Dr Louise Newson has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of women and their families through her pioneering work as a GP, menopause specialist and a member of the UK Government’s Menopause Taskforce. She’s bringing that advice to The Apex, in Bury St Edmunds

Described as ‘the medic who kick-started the menopause revolution’, Dr Louise Newson has transformed the lives of hundreds of thousands of women and their families through her pioneering work as a GP, menopause specialist and a member of the UK Government’s Menopause Taskforce. Her advice on HRT, as well as lifestyle factors like exercise, diet and sleep, has revolutionised the health and wellbeing of so many women.

We chatted to Louise, ahead of her first UK theatre tour, Hormones and Menopause - The Great Debate about what he audience can expect from her show at The Apex in November.

So, what is menopause?

Put simply, menopause is when your ovaries stop producing eggs and levels of oestrogen, progesterone and testosterone fall. The definition of menopause is when a woman hasn't had a period for 12 months – in the UK the average age of menopause is 51, but about three in 100 women will go through menopause before the age of 40.

Perimenopause is the time directly before menopause, when the fluctuating hormone levels – especially oestrogen – can trigger a whole host of symptoms. The narrative for generations has been that perimenopause is only about hot flushes, but low hormones lead to numerous other things, including mood-related symptoms, brain fog and low libido. It can also trigger more unexpected symptoms like joint aches and pains, dry eyes, tinnitus and even heart palpitations.

For too long women with these symptoms have struggled on in silence, but living without hormones for an extended amount of time increases the chances of heart disease, osteoporosis, clinical depression, type 2 diabetes and dementia.”

Tell us more about your upcoming tour Hormones and Menopause - The Great Debate

I’m so excited to be embarking on my first-ever tour! As well as seeing patients in my clinic, I spend lots of time on social media, recording my podcast and in the media answering questions and busting myths. So, I can’t wait to connect with as many people as possible on my tour: I’m on a mission to improve understanding of menopause and of hormones, and to empower people with the right advice and information sothey can hopefully receive the right treatment for them.

What can audience expect?

I’ll be covering everything you need to know about perimenopause and menopause, including symptoms, treatments, HRT and how nutrition, exercise, prioritising sleep and reducing stress can help.

I’ll also be explaining how incredible our hormones are - they often get blamed for when we’re not feeling our best, from the slamming of doors in our teenage years, to morning sickness during pregnancy. But hormones also help us fall in love, bond with offspring, power us to the finish line and make us feel happy, sad, furious and everything in between.

Who is the tour aimed at?

Everyone! Half of the population will go through menopause at some point in their lives. And that impacts everyone around us, from partners to children to work colleagues, so that’s why I’ll be talking about relationships and menopause at work. I’ll also be talking about hormones for men too, and the changes they can go through in their lifetime.

Why are you so passionate about spreading awareness of menopause?

Menopause used to be something that women would endure in silence. There’s been an explosion of interest, but with that comes the need for clear, practical information and trusted advice.

Will you be talking about your own menopause experience?

Absolutely. It’s really important for me that the show is about honesty. Our lives are so busy these days that a lot of women often don’t realise their symptoms are due to hormone levels – I know because I was one of them. I know that sounds a bit ridiculous, a menopause expert who couldn’t recognise her own perimenopause, but back in 2015, I didn’t know what I know now.

I’d always suffered from mood changes and migraines before my period, but when I was about 45 these started to happen more often and last for longer. I also started suffering from night sweats and would wake up in the middle of the night completely drenched. I was always tired and I’d get easily irritated and snap at my children. At work I’d become forgetful and lived in fear of making mistakes. My marriage was affected too: little things that wouldn’t have bothered me before became big issues, even the sound of my husband’s breathing annoyed me!

I should’ve gone to the doctor, but life was so busy that I just kept putting it off and thought things would settle down, but things came to a head one evening while making dinner, when I had a hot flush. My daughter Sophie noticed something was wrong and asked why I was so hot and sweaty. She also asked why I was so short-tempered and if I was due a period, as some of her friends were (her words) ‘quite stroppy’ before their periods.

It then dawned on me that it had been several months since my last period. I definitely wasn’t pregnant, so all the moods, migraines, night sweats added up to perimenopause.

I don’t want others to be like I was - feeling tired, irritated, wondering what on earth was going on and putting off an appointment to see the doctor. And that’s where the tour comes in.

It’s not only about learning, but fun and laughter too. I’m so thrilled Anne Gildea will be joining me [Anne is a Dublin-based comedian known for her gut-busting, honest and informative comedy]. She’s brilliant, so incredibly funny and I can’t wait to see the unique perspective and humour she’ll bring.

There’ll be some eye-opening moments, lots of laughter and maybe a few tears along the way – but I want everyone who comes along to leave feeling uplifted and inspired.

Dr Louise Newson’s Hormones and Menopause - The Great Debate, Monday, November 4, The Apex at 7.30pm. See www.theapex.co.uk or call 01284 758000