Dr. Louise Newson

is incredibly validating because otherwise you do almost drive yourself mad thinking maybe i am making it up you know like why would i make up that my coffee smells of tuna fish you know what i mean but if you're the only person thinking that then it's like okay well maybe it's just maybe a bit weird but you're validating and allowing other people to go oh gosh and then you know we know that our hormones progesterone is to dial and testosterone

work everywhere.

So they affect the pathways from our nose to our olfactory centre, which is what determines the way we smell.

And those pathways are disturbed if you don't have hormones or you have fluctuating hormones.

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.