189 - Joeli Brearley from Pregnant Then Screwed

Two important issues for women come together in this episode of the Dr Louise Newson Podcast featuring guest Joeli Brearley. Joeli founded the charity Pregnant Then Screwed after she was fired from her job the day after telling her employers she was pregnant. Joeli wanted to create a space for others to share their stories of discrimination at work, which quickly grew into Pregnant Then Screwed, a charity dedicated to ending the motherhood penalty and campaigning for change.

Joeli shares a personal story of her own changing hormones in her late 30s; she recounts her struggle to be listened to by healthcare professionals and to find the right treatment for her symptoms that were exacerbated by progesterone intolerance.

Joeli’s three tips for women who think they might be perimenopausal:

1. Talk to other women, it’s a great way to find out really useful information
2. Keep going and don’t give up. Trust in yourself and how you know you’re feeling. Keep pushing for what you feel you need.
3. If you don’t feel well and feel like you’re going mad after having the Mirena coil fitted, tell your healthcare professional. You could have a sensitivity to the progestogen in it and there may be a better alternative method for you.

For more about Joeli’s work and her books, visit pregnantthenscrewed.com

Follow Pregnant Then Screwed on Instagram or Twitter.