Your Menopause 101 guide - from crash menopause and HRT myths to sex after menopause and midlife mental health. With Dr Angela Sharma & Dr Angela Wright of Spiced Pear Health, we dive into the real questions women face but rarely get answered.

This episode of Thriving in Our 40s is your Menopause 101 - an honest, practical conversation with menopause specialists Dr Angela Sharma and Dr Angela Wright of Spiced Pear Health.

We tackle the questions too many women face alone: from the shock of crash menopause, to the myths and realities of HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy), intimacy and sex after menopause, and the impact on midlife mental health.

Here’s what you’ll learn in this episode:
✨ What crash menopause really means - and how hormone blockers affect women
✨ The facts about HRT - how long you should (or shouldn’t) take it, and why lifestyle still matters
✨ Social media myths around menopause - what advice to trust and what to ignore
✨ Supplements - evidence vs hype, and why consistency is key
✨ Testosterone - the benefits, risks, and what we still don’t know
✨ Sex and intimacy in midlife - from low libido to reconnecting with your partner
✨ Communication & relationships - how psychosexual therapy can rebuild trust and connection
✨ Practical GP advice - how to prepare, what to ask, and why persistence matters

Menopause can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate it alone. Whether you’re curious about perimenopause symptoms, struggling with low libido, or confused about HRT options, this conversation offers clarity, confidence, and real-world support.

Learn more at Spiced Pear Health with Dr Angela Sharma & Dr Angela Wright.

Further Support:

Maggie's Cancer Care: https://www.maggies.org

Guideline Resources:

BSSM:

https://bssm.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/BSSM-Position-statement-for-management-of-genitourinary-syndrome-of-the-menopause-GSM.pdf

ACOG:

https://www.acog.org/-/media/project/acog/acogorg/clinical/files/clinical-consensus/articles/2021/12/treatment-of-urogenital-symptoms-in-individuals.pdf?rev=42989a66fa1c4daaa148a3853d27bb05&hash=C03514B3BD087D1FE7A80E6E95A545BA

RCOG green top for PMS:

https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/1471-0528.14260

NAPS guidelines for PMS:

https://www.pms.org.uk/app/uploads/2018/06/guidelinesfinal60210.pdf