The Menopause and Cancer Podcast

To say that stress ‘just isn’t good for us’ is a vast understatement. Chronic stress can lead to brain changes which can contribute to anxiety, depression and addiction. It can contribute to high blood pressure and raise the risks of heart attacks and strokes. It can contribute to weight gain and can even contribute to causing brittle bones! So before you drive yourself nuts and add more stress to...

In today’s episode, I speak to Emma Campbell who has been diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in 2014. I am trying to find out how much the menopause was part of her conversations when she was diagnosed with cancer the first time around and how much help and support she had since going on her monthly Zodalex injections. Emma also talks about navigating cancer whilst being a single parent to 4 c...

I believe that we need to tap into many “well-being buckets” in order to manage our menopause after a cancer diagnosis.  I doubt that just by doing one thing alone we will feel as good as we want to and also deserve to feel. It’s also not about just managing our physical symptoms because we’re 3-dimensional human beings - and I think our approach to our health needs to be 3-dimensional too.&n...

In today’s episode, I want to discuss the use of antidepressants for the management of menopause symptoms once you’ve had a cancer diagnosis.  I am joined by the most incredible breast doctor, Dr Alison Macbeth, who runs a busy open-access breast clinic in Glasgow. Before I invite Alison in I want to run through some examples with you that always come up in conversations with women when I run...

If you’re in your 20s and 30s and think that you’re somehow in menopause since your cancer diagnosis, even if you’re not quite sure, this episode is for you! I am delighted, that today on the podcast I am joined by the fantastic Jemima Reynolds. Jemima is head of health at charity Trekstock and together we have curated the UK’s first extensive menopause program for young people affected by cancer...

Herbal medicine is one of the most used complementary therapy by people with cancer. Yet, I feel the majority of us don’t actually know what it really is, beyond what you can pick up in a little bottle from your local health food store - how it is used and hence it becomes an under-effective therapy. I am very grateful to be joined by Anita Ralph who is a consultant medical herbalist MSc MNIMH MCP...

Did you know that exercise can reduce your risk of a cancer recurrence by up to 30%?!  In a recent post in my Facebook group I asked my community of women how much exercise had been discussed with them by their health care professionals and what their biggest hurdles were. And we had a flurry of messages within a few minutes. Many echoing the same sentiment: - It’s been very difficult to get...

This meditation is for anyone, regardless of what has happened to you until now.  Although you are in the home of The Menopause And Cancer podcast, I was told that many people listen to my meditations, even if they have not had a cancer diagnosis or are not in menopause. And that’s totally ok! You are so welcome! Many of us face ill health in so many different ways and this can be the most ch...

Today on the podcast I want to welcome Kate. Kate is a registered nurse who has spent over 13 years specialising in women’s health with extensive experience in fertility and menopause.  Since our episode with the wonderful Helen Munro - Episode 7 - on her story of fertility after cancer, I have had so many questions and messages about this. So I thought it would be fab to get some signposting...

Often we arrive in menopause after a cancer diagnosis and we hardly remember who we are. We can remember who we used to be, but with altered body images, with a reality that might differ from our expectations, it can be hard to accept and love ourselves and our bodies. New scars, a body that perhaps we feel has let us down…so much to process. I hope you enjoy this short meditation for self-love.&n...

Being able to work is something that most cancer survivors want to do for many reasons, not least because it provides financial independence, but mainly because it provides a sense of normality.  But how do we do so in a constructive way? What are my rights? And what if menopause becomes an added problem?  I am joined by Barbara Wilson, founder of Working With Cancer who explains what ou...

Your life is filled with too much business, too much hurry, too much stress. Just for a moment, let go of all that. This is a wonderful meditation if you’re feeling frazzled, as if life is pulling you into all sorts of directions. Sometimes it really doesn’t take much, but to give our mind a little break. You can take this mediation at any time during your week and during the day. It is short and...

Managing menopause after a cancer diagnosis brings with it a heap of physical and psychological symptoms, many of which can be discussed much more openly than others. Our sexual desires, loss of libido, difficulty becoming aroused, painful sex and so much more are often not spoken about. What is normal and what can I do if I don’t like that ‘new normal’?  In this episode, we will focus less o...

Now I wonder: What do you call your ‘down below’, your ‘front bottom’? I am so excited to be speaking to two fantastic ladies today: menopause specialist and GP Dr. Charlotte Gooding and Samantha Evans, co-founder of Jo Divine, an online sex toy company. We talk about vaginal health, how this can be affected in menopause after cancer and what we can do to find symptom relief. Vaginal atrophy Painf...

What’s it like to date and embark on new intimate relationships once our lives and bodies have been altered by cancer treatments and surgeries? Today on the podcast I am joined by Alex Darby who shares her insights (and funny stories) on how she went about all of this. Divorce or separation and being a single parent is for sure challenging enough. There are many roadmaps to navigating this and eve...

Today on the podcast I am speaking to a brilliant guest and oh, what a story she has to tell. Toral Shah is a Nutritional Scientist, Integrative Medicine Practitioner, Health writer and Consultant, as well as the Founder of The Urban Kitchen. Toral has been diagnosed with breast cancer not just once, but three times. I’m going to try and find out from Toral how she navigated with being diagno...

Today on the podcast I am delighted to speak to the knowledgable Dr Hannah Short. Hannah, after suffering from debilitating pre-menstrual symptoms her whole adult life had surgical menopause, which is what I want to talk about today. A few years down the line Hannah not only shares her personal experience but also everything she has learned in her day-to-day work and she is also the co-author of T...

Today's episode is different. I have no expert or wonderful survivor story for you - all you are getting is moi! Over the next few weeks and months, I will share with you some of the other bits and pieces that have helped me heal over the last few years. As a cancer survivor, I have found much light and hope in meditation and mindfulness. As a teacher, I share poems, readings and I have decided th...

In today’s episode, I am joined by Helen Munro and we speak about fertility. Helen is the most wonderful woman, we share a tear and laughter together and I am feeling very humble and grateful that Helen has offered to share her experience with me and all of you. We discuss her cancer diagnosis, treatment, what was discussed by her health care providers and how she was feeling at different stages o...

Is it possible to take HRT after hormone-sensitive cancer? This is one of the questions where experts’ opinions divide, leaving patients confused. Once you’re given a ‘no to HRT’ it can make us feel as if we have no options. I will speak about HRT after cancer more in future episodes on the podcast because I know so many of us are in a muddle about this. And I will try to learn from experts and pa...

What’s the deal with menopause and diet after cancer? Is there a ‘best way to eat’? I’ve been looking for an expert on this for a long time and I was so thrilled that the incredibly knowledgeable Hillary Wright has agreed to speak to us. Hillary Wright is a registered and licensed dietitian with over 2 decades of experience - and now wait for it: She is a Senior Nutritionist at the  Dana Farb...

In today’s episode, I am speaking to the incredible Stacey Owen. Stacey and I met on the navigating menopause program last year which I co-curated and co-hosted with charity Trekstock. Together with a team of incredible experts and co-host Jemima Reynolds, head of health at Trekstock, we helped guide young adults in their 20s and 30s to work out a way forward, that’s right for them. Stacey’s breas...

I am very excited to welcome Dr. Lindsey Thomas onto today’s episode of the podcast. Lindsey is a registered British Menopause Society Specialist, with the highest level of training. She can be found at the NHS specialist menopause clinic in Leeds and she is also a menopause specialist at Menopause Car e. She has worked in a large inner city practice in Sheffield as a GP for almost 20 years, where...

This week I am joined by Carly Moosah, writer, coach and fellow breast cancer and BRCA1 survivor. And we are discussing one of the most asked questions I always get: “How do I befriend the new me? I don’t like who I’ve become. I just want my old pre-cancer, pre-menopausal self back!” Carly and I share a very similar history with cancer and we both arrived in menopause through surgery. But we have...

Welcome to the first episode of the Menopause and Cancer Podcast. This week I am joined by Dr Annice Mukherjee who is one of the U.K's top endocrinologists with almost 3 decades of experience in hospital medicine. From the early days, her specialism in hormones has always focussed on optimising quality of life in hormone diseases, imbalances and deficiencies.  Annice is a breast cancer s...