Big Brother's Kate Lawler Opens Up About Menopause Struggles (fear of HRT, symptoms & marriage)

Feel like you've lost yourself in menopause? Don't worry, getting back on track doesn't need to be a gruelling task.

In this deeply honest conversation, broadcaster, Big Brother winner, and fellow podcaster Kate Lawler joins Dr Naomi Potter to talk about the emotional and physical toll of menopause. Kate opens up candidly about her fear of taking HRT, the whirlwind of menopause symptoms she's trying to keep at bay, how she wishes she could "give my husband the wife he married back" and so much more.

If you have also felt like a hormonal mess with no idea what to fix first, this episode will be an absolute game-changer for you.

💬 Topics include:
• Kate’s personal journey through perimenopause
• The fear and stigma surrounding HRT
• How hormone changes can impact relationships
• Losing (and rediscovering) your sense of identity
• Dr Naomi Potter’s advice for women feeling “not themselves”

Follow Is It Hot In Here? podcast on Instagram at @podcast_naomipotter

Follow Kate Lawler below:
Kate's Instagram: @thekatelawler
Kate's TikTok: @thekatelawler
Kate's YouTube channel: ‪@bojandkate‬

Kate's podcast Boj and Kate Have A Lot On Their Plate: https://linktr.ee/bojandkate?fbclid=P...
Follow her podcast on Instagram: @bogandkate

Follow Dr. Naomi Potter below:
Naomi’s Instagram: @dr_naomipotter
Naomi’s TikTok: @dr_naomipotter

More info and menopause support at: https://www.menopausecare.co.uk/

00:00 – Meet Kate Lawler
00:43 – Winning Big Brother
02:33 – Postnatal depression and motherhood
03:28 – Why Kate hid perimenopause (stigma, work, ageism)
04:45 – “I don’t feel like me”: perimenopause symptoms
06:59 – Mood swings, heavy periods, anxiety & brain fog
09:03 – The blood test that changed everything
10:35 – Early menopause warning at the fertility clinic
12:15 – Fear of HRT
13:31 – HRT and breast tenderness
16:24 – Health anxiety in perimenopause
18:10 – Real HRT risks
19:11 – Personalising HRT: oestrogen, progesterone & testosterone
22:13 – Can extra progesterone help with sleep and anxiety?
23:55 – Testosterone on the NHS
27:04 – Bone health in early menopause
28:57 – Balancing risks: breast cancer headlines vs heart & brain health
31:11 – Kate Lawler breaks down about perimenopause
35:44 – HRT patches vs gel
39:29 – Vaginal oestrogen
44:47 – Setting rest boundaries in midlife
51:02 – Why midlife women feel overwhelmed
56:05 – “Textbook perimenopause” vs depression
57:45 – Listener Questions
1:01:00 – Closing thoughts and next steps for Kate Lawler

#hrt #menopause #katelawler