Ep.35 Louise Newson: Menopause, Health and HRT

The Health Scientist Podcast

Dr Louise Newson is a GP and menopause specialist with an Advanced Menopause Specialist certificate with FSRH and the BMS. She feels passionately about improving education about the perimenopause and menopause and also improving awareness of safe prescribing of HRT to healthcare professionals. She has written many articles and editorials and in 2019 launched her first book, Menopause Manual with Haynes Publishing, which went on to be an Amazon bestseller.

Louise has lectured extensively at numerous meetings (including the RCGP annual meeting) on the topic of menopause. She has been a director for Primary Care Women’s Health Forum and an editor for the British Journal of Family Medicine. She is the director of Newson Health Ltd and has also set up a not-for-profit company – Newson Health Research and Education – and is involved in research with colleagues in Warwick University, London School of Tropical Medicine and also Kings College London.

Louise's Instagram

Louise's Website: Menopause Doctor

In this episode we cover:

• Dr Newson's career path to becoming a menopause specialist
• What exactly is the menopause and how is it diagnosed
• What are some of the commonly known and not-so-commonly known symptoms of menopause
• Why every case of menopause can be different
• The relationship between menopause and heart disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, dementia and obesity
• Why misdiagnosis of menopause is so common (memory problems, chronic fatigue, depression, urinary health issues etc)
• What are hot flashes and night sweats and why their effects can be so serious.
• How long can menopause last in some women?
• How can menopause affect a woman's sex life and why is it still taboo for many women?
• Why does a woman's body shape change around menopause and why is weight gain common?
• How sleep disturbances around menopause can contribute to weight gain.
• Why are women so poorly informed about the symptoms of menopause and why is change needed in the medical field.
• What is Hormone Replacement Therapy and how can it help with the symptoms of menopause.
• The importance of speaking with a menopause specialist when seeking guidance on HRT
• Why is there so much misinformation about the risks of HRT (The Women's Health Initiative)
• Is HRT natural and does it even matter?