In this episode, I’m joined by Lindsey Lester, a British Menopause Society-accredited specialist and breast cancer survivor, for an essential conversation on bone health after cancer and menopause.

Bone health is one of the most common — and least talked about — long-term effects of cancer treatment. Whether your menopause was triggered suddenly by treatment or has developed over time, the impact on your bones can be significant.

We explore how treatments such as chemotherapy, endocrine therapies (including tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors), steroids, and treatment-induced menopause can all affect bone density — across different types of cancer, not just breast cancer.

We also talk about who may be most at risk, how quickly bone density can change, and why bone loss is often called a “silent” condition — with many people not realising until much later.

A key part of this conversation is understanding DEXA scans — when to have one, how often to monitor your bone health, and what it really means if you’re told you have osteopenia or osteoporosis.

But most importantly, this episode is about what you can do.

From nutrition and movement to medications and monitoring, Lindsey shares clear, practical ways to protect your bones — and answers one of the biggest questions so many people have after cancer:

Can we improve our bone health without HRT?

This episode will help you feel more informed, more in control, and better equipped to make decisions about your long-term health.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Intro

06:09 Participant introductions and background questions

09:00 Discussing osteoporosis awareness plan

13:03 Postmenopausal bone health risks

15:16 Discussing bone health awareness

20:08 Young people unaware of health risks

22:49 Discussing tamoxifen and ovarian function

28:51 Experiencing medical and surgical menopause

31:37 Calcium and vitamin D for bone health

39:52 Tracking calcium on a vegan diet

44:54 Discussing exercise for bone health

49:30 Cholesterol management with exercise

51:47 Benefits of building muscle

Here are some links we mentioned:

https://theros.org.uk/information-and-support/bone-health/nutrition-for-bones/calcium/calcium-rich-food-chooser/

https://strwebstgmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/0lhowmrk/about-exercise-fact-sheet-february-2019.pdf

You can find Lindsey here: https://healthinmenopause.co.uk/meet-the-team/

Connect with us:

For more information and resources visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org

Or follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer

Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub

In this episode, I’m doing something a little different.

I’m sharing real stories of who I met, what went on in our menopause after cancer community, and real experiences of what menopause after cancer actually feels like. The parts that often go unspoken.

• I mull over if menopause after cancer needs a rebrand?
• What does it mean to set realistic expectations?

And alongside that, I’m answering your questions.

From hair to how long does menopause last to GLP-1’s and risk — this is a space to bring it all together.

Because so often, we’re told what should happen…

but not what it really feels like to live through it.

And because sometimes the best meaning advice is hard to implement for yourself - right at the end, I’m reading a beautiful poem to you by Jeff Foster - it’s called: Slow Down Friend.

You’re not alone in this. And there are ways to feel better.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Intro

05:42 Discussing menopause after cancer support

17:40 Answering listener questions on hair thinning

20:54 Diagnosing and treating hair loss

23:04 Discussing hair fibres and re-growth helmets

25:55 Discussing menopause after ovary removal

29:33 Managing cancer treatment and lifestyle risks

32:11 Considering whole patient health

35:26 Finding solace in the poem, Slow Down Friend

Episode mentions:

Episode 118: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/ep-118-what-is-the-evidence-between-hrt-and-breast/id1631842514?i=1000666722248

Episode 191: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/episode-191-i-cant-shift-the-weight-should-i-consider/id1631842514?i=1000736358058

Connect with us:

For more information and resources visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org

Or follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer

Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub

When you’re thrown into menopause after breast cancer treatment, the symptoms can feel relentless: hot flushes, insomnia, anxiety, joint pain, low mood to name a few.

And when conventional options feel limited, it is understandable that many people begin looking into herbal medicine.

But then the confusion starts.

- What herbal medicine actually is — and what it isn’t

- Is black cohosh safe?

- What about red clover and phyto-oestrogens?

- Are adaptogens like ashwagandha helpful — or risky?

- Could herbs interfere with endocrine therapy?

In this episode, we are joined by Melinda MacDougall, a qualified medical herbalist and we will go through all of your many questions.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Intro

03:50 What Is Herbal Medicine?

18:49 "Holistic Approach to Herbal Healing"

19:57 "Tamoxifen and Herbal Interactions"

24:47 Black Cohosh: Menopause Symptom Relief

29:56 "Skullcap & Lemon Balm Benefits"

33:00 "Black Cohosh for Menopause"

34:38 Holistic Self-Care Matters

41:14 "Sea Buckthorn Supplement Tips"

43:55 "Misleading Supplements"

48:20 "Adaptogens: Stress-Modulating Herbs"

53:26 "Plant Oestrogens"

Here are some helpful links:

You can find Melinda here: https://www.melindamcdougall.com/

Here is an article on herbal medicine: https://menopauseandcancer.org/herbal-medicine-for-menopause-after-cancer-current-research/

Here is a great blog that lists Tamoxifen contraindications: https://owise.uk/tamoxifen-what-you-should-avoid/

Connect with us:

For more information and resources visit our website: www.menopauseandcancer.org

Or follow us on Instagram @menopause_and_cancer

Join our Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/menopauseandcancerchathub