What the menopause

The Sex Series: Part 03 with Karen Bester

In this episode, Mandy wraps up her conversation with Karen Bester, diving into how to get the help and support you need during perimenopause and menopause. From advocating for yourself in the doctor’s office to embracing the confidence and clarity of “menopausal zest,” this is an empowering finale to our three-part series.
Expect:
How to choose the right medical professionals for menopause and sexual health concerns
The questions to ask before starting medication or HRT and why time, adjustments, and follow-ups matter
Using a menopause diary and tracking apps to understand your symptoms
Getting your doctors to work together for whole-patient care
Why “menopausal zest” is the next chapter of life you should be aiming for
A practical, upbeat episode to help you take charge of your health and look forward to what’s next. 
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The Sex Series: Part 02 with Karen Bester

In this episode, Mandy continues her conversation with Medical Training Manager at Lamelle Research Laboratories, Karen Bester but this time looking at what we can do to keep intimacy alive in menopause and perimenopause. From lifestyle shifts to medical interventions, it’s about taking charge of your sexual health now to protect your future self. Karen also shares insight into Lamelle’s soon-to-launch new formulation of Lady Prelox, a clinically proven non-hormonal supplement that supports women through menopause symptoms and boosts sexual function.
Expect:
Why loss of libido can happen earlier than you think
The lifestyle basics that boost sexual health: protein, strength training, sleep, and cutting back on sugar, alcohol, and smoking
How pelvic floor exercises, vaginal oestrogen, and probiotics can help with dryness, UTIs, and comfort
The surprising connection between bladder health and sexual wellbeing
Why soap choice matters more than you realise
How to communicate openly with your partner and adapt intimacy to your changing needs
Practical advice, medical know-how, and the confidence to say “this matters” when it comes to your sexual health.
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The Sex Series: Part 01 with Karen Bester

In this episode, Mandy chats to Medical Training Manager at Lamelle Research Laboratories, Karen Bester, about sex, sexuality, and the menopause years and why our Gen X upbringing shaped how we think about intimacy, and what’s really going on with our bodies and brains.
Expect:
Why Gen X women grew up with a conservative view of sex (Scope was “for the stories”!!)
The generational whiplash of parenting in the hook-up era
The physical changes that affect desire, arousal, lubrication, and satisfaction during menopause
Understanding the Female Sexual Dysfunction Index and its six domains
How hormonal shifts impact libido, pleasure, and relationship dynamics
Why talking openly about sex in menopause matters for both health and happiness
Frank talk, a healthy dose of humour, and the conversation your teenage self never got but your menopausal self really needs.
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Sleep Series: Part 03 with Dr Alison Bentley

In this episode, Mandy and Tamsin wrap up the Sleep Series with Dr Alison Bentley, one of South Africa’s top sleep specialists and the woman who just might save you from another 2am internal TED Talk.
Expect:
The truth about the eight hours of sleep myth and why your brain might only want five
How to prep for your doctor’s visit like a sleep detective (clipboard optional, clarity essential)
The surprisingly long list of things that sabotage your sleep, including dinner time, bedtime, and being too ambitious about both
Why insomnia isn’t solved by pills, but sleeping tablets can sometimes save your sanity
Practical tips. Medical wisdom. And full permission to stop trying to win gold at the Sleep Olympics.
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The Sleep Series: Part 02 with Dr Alison Bentley

In this episode, Mandy and Tamsin are back with Dr Alison Bentley for part two of the Sleep Series and this one is a total eye-opener. They’re talking sleep apnea, restless legs, and why bad sleep isn’t just annoying, it’s dangerous.
Expect:
Why untreated sleep apnea can speed up diabetes, dementia, heart disease, and more
The weird-but-true ways to manage sleep apnea including jaw gadgets, mouth taping, and even cannabis
Restless legs syndrome decoded: what it really is, why it runs in families, and how to spot it (hint: it’s not a magnesium deficiency)
Simple, smart ways to figure out what’s really ruining your sleep before spending a cent on fancy gadgets or meds
This is the stuff every woman needs to know because sleep isn’t optional, and neither is your health.
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The Sleep Series: Part 01 with Dr Alison Bentley

In this episode, Mandy and Tamsin kick off the Sleep Series with Dr Alison Bentley, GP, sleep specialist, and the woman who’ll finally explain why you’re wide awake at 2am plotting your grocery list and escape.
Expect:
Why your hormones aren’t the only reason you can’t sleep
Restless legs, snoring, and the hidden epidemic of sleep apnoea in menopausal women
How your bladder, brain, and breathing all gang up on you at 3am
What insomnia actually is, and what it definitely isn’t
Sleep is not a luxury. It’s a medical issue and you deserve better.
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The HRT Series: Part 03 with Dr Sumayya Ebrahim

In this episode, Mandy and Tamsin are back with the final episode of the HRT Series with Dr. Sumayya Ebrahim to decode the chaos around bioidentical hormones, blood tests that don’t work, and tubs of cream with mysterious vibes.
It’s the HRT chat that clears the fog (and confirms your rage is valid).
Expect:
What bioidentical really means 
Why most HRT blood tests are a waste of time
The truth about compounded hormones (and why no two tubs are ever the same)
How body fat and booze affect oestrogen after menopause
Quick, sharp and full of facts you wish you’d known years ago.Listen now and subscribe: whatthemenopause.substack.com
Email us on whathemenopause@gmail.com if you have any questions you want answered by an expert.

The HRT Series: Part 02 with Dr Sumayya Ebrahim

In this episode, Mandy and Tamsin sit down with Dr. Sumayya Ebrahim, gynaecologist, menopause warrior, and HRT expert, to pull apart the big fears and even bigger facts about HRT.
Like, did you know the most-feared HRT study got a lot wrong? Or that modern oestrogen might actually help prevent breast cancer, not cause it?
Expect:
The 2002 HRT study unpacked and discussed
Brain fog decoded: Menopause isn’t just forgetfulness, it’s a full-on neurological remodel
Oestrogen as heart helper, bone builder, and diabetes dodger
Twenty-three percent lower risk of diabetes for women on HRT
Why your brain is showing up differently (not dying, just rewiring)
How to deal with doctors who still think it’s 2002
Estrogen Matters, Lara Mosconi, and the books that could change your mind
Beard hairs, grey eyebrow hairs, insomnia, and the sneaky war on your confidence
Why AI will lie to you (yes, we’re looking at you, ChatGPT)
Serious science, deeply unserious jokes.And the universal menopause truth: If you can’t remember what you were saying, make it up with conviction.
Get in touch: whathemenopause@gmail.comFind more: https://whatthemenopause.substack.com

The HRT Series: Part 01 with Dr Sumayya Ebrahim

In this episode, Mandy and Tamsin sit down with Dr. Sumayya Ebrahim, gynaecologist, menopause warrior, and HRT expert, to ask the big questions: What is HRT? Do we need it? Will it make us grow beards or just help us sleep?
Expect:
Oestrogen in a patch, gel, or oral
Testosterone for your libido and your deadlift
DHEA (basically the FBI of hormones)
Beard hair, bald spots, and witch hairs with friends
Serious science, deeply unserious jokes
And the universal menopause truth: Use your words. Or failing that, your ragey grunts.
Get in touch: whathemenopause@gmail.comFind more: https://whatthemenopause.substack.com

Sitting down with a GP: Part 02

In this episode, we dive headfirst into the oestrogen void with Dr. Chrissy du Plessis and discover that menopause has no official end. Expect:
Zombiefied lady parts (hello, atrophy)
Brain fog and brittle skin
Heel pain and itchy ears
Mood swings courtesy of progesterone
And zero fanfare when it’s theoretically over
Basically, your body’s running Windows 95 and no one’s rebooting it.
More chaos: https://whatthemenopause.substack.com/Email: whathemenopause@gmail.com