Dr. Louise Newson

And also just the way that the hormones work in the brain with all the other, you know, like I've said, the other neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, glutamate. melatonin, all of those are really important, obviously, for our mood, our memory, our sleep, our cognition. So this fluctuation can really trigger symptoms.

And also just the way that the hormones work in the brain with all the other, you know, like I've said, the other neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, glutamate. melatonin, all of those are really important, obviously, for our mood, our memory, our sleep, our cognition. So this fluctuation can really trigger symptoms.

So often it's before a period, but it can vary so much between women, but they often do notice there's a cyclical variation.

So often it's before a period, but it can vary so much between women, but they often do notice there's a cyclical variation.

It's crucially important It's so important and it's so neglected because like I say a lot of people just dismiss hormonal changes when people are young or it's normalized and And then as we age, our ovaries don't work as well because we're only born with a finite number of eggs. So our hormone levels start to really fluctuate in perimenopause.

It's crucially important It's so important and it's so neglected because like I say a lot of people just dismiss hormonal changes when people are young or it's normalized and And then as we age, our ovaries don't work as well because we're only born with a finite number of eggs. So our hormone levels start to really fluctuate in perimenopause.

So peri just means around the time of menopause and menopause means when periods stop. But that can last for 10 years or so. And I see quite a lot of women who still have regular periods, but they're sadly getting these symptoms, especially affecting their brain.

So peri just means around the time of menopause and menopause means when periods stop. But that can last for 10 years or so. And I see quite a lot of women who still have regular periods, but they're sadly getting these symptoms, especially affecting their brain.

And unless you've got that knowledge or unless someone sits down and explains to you what's going on or you track and monitor your symptoms, it's very easy to blame other things or think there's something else going on. And, you know, like I said, a lot of people I see have waited often, many years to get a diagnosis and They've got a diagnosis, but it's so obvious it's related to their hormones.

And unless you've got that knowledge or unless someone sits down and explains to you what's going on or you track and monitor your symptoms, it's very easy to blame other things or think there's something else going on. And, you know, like I said, a lot of people I see have waited often, many years to get a diagnosis and They've got a diagnosis, but it's so obvious it's related to their hormones.

But it's very hard. You know, I had symptoms eight, nine years ago. And it's a bit embarrassing being a menopause specialist, but they lasted six to seven months until my middle daughter made my diagnosis for me, which is very kind of a... But when you're with yourself 24-7, you just accept any change and you don't always notice any change or you put it down to something else.

But it's very hard. You know, I had symptoms eight, nine years ago. And it's a bit embarrassing being a menopause specialist, but they lasted six to seven months until my middle daughter made my diagnosis for me, which is very kind of a... But when you're with yourself 24-7, you just accept any change and you don't always notice any change or you put it down to something else.

And so often with women, it's like, oh, well, it must be really hard for her because she's got three children and she works all the time and she's got parents or whatever. And it's like, hang on, there must be something else that's going on. And if you haven't got that knowledge... then it's very hard to know.

And so often with women, it's like, oh, well, it must be really hard for her because she's got three children and she works all the time and she's got parents or whatever. And it's like, hang on, there must be something else that's going on. And if you haven't got that knowledge... then it's very hard to know.

And if you're locked into a medical system that's telling you X, Y, Z, not telling you about how hormones work in the brain, then it's not going to be on your radar at all. And then the other travesty, I think, is that so many women who are younger... are given contraception and then their brain function actually worsens. And I see it a lot with my children.

And if you're locked into a medical system that's telling you X, Y, Z, not telling you about how hormones work in the brain, then it's not going to be on your radar at all. And then the other travesty, I think, is that so many women who are younger... are given contraception and then their brain function actually worsens. And I see it a lot with my children.

Their friends are given contraception and then they're given antidepressants and then they're not being able to think properly. And I'm just thinking, oh, my goodness, if I could. And I do see quite a few of them as patients.

Their friends are given contraception and then they're given antidepressants and then they're not being able to think properly. And I'm just thinking, oh, my goodness, if I could. And I do see quite a few of them as patients.

give them natural hormones it can make a massive difference and that's what I think it's all very well me age 54 having hormonal changes but actually if you're in your 20s and 30s that's your whole career could be different your whole pathway could be very different if you had the right understanding knowledge and the right treatment from the right person and you know one in

give them natural hormones it can make a massive difference and that's what I think it's all very well me age 54 having hormonal changes but actually if you're in your 20s and 30s that's your whole career could be different your whole pathway could be very different if you had the right understanding knowledge and the right treatment from the right person and you know one in