102 - Melanie Martins: Treat me like a patient but there’s no ’one size fits all’
The Dr Louise Newson Podcast
Dr Louise Newson
4.7 • 935 Ratings
🗓️ 8 June 2021
⏱️ 37 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This episode features a very open and honest account from GP and Newson Health doctor, Melanie Martins. Mel was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 34 and, after a further diagnosis and chemotherapy, found herself 'flung' into the menopause with very little warning or discussion with the health professionals caring for her at the time.
Dr Martins shares with Dr Louise Newson why she believes every woman's experience of breast cancer is unique to them and a 'one size fits all' approach must be avoided. She shares about her own quest for help with persistent and worsening genitourinary symptoms and the psychological process of navigating evidence and making a decision to take vaginal estrogen, when she had avoided contact with this hormone for years.
Dr Martin's 3 pieces of advice for women experiencing menopause after breast cancer are:
- Read this booklet and listen to the podcasts on menopause doctor website: https://d2931px9t312xa.cloudfront.net/menopausedoctor/files/information/601/Been%20through%20breast%20cancer%20(with%20links).pdf
- If you're troubled by vulval and vaginal symptoms, stop using soap or shower gel and use an emollient wash instead. You can buy this over the counter in any chemist. These symptoms tend to worsen over time, don't struggle on and get desperate, seek help for them. Vaginal estrogen is safe, it can be used in the long term, alongside HRT, or on it's own.
- Find accurate information about menopause and treatments after breast cancer. And then make a decision that's right for you and you alone. You need to be at peace with that decision, and remember it's not set in stone forever. We can only make decisions based on the information we have and how we feel at the time, so don't look back with regret about what you did or didn't decide to do.
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome to the Neuson Health Menopause podcast. I'm Dr. Louise Newson, a GP and menopause |
| 0:15.8 | specialist and I'm also the founder of the menopause charity. In addition, I run the Newston Health |
| 0:22.5 | Menopause and Well-Being Clinic here in Stratford-upon-Avon. |
| 0:31.6 | So on this week's podcast, I'm very pleased and honoured to have with me, Dr Melanie Martins, who is a friend of a friend. |
| 0:40.6 | I like a lot of the doctors that work with me. |
| 0:42.8 | I've known of her through another doctor who works with me. |
| 0:46.8 | And I first met probably about a year ago. |
| 0:49.3 | And so Mel's now started working with us. |
| 0:52.0 | And I've been very grateful because she's agreed to talk a bit |
| 0:55.0 | about her sort of own personal journey as well. So thanks for joining me today, Mel. |
| 1:00.1 | Thank you very much, Louise. Thank you for inviting me. |
| 1:02.9 | So you're a GP, aren't you? I am. Married to a cardiologist who coincidentally works at the same |
| 1:08.8 | hospital as my husband. So I'm very, I think I am a bit |
| 1:12.3 | spiritual actually, and I really like connections. And I also feel that life is a bit of a journey |
| 1:18.2 | that's not set in stone, but it's sanded out for us. And we have to meet various things, I really |
| 1:25.0 | believe. And so sometimes fate gets people together. And so you came and sat in the |
| 1:30.0 | clinic. It's probably about a year ago. About a year ago now. Yep, absolutely. Well, initially a little bit |
| 1:36.0 | longer. And then with COVID, there's been some silver linings, you know, being able to work remotely. |
| 1:42.2 | So actually, probably a little bit longer, but then things sort of |
| 1:46.0 | expanded with COVID, yes. Yeah. So have you always been interested in men and pause care then |
| 1:51.7 | with your patients? Yeah, so I think women's health has always been a thread throughout my career. |
| 1:56.5 | And then for me, personally, out of the blue, 12 years ago, I was diagnosed in my mid-30s with breast |
... |
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