The Henpicked Podcast

Do severe mood changes before your period keep getting written off as just PMS? In this episode, recorded live as a Henpicked Lunch & Learn session, Deborah Garlick is joined by Sally Leech, Director of Henpicked, to talk about premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD): what it is, how it differs from PMS, how it is diagnosed and treated, and how we can support each other at work. Together, we explore: [00:45] Why menstrual health is joining menopause and women's health, and why we are starting with the basics [01:45] What PMDD is, how the luteal phase fits in, and why it shows up differently from one person to the next [04:10] How PMDD differs from PMS, and why the terminology makes getting help so hard [07:40] Why nobody really knows what normal looks like, and why severe pain or distress should never just be put up with [08:56] The biggest myths, including that PMDD is just a bad period, a hormone imbalance or rare [11:10] Why PMDD is so often missed or misdiagnosed, including being mistaken for bipolar disorder [12:53] How PMDD is diagnosed, what premenstrual exacerbation means, and why tracking symptoms over at least two cycles matters [17:50] Getting the most from your GP, what to prepare and which questions to ask about treatment [19:18] Advocating for yourself, taking someone with you to appointments, and real lived experiences [20:52] How serious PMDD can be, and where to turn when symptoms feel unmanageable [21:30] Whether PMDD can develop later in life, and whether it runs in families [24:31] Treatment options, from diet and lifestyle to talking therapies, medication, supplements and surgery [27:31] Practical self help and building a toolkit for tough days [28:21] Period tracking apps, and why a diary or journal can say more than a list of symptoms [29:11] Key messages, and what you can do to raise awareness in your organisation Sally is clear that PMDD is not a hormone imbalance and not something anyone should have to cope with alone. It is thought to be an extreme sensitivity to the natural rise and fall of hormones, and the menstrual cycle is the trigger, not the cause. There is no conclusive answer yet on whether it runs in families. What she is sure of is that tracking symptoms, learning the facts and asking for help can change what happens next, because there are ways to manage it. Her message is simple: you are not alone in this. Whether you're wondering if your own symptoms are more than PMS, supporting someone you care about, or simply want to help break the silence in your workplace, this conversation is essential listening. Find out more about Henpicked: henpicked.net The PMDD Project: thepmddproject.org @thepmddproject Samaritans (UK): 116 123, samaritans.org

Is pain part of your menopause story? In this episode, recorded live as a Henpicked Lunch & Learn session, Deborah Garlick is joined by Dr Clare Spencer, a doctor who works in menopause clinics, to talk about menopause and chronic pain: how hormonal change affects the way we feel pain, and what we can do about it. It's also the theme of this year's World Menopause Day. Together, we explore: [00:44] Why chronic pain in midlife is such a big topic, and the finding that over 50% of midlife women experience it [verify] [02:27] How the menopause transition links to pain, from muscle and joint aches to migraine [03:27] How oestrogen affects the way nerves send pain signals and how the brain perceives them [04:57] Joint and muscle symptoms, and when new pain needs a doctor's attention [06:14] The morning stiffness many of us know, and why you should keep moving [08:02] Migraine, how hormones can affect it and why a diary helps [10:22] Menopause alongside existing conditions such as fibromyalgia, endometriosis and pelvic pain [11:51] The brain chemistry behind pain, including serotonin [13:21] Whether HRT can help pain, and what else might be needed [16:36] Moving in a way that suits your body, and pacing good and bad days [17:51] The vicious cycle of poor sleep, pain and isolation, and how to break it [19:31] Questions from the audience on joint injury, testosterone, hypnotherapy and acupuncture [23:34] Whether duloxetine can be taken alongside HRT [24:47] Migraine and HRT, and what to do if you're told you can't have it [28:10] Supplements such as vitamin D, magnesium and collagen [29:40] Why going to your health check matters Clare is clear that pain in midlife is real, that menopause can start it, worsen it or overlap with it, and that HRT may help but is rarely the only answer. What we still don't know, such as whether menopause directly causes frozen shoulder, she says plainly. Her take home message: look after yourself, keep moving, and do what is right for you. Whether you're living with aches you can't explain, managing a condition that has got worse, or simply want to understand what's happening in your body, this conversation is essential listening. Find out more about My Menopause Centre at https://www.mymenopausecentre.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/mymenopausecentre

Would the people in your organisation feel able to say they're struggling with their period at work? In this episode, recorded live as a Henpicked webinar, Deborah Garlick is joined by her co-founder Sally Leech to talk about becoming a menstruation friendly employer. They cover why menstrual health matters at work, what gets in the way of talking about it, what employees are actually asking for, and the practical steps organisations can take right now. Together, we explore: (00:43) Why more organisations are starting their menstruation friendly journey, and what a live poll showed about how far they've come (07:42) The case for action on demographics, business, law and social responsibility, including how many people who menstruate are in work in the UK (12:13) What stops people talking about menstruation at work, from stigma and embarrassment to male dominated environments (14:31) Why tribunals involving menstrual health are becoming more common, and what employers can learn from them (17:41) Back to basics: the menstrual cycle, what menstrual health really means, and why someone may have over 400 periods in their working life (20:08) Common physical and psychological symptoms, and why heavy menstrual bleeding shouldn't be dismissed as normal (22:08) Menstrual health conditions, including fibroids, endometriosis, adenomyosis, PCOS and PMDD, and how they can affect working life (25:14) Knowing what's normal and what isn't, and the damage done when people are told they're "just one of the unlucky ones" (28:21) Why support shouldn't wait for a diagnosis, when endometriosis takes an average of seven to eight years to diagnose (29:51) How an apprentice with endometriosis became one of her organisation's highest performers because her mentor understood (31:39) What employees told Henpicked they want: access to period products, an open culture and flexibility (35:32) Trust, manager confidence, formal policies and why being believed matters so much (39:27) Why "it isn't just a period": signposting, uniforms, working environments and peer support (42:08) In their own words: what a menstruation friendly workplace means to employees (43:30) The key levers for employers: culture, policies and practices, training, engagement and listening (50:42) Lessons from Huddersfield Town Football Club and Lloyds Banking Group, two of the first organisations to achieve Menstruation Friendly accreditation (55:25) Tackling the cost of free period products, and why access and dignity matter most (58:16) How to get started without feeling overwhelmed Deborah and Sally are clear that this isn't a tick box exercise, and support doesn't need to be complicated or expensive. Most people aren't asking for special treatment. They want to be heard, believed and given simple, practical support so they can do their best work. The question they come back to again and again is: what's getting in the way of you being your best at work, and what can we do to help? Their advice to employers is to say what you do, do what you say, and keep listening. Whether you're an HR or wellbeing lead building a business case, a manager worried about saying the wrong thing, or you simply want to understand what menstrual health really means at work, this conversation is essential listening. Find out more about becoming a Menstruation Friendly employer: https://menstruationfriendly.co.uk/  

Have you ever been told to just go away and lose weight, without anyone explaining why your body wasn't responding the way it should? In this episode, recorded live as a Henpicked Lunch & Learn session, Sally Leech is joined by Dr Emma Sloan, menopause specialist at Dr Morton's Women's Health Service, to talk about the recent renaming of PCOS to P-MOS (poly endocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome): what actually changed, why it took 14 years, and what it means for diagnosis and treatment going forward. Together, we explore: (00:02:19) Why PCOS has been renamed P-MOS, and why the condition itself hasn't changed at all (00:02:50) The real numbers, P-MOS affects up to 1 in 8 women, many of whom don't know they have it (00:04:13) Why "polycystic" is misleading, there aren't actually cysts on the ovaries (00:05:21) The 14 year campaign behind the name change, and why it reflects a whole body condition rather than an ovarian one (00:07:03) The four main ways P-MOS shows up, reproduction, hair and skin, metabolic health, and emotional wellbeing (00:10:38) How P-MOS is actually diagnosed, and why the two out of three criteria catches women whose scans look normal (00:12:45) Approaches to managing P-MOS, from nutrition and exercise to metformin and weight management medication (00:17:16) How to get the most out of a GP appointment when you suspect P-MOS (00:20:31) Why P-MOS and perimenopause can overlap, and what that means for symptoms later in life (00:26:16) What the evidence actually shows on GLP-1 medication and weight loss surgery restoring fertility Dr Emma is candid about how much has been misunderstood about this condition for decades, and just as clear about what's changing, earlier diagnosis, more personalised treatment, and less of a one size fits all approach. Her message throughout is that no two women experience P-MOS the same way, and understanding that is the first step to getting the right support. Whether you've been living with a PCOS or P-MOS diagnosis for years, wonder if it might explain your own symptoms, or simply want to understand your body better, this conversation is essential listening. Find out more about Dr Emma Sloan's work at Dr Morton's Women's Health Service here: Dr Emma Sloan.

Have you ever had a menopause symptom for years before anyone — including you — realised that's what it was? In this episode, recorded live as a Henpicked Lunch & Learn session, Sally Bromley is joined by Dr Radhika Vohra, NHS and private GP, menopause specialist, and trustee and medical adviser at The Menopause Charity, to talk about early menopause: what it actually is, why it's so often missed, and what to do about it. Together, we explore: (00:01:40) What early menopause actually means, and how it's different from premature ovarian insufficiency, menopause under the age of 40 (00:04:37) The most common symptoms, and why mood swings, sleep problems, fatigue, brain fog and joint pain get missed far more often than hot flushes (00:07:35) The "estrogen battery" analogy, why your life's cumulative load matters as much as your age (00:11:44) Family history, and why it can raise your risk of early menopause by up to six times (00:12:30) Surgical and medical menopause, hysterectomy, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and what current guidance recommends (00:18:51) Why premature ovarian insufficiency isn't the "rare disease" it's long been treated as, 3 to 4 in every 100 women (00:21:02) Who can safely take HRT, and the real evidence on cancer, safety and long-term health (00:22:20) One patient's story, rebuilding a life after breast cancer treatment with low dose HRT (00:26:26) Alternatives to HRT, lifestyle changes, non-hormonal medications, and what's new in development (00:31:57) Why estrogen has been "demonized" for the last 20 years, and what the evidence actually shows Dr Radhika Vohra is candid about how much of this is still unknown, and just as clear about what is: that the vast majority of women are safe to take HRT, that the benefits usually outweigh the risks, and that too many women are still being turned away. Her message throughout is simple, learn your own norm, don't be afraid to keep asking, and be your own advocate. Whether you're navigating early menopause yourself, supporting someone who is, or simply want to understand your own body better, this conversation is essential listening. Find out more about Dr Radhika Vohra's work in menopause and women's health at Dr Vohra, or follow her at @doctor.rvohra on Instagram.