All About You With Dr Shauna Watts

Anxiety, brain fog, low mood, loss of confidence, and feeling “not like yourself” are some of the most common, and most misunderstood symptoms of perimenopause and menopause.In this episode of All About You, Dr. Shauna Watts is joined by leading menopause experts to unpack the real science behind hormones, mental health, brain function, libido, bone health, and longevity, and why so many women are being misdiagnosed, dismissed, or under-treated during midlife.This conversation cuts through fear-based messaging and outdated medical myths to explain what’s actually happening in the female brain and body, when hormone therapy helps, when it doesn’t, and what every woman deserves to know before making decisions about her health.In this episode, you’ll learn how to:Understand why anxiety and depression spike in perimenopause and why hormones, not SSRIs, are often the correct first-line treatmentExplain how estrogen stabilises the brain and why hormonal fluctuations drive mood changes and brain fogSeparate fact from fear around menopause hormone therapy (MHT/HRT)Learn when SSRIs may be appropriate — and when they’re notUnderstand the role of testosterone in female libido, muscle, mood, and confidenceProtect your bones, muscles, brain, and cardiovascular health long-termBust common myths about vaginal estrogen safety, including in breast cancer survivorsMake informed decisions about hormones at any ageReframe menopause as a powerful life transition, not a declineResources MentionedEstrogen Matters — Avrum Bluming & Carol TavrisThe New Menopause — Dr. Mary Claire HaverYou Are Not Broken — Dr. Kelly CaspersonResearch on vaginal estrogen safety in breast cancer survivorsEmerging data on estrogen, Alzheimer’s risk, and brain healthFollow Dr Mary Claire Haverhttps://www.instagram.com/drmaryclaire/Dr Kelly Caspersonhttps://www.instagram.com/kellycaspersonmd/Dr Vonda Wrighthttps://www.instagram.com/drvondawright/ Gina Jeffreyshttps://www.instagram.com/gina_jeffreys/ Dr Shauna Wattshttps://www.instagram.com/dr.shaunawatts/00:00:00 - Introduction00:00:41 - About the Host00:00:54 - Part Two: Menopause Mashup00:01:50 - Understanding Menopause and Mental Health00:03:16 - Brain Fog and Cognitive Decline00:04:19 - Hopes for Future Medical Training00:06:15 - Misconceptions about Menopause00:07:20 - Testosterone and Menopause00:10:56 - Vaginal Hormones and Menopause00:14:30 - Audience Questions00:15:16 - Menopause and Evolution00:17:18 - Hormones and Osteoporosis00:19:23 - Hormone Replacement in Older Age00:20:41 - Hormone Replacement and Breast Cancer00:26:06 - Vaginal Estrogen Sensitivity00:27:42 - Risks of Not Going on HRT00:31:16 - Recommended Resources for Menopause Literacy00:32:43 - Rediscover You Program Advertisement00:33:28 - Addressing Women Who Can't or Don't Want to Take HRT00:37:10 - Building Muscle for Better Health00:41:12 - The Importance of Optimizing Sleep00:45:17 - The Role of Nutrition in Menopause00:45:38 - Importance of Nutrition and Dietary Choices00:49:07 - Alcohol Consumption and Menopause00:52:48 - Social Interaction and Menopause00:54:52 - Medical Help for Menopause Symptoms00:55:38 - Final Thoughts and Encouragement00:56:47 - The Importance of Seeking Help and Sharing Experiences00:57:22 - Empowerment and Confidence in Menopause Follow Dr Shauna and the podcast on social:Podcast Website: ⁠www.allaboutyoupod.com⁠.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allaboutyou_withdrshaunawatts https://www.instagram.com/drshaunawattsgpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shauna-watts-a903a5247Disclaimer: This podcast and any information, advice, opinions or statements within it do not constitute medical, health care or other professional advice. Information is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only.

In this conversation, we break down what actually changes during midlife from muscle loss and visceral fat gain to sleep disruption, libido changes, and brain fog, and why “eat less and move more” stops working. We cover what science says works, what’s a waste of time, and how women can take back control of their health with the right training, nutrition, and hormone support.This is not about quick fixes. It’s about understanding your physiology and working with it.In this episode, we cover:• Strength training after 35 is mandatory, not optional, if you want to keep muscle, bone density, and metabolic health.• Visceral belly fat increases during menopause by default, but it can be managed with the right training, nutrition, and hormone support.• Most women under-eat protein, accelerating muscle loss, frailty, and long-term health decline.• Hormone therapy is not a weight-loss solution, but it improves sleep, energy, and how well lifestyle changes work.• Creatine combined with resistance training is one of the most effective and underused tools for midlife women.• Sleep is the force multiplier for appetite regulation, mood, and consistency.If you’re navigating perimenopause or menopause and feel like your body suddenly stopped playing by the rules, this episode is essential listening.For more resources:Dr Mary Claire Haver: https://www.instagram.com/drmaryclaire/Dr Rachel Rubin: https://www.instagram.com/drrachelrubin/Dr Kelly Casperson: https://www.instagram.com/kellycaspersonmd/Dr Shauna Watts: https://www.instagram.com/dr.shaunawatts/Follow Dr Shauna and the podcast on social:Podcast Website: ⁠www.allaboutyoupod.com⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allaboutyou_withdrshaunawatts LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shauna-watts-a903a5247Disclaimer: This podcast and any information, advice, opinions or statements within it do not constitute medical, health care or other professional advice. Information is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only.00:00:00 – Why Midlife Health Needs a Reset00:01:02 – What This Episode Will Change00:01:54 – Muscle Loss After 3500:02:24 – Why Belly Fat Increases00:05:24 – Protein Needs in Midlife00:06:55 – Eating for Muscle and Metabolism00:09:18 – Supplements That Actually Matter00:11:18 – Creatine for Women00:12:48 – Lifting With Osteopenia or Osteoporosis00:13:49 – Why Women Stop Vaginal Hormones00:17:04 – Vaginal Estrogen vs DHEA00:20:13 – Genital Urinary Syndrome Explained00:21:56 – Why Testosterone Matters for Women00:24:55 – “I Feel Like Myself Again”00:27:17 – Access to Hormone Therapy00:33:58 – Vaginal Estrogen Safety Myths00:39:34 – Sex and Desire in Midlife00:44:50 – Testosterone and Libido00:49:38 – When Hormones Start Working00:54:48 – Sleep Changes Everything* Visceral fat* Belly fat menopause* Protein for women* Strength training for women* Creatine for women* Testosterone for women* Estrogen therapy* Vaginal estrogen* Vaginal DHEA* Genital urinary syndrome of menopause* Osteoporosis prevention* Bone density women* Sleep and menopause* Brain fog menopause

What happens when a woman whose career depends on confidence and words suddenly loses both? For journalist Shelly Horton, perimenopause didn’t arrive with hot flushes at first. It showed up as anxiety, heart palpitations, crushing self-doubt, and moments of forgetting simple words at work.In this deeply honest episode, Dr Shauna Watts speaks with Shelly about her journey through perimenopause-related depression, being dismissed by doctors, and the quiet suffering of high-functioning women in midlife. Shelly shares how the right diagnosis, support, and hormone treatment helped her find herself again and why she’s now using her voice to make sure other women don’t feel invisible.In this episode, you’ll learn:• Understand how perimenopause can present as anxiety and depression• Recognise why high-functioning women are often missed or dismissed• Learn how hormonal changes affect confidence, cognition, and mood• Understand the role of HRT in perimenopausal depression• Recognise warning signs that shouldn’t be ignored• Learn why advocacy, for yourself and others, matters• Understand how shame and silence keep women unwellThis episode is for women who feel dismissed, disconnected, or quietly struggling in the midlife yearss. Shelly’s story sheds light on how hormonal change affects mental health and how proper support can help.For more resources from Shelly Horton:Follow her on Instagram or purchase her book ‘I’m Your Peri-Godmother’.Follow Dr Shauna and the podcast on social:Podcast Website: ⁠www.allaboutyoupod.com⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allaboutyou_withdrshaunawatts https://www.instagram.com/drshaunawattsgpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shauna-watts-a903a5247Disclaimer: This podcast and any information, advice, opinions or statements within it do not constitute medical, health care or other professional advice. Information is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only.00:00 – When Perimenopause Steals Your Confidence00:08 – Shelly Horton’s Perimenopause Wake-Up Call00:53 – Welcome to All About You with Dr Shauna Watts01:10 – “I Didn’t Recognise Myself”: Losing Confidence in Midlife02:24 – Early Perimenopause Symptoms Doctors Miss07:46 – Perimenopause, Anxiety & Depression10:56 – Getting the Right Diagnosis Changed Everything14:32 – What Depression Really Feels Like15:20 – Tracking Symptoms & Withdrawing from Life16:29 – High-Functioning Depression at Work17:28 – Why Women Hide Mental Health Struggles19:24 – Fear, Myths & Starting HRT20:45 – Dark Thoughts & Breakthrough Depression23:26 – Finding a Psychiatrist Who Understands Hormones26:32 – Extreme Heavy Bleeding in Perimenopause28:37 – A Health Crisis That Forced Change30:34 – Strength Training & Rebuilding Her Body31:50 – Body Image, Aging & Self-Trust35:46 – Going Public with Her Perimenopause Story40:13 – Vaginal Dryness & Intimate Symptoms42:17 – Invisibility, Anger & Female Empowerment48:04 – Writing a Book to Change the Conversation01:01:38 – A Message for Women Who Feel Lost* perimenopause depression* perimenopause mental health* Shelly Horton menopause* high functioning depression women* menopause anxiety and mood* hormonal depression in midlife* HRT and mental health* perimenopause symptoms women* being dismissed by doctors women* menopause advocacy Australia* women’s mental health midlife* hormone replacement therapy HRT* menopause stigma* losing confidence in perimenopause

Many women are left navigating menopause with fear, confusion or very little support, especially when cancer or early menopause is part of their story. This episode brings clarity to some of the most misunderstood areas of midlife health, from surgical menopause and abrupt hormone loss to the challenges older women face when they were never offered HRT in the first place.Dr Corinne Menn, OB-GYN, menopause specialist and breast cancer survivor, joins me to explain what the evidence really shows about hormones, why vaginal estrogen is safe for almost everyone, how polypharmacy affects women as they age, and what has finally changed in the way hormone therapy is being discussed.In this episode, you’ll learn:• Understand why early and surgical menopause cause more abrupt, severe symptoms and mental health effects• Learn how lack of pre-operative counselling leads to preventable suffering• Recognise why vaginal estrogen is safe for almost everyone, including cancer survivors• Explore why women in their 60s–70s are returning to discuss HRT after decades of missed care• Understand the role of shared decision-making for late-starters• Learn how polypharmacy, SSRIs, and sedatives impact bone, brain, and sexual health• Explore how HRT affects cholesterol, cardiovascular risk, and bone density• Understand the implications of the FDA’s removal of the estrogen black-box warningIf you’ve ever been told to “just cope,” felt dismissed because of your cancer history, or wondered whether hormones were still an option for you, this episode brings clarity, nuance, and evidence-based reassurance.For more resources from Dr Corinne Menn:Visit her website: https://www.drmenn.com/Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmennobgyn/?hl=enFollow Dr Shauna and the podcast on social:Podcast Website: ⁠www.allaboutyoupod.com⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allaboutyou_withdrshaunawatts https://www.instagram.com/drshaunawattsgpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shauna-watts-a903a5247Disclaimer: This podcast and any information, advice, opinions or statements within it do not constitute medical, health care or other professional advice. Information is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only.00:00:00 – Why Hormone Safety Is Being Re-Examined00:01:14 – Meet Dr Corinne Menn00:01:54 – What Makes Early Menopause Different00:04:06 – HRT for Women in Their 60s and 70s00:10:00 – Understanding HRT Risks and Benefits00:11:03 – Polypharmacy vs Hormone Therapy00:14:10 – Menopause, Cholesterol & Heart Health00:16:36 – Rediscover You Program (Sponsor)00:17:21 – FDA Removes Estrogen Black Box Warning00:24:51 – How FDA Changes Impact Doctors00:25:40 – What the New Label Actually Means00:27:17 – Key Updates to Estrogen Labeling00:29:13 – How Women on HRT Should Be Monitored00:30:07 – Do You Need Hormone Level Testing?00:34:33 – Managing Symptoms & Side Effects00:35:14 – Testosterone Use After Breast Cancer00:37:19 – Evidence on HRT After Breast Cancer00:40:40 – Why Menopause Advocacy Matters00:42:03 – Final Thoughts & Takeaways* vaginal estrogen safety* FDA black box estrogen* menopause after cancer* surgical menopause symptoms* early menopause risks* hormone therapy after breast cancer* HRT for women over 60* polypharmacy in menopause* SSRI risks bone health* cholesterol changes menopause* HRT cardiovascular benefits* osteoporosis prevention estrogen* Dr Corinne Menn interview* menopause specialist podcast* All About You Dr Shauna Watts

Have you ever been told, “You can never have hormones again” because of a breast cancer diagnosis, and felt terrified to even ask a follow-up question? This episode is for every woman who’s been left in limbo between cancer care and menopause care, wondering what’s actually safe and what’s fear and old data talking.In this conversation, I’m joined by Dr Corinne Menn, a board-certified OB/GYN, Menopause Society Certified Practitioner and breast cancer survivor who went through treatment-induced menopause in her early 20s. Drawing on both her clinical expertise and lived experience, Corinne unpacks how breast cancer became so tightly (and often inaccurately) linked to HRT, what “estrogen receptor positive” really means, and why so many survivors are excluded from nuanced conversations about hormones and long-term health.In this episode, you’ll learn:• How one study and its miscommunication sparked decades of fear around HRT and breast cancer• What “estrogen receptor positive” actually means, and why it doesn’t prove estrogen caused your cancer• Why short-term HRT cannot biologically create a breast cancer that develops over the years• The difference between baseline breast cancer risk, family history, and what HRT truly changes• How synthetic progestins, body-identical progesterone, and estrogen-only therapy differ in safety data• Practical steps to prepare for appointments, track symptoms, and advocate for vaginal or systemic hormonesIf you’ve ever felt scared, confused, or dismissed when asking about hormones after breast cancer, this episode offers clarity, comfort, and evidence you can trust, helping you understand real risk, navigate safer options, and feel more empowered in your care.For more resources from Dr Corinne Menn:Visit her website: https://www.drmenn.com/Follow her on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drmennobgyn/?hl=en
Follow Dr Shauna and the podcast on social:Podcast Website: ⁠www.allaboutyoupod.com⁠Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allaboutyou_withdrshaunawatts https://www.instagram.com/drshaunawattsgpLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shauna-watts-a903a5247Disclaimer: This podcast and any information, advice, opinions or statements within it do not constitute medical, health care or other professional advice. Information is provided for educational and entertainment purposes only.00:00 – Introduction & Why Hormones Feel Confusing00:37 – How HRT Became Fear-Based01:10 – Meet Dr Corinne Menn02:10 – Corinne’s Cancer & Early Menopause04:15 – How HRT Got Linked to Breast Cancer07:09 – What ER+ Really Means10:44 – Family History & True Risk11:22 – How HRT Affects Risk15:12 – What WHI Actually Showed16:32 – Why Balanced Risk Matters17:26 – Modifiable vs Fixed Risk Factors20:55 – Synthetic vs Body-Identical Hormones23:44 – Hormone Absorption Explained25:39 – Transdermal vs Oral Hormones30:17 – Benefits & Limits of Progesterone32:54 – Early Menopause & HRT Needs38:16 – Challenges for Survivors41:52 – Local vs Systemic Hormones45:24 – Vaginal Estrogen Safety48:56 – Advocating for Yourself* HRT after breast cancer* estrogen receptor positive explained* vaginal estrogen breast cancer survivors* Dr Corinne Menn interview* menopause after chemotherapy* surgical menopause HRT dosing* premature menopause health risks* bioidentical vs synthetic hormones* breast cancer family history risk* modifiable breast cancer risk factors* menopause and cancer support* hormone therapy WHI study* progesterone and breast density* advocating for vaginal estrogen* women’s health podcast midlife