The Menopause and Cancer Podcast

I’ve never met a fellow cancer survivor who has not struggled with anxiety. But what is anxiety, what’s depression or maybe what you have is PTSD? Menopause on top of that can make things much worse.  On today's episode, we’re discussing all the proven and evidence based strategies that can help. Our guest expert is the super knowledgable Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel, an Oxbridge-trained precision h...

I am pleased to invite Dr. Corinne Menn to the show today. Dr, Menn is a certified gynaecologist, a North American Menopause Society certified menopause specialist and a breast cancer survivor herself who decided to take HRT. Dr. Menn shares her struggles of survivorship with us, talks us through her decision-making processes of over 20 years of being a cancer survivor and she tackles this controv...

Have you ever thought that going onto HRT would fix all of your problems?  Well, you’re not alone, today I am joined by the fabulous Helen Addis, also known as The Titty Gritty. Helen talks us through her most stubborn menopause symptoms, how she wished HRT was an option for her and how she wished a bit of brain lube would exist! Don’t ask, when you know you know ;-) Helen has enjoyed almost...

Problems with sex, vaginal pain, irritation, bladder symptoms and urinary tract infections are very common in menopause after cancer. Our guest experts today are sexual health educator and Yes ambassador Lavinia Winch who will talk us through all of our non-hormonal options, from moisturisers to lubes, to how to wash, and what ingredients to use or not to use. We are also joined by the wonderful...

Hair loss after chemotherapy is to be expected. But what about when hair loss, thinning hair and scalp issues affect you years after your initial cancer diagnosis? One lady in our community said: "My hair started growing lush and thick 1-2 months after finishing chemo but now a year on from starting hormone therapy it has almost completely gone again. My scalp is visible." We are delighted to inv...

I am delighted to welcome back for a second time the fabulous Dr Eleonora Teplinsky, a board-certified medical oncologist from the US. There are many controversial topics in the cancer space and there is much confusion and as patients, we often have many questions. Many of you tell me that you’ve tried to ask your oncologist about various topics but were unsatisfied with the answers you got. Is it...

A suppressed immune system is a common worry for many cancer survivors, especially when you throw menopause into the mix. Today’s guest will share some fantastic tips and tricks with you on boosting your immunity. But before we do so we will also talk about how you can support your detoxification process - another common worry, especially for those who had chemotherapy, general anaesthetics and ot...

Many women say that being on a long-term anti-hormone treatment such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors is much harder than chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery altogether. So I’ve invited breast speciality oncologist Dr. Claire Macaulay from Glasgow onto the podcast to answer your questions.  We’re also joined by a group of our community to join us for this recording so that they get t...

Dani Binnington shares a deeply personal conversation on this week’s episode with our inspiring guest Elizabeth. Elizabeth shares her remarkable journey of how her cancer diagnosis at 30 confronted her with her desire to become a mum. Elizabeth talks us through her journey with IVF as a single mum by choice, how she coped when life gave her breast cancer for a second time around and why there are...

On today’s episode Dr. Lindsey Thomas, British Menopause Society Specialist and GP is helping us understand “Where is my nearest menopause clinic?”. Each week I get emails from women who say they have had absolutely no help in managing their menopausal symptoms after their cancer diagnosis. Many echo what I have been experiencing myself - and that is total confusion of what’s what? If you’re in th...

On today’s episode, we’re discussing why gut health matters after cancer. Everyone seems to be talking about gut health but I want to understand the role of it for when you are in menopause, specifically after cancer.  - How do I know I have a healthy gut?  - Does gut health affect my bone health, my sleep, my everything?  - And are probiotics the answer?  From a poll in our Fa...

In this week’s episode of The Menopause and Cancer podcast, Dani Binnington is joined by Dawn Totty. Dawn shares her personal experience of having to stop HRT because of her endometrial cancer diagnosis, and the unexpected life transformations that take place with a cancer diagnosis. Dawn speaks about her quest to find out her own risks vs. benefits of going back on HRT after her particular cancer...

Systemic therapies to treat breast cancer can lead to a whole array of vaginal and urinary problems. This is a huge survivorship issue that affects nearly 70% of postmenopausal, breast cancer survivors and even more in younger women. These symptoms are often underdiagnosed and under-treated due to underreporting by the patients and limited awareness by professionals.   Are you suffering? &nbs...

On today’s episode, we are talking about the use of ‘magic mushrooms’, in the context of psychedelic therapy.  Psychedelic therapy uses psychedelic plant compounds, such as LSD and psilocybin from “so-called magic mushrooms”, to de-stress, help with fear, worry, sadness and potentially improve quality of life. And we’re in for a real treat. Our guest on the show, Dr. Lauren MacDonald is...

Herbal medicine is the most common form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) used by patients with cancer, with increasing use following a cancer diagnosis. Additionally, a staggering 73.6% of women in the menopausal period are thought to be using Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM).  Since emerging new research and some exciting new studies are happening in this field, I...

A few months ago I recorded a solo episode on alcohol - it was called ‘Alcohol and Me’ in which I shared my own thinking around drinking, not drinking and the difficulty that comes with not drinking socially. After its release, we had so many messages from listeners asking for more on this topic. So, I am delighted to introduce you to Rosamund Dean, a journalist, author, mummy and breast cancer su...

Today on the podcast I am joined by my incredible husband Tim Binnington because cancer is always a family affair!  As much as I want to ensure that we include women with a cancer diagnosis in the menopause conversation - I want to ensure we include everyone in the cancer conversation. My life has changed so much since my diagnosis and I have changed as a person. But Tim’s life has also chang...

Eeek this is exciting (and a little nerve-wracking!) I’m opening a Zoom room - the invitation to join me has gone out into the universe - and here I am sitting and waiting to see who will enter. I’ve decided to admit the first couple of people who are joining, I’m sorry for everyone else who tried! But I truly believe that sharing each other's journeys in a non-judgemental way is what makes us as...

The incredible women on the show today are like you, podcast listeners, they are also in our current Empowered Menopause after cancer program. Each one is truly amazing and they are here to share their stories with you.  I am sure will feel much less alone after listening to this! - Just finished active treatment? - 10 years on and don’t know where to turn? - Just started on an AI and the pai...

Dr Rebecca Glaser retired from breast cancer surgery and is currently involved in research on testosterone therapy by pellet implant and has evaluated and treated over 1500 breast cancer patients. Her research publications have been extensively cited (over 2400 citations) and in this episode, she explains all her findings on the use of testosterone with an aromatase inhibitor in breast cancer pati...

Today’s show is about finding purpose and meaningful ways of moving forward. So many people do amazing things after their cancer diagnosis and it can sometimes feel as if we’re not doing enough just because we don’t climb high mountains or raise thousands of pounds for charity. Well, my two guests on today’s show have gone on and done incredibly worthy things! But they are also wonderfully reflect...

I thought it was about time to go and see how we can hack our diet to reduce our risks of cancer recurring - if there is even such a thing? And to bust some myths along the way. There is a lot of confusion about red meats still. Reduce it they say? By how much exactly? Soy? Sugar? Will anything I eat actually make a difference to my overall risk of cancer recurring? Krystle Zuniga is a US-based re...

Georgie is a body confidence influencer who shares her own experience of cancer in her early 20s very openly. And although her intense life-saving stem cell transplant left her infertile no one mentioned the menopause to her. So it’s fair to say she was very much left in the dark. Was the menopause mentioned to you by your doctors? And if so, was it the right time in your treatment? And were you a...

In today's episode, I have two women who have gone and done fantastic things whilst moving their bodies. Yep, we talk about the benefits of exercise but what we focus on are all the trimmings that come with it, the things that are hard to be measured and why it’s ok to be last and how that can still make you feel like you’re winning and on top of the world. If you’re moving lots already or have lo...

“Is this brain fog, is it overwhelm due to life being busy?” “Am I suffering from brain fog because of chemo or because of menopause?” “Is brain fog worse on tamoxifen?” “Haven’t been able to go back to work. My brain fog is so bad.” In today’s episode, we discuss all of the above and some helpful strategies with two fabulous guests. Dr LindseyThomas is one of the UK’s most knowledgable menopause...