Fearne Cotton

The ripple effects of women not being informed previously, but also, as you say, the medical world not catching up with this conversation, is many women, like me, have got their head buried in the sand.

So in many ways, I'm the perfect person to interview today.

Not only about your new book, which I fucking raced through because I was just like, I need this book right now.

The Power of Hormones.

We'll put all the details in the podcast copy.

But I am that typical mid-40s woman who is totally and utterly in denial.

My head's buried in the sand.

I don't know.

I think because I have found the conversation around perimenopause and menopause overwhelming at times.

And you're fed so many different pieces of advice.

And also people like to regurgitate their own narrative to you.

Yeah, which is worth...

Which then, you know, you could start thinking, oh, maybe I should go and talk to someone about this or should I start hormones?

Then someone else says, definitely don't because of this or the fear mongering comes in.

I am that person right now who is still slightly head in the sand.

And I know I've got certain symptoms.

My periods are certainly getting closer together.

So the cycle is shorter.

The periods can be shorter, but I can get a bad headache on day one and a heavy period on day one.

And then it's kind of very light after that.