On the Mones

In this episode of On the ’Mones, Kate shares a recording from a special event  with women from a women’s shelter.
The day began with breathwork and mindfulness overlooking the ocean — a moment to pause, breathe and arrive. For some of the women attending, simply leaving the shelter and coming to the event took enormous courage.
Kate then spoke about hormones, perimenopause and what is actually happening in women’s bodies during midlife. From estrogen, progesterone and testosterone to sleep, stress and strength training, this conversation explores the biology behind the changes many women experience — and why understanding our bodies can be empowering.
This episode begins with a short guided breathing exercise recorded by the water before moving into part of the talk.
Along the way, Kate reflects on the power of knowledge, community and the reminder that sometimes there is less separating our lives than we realise.
If you’ve ever cried at an email, an advertisement… or a rescue dog choosing its human on Instagram — this episode is for you.

In this episode of On the ’Mones, Kate explores a word many women recognise instantly: difficult.
Recently Australian activist and former Australian of the Year Grace Tame was described publicly as “difficult” after speaking out politically. Whether or not you agree with her views, the label landed because women everywhere know that word — the one that appears when women stop being agreeable.
Kate reflects on her own experience navigating leadership, advocacy and midlife reinvention — including the moment she rage-quit a senior hospital pharmacy leadership role at 45. Was she difficult… or simply done?
Alongside this reflection, Kate answers listener questions from around the world about perimenopause and menopause, including:
• Anxiety, rage and crying at emails in your 40s — hormones or not coping?
• Painful sex and vaginal dryness — is that perimenopause?
• Why weight gain around the middle happens even when diet and exercise haven’t changed
• Falling asleep easily but waking at 3am wired
Kate explains the biology of perimenopause, including how fluctuating estrogen affects neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine and GABA — and why life in your 40s can suddenly feel harder than it used to.
She also breaks down a new non-hormonal treatment for menopausal hot flushes, Veoza (fezolinetant) — how it works in the brain, what the evidence shows, and where it fits alongside hormone therapy.
Because menopause doesn’t care what passport you hold.
And sometimes being called difficult simply means you’ve stopped being convenient.
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LinkedIn Kate Thomas – MedGov

Pharmacist Kate Thomas interviews Dr Sarah Farrell, GP and principal of Sydney Women’s Wellness, about two major midlife health topics: breast awareness and genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM).
We break down:
• What “breast awareness” means today
• How breast self-exams differ from formal breast cancer screening
• When to see your GP about a breast lump
• Breast density and mammograms
• Why midlife breast changes can feel alarming
We also explore genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), including:
• Vaginal dryness in menopause
• Pain with sex 
• Recurrent UTIs after menopause
• Bladder symptoms and estrogen decline
• Why GSM is common but under-treated
We discuss the full treatment ladder:
• Vaginal moisturisers vs lubricants
• Vaginal estrogen
• Prasterone
• When hormonal treatment is appropriate
• Where non-hormonal options like hyaluronic acid vaginal preparations may fit
This evidence-based conversation helps women understand the difference between normal hormonal changes and symptoms that need review — without panic or misinformation.
If you’re searching for answers about menopause, vaginal dryness, breast checks, or GSM treatment options, this episode provides practical, medically grounded guidance.

My first baby turns 21.
So naturally, I sat him down with a microphone and asked him to explain perimenopause to the boys.
What does a 21-year-old man think hormones are?
Do young men talk about menopause?
If boys had menopause, what would happen?
There are one-word answers.
There are finish-the-sentence confessions..
And somewhere in there, a mother realising her son is now a man.
Then we turn into the reassuring comfort of biology with a clear, evidence-based masterclass on melatonin:
• What it actually is (hint: not a sleeping pill)
• Immediate vs modified release
• Dosing that makes physiological sense
• Why more is not more
• And when melatonin is the right tool — and when it isn’t
And finally, in Woo of the Week, we plug ourselves into the earth.
Grounding mats.
Free electrons. USB cords for your doona. Do they reduce inflammation? Lower cortisol? Improve sleep? Or are we mistaking ritual for redox biology?
This episode is motherhood, midlife medicine, circadian rhythm, and a gentle but firm unpacking of wellness mythology — all wrapped up like a properly made bed in cotton and cashmere.
If you’ve ever:
• Rocked a baby at 2am
• Woken at 3am in perimenopause
• Bought a wellness gadget at midnight
• Or wondered what your kids actually think about what you’re going through
This one’s for you.
Send your voice questions to:
📩 [email protected]
(Mones as in hormones. Not whinging.)
Until next time, we get on the ’Mones.
Kate x

Midlife reinvention isn’t glossy, curated, or hashtag-friendly — it happens while you’re still paying bills, packing lunches, and doing the work you already know how to do.
In this episode of On the ’Mones, I reflect on standing on stage at a menopause education event in Sydney and asking myself a quiet but clarifying question: How did I get here? Not because I suddenly became more qualified — but because I finally gave myself permission to be visible.
We talk about reinvention as access, privilege, momentum, and integration — not burning everything down, but letting hard-earned skills show up in new places. I unpack what it’s like to hold two truths at once: deep medical experience alongside total digital naïveté — and why learning at midlife is uniquely powerful.
From there, we get properly nerdy. I break down testosterone in women — what it actually does, why it’s not a “male hormone,” how it affects drive, energy, cognition, and libido, and how it fits into hormone replacement as part of a team sport with oestrogen. We talk indications, monitoring, side effects, and how to start a sensible, grounded conversation with your prescriber.
And in Woo of the Week, I take on oral DHEA — the internet’s favourite almost-hormone — explaining why swallowing raw hormonal ingredients and hoping for the best is not biology, it’s wishful thinking.
This episode is about hormones, yes — but it’s also about visibility, work, value, and giving yourself permission to evolve without abandoning who you already are.