One gynaecologist recommends HRT. Another says you don't need it. One wants hormone tests. Another says they're unnecessary. So who do you believe?

In this special World Menopause Day episode of Why Pause? Let's Play, Gayu Lewis sits down with Dr. Sadiya Hussain, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Mediclinic City Hospital, Dubai, and a British Menopause Society accredited specialist and trainer, to cut through the confusion surrounding perimenopause, menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

If you're a woman in your late 30s, 40s or 50s experiencing unexplained weight gain, brain fog, anxiety, mood swings, irregular periods, hot flashes, night sweats or disrupted sleep, this conversation is for you.

In this episode, we explore:

• Why different gynaecologists give conflicting advice about menopause and HRT.
• Perimenopause vs menopause: how do you know which stage you're in?
• Can you have perimenopause symptoms even when your hormone blood tests are normal?
• When should women consider hormone replacement therapy (HRT)?
• HRT benefits, side effects, breast cancer risks and common misconceptions.
• Can you start HRT while you're still having regular periods?
• What women should know about testosterone, vaginal estrogen and sexual health during menopause.
• Is there an ideal age to start HRT, and how long can you safely continue?
• What questions should every woman ask her gynaecologist before making treatment decisions?

From early perimenopause symptoms and menopause diagnosis to evidence-based menopause treatment, Dr. Sadiya shares medical insights to help women navigate midlife hormonal changes with greater clarity and confidence.

Whether you're exploring HRT for the first time, questioning a previous diagnosis or simply trying to understand what's happening to your body after 40, this episode will help you ask better questions and make more informed decisions with your healthcare provider.

Because menopause awareness isn't just about recognising symptoms. It's about having access to the right information and the right care.

🎙️ About the Guest

Dr. Sadiya Hussain is a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Mediclinic City Hospital, Dubai, with 15 years of clinical experience and specialist training in menopause care. She is an accredited specialist and trainer with the British Menopause Society.

🎧 About the Podcast

Why Pause? Let's Play with Gayu Lewis explores women's wellness, midlife health, menopause, longevity, lifestyle and the conversations that help women live healthier, fuller lives.

If this conversation resonates with you, follow the podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts, leave a rating or review, and share this episode with a woman who needs answers.

Connect with Gayu Lewis on Instagram: @GayuLewisOfficial

This episode is for educational purposes only and does not replace personalised medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional about your symptoms and treatment options.

World Menopause Day Special | October 18, 2026

Connect with Gayu lewis:

• Instagram: gayulewisofficial
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• Website: www.gayulewis.com

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MENOPAUSE ...WHY PAUSE? LET'S PLAY!!!

Bleeding gums, dry mouth, sensitive teeth or receding gums in your 40s? You might not immediately think perimenopause or menopause — but your changing hormones could be playing a role.

We hear plenty about hot flashes, brain fog, sleep and weight changes during menopause. But what about what’s happening inside your mouth?

In this episode of WHY PAUSE? LET’S PLAY Podcast by Gayu Lewis, Gayu sits down with Dubai-based modern aesthetic dentist Dr. Sana Nasser to uncover the often-overlooked connection between hormonal changes and oral health in midlife.

They talk about why declining estrogen can affect your gums, saliva, teeth and bone health; why dry mouth is more than just an annoyance; what bleeding or receding gums could be telling you; and whether menopause can increase your risk of tooth sensitivity, decay and gum disease.

Plus, Dr. Sana shares what women over 40 should be doing differently when it comes to dental check-ups and preventive care — and the signs you shouldn’t ignore.

If you’ve noticed your mouth or teeth changing during perimenopause or menopause and wondered “Is this hormonal too?”, this is a conversation you’ll want to hear.

WHY PAUSE? LET’S PLAY Podcast by Gayu Lewis brings you honest, practical conversations about perimenopause, menopause, midlife health and the things women should have been told much sooner.

Follow the podcast and share this episode with a woman who needs to hear it.

#Perimenopause #Menopause #OralHealth #WomensHealth #MidlifeHealth

Connect with Gayu lewis:

• Instagram: gayulewisofficial
• LinkedIn: gayulewis
• Website: www.gayulewis.com

Don’t forget to like, comment, and share this video with your friends.
MENOPAUSE ...WHY PAUSE? LET'S PLAY!!!

My parents started making sanitary pads when no one would even say the word period.

In this deeply personal episode of The Gayu Lewis Podcast, I sit down with my mother and father to talk about menstrual health, menstrual hygiene, period care, sanitary pads, period education and women’s health — and how the conversation has changed across two generations.

My father came from a pharmaceutical background, but decades ago stepped into an area few people were openly discussing: menstrual health. At a time when periods were still spoken about in whispers and access to period products in schools and workplaces was far from normal, my parents began manufacturing sanitary napkins and sanitary napkin vending machines.

Their work wasn't only about making a product. It was about period access, menstrual hygiene education and removing the shame around menstruation — particularly for girls and women in schools and workplaces.

We talk about what the period taboo really looked like decades ago, why access to sanitary pads matters, the role of vending machines in schools and workplaces, menstrual hygiene basics every girl should know, and how mothers and fathers can have better conversations with their daughters about their first period.

And there’s another reason this conversation feels incredibly personal.

Decades later, their daughter ended up working in women’s health too — only at another stage of a woman's hormonal life: perimenopause and menopause.

From the first period to perimenopause, women's hormonal health is one continuum — and the conversations we start with young girls can shape how they understand their bodies for decades to come.

In this episode, we talk about:
• Menstrual health and menstrual hygiene
• Sanitary pads and period care
• Period poverty and access to menstrual products
• Sanitary napkin vending machines in schools and workplaces
• How often sanitary pads should be changed
• Period hygiene and disposal
• Talking to girls about their first period
• Why fathers should be part of the period conversation
• Breaking menstrual taboos across generations
• The connection between menstrual health, perimenopause and lifelong women’s health

This isn't just a conversation about periods. It's a conversation about access, dignity, education — and what happens when we stop treating women's health as something that should be whispered about.

If this episode resonates with you, send it to a mother, father, daughter, teacher or employer who needs to hear it.

And tell me: Did your parents talk to you about periods growing up?

Follow The Gayu Lewis Podcast — Menopause, Midlife & Women’s Health for honest conversations about hormones, perimenopause, menopause, nutrition, longevity and women's health.

Why pause? Let's play.

This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice.

Connect with Gayu lewis:

• Instagram: gayulewisofficial
• LinkedIn: gayulewis
• Website: www.gayulewis.com

Don’t forget to like, comment, and share this video with your friends.
MENOPAUSE ...WHY PAUSE? LET'S PLAY!!!