s health and invites clinicians, researchers and patients alike to rethink what we know (and don’t know) about how synthetic hormones shape the female brain.LET'S CONNECT  Subscribe here 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@menopause_doctor Website 👉 https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/Instagram 👉   / @drlouisenewsonpodcast  Download balance app 👉 / https://www.balance-menopause.com/balance-app/ LinkedIn 👉     / https://www.linkedin.com/in/drlouisenewson/ TikTok 👉   / https://www.tiktok.com/@drlouisenewson Spotify 👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/7dCctfyI9bODGDaFnjfKhg LEARN MORE Join me on my upcoming theatre events in London and Birmingham 👉 https://www.nlp-ltd.com/dr-louise-newson-qanda/ Buy Dr Sarah Hill’s new book, The Period Brain 👉https://www.sarahehill.com/books/ Take my online education course, Hormones Unlocked 👉 https://www.learningwithexperts.com/products/hormones-unlocked-dr-louise-newson Sign up for my Confidence in Menopause Course 👉 https://www.drlouisenewson.co.uk/education---confidence-in-menopause