Dr. Louise Newson

So we know why it happens.

And often people, when they have the right dose and type of hormones, those symptoms really, really improve.

But the first thing about any diagnosis is making it.

And if people aren't looking at the bigger picture or doctors aren't, then women are just being dismissed left, right and centre.

I mean, it's great.

One of the things, I know it sounds weird as a doctor, is I actually don't like to prescribe drugs that are unnecessary to people.

And, you know, one in three perimenopausal women, especially in the US, are taking antidepressants for their hormonal imbalance, which is just ridiculous, actually, when you think about it.

Right.

That's often because of the anxiety and the low mood and people have misdiagnosed them with clinical depression and forgotten about the role of hormones in the brain.

Yeah.

That's depressing.

So a lot of people are being medicalized inappropriately and they've not had the knowledge to almost question and push back.

And I feel, especially over the last year or two, women have become more empowered to

So then they can make choices that are right for them.

And a lot of my work is just imparting my knowledge so people can make those choices.

But I think when they have this light bulb moment, almost like me shouting at my husband isn't because I hate him.

It's because, you know, the hormones are changing in my body.

and and in my brain and you know just this weird behavior it's just different um and then they can join the dots and then hopefully say to their doctor or healthcare professional look i'm getting xyz symptoms i feel they're my hormones please can i talk to you about hormones whereas before people would just literally talk about one symptom and then the doctor would compartmentalize it into one diagnosis and that's when often they were given the wrong treatment

Well, this is the thing, and I've done the same for many years as a family physician.

You know, someone would come maybe with a urinary tract infection and I'd go, okay, you've got an infection, have some antibiotic.