Best Bits #5 – Dealing With Vaginal Dryness – The Happy Menopause Podcast

Best Bits • #5
Kathy Abernethy, Menopause Specialist

Welcome to my latest Best Bit, part of my series to celebrate half a million downloads for The Happy Menopause podcast, and the chance for you to catch up on some of the brilliant episodes you may have missed. This edition focuses on vaginal dryness, which is rather the Cinderella of the menopause.

In recent years, we’ve become more confident about discussing our menopause – some women will mention their hot flushes without turning a hair, and the common mental health symptoms  such as anxiety and mood swings have also started to come out of the closet, which is a great thing, but we’re still not quite ready to be open about the vaginal symptoms.

So for this extract, I zoom back to Season 2 Episode 15 where we shine a light on this tricky issue, because it can be a huge problem for many women through the menopause and beyond. To help us, I’ve turned to one of the most clinically experienced menopause specialists in the UK. Kathy Abernethy, who’s been a leading light in the field of women’s health and the menopause for over 30 years.

From her early years as a sister on a gynae ward, through her time as Chair of the British Menopause Society and now as the leader of a multidisciplinary NHS menopause clinic and director of menopause services at Peppy health, a digital health company, Kathy has consistently championed women’s health and transformed the lives of hundreds of women with her clinical advice and support. There really is no better person to give us the lowdown on how to manage vaginal dryness, so tune in to hear her expert advice on moisturisers, lubricants, vaginal oestrogen and how to manage UTIs.

To hear the full episode, check out Season 2 Episode 15, where there’s even more practical advice for you.

If you’re a fan of The Happy Menopause, please tell your friends and family, and do give it a 5-star rating and a short review on Apple podcasts, or whichever platform you listen on. It makes a huge difference to the algorithms which influence the visibility of the podcast, so that more women can find the show. Because every woman deserves to have a happy menopause.

Show Notes

Book your place on my online Energy Nutrition Masterclass on Saturday 7th September, and start the autumn with a spring in your step. Details and tickets here.

Find out more about Kathy and the work that she does by visiting her website, where you can book in for a private consultation

Check out Kathy’s book: Menopause – The One-Stop Guide

Follow her on Twitter and Facebook

Visit Peppy Health for Employee Health support

Useful Links & Resources

Listen to sex & relationships expert Tracey Cox in my How to Boost Your Libido & Have Great Sex in Midlife  podcast or pick up her book: Great Sex Starts at 50. 

For more advice on pelvic health visit the Squeezy website and listen to the advice from pelvic health physiotherapist Myra Robson in Managing Stress Incontinence (Or How to Stop Leaking!) in Season 1 of The Happy Menopause podcast. Or check out Your Pelvic Floor: Why It’s Important to Keep it in Shape with Elaine Miller, Pelvic Health Physio in Season 3, Episode 14.