1 00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:05,360 So Matt, you're on my podcast and I'm very excited to talk to 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:09,840 you because my husband introduced me to you. 3 00:00:09,840 --> 00:00:13,000 Actually, he was scrolling through Instagram as you do in a 4 00:00:13,000 --> 00:00:15,040 very romantic way in the evening. 5 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,000 And it was the one about being an entrepreneur and having loads 6 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:21,120 of emails. And it's like, oh, don't disturb 7 00:00:21,120 --> 00:00:22,360 me. I've got the same the same other 8 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:25,520 day and he was showing it with my family and going, this is 9 00:00:25,520 --> 00:00:28,640 your mother. And it was quite funny and so, 10 00:00:29,240 --> 00:00:31,040 and it was a great, great note of video. 11 00:00:31,040 --> 00:00:34,440 And it, it is how I work because I have lots of things going on. 12 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:37,440 I've, you know, my mission is to improve the global health of 13 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:40,800 women. And there are lots of women and, 14 00:00:41,080 --> 00:00:44,400 you know, so I'm very busy. But then once I started looking 15 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:46,920 at your account, then suddenly you're wearing a wig and you're 16 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:50,000 being a perimenopausal woman. And it's just the most amazing 17 00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:52,160 thing and you have so much engagement. 18 00:00:52,480 --> 00:00:56,680 So I, I'm really keen to talk to you about like, why are you 19 00:00:56,680 --> 00:00:59,800 doing this and, and what, what the response has been. 20 00:00:59,800 --> 00:01:01,280 And like, just tell me a bit about you. 21 00:01:01,520 --> 00:01:03,880 OK, well, I'm, I'm a comedian first. 22 00:01:03,960 --> 00:01:05,800 Yeah, well, I'm a husband first, I suppose. 23 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:07,800 But. Yes, well done but right answer. 24 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:11,800 You ask a comedian, no, they're always going to make themselves 25 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:14,760 comic first. So, so my main thing is I've 26 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:18,560 just been trying to be a comedy writer, comedian for years and 27 00:01:18,600 --> 00:01:20,120 I've tried a lot of different things. 28 00:01:20,160 --> 00:01:24,160 And so I write scripts. I do stand up also and, and I 29 00:01:24,160 --> 00:01:27,840 also love social media and I love the immediacy of it and I 30 00:01:27,840 --> 00:01:30,120 love making videos and I've made a lot of different kinds of 31 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:32,280 videos over the years. Actually, I made that 32 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:35,960 Entrepreneur video a couple of years ago. 33 00:01:36,680 --> 00:01:40,040 And. On December 23rd, so I like try 34 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:42,600 like a lot of different things on Instagram, like what we'll 35 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:45,440 see, what we'll hit. And it's been a long road to be 36 00:01:45,440 --> 00:01:48,080 honest with you. So on December 23rd, I made a 37 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,440 video that was like tips for men whose wives are going to 38 00:01:51,440 --> 00:01:54,600 perimenopause was like, don't chew as much, don't be around as 39 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:55,800 much. But I was just kind of like 40 00:01:56,600 --> 00:02:00,160 trying to be funny And, and I didn't really think much of the 41 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:02,120 video. Like I was just like, you just 42 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:03,800 trying to be like, Oh, I haven't made a video in a while. 43 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:05,720 I got to stay alive. I got to do something to feel 44 00:02:05,720 --> 00:02:08,639 creative, to be funny. So I made that video and that 45 00:02:08,639 --> 00:02:11,440 blew up. And then I was like followed up 46 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,640 with a how to say happy New Years to your perimenopausal 47 00:02:13,640 --> 00:02:14,480 wife. And then that blew up. 48 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:16,680 And I was like, Oh yeah, if everyone loves the wife stuff, 49 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:19,480 I'm going to repost the entrepreneur 1. 50 00:02:19,640 --> 00:02:22,400 And this one where I'm being my wife in the drive, in the 51 00:02:22,400 --> 00:02:24,840 passenger seat in the car because she's a huge backseat 52 00:02:24,840 --> 00:02:28,680 driver and it's very annoying. And and then those blew up. 53 00:02:28,880 --> 00:02:31,480 And then I was like, all right, I'm just going to keep the wig 54 00:02:31,480 --> 00:02:35,840 on and be my wife and keep going with this with perimenopause and 55 00:02:35,840 --> 00:02:41,280 entrepreneur and mental load. And that's what happened. 56 00:02:41,280 --> 00:02:44,560 And now and then this I started growing and all these women were 57 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:47,440 coming out of the woodwork being like, she is us, we are her. 58 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:49,320 Like it was like an I am Spartacus moment. 59 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:52,680 And like I was like in there were like, you're, you see me, I 60 00:02:52,680 --> 00:02:56,760 feel validated and I was like, OK, you know, and I love it. 61 00:02:56,760 --> 00:02:59,720 And I get like really nice messages from women and men and 62 00:02:59,720 --> 00:03:00,280 men. They're like, are we? 63 00:03:00,280 --> 00:03:03,000 I show your video to my husband and now he understands me more. 64 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:07,240 And but my main thing was like, to be funny. 65 00:03:07,400 --> 00:03:11,320 I wasn't trying to become like the king of perimenopause, you 66 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:15,400 know, and but I'll wear that crown if I have to. 67 00:03:16,360 --> 00:03:19,800 Oh, I'm really happy about it. I'm really happy that people are 68 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:21,480 getting something out of them. They think it's funny. 69 00:03:21,480 --> 00:03:24,280 And I my wife loves it. I show her them to her before I 70 00:03:24,280 --> 00:03:26,160 post to make sure. Yeah, yeah. 71 00:03:26,160 --> 00:03:28,040 You're cool with this? She's cool with it. 72 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:29,800 She loves seeing the success of it. 73 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:32,520 She gives me, helps me. It gives me ideas sometimes. 74 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:37,440 So that's basically I'm a comedian 1st and then and this 75 00:03:37,440 --> 00:03:40,120 is something that hit and this has now become my lane and I'm 76 00:03:40,120 --> 00:03:41,600 sticking with it. It's great, isn't? 77 00:03:42,480 --> 00:03:45,760 It Yeah, I love it. Yeah, it's very interesting 78 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:50,760 because I've, I've written a few books and my first book on 79 00:03:50,880 --> 00:03:56,240 menopause was probably about six years ago and it was Penguin 80 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:59,120 that was my publisher and I wanted to have perimenopause on 81 00:03:59,120 --> 00:04:02,240 the, on the cover. So not just menopause. 82 00:04:02,240 --> 00:04:03,920 And they said, no, it's too long a word, you can't do it. 83 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:06,280 No one uses that word. And I said, well, OK, if you 84 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:08,640 wanna publish my book, you have the word perimenopause on. 85 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:11,080 And it's really interesting cause a lot of people still 86 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,720 don't know what it is or what's going on. 87 00:04:14,280 --> 00:04:17,320 Menopause has always been about stopping periods and hot 88 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:20,839 flushes, whereas actually the perimenopause, the lead up to 89 00:04:20,839 --> 00:04:25,520 the menopause, is often far worse for women because you get 90 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:28,480 these real shifts and changes in hormone levels. 91 00:04:28,480 --> 00:04:31,960 And the biggest symptoms are the most commonest and most severe 92 00:04:31,960 --> 00:04:36,000 symptoms are those affecting the brain and mental health. 93 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:40,320 And so, so many women have been misunderstood for decades 94 00:04:40,560 --> 00:04:43,920 because they have been misdiagnosed with anxiety and 95 00:04:43,920 --> 00:04:45,720 depression. And it's all in your head and it 96 00:04:45,720 --> 00:04:48,080 can't be, it can't be your hormones 'cause you're still 97 00:04:48,080 --> 00:04:52,160 having your periods. So it's so interesting because I 98 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:55,200 feel very strongly that women are really intuitive and 99 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:56,400 actually give them the information. 100 00:04:56,400 --> 00:04:59,080 They can work it out themselves, but often they haven't had the 101 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:02,800 information. So what you're doing is, is 102 00:05:02,800 --> 00:05:06,640 completely just validating them and that you're allowing them to 103 00:05:07,280 --> 00:05:10,280 be heard and understood, which perhaps they haven't been 104 00:05:10,280 --> 00:05:13,080 before. Well, you know, I've always 105 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:17,760 thought of myself as a healer and I'm just, I love that. 106 00:05:17,760 --> 00:05:20,600 I mean, yeah. Like, I it's good to be doing 107 00:05:20,600 --> 00:05:25,160 something that's funny and doing something helpful that is 108 00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:28,320 beneficial to people. Like I didn't go into comedy to 109 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:32,440 be any kind of like, you know, validation, source of validation 110 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:36,360 for any gender. But I but now that it's 111 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,960 happening, I'm really into it and I really like it and I like 112 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:41,800 it. It feels doubly good. 113 00:05:41,800 --> 00:05:44,160 It feels good to get a laugh. And then it feels doubly good 114 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:46,960 for it to have this like positive effect, you know? 115 00:05:47,960 --> 00:05:51,560 And one thing I'll say also is that I didn't even realize until 116 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:53,680 my wife was going through this that I think what most people 117 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:58,000 think about, like perimenopause is actually most of the period 118 00:05:58,040 --> 00:05:59,560 that it feels like a woman is in. 119 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,240 Like the menopause is what like when the period ends. 120 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:03,800 I'm using period in two different ways. 121 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:07,480 But like a period era and then period your period and then like 122 00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:09,720 but like menopause, correct me if I'm wrong, is like when your 123 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:12,080 period stops and maybe for like a year after. 124 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:14,760 Well, this is what's interesting actually, because it's 125 00:06:14,760 --> 00:06:17,400 officially when people have been a year since their last period. 126 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:20,640 But it's just bullshit, excuse my language, because like, why 127 00:06:20,640 --> 00:06:22,240 should we be defined by our periods? 128 00:06:22,240 --> 00:06:24,120 And a lot of women, if they've had, for example, a 129 00:06:24,120 --> 00:06:25,960 hysterectomy, they're never going to have periods. 130 00:06:25,960 --> 00:06:29,560 So you can't work it out. So it's really related to our 131 00:06:29,560 --> 00:06:32,160 hormone levels being low and they stay low forever. 132 00:06:32,320 --> 00:06:36,360 So actually a woman is menopausal forever and that lot 133 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:38,440 of people think it's just a transition. 134 00:06:38,440 --> 00:06:40,200 And then you come out the other side. 135 00:06:40,200 --> 00:06:43,080 And as you know, one of the things I'm very interested in is 136 00:06:43,080 --> 00:06:45,160 the protective roles of our hormones in our body. 137 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:48,480 So even if people don't have symptoms, they have health risks 138 00:06:48,480 --> 00:06:50,200 of not having those hormones because they're very 139 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:54,320 anti-inflammatory in their body. And often when our hormone 140 00:06:54,320 --> 00:06:59,240 levels stabilize, you know, whether they're stable level, 141 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:03,800 stable, high pregnancy or stable sort of middle of the road, 142 00:07:04,040 --> 00:07:08,200 people often don't get symptoms because the body sort of 143 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:11,280 acclimatize is really, it's a bit like if you're hungry 144 00:07:11,280 --> 00:07:13,800 initially your brain is like on OverDrive telling you how hungry 145 00:07:13,800 --> 00:07:15,160 you are. And after a while you just, it 146 00:07:15,160 --> 00:07:17,800 just accommodates and it just sort of adapts. 147 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:19,800 And it's the same as menopause actually. 148 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,840 The body can adapt, but it will often be in a different level 149 00:07:22,840 --> 00:07:24,920 than a different gear. And obviously, is there more 150 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:28,360 inflammation? But in perimenopause, hormone 151 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:31,120 levels, especially estradiol, but also testosterone and 152 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:33,480 progesterone, really do fluctuate. 153 00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:36,920 And it's a bit similar to women before they have their periods. 154 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,520 They can get real changes in their hormone levels just before 155 00:07:40,520 --> 00:07:42,400 their periods. So those symptoms are the same 156 00:07:42,400 --> 00:07:44,280 because of the changing hormone levels. 157 00:07:44,280 --> 00:07:46,000 Yeah. Yeah, I imagine must be like a 158 00:07:46,000 --> 00:07:50,120 lot of before this was gaining more such awareness. 159 00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:53,640 I bet there's, like, a lot of, like, divorce and like, you 160 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:55,920 know, marriage conflict and everything without the 161 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:59,480 understanding, like, I could imagine that husbands are like, 162 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:00,960 my wife's. My wife's crazy. 163 00:08:00,960 --> 00:08:02,880 Yeah. Yeah, I mean, the problem is, 164 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:05,240 you know, it's really sad because the divorce rate 165 00:08:05,240 --> 00:08:09,200 increases in the 40s, but we know that a lot of couples, I 166 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:14,280 see so many couples who have just their relationships falling 167 00:08:14,280 --> 00:08:17,400 apart. And, and it's not because they 168 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:19,840 don't love each other, they just can't tolerate each other in the 169 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,080 same way and they don't realise what's going on. 170 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:26,440 And, you know, I, I was Perry Menopausal about 11 years ago 171 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:30,000 and, you know, just just looking at the way my husband ate food 172 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:33,200 and listening to him breathing was just the most frustrating 173 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:35,960 thing ever. It's really hard to explain. 174 00:08:35,960 --> 00:08:39,159 I had an argument once and I've got three daughters and I, we're 175 00:08:39,159 --> 00:08:40,640 really close. I've known my husband since I 176 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:43,559 was 18, but he we were having breakfast one morning at our 177 00:08:43,559 --> 00:08:47,240 hotel and another surgeon came over to talk to him and they 178 00:08:47,240 --> 00:08:48,560 just had a nice chat. And then he left. 179 00:08:48,560 --> 00:08:50,120 And I said to Paul, who's this guy? 180 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:51,400 And he went, well, you've met him before. 181 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:52,880 Why were you rude? Why didn't you talk to him? 182 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:54,600 I said, because like, you'd never introduced me. 183 00:08:54,720 --> 00:08:56,200 He said, no, well, you've met him recently. 184 00:08:56,200 --> 00:08:58,400 I said, well, I don't remember. So rather than leaving it like 185 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:01,160 that, I just went on and on and on at him. 186 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:03,320 And he said, let's move away from the restaurant because he's 187 00:09:03,320 --> 00:09:05,640 making a bit of a scene here. And when there was a staircase 188 00:09:05,640 --> 00:09:08,720 going up to the bedroom and I was still on the staircase 189 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:10,160 shouting up at him because go on. 190 00:09:10,160 --> 00:09:11,560 And my children were in front of me. 191 00:09:11,560 --> 00:09:12,840 Like it was just the weirdest thing. 192 00:09:12,840 --> 00:09:15,840 I'm not really a shouting person, but just remember it so 193 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:17,960 vividly. And it was like I had this demon 194 00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:20,200 in my head saying it's fine. You carry on shouting because 195 00:09:20,200 --> 00:09:22,680 he's awful and you don't need to him and you're fine. 196 00:09:22,680 --> 00:09:24,840 And you know, and if he had said to me, right, Louise, I'm 197 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:25,880 leaving you, I would have gone good. 198 00:09:25,880 --> 00:09:27,760 Just go because I really had enough. 199 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:31,960 Like this is just ridiculous. And even my children, one of 200 00:09:31,960 --> 00:09:35,200 them says she was so scared because she'd never heard me 201 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:38,560 shout out before and was saying, oh, my thinking to herself, oh, 202 00:09:38,560 --> 00:09:40,680 gosh, I think mommy and daddy going to divorce and what am I 203 00:09:40,680 --> 00:09:42,520 going to do? Because I don't want to stay 204 00:09:42,520 --> 00:09:44,160 with her because she's being really horrible. 205 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:46,760 But Daddy can't cook and he's what should I do? 206 00:09:47,200 --> 00:09:49,160 And he's and they're really young and it. 207 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:51,680 Yeah. But it does make me realize that 208 00:09:51,680 --> 00:09:56,400 the impact of that is totally really hard for for like both 209 00:09:56,400 --> 00:09:59,520 sexes really in different ways. Yeah, without the awareness of 210 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:01,320 what's going on. I mean, my, I've had like, it 211 00:10:01,320 --> 00:10:03,560 was like a year or so ago, it was a win. 212 00:10:03,560 --> 00:10:05,760 It was winter was around holiday time. 213 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:09,640 And like my wife was like, I don't know, she was pissed off 214 00:10:09,640 --> 00:10:11,800 at me about something and she gave me this. 215 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:13,040 I thought I was getting divorced. 216 00:10:13,040 --> 00:10:15,560 He was like, I don't feel, I don't feel appreciated. 217 00:10:15,560 --> 00:10:18,200 I don't feel taken care of. She's like, I'm done. 218 00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:21,280 You don't like think about me. Like, you know, this whole 219 00:10:21,280 --> 00:10:24,880 tirade and I felt like shit and I was like, wow. 220 00:10:24,880 --> 00:10:27,840 And she's like, you know, just, she's like, I don't know, like I 221 00:10:27,840 --> 00:10:29,960 don't know, she like kind of left the conversation like I 222 00:10:29,960 --> 00:10:32,880 don't know, like it like balls, like it's in your hands now, you 223 00:10:32,880 --> 00:10:35,080 know, And I was like, I don't even know what to do. 224 00:10:35,080 --> 00:10:37,440 Like I don't even not really sure like where this came from. 225 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,160 And like, I mean, I could kind of like, you know, I kind of 226 00:10:40,160 --> 00:10:41,560 know. I mean, like, if that wasn't 227 00:10:42,280 --> 00:10:44,800 she's speaking English, so I'm hearing all the words, but like, 228 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:48,840 but and then I was like, so I don't know, like a month later I 229 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:52,480 said or did something in the way along the lines of like what I 230 00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:54,960 thought she had been talking about in that conversation. 231 00:10:54,960 --> 00:10:56,960 I was like, you know, because I was trying to do this because 232 00:10:56,960 --> 00:10:58,200 of, well, you know, the conversation we had. 233 00:10:58,200 --> 00:10:59,640 And she was like, what conversation? 234 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:05,000 It's like the one where you were on the verge of leaving me, you 235 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:07,920 know, remember that one Just like, I don't know. 236 00:11:07,920 --> 00:11:11,640 Well, anyway, you know, so it was like, it was like 237 00:11:11,640 --> 00:11:13,240 conversations like that and like we're. 238 00:11:13,640 --> 00:11:15,440 And yeah. So she can get like, really 239 00:11:15,440 --> 00:11:17,280 pissed off. And then like, it's like a 240 00:11:17,280 --> 00:11:20,120 spell, like, kind of like you were describing, you know, and 241 00:11:21,640 --> 00:11:24,400 and it's wonderful, you know, it's great. 242 00:11:24,400 --> 00:11:27,040 I'm just happy to be here, you know, part of everything. 243 00:11:28,040 --> 00:11:32,920 Sabi, she's still with me, but the awareness helps because, you 244 00:11:32,920 --> 00:11:35,520 know, periods men get used to if you're within a relationship, 245 00:11:35,560 --> 00:11:38,320 oh, it's that time of the month. I can see like it's happening 246 00:11:38,320 --> 00:11:41,040 again or whatever. But with the perimenopause, 247 00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:42,160 you're like, it's not the time of the month. 248 00:11:42,160 --> 00:11:45,000 So like what's going on, you know, and then you're just, you 249 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:47,920 feel crazy and I have to go to another room to eat cereal. 250 00:11:47,920 --> 00:11:50,600 Also, I'm not allowed to eat in the same room with her. 251 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:55,840 So, and sometimes I'm just like, like I was taking a picture of 252 00:11:55,840 --> 00:12:01,880 our floor, our bathroom floor. And I was like, oh, she's like, 253 00:12:01,880 --> 00:12:03,800 what are you doing? I was like, I'm just taking some 254 00:12:03,800 --> 00:12:06,200 pictures of forum upload. I want to upload the ChatGPT to 255 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:07,800 see if they know how it can be fixed. 256 00:12:07,920 --> 00:12:09,360 And she's like, why are you doing that? 257 00:12:09,360 --> 00:12:11,560 And I was like, why can't I do it? 258 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:14,840 You know, like I'm not like hiring, I'm not spending any 259 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:16,000 money. I'm just literally seeing if it 260 00:12:16,000 --> 00:12:17,480 has any ideas about how to fix it. 261 00:12:18,120 --> 00:12:22,040 And it's like those moments when I'm like, that's also 262 00:12:22,120 --> 00:12:26,040 perimenopausal, where she's just annoyed with me, with whatever 263 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:28,400 I'm doing. It has no effect on her or our 264 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:30,160 life. But something about what I'm 265 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:32,360 doing is horrible. Yeah. 266 00:12:32,480 --> 00:12:34,000 It's triggering, yeah. Yeah. 267 00:12:34,360 --> 00:12:38,160 And I think, you know, it's really difficult for partners 268 00:12:38,200 --> 00:12:41,360 and you know, partners of any gender because I have quite a 269 00:12:41,360 --> 00:12:44,240 lot of patients are in the same sex relationships and you know, 270 00:12:44,240 --> 00:12:47,320 they're both of them are perimenopausal and they're. 271 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:48,720 Really good. I've been wondering about that 272 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:50,880 too. I I wrote in my notes that I 273 00:12:50,880 --> 00:12:54,400 keep like like comedy ideas. It's like how do how do you know 274 00:12:54,400 --> 00:12:56,200 same sex partners deal with this that? 275 00:12:56,200 --> 00:12:57,920 Would be insane. They have different often people 276 00:12:57,920 --> 00:12:59,840 have everyone's experience is different. 277 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:04,040 So the symptoms can be different and you know, they it can be 278 00:13:04,040 --> 00:13:07,800 really difficult. I've had some patients who 279 00:13:08,200 --> 00:13:11,400 you've just treated one of them and they feel really well and 280 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:14,360 then the other one maybe is a bit younger or different and 281 00:13:14,360 --> 00:13:17,120 then starts, but then they can recognize it a lot quicker. 282 00:13:17,440 --> 00:13:20,200 But it it's very difficult. It can be very disconcerting 283 00:13:20,200 --> 00:13:22,280 because it's also very hard to tease out. 284 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:24,840 You know, is it because, you know, I've been with my husband 285 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:27,440 for decades. Is it is it because of that or 286 00:13:27,440 --> 00:13:29,680 is it because of that or is it something else? 287 00:13:29,680 --> 00:13:32,320 And if you've got children, then how do you know what's going on? 288 00:13:32,320 --> 00:13:33,840 Because life's busy and everything. 289 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:38,560 But one of my big issues is that women have often been gaslit and 290 00:13:38,560 --> 00:13:41,880 told, oh, you're like this because you're stressed, because 291 00:13:41,880 --> 00:13:43,440 you've got three children, because you're working full 292 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:45,720 time, because because they never say that to my husband. 293 00:13:46,200 --> 00:13:48,720 And it's like, hang on. I've I've always coped with 294 00:13:48,800 --> 00:13:50,840 having three children and a busy job. 295 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:54,440 So something else has changed. And then I think if people 296 00:13:54,440 --> 00:13:57,880 realize that it could be a hormonal imbalance, the next 297 00:13:57,880 --> 00:14:00,080 thing is thinking about what can I do about the imbalance? 298 00:14:00,080 --> 00:14:03,000 Because women shouldn't be suffering and neither should the 299 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:05,120 men who are watching them suffer really. 300 00:14:05,600 --> 00:14:09,440 So that's the biggest problem is that the majority of women who 301 00:14:09,440 --> 00:14:13,000 are perimenopausal are still not able to access evidence based 302 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,920 treatment, which is just wrong. So there's all this needless 303 00:14:15,920 --> 00:14:18,120 suffering that's going on and women have to work it out for 304 00:14:18,120 --> 00:14:19,600 themselves. I know it stinks, although it's 305 00:14:19,600 --> 00:14:22,720 starting, it's seemingly it's, I mean, I'm not the only account 306 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:24,760 I've seen talk about perimenopause on Instagram. 307 00:14:24,880 --> 00:14:28,160 So it seems like it's getting more awareness now, which is 308 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:30,600 good. I imagine it's even like doubly 309 00:14:30,960 --> 00:14:33,840 difficult if you are the spouse who's not going through 310 00:14:33,840 --> 00:14:36,280 perimenopause. Then if your, if your partner's 311 00:14:36,280 --> 00:14:40,240 like, I'm really pissed off at you and it's not my period and 312 00:14:40,240 --> 00:14:43,880 I'm not, it's not perimenopause. It's actually just you like, 313 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:47,160 like, then you start to be like, I hope it. 314 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:48,920 I hope it is. You start to pray. 315 00:14:48,920 --> 00:14:50,960 Like maybe this is just perimenopause that she actually 316 00:14:50,960 --> 00:14:54,480 doesn't make, you know, because then it's like, but yeah, I 317 00:14:54,480 --> 00:14:57,720 mean, I see. I see it happening more, which 318 00:14:57,720 --> 00:14:59,280 is good. I mean, I didn't even know about 319 00:14:59,280 --> 00:15:00,840 it until my wife was going through it. 320 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:02,640 I'd never heard of the word. I heard of menopause. 321 00:15:02,640 --> 00:15:07,080 I never heard the word Perry. No, a lot of people don't, but 322 00:15:07,080 --> 00:15:09,440 it is interesting because it can work both ways in relationships. 323 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:12,720 I remember many years ago a lady came back to me and she said I'd 324 00:15:12,720 --> 00:15:15,560 like to thank you because I've now divorced my husband and Oh 325 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:18,400 dear. Well, she said, well, I suddenly 326 00:15:18,400 --> 00:15:20,440 started to feel so much better on my hormones. 327 00:15:20,680 --> 00:15:24,000 I had a real solid look at myself and thought, what am I 328 00:15:24,000 --> 00:15:26,280 doing with this person that I actually haven't enjoyed being 329 00:15:26,280 --> 00:15:28,880 with for the last five years? But I didn't have the energy, I 330 00:15:28,880 --> 00:15:31,480 didn't have the space, I didn't have the motivation to leave 331 00:15:31,480 --> 00:15:33,280 him. And now I have because I feel 332 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:34,720 better. And I realised, you know, she 333 00:15:34,720 --> 00:15:37,120 was only in her mid 40s. Should I realised I've got a 334 00:15:37,120 --> 00:15:39,320 whole, you know, hopefully next chapter ahead of me. 335 00:15:39,880 --> 00:15:44,000 And I, I felt really guilty as a doctor that I'd split up the 336 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:46,520 relationship in a weird way. But I've known her for many 337 00:15:46,520 --> 00:15:49,440 years now and and then she's have this new lease of life. 338 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:52,400 I just think that's actually something that's, you know, can 339 00:15:52,400 --> 00:15:56,200 be a positive thing as well. And it's interesting. 340 00:15:56,320 --> 00:15:59,360 That's like a thank you menopause, like PSA or 341 00:15:59,360 --> 00:16:03,080 something, you know, thank you. Most people think they're going 342 00:16:03,080 --> 00:16:05,320 to lose out on life. So you get I got my life back 343 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:08,560 because of it. Yeah. 344 00:16:08,840 --> 00:16:10,400 Hopefully that won't be my story. 345 00:16:11,240 --> 00:16:13,320 No. Yeah. 346 00:16:14,040 --> 00:16:19,280 No, I don't think so. Yeah, it's, it's rough out 347 00:16:19,280 --> 00:16:22,640 there. So what what are the symptoms or 348 00:16:22,640 --> 00:16:25,360 what are the things that you've learned about perimenopals that 349 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:28,520 have surprised you the most with what you're doing and the 350 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:31,680 feedback that you're guessing? I mean, I only have the 351 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:35,840 experience, my direct experience with with my partner, my wife, 352 00:16:35,840 --> 00:16:37,600 so. But just the feedback on social 353 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:38,960 media for. Well, the feedback on social 354 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:42,640 media is just been, I got one negative response. 355 00:16:42,640 --> 00:16:46,160 I, I had an interview in People magazine online, people online 356 00:16:46,200 --> 00:16:50,160 and there's like one comment on it or maybe there's like 3, but 357 00:16:50,160 --> 00:16:54,120 like, and the first one was what a self-righteous jerk. 358 00:16:54,120 --> 00:16:57,960 And I was like, Oh, OK, well, so, and if I had gotten hundreds 359 00:16:57,960 --> 00:16:59,640 of those, I would start to take a look at myself and be like, 360 00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:01,400 what am I doing? But it's the only one. 361 00:17:01,400 --> 00:17:04,440 Thank God. Most of them I get, I get and 362 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:09,440 comments on the videos that are like, I look forward to these. 363 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:11,640 I can't wait for them. The one this is me. 364 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:14,280 You understand us. She is her. 365 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:18,160 Oh my God, my like one of the things my wife says is her 366 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:20,359 coffee smells like tuna fish. It's like some weird 367 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:24,560 perimenopausal smell thing. Other people were like, my 368 00:17:24,560 --> 00:17:26,680 coffee smells like tuna fish. Oh my God, the smells. 369 00:17:26,720 --> 00:17:29,680 I did made one in perimenopausal Spidey sense of smell because I 370 00:17:29,680 --> 00:17:32,240 think her smell is like sense of smell is insane. 371 00:17:32,240 --> 00:17:35,800 She's like, there's like rotting water somewhere in the house, 372 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:38,840 you know, sounds like, oh, they should like work with the police 373 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:40,200 to like solve crimes or something. 374 00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:42,440 And, and all women are like, that's me. 375 00:17:42,440 --> 00:17:44,520 I'm having Oh my God, I thought I was going some of them like I, 376 00:17:44,520 --> 00:17:47,560 I thought I was going crazy, you know, but no, that I now I 377 00:17:47,560 --> 00:17:49,120 realize like, oh, it's maybe part of this. 378 00:17:49,120 --> 00:17:51,160 Some women are like, I'm not going to pre menopause, but I'm 379 00:17:51,160 --> 00:17:54,480 also experiencing this. But it's been a lot of like 380 00:17:54,480 --> 00:18:00,400 positive validation, feeling seen that kind of thing. 381 00:18:00,640 --> 00:18:03,280 And then, you know, like thinking it's funny also, which 382 00:18:03,280 --> 00:18:06,280 is always good. Yeah, it's a great balance 383 00:18:06,280 --> 00:18:09,320 because I don't feel that you're making fun of women, but you are 384 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:12,760 enabling them to think and understand and like you say, 385 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:15,320 feel validated. And and I've written a chapter 386 00:18:15,320 --> 00:18:18,280 in my new book about women who aren't being listened to. 387 00:18:18,280 --> 00:18:21,920 And that's the biggest problem actually, I think in healthcare 388 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:25,080 in that patients, especially women, and are not believed and 389 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:26,680 not listened to and not understood. 390 00:18:27,160 --> 00:18:31,680 And as a doctor, you almost have a, a tick box of symptoms. 391 00:18:31,720 --> 00:18:34,240 And if you know you get enough ticks, then they've got this 392 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:35,920 diagnosis. If they've got some other 393 00:18:35,920 --> 00:18:37,480 symptoms, you've got that diagnosis. 394 00:18:37,960 --> 00:18:42,000 And for so many of us, we haven't had really good training 395 00:18:42,000 --> 00:18:46,360 in hormones and perimenopause. And so, you know, if if I was a 396 00:18:46,600 --> 00:18:50,680 neurologist and someone came to me with tinnitus, ringing in the 397 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:54,400 ears and maybe some that you say some smell changes, I'd be 398 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,360 trying to work out the pathways in the brain, do a scan and work 399 00:18:57,360 --> 00:19:00,280 out if there was, you know, a tumor or something going on that 400 00:19:00,280 --> 00:19:02,920 was causing. And if the scan was normal, I 401 00:19:02,920 --> 00:19:05,120 would say it's patient when it's normal, you're normal and they 402 00:19:05,120 --> 00:19:06,920 would go well, no, I'm still having these symptoms. 403 00:19:07,200 --> 00:19:11,080 If I was a cardiologist, I and someone had palpitations, I 404 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:13,560 would just focus on the heart and you can see it. 405 00:19:13,560 --> 00:19:15,280 You know, medicine is very siloed. 406 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:19,000 So actually to have someone that can explain the reason for those 407 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:21,440 symptoms is incredibly validating. 408 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:24,280 Because otherwise you do almost drive yourself mad thinking 409 00:19:24,280 --> 00:19:27,200 maybe I am making it up. You know, like, why would I make 410 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:29,160 up that my coffee smells of tuna fish? 411 00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:31,400 You know what I mean? But if you're the only person 412 00:19:31,400 --> 00:19:34,640 thinking that, then it's like, okay, well, maybe it's just me 413 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:37,360 being a bit weird, but you're validating and allowing other 414 00:19:37,360 --> 00:19:38,640 people to go. Oh gosh. 415 00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:41,600 And then, you know, we know that our hormones, progesterone, 416 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:44,440 estradiol and testosterone work everywhere. 417 00:19:44,440 --> 00:19:48,480 So they affect the, the, the pathways from our nose to our 418 00:19:48,480 --> 00:19:52,520 olfactory centre, which is what determines our, the way we 419 00:19:52,520 --> 00:19:55,360 smell. And those pathways are disturbed 420 00:19:55,360 --> 00:19:57,880 if you don't have hormones or you have fluctuating hormones. 421 00:19:58,240 --> 00:20:01,520 So we know why it happens and and often people when they have 422 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:03,040 the right dose and type of hormones. 423 00:20:03,440 --> 00:20:06,200 These symptoms really, really improve, but the first thing 424 00:20:06,200 --> 00:20:09,880 about any diagnosis is, is making it, and if people aren't 425 00:20:09,880 --> 00:20:13,200 looking at the bigger picture or doctors aren't, then women are 426 00:20:13,200 --> 00:20:15,000 just being dismissed left, right and centre. 427 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:20,280 Yeah, it stinks. I it's, it's, it's terrible. 428 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:23,640 I feel bad. I think even with the awareness, 429 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:27,200 there's clearly still like a gap because I think that I probably 430 00:20:27,200 --> 00:20:30,000 wouldn't be getting as much attention if it was more 431 00:20:30,000 --> 00:20:31,960 mainstream. You know, I think women are 432 00:20:31,960 --> 00:20:33,360 coming. Like when you see the videos, 433 00:20:33,360 --> 00:20:37,160 they're like, oh, I'm not crazy. And even though I knew about 434 00:20:37,160 --> 00:20:40,040 perimenopause, this is even, it drives it home. 435 00:20:40,040 --> 00:20:42,800 They're like, I feel much better now. 436 00:20:42,800 --> 00:20:46,400 So I think you're right. Like it's like all the more 437 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:49,960 awareness that we can get as as possible, I mean. 438 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:52,800 Yeah, I mean, it's great. One of the things I know it 439 00:20:52,800 --> 00:20:55,680 sounds weird as a doctor is I actually don't like to prescribe 440 00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:58,200 drugs that are necessary to people. 441 00:20:58,200 --> 00:21:02,040 And, you know, one in three perimenopausal women, especially 442 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,360 in the US, are taking antidepressants for their 443 00:21:04,360 --> 00:21:07,480 hormonal imbalance, which is just ridiculous actually, when 444 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:08,880 you think about it. Right. 445 00:21:08,960 --> 00:21:11,440 That's, that's often because of the anxiety and their new mood 446 00:21:11,440 --> 00:21:13,920 and people have misdiagnosed them with clinical depression 447 00:21:14,360 --> 00:21:17,120 and forgotten about the role of hormones in the in the brain. 448 00:21:18,440 --> 00:21:20,520 Yeah, it's really. Yeah, yeah. 449 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:24,400 So a lot of people have been medicalized inappropriately and 450 00:21:24,680 --> 00:21:28,640 they've not had the knowledge to almost question and push back. 451 00:21:29,000 --> 00:21:32,640 And I feel especially over the last year or two, women have 452 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:37,040 become more empowered so then they can make choices that are 453 00:21:37,040 --> 00:21:39,880 right for them. And a lot of my work is just 454 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:42,280 imparting my knowledge so people can make those choices. 455 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:45,280 But I think when they have this light bulb moment, almost like 456 00:21:45,320 --> 00:21:47,400 me shouting at my husband isn't because I hate him, it's 457 00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:51,960 because, you know, the hormones are changing in my and in my 458 00:21:51,960 --> 00:21:54,640 brain and, you know, just this weird behavior. 459 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:58,160 It's just different. And then they can join the dots 460 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:00,800 and then hopefully say to their doctor, a healthcare 461 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:03,720 professional, look, I'm getting XYZ symptoms. 462 00:22:03,960 --> 00:22:06,200 I feel they're my hormones. Please can I talk to you about 463 00:22:06,200 --> 00:22:08,600 hormones? Whereas before people would just 464 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:11,200 literally talk about 1 symptom and then the doctor would 465 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:14,720 compartmentalize it into one diagnosis and that's when often 466 00:22:14,720 --> 00:22:15,800 they were given the wrong treatment. 467 00:22:15,840 --> 00:22:18,320 I was going to say it feels lazy, but I suppose they're just 468 00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:22,160 working with whatever they know. Well, this is the thing and I've 469 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:24,800 done the same for many years as a family physician. 470 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:27,400 You know, someone will come maybe with a urinary tract 471 00:22:27,400 --> 00:22:30,800 infection and I'd go, OK, you've got an infection, have some 472 00:22:30,800 --> 00:22:32,800 antibiotic. I didn't, wouldn't then say, oh, 473 00:22:32,800 --> 00:22:34,680 you're having any palpitations. What's the mood like? 474 00:22:34,680 --> 00:22:37,080 What's the sleep like? And that's why we've developed a 475 00:22:37,080 --> 00:22:40,120 symptom questionnaire which people can fill out and then 476 00:22:40,120 --> 00:22:43,520 work it out themselves because, you know, then they can say, 477 00:22:43,520 --> 00:22:46,440 well, actually I'm having these urinary symptoms, but I'm also 478 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:48,760 having mood changes and I can't sleep whatever. 479 00:22:48,760 --> 00:22:51,080 And I think it's my hormones because my periods of it all 480 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:53,200 over the place. And then, you know, as a doctor, 481 00:22:53,200 --> 00:22:54,800 you want your patients to help you. 482 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:57,800 Do you know what I mean? It's so much more productive. 483 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:00,120 Yeah, totally. Especially if you're limited. 484 00:23:00,120 --> 00:23:03,120 You know, I used to only have 10 minute consultations. 485 00:23:03,360 --> 00:23:06,160 So you would focus very much on the problem that the patient 486 00:23:06,160 --> 00:23:07,560 came with you. Where is that? 487 00:23:07,560 --> 00:23:10,160 When the patients are more empowered, you can start in a 488 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:13,240 very different level. And I'm hoping, you know, that's 489 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:16,640 how with all your work, that it's just so brilliant that 490 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:18,760 women are then going back and thinking, right. 491 00:23:18,760 --> 00:23:21,360 OK, I've worked out that it's it's not me going mad. 492 00:23:21,360 --> 00:23:22,640 So what am I going to do about it? 493 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:24,280 Because the suffering is immense. 494 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:27,720 Like it's just awful for women where they have symptoms for 495 00:23:27,720 --> 00:23:30,480 years and years. It's awful. 496 00:23:30,480 --> 00:23:33,600 Well, my goal is that someone, a woman can walk into a doctor's 497 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:37,120 office and just be like, show her my video. 498 00:23:37,200 --> 00:23:39,200 You know, this, this is this is how I feel. 499 00:23:39,800 --> 00:23:42,840 Yeah. Do you do you find like is there 500 00:23:43,040 --> 00:23:49,560 pushback on from male doctors about all this in London? 501 00:23:49,560 --> 00:23:52,920 I don't know how if you speak to doctors around the world, but or 502 00:23:52,920 --> 00:23:55,480 just in your city, like do you find that like they're less 503 00:23:56,960 --> 00:23:59,760 accepting of your of these beliefs like? 504 00:24:00,640 --> 00:24:03,800 I think male doctors, this is a generalization, are more 505 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:05,880 accepting than a lot of female doctors. 506 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:09,640 There's a lot of female doctors that are my age, you know, I 507 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:13,520 mean, I'm 55, but and my age and older and they've never had a 508 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:15,120 problem. They've never had a symptom. 509 00:24:15,160 --> 00:24:17,240 So they just think it's all just ridiculous. 510 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:21,560 And quite a few doctors now have said to our patients or 511 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:25,800 menopause is just a fad. Perimenopause is just a just a, 512 00:24:26,040 --> 00:24:29,760 a media term or it's just a buzzword, a new fashion 513 00:24:29,760 --> 00:24:30,760 buzzwords. Yeah. 514 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:32,800 And and it's almost like because they don't. 515 00:24:32,800 --> 00:24:35,080 Have so good. On I know it's like, what? 516 00:24:35,600 --> 00:24:38,360 Because they didn't have a problem, they don't think it's 517 00:24:38,360 --> 00:24:40,960 an issue. And I think that's a very 518 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:43,080 dangerous place to be as a doctor. 519 00:24:43,320 --> 00:24:46,280 You know, I've never had psychosis, but does that mean I 520 00:24:46,280 --> 00:24:49,600 can't treat people who've had a psychotic episode or somebody? 521 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:51,920 Like Empathy 101. Yeah, yeah. 522 00:24:51,920 --> 00:24:54,880 So, so there's this sort of willful ignorance and blindness 523 00:24:54,880 --> 00:24:58,880 that goes on, which I think is is really not very validating 524 00:24:58,880 --> 00:25:00,560 for women. And so, and there's this 525 00:25:00,560 --> 00:25:04,920 misunderstanding so much about menopause and hormone treatment. 526 00:25:04,920 --> 00:25:09,040 It's just, you know, a sort of a celebrity drug that people take 527 00:25:09,040 --> 00:25:12,000 rather than something that actually can really transform 528 00:25:12,000 --> 00:25:15,040 the quality of life and improve their future health as well. 529 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:18,800 And, you know, we know from many studies that women who take 530 00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:22,160 hormones live longer, which is huge, Like, and they have less 531 00:25:22,280 --> 00:25:24,760 osteoporosis, they have less heart disease. 532 00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:28,480 Like it's, it's massive, but it's somehow if doctors don't 533 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:30,320 know it, they don't tell their patients and then they're 534 00:25:30,320 --> 00:25:33,040 dismissing them. You know, we, we have lots of 535 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:36,480 patients that are told you're too young to have symptoms. 536 00:25:36,480 --> 00:25:38,920 It can't be your hormones. And like, that's no one's too 537 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:41,360 young. My youngest patient was 12 when 538 00:25:41,360 --> 00:25:44,240 she became menopausal because her ovaries didn't develop 539 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:45,280 properly. Yeah, I know. 540 00:25:45,480 --> 00:25:46,880 Yeah. So Can you imagine being 541 00:25:46,880 --> 00:25:50,360 perimenopausal at school and no one being able to pick it up? 542 00:25:50,400 --> 00:25:52,400 You know that's so. What's that called? 543 00:25:52,640 --> 00:25:54,640 Yeah, well, she had these things. 544 00:25:54,640 --> 00:25:57,920 She had streak ovaries. So like the tiny ovaries that 545 00:25:57,920 --> 00:26:00,200 didn't develop, so they weren't producing hormones. 546 00:26:01,040 --> 00:26:03,840 And then I had another patient who was 14, she had a cyst 547 00:26:03,840 --> 00:26:06,280 removed from her ovaries and then a year later, another cyst, 548 00:26:06,280 --> 00:26:08,720 but they essentially removed most of her ovaries. 549 00:26:08,720 --> 00:26:11,840 So she's sitting in class, like not being able to concentrate, 550 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:13,440 not having a clue what's going on. 551 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:14,880 And who do you talk to, You know? 552 00:26:15,360 --> 00:26:18,520 So it took, it took both of those people 10 years for 553 00:26:18,520 --> 00:26:20,280 diagnosis and then another. 10 years for. 554 00:26:20,280 --> 00:26:21,560 The right treatment. It's awful. 555 00:26:21,560 --> 00:26:25,520 Yeah, yeah, yeah. So, so you know, and then people 556 00:26:25,520 --> 00:26:28,480 think we can exercise our way out of manifolds or we can, you 557 00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:32,280 know, do some mindfulness or whatever and you know, it's a 558 00:26:32,280 --> 00:26:34,840 humane deficiency. You wouldn't do that if someone 559 00:26:34,840 --> 00:26:36,360 had an under active thyroid gland. 560 00:26:36,360 --> 00:26:38,720 You wouldn't say, OK, just go for a walk in the woods and. 561 00:26:39,560 --> 00:26:41,000 Do a bit of challenge. You'll be you'll be fine. 562 00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:43,160 Show a glass of water. Yeah. 563 00:26:43,200 --> 00:26:46,480 You'll be OK. So yeah, you. 564 00:26:46,800 --> 00:26:49,320 Guys, you go through a lot in this life. 565 00:26:49,960 --> 00:26:51,560 Yeah, we do. And it's so unnecessary, 566 00:26:51,560 --> 00:26:53,800 believable. It's just too much. 567 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,640 Yeah. And, and it's not even, you 568 00:26:56,640 --> 00:26:59,560 know, you're, you're going to have to branch out, have to 569 00:26:59,560 --> 00:27:03,240 mentor a bit because there's a lot of women with PMDD, 570 00:27:03,240 --> 00:27:06,280 premenstrual dysphoric disorder and PMS where, you know, they, 571 00:27:06,360 --> 00:27:08,920 they have essentially perimenopause just for a few 572 00:27:08,920 --> 00:27:11,480 days before each period. So their mood drops, have become 573 00:27:11,480 --> 00:27:14,640 more anxious, they can come more irritable and then the period 574 00:27:14,640 --> 00:27:17,240 comes and they feel fine. But again, it's the same 'cause 575 00:27:17,240 --> 00:27:19,880 it's a hormonal change and that's been normalized. 576 00:27:19,960 --> 00:27:22,760 Like for women, we're told, Oh well, you will feel a bit crap a 577 00:27:22,760 --> 00:27:25,160 few days before your periods. But what? 578 00:27:25,200 --> 00:27:29,000 When I see women like that, I'll often give them some hormones, 579 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:31,280 usually just some progesterone for a few days. 580 00:27:31,400 --> 00:27:34,120 And then they feel the same every day of the month, which is 581 00:27:34,120 --> 00:27:37,920 incredibly important because if you're getting a symptom on 582 00:27:37,920 --> 00:27:40,520 those days where you've got a big, I don't know, assignment at 583 00:27:40,520 --> 00:27:43,440 work or you're at school and you're doing a big exam or you 584 00:27:43,440 --> 00:27:45,840 know, like you wouldn't say to a man or three days a month, 585 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:47,800 you're just going to feel a bit shit and you might not go to the 586 00:27:47,800 --> 00:27:50,160 gym and you'll won't be able to sleep and you'll argue with your 587 00:27:50,160 --> 00:27:51,760 partner. Men would go, what? 588 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:53,320 Well, is there a treatment? Can I? 589 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:55,640 If any of this happened to men, it would be solved. 590 00:27:56,000 --> 00:27:57,720 Yeah, of course it would. But we've got a solution. 591 00:27:57,720 --> 00:27:59,760 It's just can't be accessed. That's what's really 592 00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:03,720 frustrating, but well at. Least you get, you know, a solid 593 00:28:03,720 --> 00:28:06,400 week or a few days a month where everything's fine you. 594 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:08,400 Know it was great. You shouldn't complain. 595 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:11,720 You know you're not looking on the. 596 00:28:11,720 --> 00:28:15,200 Bright, we're so lucky. There's there's a solid two or 597 00:28:15,200 --> 00:28:19,600 three days when everybody's good and I think that's yeah, yeah, 598 00:28:20,040 --> 00:28:23,920 that's a good place to be. So yeah, well, it's great. 599 00:28:24,000 --> 00:28:27,160 I, I, it's, it's brilliant. And I'm looking forward to 600 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:30,440 seeing how your content progresses and empowers. 601 00:28:30,440 --> 00:28:32,040 Yeah, me too. It's brilliant. 602 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:35,360 So, so before we end, I always ask for three take home tips. 603 00:28:35,360 --> 00:28:40,080 Actually 3 three things that I'm going to ask you that have 604 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:43,440 surprised you the most about the work that you do. 605 00:28:43,440 --> 00:28:46,680 What are the three things that you were really surprised about 606 00:28:46,720 --> 00:28:49,720 that you didn't know before? With making these videos. 607 00:28:49,800 --> 00:28:50,960 Just yeah. In general, yeah. 608 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:55,280 In general, I think I think the validation was a big surprise 609 00:28:55,280 --> 00:29:01,000 the, the, the community that was developing and the the I am her, 610 00:29:01,000 --> 00:29:02,880 she is US. I love your wife. 611 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:06,160 All this. That's that was an unanticipated 612 00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:11,240 that was unanticipated. Three other surprises. 613 00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:14,360 I think. I mean, it's sort of a offshoot 614 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:19,240 of that one, but just how popular the topic is, you know, 615 00:29:19,240 --> 00:29:24,240 how how much it blew up like as a as someone who's been trying 616 00:29:24,240 --> 00:29:26,240 to be creative in a different in a lot of different ways over the 617 00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:29,840 years, you know, with stand up clips and other comedy ideas 618 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:33,040 that I make into social media videos and scripts like, and 619 00:29:33,040 --> 00:29:35,920 that didn't take off. You know, that there was this 620 00:29:35,920 --> 00:29:40,120 sort of ready audience like like a rabbit glide, perimenopausal 621 00:29:40,120 --> 00:29:42,840 audience, like waiting unknowingly perhaps for these 622 00:29:42,840 --> 00:29:45,480 videos. So that was a surprise that just 623 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:49,200 like the audience that's out there that was, that wanted this 624 00:29:49,200 --> 00:29:54,200 content and and that it would be, and these are all sort of 625 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:59,200 like subsets of the first one, but and that this would be my 626 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:02,080 where my success comes from, you know, like that. 627 00:30:02,080 --> 00:30:06,720 I, I thought I would be like, and I may still be, you know, TV 628 00:30:06,720 --> 00:30:08,520 comedy, right? I just had such an idea, a 629 00:30:08,520 --> 00:30:10,760 different idea of like how I would become successful, you 630 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:13,800 know, You know, I had dreams of like being a successful stand up 631 00:30:13,800 --> 00:30:16,840 and this may get parlayed into like some kind of successful 632 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:21,320 touring show as my, I don't know when what way it'll be and what 633 00:30:21,320 --> 00:30:23,480 incarnation. But like, you know, I thought I 634 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:27,000 was going to be like a like a like an original, like edgy 635 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:32,320 comic stand up or, or some like innovative like TV writer or 636 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:34,440 something. And it's like, no, I'm going to 637 00:30:34,440 --> 00:30:38,800 be the voice of perimenopause. Turns out, you know, so that was 638 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:40,880 a big surprise I think because I think I'm going to stay in this 639 00:30:40,880 --> 00:30:42,720 lane for a while. I think that's where my success 640 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:44,720 is happening. I think this is like, and I like 641 00:30:44,720 --> 00:30:47,080 it and it feels fun and I like the response. 642 00:30:47,080 --> 00:30:50,840 So I think that's just a personal surprise. 643 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:52,800 It's like where my life is heading. 644 00:30:53,960 --> 00:30:56,800 Well, you know, the more that you can educate people, the more 645 00:30:56,800 --> 00:31:00,240 that you can people resonate with you, the better in my mind. 646 00:31:00,240 --> 00:31:02,120 So keep going. It's thank you. 647 00:31:02,440 --> 00:31:04,280 I plan to, yeah. And I'm so glad. 648 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:06,120 Thanks for having me.