February 13, 2025 • 55 mins
Actress Naomi Watts joins Chelsea to discuss starting perimenopause at 36, why she’s so passionate about helping women know their options around this life stage, and what you should be looking out for. Then: A medical professional feels like there’s no help for her early signs of menopause. And a sniffer calls in with a series of mysterious symptoms.
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Pick Up a Copy of Naomi’s Book Dare I Say It? Everything I Wish I’d Known About Menopause
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Other reading referenced in this episode:
Inconceivable by Julia Indichova
Women Have Been Misled About Menopause by Susan Dominus
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Order Chelsea's new book I'll Have What She's Having today. Best enjoyed with a tasty Owl's Brew hand-crafted boozy beverage.
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Need some advice from Chelsea? Email us at DearChelseaPodcast@gmail.com
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Executive Producer Catherine Law
Edited & Engineered by Brad Dickert
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The views and opinions expressed are solely those of the Podcast author, or individuals participating in the Podcast, and do not represent the opinions of iHeartMedia or its employees. This Podcast should not be used as medical advice, mental health advice, mental health counseling or therapy, or as imparting any health care recommendations at all. Individuals are advised to seek independent medical, counseling advice and/or therapy from a competent health care professional with respect to any medical condition, mental health issues, health inquiry or matter, including matters discussed on this Podcast. Guests and listeners should not rely on matters discussed in the Podcast and shall not act or shall refrain from acting based on information contained in the Podcast without first seeking independent medical advice.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hi, Catherine, Hi Chelsea, Hi here, we are here, we
are It's what day is it?
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Is it Thursday? Yes, it's Thursday. Must be Thursday. It's
our podcast day.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
And you're back in Whistler.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I am, I'm back. I'm home.
Speaker 4 (00:13):
How has the skiing, I mean, as much as you've
been able to be there, how's the skiing been this year?
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Well, the skiing's been good. I mean a couple of
dry spells or rain spells. Whistle gets wet so it
kind of ruins the snow. But there's a lot of
snow right now. I mean, I'm still recuperating from my
shoulder stitch, so I'm not really skiing, but I just
love being here, you know, in the snow. And I've
been reunited with Doug, my dog trainer. Up here was
with him. She moved into my house. Abbey from Tail
(00:40):
Tail Tails from Whistler. I don't know what the company is,
hot Tails from Whistler Dog, but she's so awesome. I mean,
she really saved me when I had found out I
had to get that shoulder surgery. So Doug now thinks
she's her mother, his mother, so I have to contest
with that, but I'll fucking take it, you know what
I mean.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
She's so good with him, and he's so I mean,
you should eat.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
When I he sees me, he puts my hand in
his mouth and he's not biting, but he's playing, and
he just like and she goes. That's when he is
so overwhelmed with emotion that he can't express himself, like
he just and he when I got home, I mean,
he had my hand in his mouth for like almost
forty minutes. I could not get it out.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
And cute aggression you ever get that where he's just.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Like, look at me, look at me. I'm like, oh, dog,
I didn't want to leave you. I didn't want to.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
I added more Vegas dates you guys, so I want
to make sure I mention those. So my next dates
are March twenty first. This is my residency at the
Cosmopolitan in Vegas at the Chelsea Theater March twenty first,
in April eighteenth, and then we added July fifth, August thirtieth,
November first, and November twenty ninth. So go to Chelsea
(01:48):
handler dot com for your tickets, and.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Your book is like about to come out. Oh it'll
be like a week away very soon.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
So get your pre orders in. Yeah, and you can
actually on Barnes and Noble. You can like say I
would like a signed copy.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
And yes, I signed eighty five hundred copies for Barnes
and Nobles, so you can get that if you want
to sign copy or come to any of my book signings.
They're all up on my website too. I'm going to
New Jersey. I'll be at the ninety second Street.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Why New York. I'll be in Cincinnati.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Let's just read it while I have my phone here.
Let's see where else I'm going. Yeah, Boston, Cincinnati, Chicago.
I'll be in New Jersey on the twenty fourth, my birthday.
I'll be at the ninety second Street, y twenty six,
I'll be in Boston, then Cincinnati, then Chicago, then La
at the Grove, and then Seattle, Washington on March third.
So go to Chelsea Handler dot com for all that information.
(02:37):
Make sure you order your Owls Brew or buy your
Owlsbrew so we can have a nice boozy book club.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
And I'll put a link to that in the description
as well.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Awesome, Thank you so much, Catherine drum Roll. Catherine, please
Chelsea Handler Abroad. Abroad is my European Tour, which I
just announced yesterday. Tickets go on sale tomorrow or today
or there's a pre sale code Chelsea. So I'm coming
to obviously find a husband abroad. I need to get
(03:07):
the health out of this fucking country, and it's not
as easy as you think. So I'm coming to Rekuvik.
I'm coming to Dublin. I'm coming to the UK. I'm
coming to Brussels, Paris, Belfast.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
In May and June.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
I'm coming to Oslo, Stockholm, to Copenhagen, Manchester, London, Glasgow,
New Zurich, Vienna. I've never ever been to Vienna, Berlin,
Barcelona and Lisbon. I'm coming abroad is abroad.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
That sounds like fun. I'm going to go see you abroad.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
I know I want to go see me abroad, and
there all be, there, all be. We have a best
selling New York Times author on today, her new book,
Dare I Say It? Everything I Wish I'd known about Menopause,
debut at number four on the New York Times Bestsellers List.
Please welcome, actor, author, and entrepreneurs are my friend, Naomi Watts.
Speaker 5 (04:02):
Oh hello, oh.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Hello menopause lady.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Hi, Hi are you excited to continue your talking about menopause.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
I know that you have.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
I've seen you everywhere. I know I feel very exposed. Yeah,
definitely Billy too.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Poor Billy, Poor hot Billy.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
She's married to Billy Krudup, who I've a very intense
crush on. I've expressed such to him and Naomi together,
and luckily he's very gracious at my advances, but also
keeps his distance.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
First of all, on behalf of my sister.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
I want to say thank you for sending all of
your products to my Sistershana, and she got all of
your products. She fucking loves them and I love them too,
and I have to say so, dare I say? It
is this book and this is perfect for our audience
because we have so many women listening, and all of
you women are going to get to experience the joy
(05:05):
of menopause and the great advantage and the bravery that
Naomi is bringing to the subject matter by discussing it
so openly and encouraging so many other women that are
now discussing it so openly, is that we don't have
to go through this without having the information like women
fifty years ago did. We don't have to go through
(05:26):
all of this without talking about it like women fifty
years ago did.
Speaker 6 (05:31):
We?
Speaker 1 (05:31):
And there are so many tools, and there are so
many brands, including Stripes, which is Naomi's brand, that has
so many ways to help you deal with all of
the experiences that you will go through during perimenopause. And
you also mentioned which is very funny because my sister
Sir Shana, who is a nurse, said on the podcast
she goes, you know, menopause is just actually one day.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
It's a year from the day of your last period.
Is that right? Is that what it is?
Speaker 5 (05:58):
That's exactly right.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
I said to her, you don't know what the fuck
you're talking about. This was this was a couple of right,
This is a couple of years ago, right, right. And
while she's an urn, so clearly she always knows the
way more than I do. But you also talk about
that in the book, which is which I think a
lot of people didn't know, right.
Speaker 7 (06:17):
Yeah, And that also, you know, it's basically a third
of our lives that we will be in this menopause, perimenopause,
postmenopause state. You know that, So not to say that
the doom and gloom of your symptoms will last did that.
There's you know, many decades, but you could still have
(06:39):
some menopause related symptoms that you know, unless you're getting treatment,
and that is obviously everyone's choice, whatever is safe for them.
Speaker 5 (06:49):
So it is something to prepare for, but not with fear.
Speaker 7 (06:53):
And we don't have to flail around trying to piece
it all together by ourselves anymore, because it's now can open.
We can talk to our friends, we can go to
our doctors with the right questions and explore it with
feeling armed with what's available now out there on the
on the internet. I mean, there's that fantastic New York
(07:15):
Times Susan Dominus article that was written a couple of
years ago that really goes granular into how to.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
Approach treatment if you want to. It's a different time.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
And one of the things that you talk about in
your book that I think is so people don't really
realize is that you can be going through perimenopause and
also becoming a mother, like motherhood can be in conjunction
with perimenopause.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
So, which is something that happened to you?
Speaker 7 (07:43):
Yes, I well, the news came to me that I
was close to menopause quote unquote at thirty six, when
I was not getting pregnant. My doctor said, let's take
some blood work and I did, and then the results
suggested that I was you know, I had a high
FSH level, which is follicle stimulating hormone. And I kind
(08:05):
of ran out of the office, not ran, but like
walked out of the office in pieces, feeling terrified.
Speaker 5 (08:11):
Oh my god, two bits of bad news.
Speaker 7 (08:13):
My fertility was done, possibly and I was going to
be going into menopause, which just felt like the end
of everything. I called my mom right away and said,
why didn't you tell me more? She had told me
that she went into it at forty five, but when
I asked her, why shouldn't give me more detail, she said, well,
these were the conversations I never had with you, because
(08:36):
my mother never had them with me, Like there was
some code of silence that was just agreed upon. We
suck it up, we suffered through, we sold youer on,
and yeah, that's just the way it goes. And this
made no sense when we're half the population that is
going to get there, God willing that we lived that long,
(08:58):
and and yeah, why should we suffer? Why why should
we have to deal with any kind of conversation that
is taboo or stigmatized. It didn't make any sense, especially
now that we're living longer, so we need to optimize
our health. And you know, if you don't get things
under control, you it can lead to other issues.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Yeah, there's a lot of like suffering, like the subject
of women suffering and women being tough and having to deal.
First of all, we're juggling more than most men are
on a daily basis. You know, we're able to multitask,
we're able to do all of these things. But the
idea of like female suffering is just it's so crazy
that people, I mean, there are certain people who think
you have to suffer, that it is part of the journey,
(09:42):
that it is part of the game. You have to
suffer in order to get stronger, you have to suffer
in order to you know, be the body weight you
want to be. You have to suffer. It's like that's
all bullshit. You don't have to suffer. You have to
work hard and be determined.
Speaker 5 (09:56):
I know, it's like it's part of our programming.
Speaker 7 (09:58):
I mean, and you know, even going back to the
first time we had our periods and there was pain
and it was like come on, everyone has period pains.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
Just suck it up, You're fine. And then you find
out ten years later, this young woman's got endometriosis, and
you know it, has been complaining about it, but everyone
around her has said, you know, you can deal. So
I think it's just part of our wiring that we
think that we miss just soldier through. And I don't
(10:27):
think we need to do that.
Speaker 7 (10:29):
And I think as we get to this point in
our life, as you know, older women who have experienced
a few things, we get to say no, actually not,
I'm not gonna I'm not just going to roll through this.
I'd like some support and I'd like to have some
compassion and empathy from all those around me.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
So what was like, what was the issue for you?
Because I mean, coming up with this.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Product line is incredible, it's incredibly helpful for so many women.
What was the issue for you that made you develop
your first product?
Speaker 2 (11:00):
In which one was the first one?
Speaker 7 (11:02):
Okay, So I developed this company called Stripes Beauty because
we've owned our stripes. I wanted this woman to feel
seen that it was not the end that she should
head into this time with support and agency unapologetically so,
and I really wanted to create a brand that recognized
(11:23):
her symptoms, her age, exactly where she's at, and not
promise the world that you could look like a twenty
five year old, because frankly, when I was twenty five,
I didn't like how I looked. I want to look
my best in this moment, right now.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
And also that this is a part of your life.
This isn't the end of your life, and there is
more to be excited about after, after you're done with menopause,
and quite possibly during the whole process of menopause, which
I would argue is something that you can go through
with the right help and the right support and the
right products, while enjoying the time that you're going. It's
(11:58):
not like a funeral. You have a whole life ahead
of you after exactly. It's just it's a whole new chapter.
Speaker 7 (12:06):
Yes, some changes take place, and not just physically emotionally.
You know, your household emptying out perhaps, or about to
your ailing parents, job pressures, marriage issues, you know like that.
So many things can happen it at this exact time,
and it's kind of a cruel trick that you do
get that zinger of the old metopause thing. But we
(12:28):
can get through challenges again with support systems and good doctors,
good community, all of it. But to go back to
your question, Magevanna if I may is one of our
best seller and you've got it right there. It's one
of the curve Yer bottles. I think that's the loop.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
This is oh my glide, that's the play oil. I'm
going to use that for butts.
Speaker 7 (12:55):
So I wanted to create a product line that was
from scalp to thatch because we need extra hydration at
all of those points. And that's a deep hydration level
for your skin, for your hair, for your body, and
the badge.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
And so you can put this anywhere, right, you can
put it on your scalp or your vadge.
Speaker 5 (13:16):
Oh no, wait, what do you you've got them. That's
just for the badge. The power move, oh, the power move.
It's just for the face.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Just face. You don't put the face on your vagina. No,
you can put it on.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
The face of your lover and then maybe.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
He's and then he can put it on your vegel,
on the base, on the base of your vagina.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
This one is.
Speaker 5 (13:38):
Called face debate.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Face debase.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
This is called rest and clean face, very clever I
love that, which is a nourishing and calming face wash.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
And then there is lube. And then what do you
have for night sweats?
Speaker 7 (13:51):
Well, there's different things you can do for for night sweats.
And if you are into supplements, we have something called
inside Edition. Is that what you have there?
Speaker 1 (13:59):
I have inside it. Yeah, I think that's it right there.
Oh yeah, that's right here.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
Yeah, that's going to help you with.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I've taken these. I've taken these for my night sweats
and they work.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
I've taken good.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
Yes, good, I'm glad to heart. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (14:11):
People in perimenopause, I have really had a great time
with those that that is a great way to start
when you don't know what's going on. But certainly the
sweaty nights is a big one and something that I
ticked on medical forms for years and years and years
before I was told I was in menopause. Anyway, I
have since gone on HRT, which is working for me.
(14:34):
It's a great conversation with my doctor. He went through
my medical history. We talked about my symptoms. If I
wasn't getting enough sleep, it was going to lead to
other things depression, anxiety, memory, you know, brain fog, all
those kind of issues. So based on my medical history,
he felt it was safe from me.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
And what kind of HRT are you on?
Speaker 7 (14:56):
Estrogen and progesterone. So there are so many different delivery methods.
I have pretty much tried them all. It's all trial
and error. Whatever works for you, different doses, different methods
of delivery. I am currently on the gel, but I
before that, I was on the patch. I kind of
missed my patch, and before that I was on the pill.
(15:20):
I don't know, I may have the chronology off here,
but I've tried the pill, the spray, the ring that
you insert inside, they're all great things. The pill is
meant to be the least safe one because it goes
through your liver and can cause blood cloths.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Yeah, I'm on the patch.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
I just started the patch, and I take the progesterone
when I go to bed at night.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
But it really has helped.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
I mean that the inside edition stripes really helped me
with the night sweats. The progesterone and the estradioltest dial
that is that's helping with the sleep, because the sleep.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
We've talked about this.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
When you drink and you can't, I mean it's like
you can't drink anymore, because you if you drink and
go to bed.
Speaker 5 (16:05):
Yeah, you need a few hours before you go to bed.
Speaker 7 (16:08):
It's gonna it's gonna what the sugar's gonna spike in
the night and wake you up, I think.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
But yeah, takes the joy out of it's.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Day drinking from here on out, girls day drinking. You're
not there yet, Catherine, Yeah, no, no, I'm questing right now,
I'm questing.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
Yes, yes, when you talk about hormone replacement therapy or
like bioidentical hormones, like that's a buzz word I've heard
a lot. Is there a difference between those? Are those
like two terms for the same thing?
Speaker 7 (16:37):
Basically, Yes, it's as I understand it, it's a marketing term.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
They're basically the same thing. But yeah, I mean I again,
I'm not a doctor. I don't know why I said again.
It was like I was in the last meeting.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Sorry, it's still not a doctor'.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Sure what happens when you're on the treadmill, or to
keep repeating to people I'm not a doctor. I'm not
a doctor.
Speaker 5 (17:02):
Yes, I have not even played one.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
So, but you do have a story in the book
about someone who kind of went with some info from
the internet and then used some hormones and used way
too much of them and then found out she was
using maybe way too much of the testosterone.
Speaker 7 (17:20):
Yes, she had a terrible experience, and she didn't get
enough instruction from her doctor or at the pharmacy, and
she googled it and she looked up I think the
dosage of what the male what men were doing, and
she blew through this testosterone at a rate that was
just not safe and as a result, like started losing
(17:43):
her mind and almost her marriage because it, you know,
she started making stuff up and it was a big problem. So, yeah,
you do really need to be on top of this
and beat the CEO of your body and your whole
menopausal journey. Because we're just watching doctors get educated in
(18:04):
real time about this with the conversation not being open.
Nobody was saying I've got a problem, so the research
wasn't there. So it's just on the you know, on
the on the on the prespoe of change in the
last five years, it's only going to get better, and
I think your generation or the next generation is going
(18:25):
to be much better set up for success.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
Yeah, thankfully, I mean, I mean we could at least
do them that favor after what we did to the climate.
Speaker 5 (18:33):
Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
What are some other things, knowing that you're not a
doctor and Iaomi, what are some other things that progesterone
and estrogen do provide you?
Speaker 6 (18:42):
Well?
Speaker 7 (18:42):
I find progesterone is it helps me sleep. I find
it takes away anxiety, and I've found that that has
been a game changer in my in my sleeping. You know,
I know that some people might even take higher dose
than I do. I've heard that and I'm definitely curious
(19:04):
about that at some point for myself.
Speaker 5 (19:06):
But it's definitely helped me with sleep and anxiety.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
I'm curious as too, Like when you were starting this
kind of you know, research for yourself and then started
to become more outspoken about it, Like when did you
decide you were going to write this book? With this
book you have to get if you're a woman, you
have to read this. You have to understand what your
body's going through so that you can get ahead of it,
like arm yourself with information. Information is so powerful with everything,
(19:34):
like and it's just so easy to pick up this
knowledge you know, and then have once you have a
like a base of knowledge about something to be able
to talk to other people about it, it's just so advantageous.
But when did you think because it is not a
sexy topic.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
It's not hot.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
You know, you're not talking about youthfulness, which is, you know,
what everyone wants to be talking about.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
So how did you how did you feel about take
this on?
Speaker 1 (20:00):
I know Billy wasn't so excited about you talking about
this publicly, but like, when did you decide to take
this on and become kind of an ambassador for such
an un sexy subject.
Speaker 7 (20:12):
Okay, so when after my second child, I was able
to get pregnant naturally, mercifully, and after my second child,
I went into hardcore symptoms, and in my early forties,
I was like trying you know, the internet was barely active.
I was trying to piecemeal information together. I was like,
(20:32):
this should be a guide book, a manual of how
to navigate this time. That is not telling me it's
the end. It should be sexy and funny and informative
and warm and cozy. Where is that book? And I
had a book to support me through my fertility that
I was It was like my private little bible in
(20:54):
a way that I would read.
Speaker 5 (20:56):
And it was called Inconceivable.
Speaker 7 (20:59):
It was a fantast plastic book written by Julia in Dachova,
and it was my everything that gave me hope. And
I wanted the same kind of book for this topic
and it just wasn't there. And I remember talking to
a friend of mine and she was like.
Speaker 5 (21:16):
You should write that. I was like, oh, come on,
I'm an actor. I'm not a writer, and.
Speaker 7 (21:20):
There's no way I'm going to say that out loud
in my industry. God talk about you know, career suicide.
And so I just left it. And that idea came
to me first. Then I came to Stripe's Beauty. That
idea came about I guess, you know, ten years later,
(21:41):
and I guess being fifty, where I'm suddenly the average
age quote unquote of menopause, you know, which is fifty one.
And so you know, I just thought, Okay, maybe I
can just actually own this now. Maybe it's just too
exhausting to keep carrying this secret. Maybe I'm going to
do it. And you know, I went and cold pitched
(22:02):
the idea to a company that partnered with me right away,
and then you know, I just got more and more
into it, and yes, even talking about the vaginal offerings.
I was like, I'm not going to speak about that though,
I'm just going to talk about what a woman needs,
which is hydration, hydration from scalp to badge.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
But you know, you can't do this in half measures.
Speaker 7 (22:24):
You have to just be all in and the chances
are what's happening to me are going to be happening
to several other women out there too. So it got
to the point where it just got more and more
comfy with being you know, more personal and exposing my
secrets in service of in the hope.
Speaker 5 (22:43):
That I would heal or soothe other women.
Speaker 7 (22:46):
And you know, it just felt ridiculous that women could
come together and talk about every awkward moment in their life,
whether it was their first kiss, their first period, their
first you know, pregnancy, or you know all those things.
We came together and we would talk and compare notes,
but then suddenly there was this silence, like we're supposed
(23:08):
to just manage this on our own. So that that's
when I just went, I screw it. I'm going to
write the book, and I want it to be informative.
I want it to be like a cozy chat with
my girlfriend on the couch. I want it to be
hilarious and fun, other women's stories, knowledge information, you know,
(23:29):
all peppers through it and hopeful and it's not the end.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
That was the point.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
On that note, we're going to take a break and
we'll be right back with Naomi Watts. And we're back
with Naomi Watts, author of Dare I Say It? And Stripes,
the company that offers all sorts of relief to people
who are experiencing experiencing menopause, going through menopause, which, as
we've learned, can be a long period of time, so
(23:58):
you want to get your products. I personally like the
Inside Edition, which is helps with night sweats because I too,
And it keeps you regular as well, keeps you regular.
Oh oh, I was like regular, What kind of regular?
Speaker 2 (24:10):
There's so many kinds of regular to I know, not regular.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
Period.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
I was like period.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
I was like, I already got an oblasion to map
that you block that out, but oh, good good Keeping
you regular is always a bonus.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Wait.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
One question before we begin with callers. One question, Naomi,
when you since you were experiencing menopause, when you were
going through your fertility and then you had your children,
and then the symptoms became even more exacerbated. Did you
confuse that at all with postpartum or did that play
did those two?
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Was it postpartum too, Well?
Speaker 7 (24:45):
It could have been, yes for sure. But I was
pretty keyed into the menopause thing by this point, because
at thirty six, you know, it had that message given
to me, and then I understood that my night sweats
were in fact menopause symptoms, that my irregular periods, thinning
out and everything was also a symptom.
Speaker 5 (25:08):
I didn't join the dots until then.
Speaker 7 (25:10):
In fact, you know those medical history forms that you
fill out, I'd written night sweats on them for years
and years and years, and everyone just chalked it up
to you, Oh, it's an allergy, or oh maybe it's
you know, that extra glass of wine, or they just
didn't ever say this could be menopause or perimenopause. In fact,
that word was not a word I was familiar with
(25:31):
until the last five years, which is a much nicer word,
much gentler. So yeah, I was pretty understanding of the
symptoms by the time my second baby came. Yeah, okay,
but there was still more that I came to discover
later which was itchy skin.
Speaker 5 (25:52):
That also led me to creating stripes. I was working
on a TV show.
Speaker 7 (25:56):
And I had you know, long days under hotline with makeup,
and I would come home and after having taken my
makeup off and just be ripping the dry skin off
my face. It was just angry and itchy, and I
didn't understand what was happening. I'd go to the dermatologist.
I'd get it a little you know, cortisone cream, which
would work for a few days, and then the same
(26:17):
thing would happen flare up, and you know, I was
just running in circles.
Speaker 5 (26:22):
Again. No one connected the dots.
Speaker 7 (26:25):
And then I figured out later that indeed, as we
lose estrogen, everything thins and dries out and you become
irritated much easier with things like you know, retinoles or
you know, things that I'd been using in my skincare regime,
which was working perfectly for a number of years now
(26:45):
was not going to not only not work, but it
was going to aggravate me. So I had to really
change out all of my skincare. And that's when I
created the brand, because I wanted to have something that
was ultra hydrating and good for sensitive skin.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
Well, that's interesting that you say retinals, because those are
specifically marketed to like aging skin quote unquote, or like
fine lines and wrinkles and that sort of thing. So
it's like right at the same time that you're having
this thinning.
Speaker 5 (27:13):
Yeah, well there's retinoids.
Speaker 7 (27:14):
We have retinoids in our evening where which I've got
to get into your hands, Chelsea, because I see you
don't have it there.
Speaker 5 (27:22):
And yes, so that's a gentler form. Okay, that will
help with fine lines.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Wonderful. Were we ready for some advice questions?
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Are they metapause advice questions?
Speaker 1 (27:33):
Okay, yes, we have to curtail everything to our special guests.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
Yes, well, obviously like blanket statement. As Naomi mentioned, you know,
there are so many different variables for everyone, so talk
to your doctor.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
But this is just some advice from our perspectives.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
So that's what we'll name the episode We are not Doctors, Diomi.
You'd you'd be surprised how many times I have to
say I'm not a doctor. Also really, yes, yes, you're
very super cool for your advice. I have yeah, and
then I doll out unsolicited medical advice as well.
Speaker 4 (28:05):
Pretty typically, our first question comes from Kelsey. She says,
Dear Chelsea, I'm thirty six years old and stop taking
my birth control two years ago. I had taken oral
birth control since I was eighteen and would skip my
placebo slash cycle every two months and maybe have a
period every three months. Since stopping, I've had night sweats,
(28:26):
dry skin, acne, rotator cuff pain without injury, and Jesus Christ,
the low energy is killing me. My question is if
I'm in perimenopause, what kind of supplements and skincare should
I use? I tried a number of lotions and washes
and nothing seems to help my dry skin. Note I
have not been officially diagnosed with perimenopause.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
I'd like to be tested, but I work.
Speaker 4 (28:47):
In the medical field CMA, and I feel like getting
tested or asking for help is pointless because there isn't
much treatment from the MD perspective.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
With so much love, Kelcey.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Hi, Kelcey Hi, Hello, Hi.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
This is our special guest, Naomi Watts, who just wrote
a book called Dare I Say It, which is all
about menopause. So you're in good hands today. So you're
thirty six, right? Is that what you said, thirty six.
Speaker 8 (29:12):
Yeah, I just turned thirty six.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
That's how old Naomi was when she discovered. She was
going exactly my age.
Speaker 7 (29:18):
Yeah, when I started having the symptoms, well, actually i'd
had night sweats for a number of years, and I
had migraines and irregular periods. I did have blood work done,
and you're right, it's there's no one exact defining test
except for if you've had a full year without a menstruation.
Speaker 5 (29:41):
But I think there are lots of other indicators.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
Like but there's also there's also a urine test that
you can do that doctor Nigma told me about called
the Dutch test.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Naomi, do you know about that one?
Speaker 5 (29:51):
I don't. I heard that Clear Blue is doing one
now as well.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
Yeah, there's something work.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
There's something called the Dutch test, and it requires you
to like pee on this little stick like three or
four times from like in a twelve hour period, and
that they say is a better indicator than blood work
will like indicate when you come back.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Yeah, so you might want to look into that too.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
I've never heard of that.
Speaker 7 (30:14):
Yeah, the rotator cuff thing, I had a frozen shoulder.
Many of my friends have had that and that can
be very painful, particularly when you're sleeping. But you're in
the medical field, I would say, can you talk to
your colleagues, can you get some I mean, this is
the thing is that it's so many doctors were not
(30:34):
even trained in this area, specifically guynecologists. I've done panels
and symposiums and with a great number of fancy doctors
and they talk about their one hour specific lecture centering
around menopause. It's mind boggling considering half the population will
(30:56):
go through it. So I would just try and peace
together all of your symptoms and go to your doctor
and ask them what they think is best based on
your medical history.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
And also frozen shoulder for that specifically, Like I've had
a lot of conversations around this recently because I had
shoulder issues and I thought maybe that was what I have,
but I had an infection in my shoulder, so it
wasn't give us me by a doctor who shall rename
nameless for now until.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
I decided to blow his gasket.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
But frozen shoulder, I've had a lot of conversations about that,
And you want to treat that like you would treat
a shoulder in physical therapy. Like you really want to
keep mobilizing it, You really want to keep moving that
and just kind of doing daily exercises to increase mobility
because the less you use it, the worse you're going
to be.
Speaker 7 (31:44):
So that motion is lotion it needs. So basically, we
have estrogen receptors all over our bodies, and you know
that's what happens there. It just kind of locks up.
Speaker 5 (31:55):
And Chelsea's right.
Speaker 7 (31:56):
I was doing a lot of PT and I did
suffer through it for a good year. Eventually I did
something that I didn't want to do, but I ended
up having to do it because the pain was too excruciating.
I ended up having a cortisone shot and just giving
it some relief was really helpful. And then I did
hardcore PT, you know, grabbing a towel or a band
(32:19):
and going up above your head and down and forward.
That was really good. And you know, like car wash
kind of round and round those kind of things to
just increase mobility.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
And did you did that cortizone shot? That helped? Right,
That gave you.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
Something really really helped.
Speaker 7 (32:37):
And it has not come back since and I'm knocking
on word bit that has been a game changer.
Speaker 5 (32:43):
For me.
Speaker 8 (32:44):
Yeah, that's good to know. I ended up getting quartersoone
shots too, because oh you did.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (32:49):
I did physical therapy for a long time, and even
my physical therapist doctor was like, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
Really what else to do for you.
Speaker 8 (32:56):
But I didn't think about doing PT after that because
now it doesn't hurt so much, I might be able
to like move it.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
Yeah, and that's also that's also the thing.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
When it doesn't hurt is the most important time to
keep it up, you know what, I mean, to keep
just that mobility going because like that, I don't know.
I've talked to so many pets about frozen shoulder because
it's my obsession since reading Naomi's book. I read Naomi's
book and just had every symptom that she described like out.
I'm like, and then I came back and I was
(33:25):
like having night flashes. And I told my sister, I'm like,
I'm having night flashes. And I tried this other over
the counter stuff before Naomi you sent me this, and
I was like, and they worked for my night sweats.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
And my sister's like, you are so you're so impressionable.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
She's like, you read a book about metopause. Then you
decide you have metopause and then you cure it in
one day with this.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
Over the counter drug.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
You are on it.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
I know I'm on it, but yeah, So the frozen
shoulder thing is like, you really want to stay on
that because it's when you ignore it or when you're
in so much pain that you lose your mobility that
you kind of can get stuck.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
So you want to stay on that too. And yeah,
inquire about that Dutch test. That's very interesting. I haven't
heard that because you know.
Speaker 8 (34:04):
You have like hormone level checks, but if they're not off,
and it's kind of like, well.
Speaker 2 (34:08):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 7 (34:09):
The thing is is the hormone checks can change every
single day. Yeah, they that's why they don't find them
completely reliable because yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
And a Dutch test, I think that was for my
natura path So if you like look that up online,
I'm sure you can order one, because you know, yeah,
it's like your blood levels. They don't like you could
be on your period and get them, or you could
be two weeks into your cycle, which are going to
have completely different results. So I think that's why they're
not accurate. And we live in LA so we have
(34:38):
doctors that are just willing to dole out anything at
any moment for anything, you know. So it's like you
don't really know what's working sometimes because I know, for me,
I'm just taking so many different things, whether it's peptides
or anti aging stuff.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
It's like I'm not sure what's working. I just know
something is.
Speaker 7 (34:55):
Yeah, it's all.
Speaker 4 (34:56):
Now for someone like Kelsey who you know, maybe you're
not getting the help that you need from your current doctor,
your current obgyn. What are the sort of things that
she should be looking for in a specialist?
Speaker 7 (35:07):
Okay, so I think at a minimum, if the doctor
is not willing to give you a full spectrum of
what's available, if that conversation is not if he's blocking
he or she's blocking that conversation, then that's not the
right doctor. I think you have to go in with
your list of symptoms, your list of questions, your medical history,
(35:31):
and your families and if they're just flat out gatekeeping,
then then it might not be the right provider. And
it's a bummer to have to change because I know
that takes works, work. But you can go on the
Menopause Society and look for a doctor that's suitable in
your area. And also there was a great article in
(35:51):
the New York Times by Susan Dominus to two or
three years ago called women have been Misled, and that
is she goes really deep into the whole experience of
treatment and how we've been misled because there was a
study that went wrong in the media got ahead of
(36:12):
the study, and basically everyone feared hormones for that from
that day forward. Now, of course they're not going to
be everyone's choice, nor are they safe for everyone, but
they should not be ruled out. If you are in
need of symptom relief and you're it's safe for you.
So you do have to trust your doctor. You do
(36:33):
have to make sure they're hearing you.
Speaker 8 (36:36):
Yeah, that's the way. We do have a natural path
in town. I was actually thinking about.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
Yeah, I think nature paths have a better vibe on
menopause than medical doctors, you know what I mean. Sometimes
I mean not overall speaking, but like until we have menopause,
specialists like naturopaths seem to have some better kind of elixir.
Speaker 7 (36:55):
There are some specialists it's like her md Alloy Midi Health. Ever,
now these are all available, you know, they're not. That's
telehealth places so I think we're up to navigating it.
It's a bummer that we have to do a lot
of it on our own, but I think the change
(37:16):
is only just started and it'll be better for the
next generation. But there's still a lot of work we
have to do in order to get the right support
and treatment that we need.
Speaker 8 (37:28):
I totally agree, because I feel like all my symptoms
are like, oh, well, you know, try this or that,
and I'm like, but when you add them all up,
it come out and yeah, a good amount of these
specific kinds.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
And it's also you have to understand, like you have
to trust yourself and understand that you know how your
body feels and if it feels off or if it
feels regulated. Yeah, And like when we talk to other
people sometimes that there's like this placebo effect of like, oh, well,
they said, it's not this.
Speaker 2 (37:54):
It's like, you have to know your body.
Speaker 1 (37:56):
You're in the medical industry, be like, sit with yourself
and actually feel what you're feeling, and you'll know, Okay,
this doesn't feel right. I do want to do something
about this, you know, regardless of what other people's opinions are.
Speaker 5 (38:09):
Have you considered HRT or have you mentioned it with
your doctor. I know you said you were on birth control.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
I have.
Speaker 8 (38:17):
I haven't talked about any hormone replacement yet. I was
actually even recently kind of thinking about going back on
birth control. But I don't really want.
Speaker 5 (38:27):
To do that right right, Well, I mean, I know
what you're saying, is Chelsea, that natural paths.
Speaker 7 (38:33):
There are lots of things available, and you get you know,
it feels like you're getting a lot of focus. But
I personally go for the FDA approved way because it
just feels it feels certain and you know, things have
been tested and but again it's it's got to be
your choice. It's your body and obviously what's safe for you.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
All right, well, thank you, Kelsey.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
Will you report back in a few months and let
us know if there's any any change.
Speaker 3 (39:02):
Yes, that sounds good.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
I will, all right, yes, report back and let us
know if you get pregnant.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
We're interested.
Speaker 8 (39:08):
No, not whatsoever.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
I have a good day, Thank you, Thank you, Kelsey.
I mean, just the irony of this woman working in
a hospital calling into a podcast asking us about menopause
is just like it's like.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
Hospital, you can't even get in a straight answer.
Speaker 4 (39:26):
Yeah, And I wonder if she does see a natural path,
if they might suggest an MD that they, you know,
have worked with, or that sort of thing too.
Speaker 3 (39:34):
So yeah, well.
Speaker 4 (39:36):
Our next caller is Karen and a little bit of
a little bit of a to Phil and Naomian. A
little while back, we had someone call in that was
so annoyed that their friend kept sniffing constantly.
Speaker 3 (39:47):
Do you remember this?
Speaker 4 (39:48):
Like, oh, like they were sniffing, sniffing, sniffing, and they're like,
how do I tell my friend to stop sniffing?
Speaker 3 (39:53):
I've tried. It's upsetting. It's a whole thing, a whole
a whole thing.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
Is this kind of are we going to find out
this is a symptom of menopause?
Speaker 3 (40:00):
Well we'll see, because.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
Wait, I just edited my next I just edited my
stand up special and I was sniffing throughout the whole thing,
and I was like, why am I sniffling this whole time?
Speaker 2 (40:11):
I see how I do like a coke head?
Speaker 1 (40:13):
And then and my manager goes, can you lift out
the sniffling? And I was like, I just gave them
that note too. I'm like, I don't know. I must
have had a cold. And I'm like, do I do
that all the time without knowlash well.
Speaker 4 (40:25):
Karen says, Dear Chelsea, of all the things I've wanted
to write in and ask about my forty eight year
old perimontopause symptoms, et cetera. Here I am responding to
a recent POT episode about a friend's annoying sniffing. It's me,
not literally, and I'm not snorting any drugs. I don't
have seasonal allergies. I have inner ear congestion, and the
(40:47):
sniffing helps clear my ears. I've caught myself doing it,
and I annoy myself. I've even seen myself in videos
doing it. I can't imagine what people think. I've seen
at least two doctors, and they couldn't help no amount
of decongestic's work. I feel like I'm underwater. I feel
for these two friends, the sniffer and the sniffy, which
(41:07):
got me thinking I have a host of seemingly random
symptoms in addition to the sniffing. I'm exhausted, I have headaches,
and I constantly feel like my head is in a
fish bowl. My periods have changed, and I'm back on
birth control to help with the heavy flow. I find
myself wondering if it's something serious, But could it just
be menopause?
Speaker 3 (41:25):
XO, Karen, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (41:28):
Ni Hi Hi, Karen, Hi. Welcome to Dear Chelsea. This
is Naomi wats our special guest today.
Speaker 6 (41:35):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 5 (41:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (41:37):
I mean, look, as far as I've been told, I
knew that fertility changes off to thirty five.
Speaker 5 (41:44):
But what I.
Speaker 7 (41:45):
Didn't know is that you can experience perimenopause symptoms right
from then onwards. And certainly in my case, that's what
was going on. So it sounds like with the with
the exhaustion levels and the heavy periods. I mean, is
that was that regular, the heavy periods or is it
just suddenly or in the last.
Speaker 6 (42:05):
It was new and it was so uncomfortable. I didn't
want to leave my house and I went to my
doctor to make sure everything was okay, and then I
ended up going back on birth control pill and it helped.
But there's so much stigma around the birth control pill.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
Why is that? Why is there so much stigma around
birth control? Naomi? Do you know that?
Speaker 7 (42:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (42:28):
They shouldn't be. Let's put it that way.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
Is it just such an adjustment when you get off
of it? Is that the downside of it?
Speaker 7 (42:34):
I was on the birth control for gosh maybe and
you know, of course, when I wasn't getting pregnant, I thought, oh,
is it because I was on it for too long?
But no, I don't. I don't think it was related
at all. It's probably a big adjustment. How long did
you say that you haven't been on.
Speaker 6 (42:50):
It for Well, I was on it for probably fifteen years,
and I got pregnant like two months after I stopped
with my first daughter, when I wanted to start a family,
and then I went back on it, and when I
wanted to have when I had my second daughter, and
the same thing, I was able to get pregnant right away,
and then after her I was like, oh maybe I
(43:11):
should you know, do I have to give my body
a break from it or you know. So I was
off it for five years until just like fourteen months
ago when I went in. I was like, this is miserable.
I was getting like really bad headaches. And when I
was young, I was like the only one of my
friends that like took it. I'm very type A, so
(43:31):
I was so good at taking it and it made
my period like three days very light. I had a
lot of friends that said be careful. You know that's
not good for you. But here I am on it
and it's helping me. But there was something in the
back of my head like am I hurting myself? Like
you know it's hard. Now.
Speaker 7 (43:48):
Look, I think HRT, as I understand it, lower levels
of estrogen. So if you want to go to if
you ask your doctor if it's safe for you, that
would be maybe better for you. I mean, people stay
on HRT till the very very end, you know. I
(44:09):
know people that are in their seventies still taking it.
So the old messaging about oh, you're only supposed to
be on it for a certain amount of time, certain
the lower dose, the least amount of time, that's old.
That's old education right there. So I think you should
maybe investigate. If you want to get your regular periods
(44:31):
under control, you should investigate that.
Speaker 5 (44:32):
I sound like I'm pushing HRT on everyone.
Speaker 1 (44:35):
No, Buthow, I don't think so. I think that is
exactly what you're dealing with right now. It sounds like
you're going through early perimenopause.
Speaker 2 (44:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (44:44):
I feel like it's just really helped me. And it's very.
Speaker 7 (44:49):
Confusing because this study that went wrong put the fear
of God in not only women who were taking it
and they literally flushed their hormones down the toilet, but
doctors started doing the same thing.
Speaker 5 (45:03):
And that was it. They were They just stopped the research.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
But you're talking about the article that came out that's
saying it caused cancer, right, yes, exactly, that it was
leading to breast cancer.
Speaker 7 (45:14):
And this was in two thousand and two, and this
is like more than twenty years ago now and we're
still dealing with the fear of what happened there. I
would say, look at the Menopause Society. That is a
great website that it leads you to doctors and all
kinds of education and get your.
Speaker 5 (45:32):
Symptoms under control.
Speaker 7 (45:33):
And the sniffing thing that that So that tell me
more about this.
Speaker 6 (45:41):
You know. I I I had this. I had a
doctor looking He's like, oh, yeah, it looks like you
got some fluid in your inner inner ear.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
You know.
Speaker 6 (45:50):
Takes some decongestics, which I love taking. Honestly, I understand
why they make them in the mess but or use
them in math, but sometimes it wouldn't work. And so
like I do this like this kind of like big
sniff because it clears my ear. So I was taking
a video of like bees in my garden, and I
was watching the video back and I could hear myself
and I'm like, oh my gosh, it's terrible. And then
(46:11):
I hear the episode and I'm like, oh, I wish
Chelsea could tell me, like, not that off, but it's
really If I don't do it, then the congestion kind
of builds and then I'm like leading my head over
and people like what are you doing? And I just
kind of wonder if it's just.
Speaker 2 (46:30):
Kind of well.
Speaker 6 (46:30):
Also, my ears would like they ring sometimes and then
they started well tonight.
Speaker 7 (46:35):
Is is definitely a symptom. And I've definitely been there
with sticking my fingers so far down my ear that
I look like like because I.
Speaker 6 (46:46):
Started itching, and I'm like, I'm literally turning into a bitch.
Speaker 2 (46:49):
Yes, I feel like you need to go to a
hormone doctor.
Speaker 1 (46:52):
I think you should go get some testing done, not
just blood work, like to ask for the urine test,
ask to just.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
Test all your level at the right time of.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
The month, like track when you're going to be in
mid cycle or whenever. The most optimal time for hormone testing.
Speaker 7 (47:07):
Is forty eight is around the exact age for all
of those symptoms to be taking place. And it's the
not knowing what's going on with your body, the feeling
of like, wait, I this didn't used to work like this.
That kind of period, the transitional period from perimenopause through
to that menopause day, which is one year after you've
(47:28):
had your last menstrual cycle. You know that that is
a confusing time. So I would definitely try to get
in front of your doctor, a doctor that you trust.
Speaker 6 (47:40):
Yeah, I need to.
Speaker 1 (47:41):
And you have to advocate for yourself in these situations,
Like you have to be a little bit more pushy
and a little bit more you know, bold than you
might feel comfortable with. But no one's going to advocate
for yourself better than you are. So, like you want answers,
especially with your nose and your pressure and your ear situation,
Like you need to go to an E and T
and go what is this and what can I do
about it? There's got to be some solution out there
(48:03):
that can at least abate the symptoms to a degree,
you know, Like, so you're not feeling pressure in your ear,
whether those are ear drops or what you know whatever,
Like there are answers out there, but you kind of sometimes,
especially with this, as Naomi has demonstrated, you really have
to push and be pushy to get answers. You know,
women's health is not a priority for anyone in the
(48:25):
history of the world, so we have to make it
a priority. And you have to go in there and
ask for answers and demand to get them. And if
you don't get them from a certain doctor, then you
have to change doctors. And that can be an exhaustive process,
but it's going to be worth it in the end
for you.
Speaker 5 (48:40):
Yes, exactly what she said.
Speaker 6 (48:42):
Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 2 (48:44):
And then we're in the meantime, we're going to rename
Naomi's book to I Am Not a Doctor. Okay, do
you feel better equipped?
Speaker 1 (48:54):
You just needed a little bit motivational speaking, motivational push right.
Speaker 6 (48:57):
Here, I think.
Speaker 2 (48:58):
Yeah, we'll be as squeaky Karen.
Speaker 6 (49:00):
Yeah, well, my name's Karen.
Speaker 2 (49:03):
I know, live up to your potential, don't worry. That's
that's the name. That's my alias.
Speaker 1 (49:08):
I have to travel with an alias, like when I'm
in hotels and stuff.
Speaker 2 (49:11):
I don't have to, I choose to, but M Karen.
Speaker 1 (49:13):
Is my alias, and everyone thinks that's the funniest thing
that my name is Karen. She's sitting right here, so
we're sisters.
Speaker 5 (49:21):
Hilarious.
Speaker 6 (49:22):
All right, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (49:23):
Bye, take care of thank you.
Speaker 1 (49:26):
Bye.
Speaker 4 (49:27):
All right, we just have a couple more minutes, so
we'll take a quick break and come back to wrap up.
Speaker 1 (49:31):
Okay, we'll take a break and we'll be right back
to wrap up with Naomi.
Speaker 2 (49:38):
And we're back with Naomi.
Speaker 1 (49:39):
Watts, who's written this new book called Dare I Say It,
which every woman should read and most men should read too,
quite frankly, so you can understand what women are going
through since you guys don't really have to go through
fucking anything except getting us pregnant. And there's a quote
for there's even a blurb for me on the back.
I hear a man laughing in the background.
Speaker 7 (49:55):
Ha ha ha.
Speaker 5 (49:56):
He goes ha ha ha ha.
Speaker 2 (49:58):
To show us what you go through. Moved to us
what you're dealing with.
Speaker 1 (50:01):
I was always like, Oh, what's what's something embarrassing that
a man has to deal with? Like periods we can't
control when we get them. We could be on a plane,
bleed out through clothing. I've told the story of meeting
my sister on Safari after she was on a plane
in like bled for seventeen hours and she had she's
luckily she had those zip Safari pants that I had
sent her as a joke that she had zipped off
(50:23):
and then taken her and taken them and wrapped them
around her waist. And I was like, God, what is
comparable to like the woman's humiliation of getting our periods
in school and in public places? And then I was like, oh,
boners like those are embarrassing, But a boner, it's like, first,
yeah you can, I mean unless it's a really big one,
But I mean that's embarrassing for your boner to get
(50:45):
hard all of a sudden, because then everyone knows exactly
what you're thinking, you know. But also it's just like
that's that also could be argued, you know what I mean.
There's no evidence with a period, there's evidence with it,
Like with a boner, there's no evidence, like you just see,
you think you see something and someone can kind of
push it away. But yeah, I can't think of anything
that men go through that is comparable to all of
(51:07):
the levels of pain, childbirth, child rearing, all of it,
and then a menopause on top of it.
Speaker 5 (51:16):
So we have to educate them.
Speaker 7 (51:17):
We have to bring them into the conversation and say,
this is what's going on. And I find that most times,
if they're included into the conversation, they don't have to
like imagine what's going on and nothing's a mystery. Then
they will want to help, They will want to be empathetic.
They just need greater understanding, and sadly that's our job
(51:38):
to make them understand. But you know, again, this is
the changes happening in real time.
Speaker 5 (51:45):
Then I'm certain that this is not going to be
the case. For the next generation.
Speaker 7 (51:50):
Everything will be more normalized and humanized, and it'll be
something that everyone knows how to talk to. You know,
we can talk to our children and say, Mummy having
a bad day. I didn't mean to snap, you know,
And this is why, you know hormonal shifts. Just like
when a teenager slams the door in your face, we
(52:10):
know what that's about and we empathize. So we've got
to bring everyone into the conversation. We have to tell
our bosses at work. If you know you're suddenly in
a boardroom meeting and you know you're doing a power
point with ten men and you have a memory blip
when you forget something that kind of suddenly unravels the
whole meeting.
Speaker 5 (52:32):
That can happen. I've heard countless.
Speaker 7 (52:34):
Stories of women, you know, which can lead to greater
anxiety and retreating. And you know, nobody understands what's going
on until you tell them. And so if we bring
them in and say, hey, this is what's happening. I'm
going to need a few hours, or I'm going to
need a day, they can adjust and.
Speaker 5 (52:55):
Figure out how to behave hopefully.
Speaker 3 (52:57):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (52:58):
I want to say, Naomi, really proud and impressed by
you for bringing this subject to the four and the
way that you have. And I really want to say, like,
especially in our industry, because I have so many friends
that have gone through menopause before me, who were very
loathed to even admit that that was an issue, who
are very secretive about it. Like, I really feel like
(53:19):
this is the dawn of a new era and you
are someone who can really be credited with bringing that
conversation forward. So thank you for doing that for women
and for doing that for people within this industry to
make people more comfortable with the idea of talking about
it and not being so ashamed at getting older, like
it doesn't have to be a dirty word.
Speaker 2 (53:40):
It doesn't have to be a dirty thing.
Speaker 1 (53:42):
And I think by welcoming men into these conversations as well,
it's just another opportunity to get more educated for all
of us.
Speaker 5 (53:50):
Exactly exactly, Yeah, it was.
Speaker 7 (53:54):
It had to happen, and I'm glad to be a
part of it, and along with a lot of other people.
It's all things coming from every angle. All the doctors
now who genuinely want to care for people, who are
coming together and making sure the conversation is not only open,
but the treatment is available. And we need to optimize
(54:15):
our health because if you don't get your health under
control at this point in time, it can lead to
other issues later. We're living longer, so we need to
stay strong and that means, you know, protecting our bones
and things. I've seen you do it, Chelsea. You're lifting
weights that right, that's what you do, and that's protecting
(54:38):
your bone health.
Speaker 5 (54:39):
And you know there's.
Speaker 7 (54:41):
So many We don't want to be fragile, No, I
know that's exactly right.
Speaker 1 (54:46):
We don't want to be fragile. We don't want to
be feeble, we want to be strong enough to take
care of ourselves right to the end. Yeah, so, thank
you Naomi. Congratulations on your book. And her product line
is called Stripes for Anybody and you go to what
is it pypes beauty dot com, Stripes beauty dot com.
Speaker 2 (55:03):
Okay, thank you Naomi, have a wonderful beauty.
Speaker 5 (55:05):
Hey, guys, Thanks Katherine, great to see you. Take care travel,
See you, Sarin.
Speaker 4 (55:10):
If you'd like advice from Chelsea, shoot us an email
at Dear Chelsea podcast at gmail dot.
Speaker 3 (55:15):
Com and be sure to include your phone number.
Speaker 4 (55:18):
Dear Chelsea is edited and engineered by Brad Dickard executive
producer Katherine Law, and be sure to check out our
merch at Chelseahandler dot com
Hi, Catherine, Hi Chelsea, Hi here, we are here, we
are It's what day is it?
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Is it Thursday? Yes, it's Thursday. Must be Thursday. It's
our podcast day.
Speaker 3 (00:09):
And you're back in Whistler.
Speaker 2 (00:10):
I am, I'm back. I'm home.
Speaker 4 (00:13):
How has the skiing, I mean, as much as you've
been able to be there, how's the skiing been this year?
Speaker 1 (00:16):
Well, the skiing's been good. I mean a couple of
dry spells or rain spells. Whistle gets wet so it
kind of ruins the snow. But there's a lot of
snow right now. I mean, I'm still recuperating from my
shoulder stitch, so I'm not really skiing, but I just
love being here, you know, in the snow. And I've
been reunited with Doug, my dog trainer. Up here was
with him. She moved into my house. Abbey from Tail
(00:40):
Tail Tails from Whistler. I don't know what the company is,
hot Tails from Whistler Dog, but she's so awesome. I mean,
she really saved me when I had found out I
had to get that shoulder surgery. So Doug now thinks
she's her mother, his mother, so I have to contest
with that, but I'll fucking take it, you know what
I mean.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
She's so good with him, and he's so I mean,
you should eat.
Speaker 1 (01:01):
When I he sees me, he puts my hand in
his mouth and he's not biting, but he's playing, and
he just like and she goes. That's when he is
so overwhelmed with emotion that he can't express himself, like
he just and he when I got home, I mean,
he had my hand in his mouth for like almost
forty minutes. I could not get it out.
Speaker 3 (01:19):
And cute aggression you ever get that where he's just.
Speaker 2 (01:21):
Like, look at me, look at me. I'm like, oh, dog,
I didn't want to leave you. I didn't want to.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
I added more Vegas dates you guys, so I want
to make sure I mention those. So my next dates
are March twenty first. This is my residency at the
Cosmopolitan in Vegas at the Chelsea Theater March twenty first,
in April eighteenth, and then we added July fifth, August thirtieth,
November first, and November twenty ninth. So go to Chelsea
(01:48):
handler dot com for your tickets, and.
Speaker 3 (01:50):
Your book is like about to come out. Oh it'll
be like a week away very soon.
Speaker 4 (01:56):
So get your pre orders in. Yeah, and you can
actually on Barnes and Noble. You can like say I
would like a signed copy.
Speaker 1 (02:01):
And yes, I signed eighty five hundred copies for Barnes
and Nobles, so you can get that if you want
to sign copy or come to any of my book signings.
They're all up on my website too. I'm going to
New Jersey. I'll be at the ninety second Street.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Why New York. I'll be in Cincinnati.
Speaker 1 (02:15):
Let's just read it while I have my phone here.
Let's see where else I'm going. Yeah, Boston, Cincinnati, Chicago.
I'll be in New Jersey on the twenty fourth, my birthday.
I'll be at the ninety second Street, y twenty six,
I'll be in Boston, then Cincinnati, then Chicago, then La
at the Grove, and then Seattle, Washington on March third.
So go to Chelsea Handler dot com for all that information.
(02:37):
Make sure you order your Owls Brew or buy your
Owlsbrew so we can have a nice boozy book club.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
And I'll put a link to that in the description
as well.
Speaker 1 (02:45):
Awesome, Thank you so much, Catherine drum Roll. Catherine, please
Chelsea Handler Abroad. Abroad is my European Tour, which I
just announced yesterday. Tickets go on sale tomorrow or today
or there's a pre sale code Chelsea. So I'm coming
to obviously find a husband abroad. I need to get
(03:07):
the health out of this fucking country, and it's not
as easy as you think. So I'm coming to Rekuvik.
I'm coming to Dublin. I'm coming to the UK. I'm
coming to Brussels, Paris, Belfast.
Speaker 2 (03:21):
In May and June.
Speaker 1 (03:22):
I'm coming to Oslo, Stockholm, to Copenhagen, Manchester, London, Glasgow,
New Zurich, Vienna. I've never ever been to Vienna, Berlin,
Barcelona and Lisbon. I'm coming abroad is abroad.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
That sounds like fun. I'm going to go see you abroad.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
I know I want to go see me abroad, and
there all be, there, all be. We have a best
selling New York Times author on today, her new book,
Dare I Say It? Everything I Wish I'd known about Menopause,
debut at number four on the New York Times Bestsellers List.
Please welcome, actor, author, and entrepreneurs are my friend, Naomi Watts.
Speaker 5 (04:02):
Oh hello, oh.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
Hello menopause lady.
Speaker 1 (04:06):
Hi, Hi are you excited to continue your talking about menopause.
Speaker 2 (04:15):
I know that you have.
Speaker 1 (04:16):
I've seen you everywhere. I know I feel very exposed. Yeah,
definitely Billy too.
Speaker 2 (04:25):
Poor Billy, Poor hot Billy.
Speaker 1 (04:27):
She's married to Billy Krudup, who I've a very intense
crush on. I've expressed such to him and Naomi together,
and luckily he's very gracious at my advances, but also
keeps his distance.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
First of all, on behalf of my sister.
Speaker 1 (04:43):
I want to say thank you for sending all of
your products to my Sistershana, and she got all of
your products. She fucking loves them and I love them too,
and I have to say so, dare I say? It
is this book and this is perfect for our audience
because we have so many women listening, and all of
you women are going to get to experience the joy
(05:05):
of menopause and the great advantage and the bravery that
Naomi is bringing to the subject matter by discussing it
so openly and encouraging so many other women that are
now discussing it so openly, is that we don't have
to go through this without having the information like women
fifty years ago did. We don't have to go through
(05:26):
all of this without talking about it like women fifty
years ago did.
Speaker 6 (05:31):
We?
Speaker 1 (05:31):
And there are so many tools, and there are so
many brands, including Stripes, which is Naomi's brand, that has
so many ways to help you deal with all of
the experiences that you will go through during perimenopause. And
you also mentioned which is very funny because my sister
Sir Shana, who is a nurse, said on the podcast
she goes, you know, menopause is just actually one day.
Speaker 2 (05:54):
It's a year from the day of your last period.
Is that right? Is that what it is?
Speaker 5 (05:58):
That's exactly right.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
I said to her, you don't know what the fuck
you're talking about. This was this was a couple of right,
This is a couple of years ago, right, right. And
while she's an urn, so clearly she always knows the
way more than I do. But you also talk about
that in the book, which is which I think a
lot of people didn't know, right.
Speaker 7 (06:17):
Yeah, And that also, you know, it's basically a third
of our lives that we will be in this menopause, perimenopause,
postmenopause state. You know that, So not to say that
the doom and gloom of your symptoms will last did that.
There's you know, many decades, but you could still have
(06:39):
some menopause related symptoms that you know, unless you're getting treatment,
and that is obviously everyone's choice, whatever is safe for them.
Speaker 5 (06:49):
So it is something to prepare for, but not with fear.
Speaker 7 (06:53):
And we don't have to flail around trying to piece
it all together by ourselves anymore, because it's now can open.
We can talk to our friends, we can go to
our doctors with the right questions and explore it with
feeling armed with what's available now out there on the
on the internet. I mean, there's that fantastic New York
(07:15):
Times Susan Dominus article that was written a couple of
years ago that really goes granular into how to.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
Approach treatment if you want to. It's a different time.
Speaker 1 (07:26):
And one of the things that you talk about in
your book that I think is so people don't really
realize is that you can be going through perimenopause and
also becoming a mother, like motherhood can be in conjunction
with perimenopause.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
So, which is something that happened to you?
Speaker 7 (07:43):
Yes, I well, the news came to me that I
was close to menopause quote unquote at thirty six, when
I was not getting pregnant. My doctor said, let's take
some blood work and I did, and then the results
suggested that I was you know, I had a high
FSH level, which is follicle stimulating hormone. And I kind
(08:05):
of ran out of the office, not ran, but like
walked out of the office in pieces, feeling terrified.
Speaker 5 (08:11):
Oh my god, two bits of bad news.
Speaker 7 (08:13):
My fertility was done, possibly and I was going to
be going into menopause, which just felt like the end
of everything. I called my mom right away and said,
why didn't you tell me more? She had told me
that she went into it at forty five, but when
I asked her, why shouldn't give me more detail, she said, well,
these were the conversations I never had with you, because
(08:36):
my mother never had them with me, Like there was
some code of silence that was just agreed upon. We
suck it up, we suffered through, we sold youer on,
and yeah, that's just the way it goes. And this
made no sense when we're half the population that is
going to get there, God willing that we lived that long,
(08:58):
and and yeah, why should we suffer? Why why should
we have to deal with any kind of conversation that
is taboo or stigmatized. It didn't make any sense, especially
now that we're living longer, so we need to optimize
our health. And you know, if you don't get things
under control, you it can lead to other issues.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
Yeah, there's a lot of like suffering, like the subject
of women suffering and women being tough and having to deal.
First of all, we're juggling more than most men are
on a daily basis. You know, we're able to multitask,
we're able to do all of these things. But the
idea of like female suffering is just it's so crazy
that people, I mean, there are certain people who think
you have to suffer, that it is part of the journey,
(09:42):
that it is part of the game. You have to
suffer in order to get stronger, you have to suffer
in order to you know, be the body weight you
want to be. You have to suffer. It's like that's
all bullshit. You don't have to suffer. You have to
work hard and be determined.
Speaker 5 (09:56):
I know, it's like it's part of our programming.
Speaker 7 (09:58):
I mean, and you know, even going back to the
first time we had our periods and there was pain
and it was like come on, everyone has period pains.
Speaker 5 (10:06):
Just suck it up, You're fine. And then you find
out ten years later, this young woman's got endometriosis, and
you know it, has been complaining about it, but everyone
around her has said, you know, you can deal. So
I think it's just part of our wiring that we
think that we miss just soldier through. And I don't
(10:27):
think we need to do that.
Speaker 7 (10:29):
And I think as we get to this point in
our life, as you know, older women who have experienced
a few things, we get to say no, actually not,
I'm not gonna I'm not just going to roll through this.
I'd like some support and I'd like to have some
compassion and empathy from all those around me.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
So what was like, what was the issue for you?
Because I mean, coming up with this.
Speaker 1 (10:53):
Product line is incredible, it's incredibly helpful for so many women.
What was the issue for you that made you develop
your first product?
Speaker 2 (11:00):
In which one was the first one?
Speaker 7 (11:02):
Okay, So I developed this company called Stripes Beauty because
we've owned our stripes. I wanted this woman to feel
seen that it was not the end that she should
head into this time with support and agency unapologetically so,
and I really wanted to create a brand that recognized
(11:23):
her symptoms, her age, exactly where she's at, and not
promise the world that you could look like a twenty
five year old, because frankly, when I was twenty five,
I didn't like how I looked. I want to look
my best in this moment, right now.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
And also that this is a part of your life.
This isn't the end of your life, and there is
more to be excited about after, after you're done with menopause,
and quite possibly during the whole process of menopause, which
I would argue is something that you can go through
with the right help and the right support and the
right products, while enjoying the time that you're going. It's
(11:58):
not like a funeral. You have a whole life ahead
of you after exactly. It's just it's a whole new chapter.
Speaker 7 (12:06):
Yes, some changes take place, and not just physically emotionally.
You know, your household emptying out perhaps, or about to
your ailing parents, job pressures, marriage issues, you know like that.
So many things can happen it at this exact time,
and it's kind of a cruel trick that you do
get that zinger of the old metopause thing. But we
(12:28):
can get through challenges again with support systems and good doctors,
good community, all of it. But to go back to
your question, Magevanna if I may is one of our
best seller and you've got it right there. It's one
of the curve Yer bottles. I think that's the loop.
Speaker 2 (12:51):
This is oh my glide, that's the play oil. I'm
going to use that for butts.
Speaker 7 (12:55):
So I wanted to create a product line that was
from scalp to thatch because we need extra hydration at
all of those points. And that's a deep hydration level
for your skin, for your hair, for your body, and
the badge.
Speaker 1 (13:12):
And so you can put this anywhere, right, you can
put it on your scalp or your vadge.
Speaker 5 (13:16):
Oh no, wait, what do you you've got them. That's
just for the badge. The power move, oh, the power move.
It's just for the face.
Speaker 2 (13:24):
Just face. You don't put the face on your vagina. No,
you can put it on.
Speaker 5 (13:31):
The face of your lover and then maybe.
Speaker 1 (13:33):
He's and then he can put it on your vegel,
on the base, on the base of your vagina.
Speaker 2 (13:38):
This one is.
Speaker 5 (13:38):
Called face debate.
Speaker 2 (13:40):
Face debase.
Speaker 1 (13:41):
This is called rest and clean face, very clever I
love that, which is a nourishing and calming face wash.
Speaker 2 (13:47):
And then there is lube. And then what do you
have for night sweats?
Speaker 7 (13:51):
Well, there's different things you can do for for night sweats.
And if you are into supplements, we have something called
inside Edition. Is that what you have there?
Speaker 1 (13:59):
I have inside it. Yeah, I think that's it right there.
Oh yeah, that's right here.
Speaker 5 (14:03):
Yeah, that's going to help you with.
Speaker 2 (14:05):
I've taken these. I've taken these for my night sweats
and they work.
Speaker 3 (14:08):
I've taken good.
Speaker 5 (14:09):
Yes, good, I'm glad to heart. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (14:11):
People in perimenopause, I have really had a great time
with those that that is a great way to start
when you don't know what's going on. But certainly the
sweaty nights is a big one and something that I
ticked on medical forms for years and years and years
before I was told I was in menopause. Anyway, I
have since gone on HRT, which is working for me.
(14:34):
It's a great conversation with my doctor. He went through
my medical history. We talked about my symptoms. If I
wasn't getting enough sleep, it was going to lead to
other things depression, anxiety, memory, you know, brain fog, all
those kind of issues. So based on my medical history,
he felt it was safe from me.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
And what kind of HRT are you on?
Speaker 7 (14:56):
Estrogen and progesterone. So there are so many different delivery methods.
I have pretty much tried them all. It's all trial
and error. Whatever works for you, different doses, different methods
of delivery. I am currently on the gel, but I
before that, I was on the patch. I kind of
missed my patch, and before that I was on the pill.
(15:20):
I don't know, I may have the chronology off here,
but I've tried the pill, the spray, the ring that
you insert inside, they're all great things. The pill is
meant to be the least safe one because it goes
through your liver and can cause blood cloths.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
Yeah, I'm on the patch.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
I just started the patch, and I take the progesterone
when I go to bed at night.
Speaker 2 (15:41):
But it really has helped.
Speaker 1 (15:43):
I mean that the inside edition stripes really helped me
with the night sweats. The progesterone and the estradioltest dial
that is that's helping with the sleep, because the sleep.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
We've talked about this.
Speaker 1 (15:58):
When you drink and you can't, I mean it's like
you can't drink anymore, because you if you drink and
go to bed.
Speaker 5 (16:05):
Yeah, you need a few hours before you go to bed.
Speaker 7 (16:08):
It's gonna it's gonna what the sugar's gonna spike in
the night and wake you up, I think.
Speaker 5 (16:14):
But yeah, takes the joy out of it's.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
Day drinking from here on out, girls day drinking. You're
not there yet, Catherine, Yeah, no, no, I'm questing right now,
I'm questing.
Speaker 4 (16:26):
Yes, yes, when you talk about hormone replacement therapy or
like bioidentical hormones, like that's a buzz word I've heard
a lot. Is there a difference between those? Are those
like two terms for the same thing?
Speaker 7 (16:37):
Basically, Yes, it's as I understand it, it's a marketing term.
Speaker 5 (16:42):
They're basically the same thing. But yeah, I mean I again,
I'm not a doctor. I don't know why I said again.
It was like I was in the last meeting.
Speaker 3 (16:52):
Sorry, it's still not a doctor'.
Speaker 2 (16:54):
Sure what happens when you're on the treadmill, or to
keep repeating to people I'm not a doctor. I'm not
a doctor.
Speaker 5 (17:02):
Yes, I have not even played one.
Speaker 4 (17:06):
So, but you do have a story in the book
about someone who kind of went with some info from
the internet and then used some hormones and used way
too much of them and then found out she was
using maybe way too much of the testosterone.
Speaker 7 (17:20):
Yes, she had a terrible experience, and she didn't get
enough instruction from her doctor or at the pharmacy, and
she googled it and she looked up I think the
dosage of what the male what men were doing, and
she blew through this testosterone at a rate that was
just not safe and as a result, like started losing
(17:43):
her mind and almost her marriage because it, you know,
she started making stuff up and it was a big problem. So, yeah,
you do really need to be on top of this
and beat the CEO of your body and your whole
menopausal journey. Because we're just watching doctors get educated in
(18:04):
real time about this with the conversation not being open.
Nobody was saying I've got a problem, so the research
wasn't there. So it's just on the you know, on
the on the on the prespoe of change in the
last five years, it's only going to get better, and
I think your generation or the next generation is going
(18:25):
to be much better set up for success.
Speaker 1 (18:27):
Yeah, thankfully, I mean, I mean we could at least
do them that favor after what we did to the climate.
Speaker 5 (18:33):
Yeah, that's true.
Speaker 1 (18:34):
What are some other things, knowing that you're not a
doctor and Iaomi, what are some other things that progesterone
and estrogen do provide you?
Speaker 6 (18:42):
Well?
Speaker 7 (18:42):
I find progesterone is it helps me sleep. I find
it takes away anxiety, and I've found that that has
been a game changer in my in my sleeping. You know,
I know that some people might even take higher dose
than I do. I've heard that and I'm definitely curious
(19:04):
about that at some point for myself.
Speaker 5 (19:06):
But it's definitely helped me with sleep and anxiety.
Speaker 1 (19:10):
I'm curious as too, Like when you were starting this
kind of you know, research for yourself and then started
to become more outspoken about it, Like when did you
decide you were going to write this book? With this
book you have to get if you're a woman, you
have to read this. You have to understand what your
body's going through so that you can get ahead of it,
like arm yourself with information. Information is so powerful with everything,
(19:34):
like and it's just so easy to pick up this
knowledge you know, and then have once you have a
like a base of knowledge about something to be able
to talk to other people about it, it's just so advantageous.
But when did you think because it is not a
sexy topic.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
It's not hot.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
You know, you're not talking about youthfulness, which is, you know,
what everyone wants to be talking about.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
So how did you how did you feel about take
this on?
Speaker 1 (20:00):
I know Billy wasn't so excited about you talking about
this publicly, but like, when did you decide to take
this on and become kind of an ambassador for such
an un sexy subject.
Speaker 7 (20:12):
Okay, so when after my second child, I was able
to get pregnant naturally, mercifully, and after my second child,
I went into hardcore symptoms, and in my early forties,
I was like trying you know, the internet was barely active.
I was trying to piecemeal information together. I was like,
(20:32):
this should be a guide book, a manual of how
to navigate this time. That is not telling me it's
the end. It should be sexy and funny and informative
and warm and cozy. Where is that book? And I
had a book to support me through my fertility that
I was It was like my private little bible in
(20:54):
a way that I would read.
Speaker 5 (20:56):
And it was called Inconceivable.
Speaker 7 (20:59):
It was a fantast plastic book written by Julia in Dachova,
and it was my everything that gave me hope. And
I wanted the same kind of book for this topic
and it just wasn't there. And I remember talking to
a friend of mine and she was like.
Speaker 5 (21:16):
You should write that. I was like, oh, come on,
I'm an actor. I'm not a writer, and.
Speaker 7 (21:20):
There's no way I'm going to say that out loud
in my industry. God talk about you know, career suicide.
And so I just left it. And that idea came
to me first. Then I came to Stripe's Beauty. That
idea came about I guess, you know, ten years later,
(21:41):
and I guess being fifty, where I'm suddenly the average
age quote unquote of menopause, you know, which is fifty one.
And so you know, I just thought, Okay, maybe I
can just actually own this now. Maybe it's just too
exhausting to keep carrying this secret. Maybe I'm going to
do it. And you know, I went and cold pitched
(22:02):
the idea to a company that partnered with me right away,
and then you know, I just got more and more
into it, and yes, even talking about the vaginal offerings.
I was like, I'm not going to speak about that though,
I'm just going to talk about what a woman needs,
which is hydration, hydration from scalp to badge.
Speaker 5 (22:21):
But you know, you can't do this in half measures.
Speaker 7 (22:24):
You have to just be all in and the chances
are what's happening to me are going to be happening
to several other women out there too. So it got
to the point where it just got more and more
comfy with being you know, more personal and exposing my
secrets in service of in the hope.
Speaker 5 (22:43):
That I would heal or soothe other women.
Speaker 7 (22:46):
And you know, it just felt ridiculous that women could
come together and talk about every awkward moment in their life,
whether it was their first kiss, their first period, their
first you know, pregnancy, or you know all those things.
We came together and we would talk and compare notes,
but then suddenly there was this silence, like we're supposed
(23:08):
to just manage this on our own. So that that's
when I just went, I screw it. I'm going to
write the book, and I want it to be informative.
I want it to be like a cozy chat with
my girlfriend on the couch. I want it to be
hilarious and fun, other women's stories, knowledge information, you know,
(23:29):
all peppers through it and hopeful and it's not the end.
Speaker 5 (23:34):
That was the point.
Speaker 3 (23:36):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:37):
Okay.
Speaker 1 (23:37):
On that note, we're going to take a break and
we'll be right back with Naomi Watts. And we're back
with Naomi Watts, author of Dare I Say It? And Stripes,
the company that offers all sorts of relief to people
who are experiencing experiencing menopause, going through menopause, which, as
we've learned, can be a long period of time, so
(23:58):
you want to get your products. I personally like the
Inside Edition, which is helps with night sweats because I too,
And it keeps you regular as well, keeps you regular.
Oh oh, I was like regular, What kind of regular?
Speaker 2 (24:10):
There's so many kinds of regular to I know, not regular.
Speaker 5 (24:13):
Period.
Speaker 2 (24:15):
I was like period.
Speaker 1 (24:16):
I was like, I already got an oblasion to map
that you block that out, but oh, good good Keeping
you regular is always a bonus.
Speaker 2 (24:22):
Wait.
Speaker 1 (24:22):
One question before we begin with callers. One question, Naomi,
when you since you were experiencing menopause, when you were
going through your fertility and then you had your children,
and then the symptoms became even more exacerbated. Did you
confuse that at all with postpartum or did that play
did those two?
Speaker 2 (24:43):
Was it postpartum too, Well?
Speaker 7 (24:45):
It could have been, yes for sure. But I was
pretty keyed into the menopause thing by this point, because
at thirty six, you know, it had that message given
to me, and then I understood that my night sweats
were in fact menopause symptoms, that my irregular periods, thinning
out and everything was also a symptom.
Speaker 5 (25:08):
I didn't join the dots until then.
Speaker 7 (25:10):
In fact, you know those medical history forms that you
fill out, I'd written night sweats on them for years
and years and years, and everyone just chalked it up
to you, Oh, it's an allergy, or oh maybe it's
you know, that extra glass of wine, or they just
didn't ever say this could be menopause or perimenopause. In fact,
that word was not a word I was familiar with
(25:31):
until the last five years, which is a much nicer word,
much gentler. So yeah, I was pretty understanding of the
symptoms by the time my second baby came. Yeah, okay,
but there was still more that I came to discover
later which was itchy skin.
Speaker 5 (25:52):
That also led me to creating stripes. I was working
on a TV show.
Speaker 7 (25:56):
And I had you know, long days under hotline with makeup,
and I would come home and after having taken my
makeup off and just be ripping the dry skin off
my face. It was just angry and itchy, and I
didn't understand what was happening. I'd go to the dermatologist.
I'd get it a little you know, cortisone cream, which
would work for a few days, and then the same
(26:17):
thing would happen flare up, and you know, I was
just running in circles.
Speaker 5 (26:22):
Again. No one connected the dots.
Speaker 7 (26:25):
And then I figured out later that indeed, as we
lose estrogen, everything thins and dries out and you become
irritated much easier with things like you know, retinoles or
you know, things that I'd been using in my skincare regime,
which was working perfectly for a number of years now
(26:45):
was not going to not only not work, but it
was going to aggravate me. So I had to really
change out all of my skincare. And that's when I
created the brand, because I wanted to have something that
was ultra hydrating and good for sensitive skin.
Speaker 4 (27:01):
Well, that's interesting that you say retinals, because those are
specifically marketed to like aging skin quote unquote, or like
fine lines and wrinkles and that sort of thing. So
it's like right at the same time that you're having
this thinning.
Speaker 5 (27:13):
Yeah, well there's retinoids.
Speaker 7 (27:14):
We have retinoids in our evening where which I've got
to get into your hands, Chelsea, because I see you
don't have it there.
Speaker 5 (27:22):
And yes, so that's a gentler form. Okay, that will
help with fine lines.
Speaker 3 (27:26):
Wonderful. Were we ready for some advice questions?
Speaker 2 (27:30):
Are they metapause advice questions?
Speaker 1 (27:33):
Okay, yes, we have to curtail everything to our special guests.
Speaker 4 (27:36):
Yes, well, obviously like blanket statement. As Naomi mentioned, you know,
there are so many different variables for everyone, so talk
to your doctor.
Speaker 3 (27:45):
But this is just some advice from our perspectives.
Speaker 1 (27:48):
So that's what we'll name the episode We are not Doctors, Diomi.
You'd you'd be surprised how many times I have to
say I'm not a doctor. Also really, yes, yes, you're
very super cool for your advice. I have yeah, and
then I doll out unsolicited medical advice as well.
Speaker 4 (28:05):
Pretty typically, our first question comes from Kelsey. She says,
Dear Chelsea, I'm thirty six years old and stop taking
my birth control two years ago. I had taken oral
birth control since I was eighteen and would skip my
placebo slash cycle every two months and maybe have a
period every three months. Since stopping, I've had night sweats,
(28:26):
dry skin, acne, rotator cuff pain without injury, and Jesus Christ,
the low energy is killing me. My question is if
I'm in perimenopause, what kind of supplements and skincare should
I use? I tried a number of lotions and washes
and nothing seems to help my dry skin. Note I
have not been officially diagnosed with perimenopause.
Speaker 3 (28:45):
I'd like to be tested, but I work.
Speaker 4 (28:47):
In the medical field CMA, and I feel like getting
tested or asking for help is pointless because there isn't
much treatment from the MD perspective.
Speaker 3 (28:55):
With so much love, Kelcey.
Speaker 2 (28:57):
Hi, Kelcey Hi, Hello, Hi.
Speaker 1 (29:00):
This is our special guest, Naomi Watts, who just wrote
a book called Dare I Say It, which is all
about menopause. So you're in good hands today. So you're
thirty six, right? Is that what you said, thirty six.
Speaker 8 (29:12):
Yeah, I just turned thirty six.
Speaker 1 (29:13):
That's how old Naomi was when she discovered. She was
going exactly my age.
Speaker 7 (29:18):
Yeah, when I started having the symptoms, well, actually i'd
had night sweats for a number of years, and I
had migraines and irregular periods. I did have blood work done,
and you're right, it's there's no one exact defining test
except for if you've had a full year without a menstruation.
Speaker 5 (29:41):
But I think there are lots of other indicators.
Speaker 1 (29:44):
Like but there's also there's also a urine test that
you can do that doctor Nigma told me about called
the Dutch test.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
Naomi, do you know about that one?
Speaker 5 (29:51):
I don't. I heard that Clear Blue is doing one
now as well.
Speaker 2 (29:55):
Yeah, there's something work.
Speaker 1 (29:57):
There's something called the Dutch test, and it requires you
to like pee on this little stick like three or
four times from like in a twelve hour period, and
that they say is a better indicator than blood work
will like indicate when you come back.
Speaker 2 (30:09):
Yeah, so you might want to look into that too.
Speaker 3 (30:13):
I've never heard of that.
Speaker 7 (30:14):
Yeah, the rotator cuff thing, I had a frozen shoulder.
Many of my friends have had that and that can
be very painful, particularly when you're sleeping. But you're in
the medical field, I would say, can you talk to
your colleagues, can you get some I mean, this is
the thing is that it's so many doctors were not
(30:34):
even trained in this area, specifically guynecologists. I've done panels
and symposiums and with a great number of fancy doctors
and they talk about their one hour specific lecture centering
around menopause. It's mind boggling considering half the population will
(30:56):
go through it. So I would just try and peace
together all of your symptoms and go to your doctor
and ask them what they think is best based on
your medical history.
Speaker 1 (31:09):
And also frozen shoulder for that specifically, Like I've had
a lot of conversations around this recently because I had
shoulder issues and I thought maybe that was what I have,
but I had an infection in my shoulder, so it
wasn't give us me by a doctor who shall rename
nameless for now until.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
I decided to blow his gasket.
Speaker 1 (31:26):
But frozen shoulder, I've had a lot of conversations about that,
And you want to treat that like you would treat
a shoulder in physical therapy. Like you really want to
keep mobilizing it, You really want to keep moving that
and just kind of doing daily exercises to increase mobility
because the less you use it, the worse you're going
to be.
Speaker 7 (31:44):
So that motion is lotion it needs. So basically, we
have estrogen receptors all over our bodies, and you know
that's what happens there. It just kind of locks up.
Speaker 5 (31:55):
And Chelsea's right.
Speaker 7 (31:56):
I was doing a lot of PT and I did
suffer through it for a good year. Eventually I did
something that I didn't want to do, but I ended
up having to do it because the pain was too excruciating.
I ended up having a cortisone shot and just giving
it some relief was really helpful. And then I did
hardcore PT, you know, grabbing a towel or a band
(32:19):
and going up above your head and down and forward.
That was really good. And you know, like car wash
kind of round and round those kind of things to
just increase mobility.
Speaker 2 (32:31):
And did you did that cortizone shot? That helped? Right,
That gave you.
Speaker 5 (32:34):
Something really really helped.
Speaker 7 (32:37):
And it has not come back since and I'm knocking
on word bit that has been a game changer.
Speaker 5 (32:43):
For me.
Speaker 8 (32:44):
Yeah, that's good to know. I ended up getting quartersoone
shots too, because oh you did.
Speaker 1 (32:48):
Yeah.
Speaker 8 (32:49):
I did physical therapy for a long time, and even
my physical therapist doctor was like, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (32:54):
Really what else to do for you.
Speaker 8 (32:56):
But I didn't think about doing PT after that because
now it doesn't hurt so much, I might be able
to like move it.
Speaker 2 (33:02):
Yeah, and that's also that's also the thing.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
When it doesn't hurt is the most important time to
keep it up, you know what, I mean, to keep
just that mobility going because like that, I don't know.
I've talked to so many pets about frozen shoulder because
it's my obsession since reading Naomi's book. I read Naomi's
book and just had every symptom that she described like out.
I'm like, and then I came back and I was
(33:25):
like having night flashes. And I told my sister, I'm like,
I'm having night flashes. And I tried this other over
the counter stuff before Naomi you sent me this, and
I was like, and they worked for my night sweats.
Speaker 2 (33:34):
And my sister's like, you are so you're so impressionable.
Speaker 1 (33:38):
She's like, you read a book about metopause. Then you
decide you have metopause and then you cure it in
one day with this.
Speaker 2 (33:44):
Over the counter drug.
Speaker 5 (33:45):
You are on it.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
I know I'm on it, but yeah, So the frozen
shoulder thing is like, you really want to stay on
that because it's when you ignore it or when you're
in so much pain that you lose your mobility that
you kind of can get stuck.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
So you want to stay on that too. And yeah,
inquire about that Dutch test. That's very interesting. I haven't
heard that because you know.
Speaker 8 (34:04):
You have like hormone level checks, but if they're not off,
and it's kind of like, well.
Speaker 2 (34:08):
Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 7 (34:09):
The thing is is the hormone checks can change every
single day. Yeah, they that's why they don't find them
completely reliable because yeah.
Speaker 1 (34:18):
And a Dutch test, I think that was for my
natura path So if you like look that up online,
I'm sure you can order one, because you know, yeah,
it's like your blood levels. They don't like you could
be on your period and get them, or you could
be two weeks into your cycle, which are going to
have completely different results. So I think that's why they're
not accurate. And we live in LA so we have
(34:38):
doctors that are just willing to dole out anything at
any moment for anything, you know. So it's like you
don't really know what's working sometimes because I know, for me,
I'm just taking so many different things, whether it's peptides
or anti aging stuff.
Speaker 2 (34:52):
It's like I'm not sure what's working. I just know
something is.
Speaker 7 (34:55):
Yeah, it's all.
Speaker 4 (34:56):
Now for someone like Kelsey who you know, maybe you're
not getting the help that you need from your current doctor,
your current obgyn. What are the sort of things that
she should be looking for in a specialist?
Speaker 7 (35:07):
Okay, so I think at a minimum, if the doctor
is not willing to give you a full spectrum of
what's available, if that conversation is not if he's blocking
he or she's blocking that conversation, then that's not the
right doctor. I think you have to go in with
your list of symptoms, your list of questions, your medical history,
(35:31):
and your families and if they're just flat out gatekeeping,
then then it might not be the right provider. And
it's a bummer to have to change because I know
that takes works, work. But you can go on the
Menopause Society and look for a doctor that's suitable in
your area. And also there was a great article in
(35:51):
the New York Times by Susan Dominus to two or
three years ago called women have been Misled, and that
is she goes really deep into the whole experience of
treatment and how we've been misled because there was a
study that went wrong in the media got ahead of
(36:12):
the study, and basically everyone feared hormones for that from
that day forward. Now, of course they're not going to
be everyone's choice, nor are they safe for everyone, but
they should not be ruled out. If you are in
need of symptom relief and you're it's safe for you.
So you do have to trust your doctor. You do
(36:33):
have to make sure they're hearing you.
Speaker 8 (36:36):
Yeah, that's the way. We do have a natural path
in town. I was actually thinking about.
Speaker 1 (36:40):
Yeah, I think nature paths have a better vibe on
menopause than medical doctors, you know what I mean. Sometimes
I mean not overall speaking, but like until we have menopause,
specialists like naturopaths seem to have some better kind of elixir.
Speaker 7 (36:55):
There are some specialists it's like her md Alloy Midi Health. Ever,
now these are all available, you know, they're not. That's
telehealth places so I think we're up to navigating it.
It's a bummer that we have to do a lot
of it on our own, but I think the change
(37:16):
is only just started and it'll be better for the
next generation. But there's still a lot of work we
have to do in order to get the right support
and treatment that we need.
Speaker 8 (37:28):
I totally agree, because I feel like all my symptoms
are like, oh, well, you know, try this or that,
and I'm like, but when you add them all up,
it come out and yeah, a good amount of these
specific kinds.
Speaker 1 (37:40):
And it's also you have to understand, like you have
to trust yourself and understand that you know how your
body feels and if it feels off or if it
feels regulated. Yeah, And like when we talk to other
people sometimes that there's like this placebo effect of like, oh, well,
they said, it's not this.
Speaker 2 (37:54):
It's like, you have to know your body.
Speaker 1 (37:56):
You're in the medical industry, be like, sit with yourself
and actually feel what you're feeling, and you'll know, Okay,
this doesn't feel right. I do want to do something
about this, you know, regardless of what other people's opinions are.
Speaker 5 (38:09):
Have you considered HRT or have you mentioned it with
your doctor. I know you said you were on birth control.
Speaker 2 (38:16):
I have.
Speaker 8 (38:17):
I haven't talked about any hormone replacement yet. I was
actually even recently kind of thinking about going back on
birth control. But I don't really want.
Speaker 5 (38:27):
To do that right right, Well, I mean, I know
what you're saying, is Chelsea, that natural paths.
Speaker 7 (38:33):
There are lots of things available, and you get you know,
it feels like you're getting a lot of focus. But
I personally go for the FDA approved way because it
just feels it feels certain and you know, things have
been tested and but again it's it's got to be
your choice. It's your body and obviously what's safe for you.
Speaker 3 (38:57):
All right, well, thank you, Kelsey.
Speaker 4 (38:58):
Will you report back in a few months and let
us know if there's any any change.
Speaker 3 (39:02):
Yes, that sounds good.
Speaker 1 (39:03):
I will, all right, yes, report back and let us
know if you get pregnant.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
We're interested.
Speaker 8 (39:08):
No, not whatsoever.
Speaker 1 (39:11):
I have a good day, Thank you, Thank you, Kelsey.
I mean, just the irony of this woman working in
a hospital calling into a podcast asking us about menopause
is just like it's like.
Speaker 2 (39:24):
Hospital, you can't even get in a straight answer.
Speaker 4 (39:26):
Yeah, And I wonder if she does see a natural path,
if they might suggest an MD that they, you know,
have worked with, or that sort of thing too.
Speaker 3 (39:34):
So yeah, well.
Speaker 4 (39:36):
Our next caller is Karen and a little bit of
a little bit of a to Phil and Naomian. A
little while back, we had someone call in that was
so annoyed that their friend kept sniffing constantly.
Speaker 3 (39:47):
Do you remember this?
Speaker 4 (39:48):
Like, oh, like they were sniffing, sniffing, sniffing, and they're like,
how do I tell my friend to stop sniffing?
Speaker 3 (39:53):
I've tried. It's upsetting. It's a whole thing, a whole
a whole thing.
Speaker 2 (39:57):
Is this kind of are we going to find out
this is a symptom of menopause?
Speaker 3 (40:00):
Well we'll see, because.
Speaker 1 (40:01):
Wait, I just edited my next I just edited my
stand up special and I was sniffing throughout the whole thing,
and I was like, why am I sniffling this whole time?
Speaker 2 (40:11):
I see how I do like a coke head?
Speaker 1 (40:13):
And then and my manager goes, can you lift out
the sniffling? And I was like, I just gave them
that note too. I'm like, I don't know. I must
have had a cold. And I'm like, do I do
that all the time without knowlash well.
Speaker 4 (40:25):
Karen says, Dear Chelsea, of all the things I've wanted
to write in and ask about my forty eight year
old perimontopause symptoms, et cetera. Here I am responding to
a recent POT episode about a friend's annoying sniffing. It's me,
not literally, and I'm not snorting any drugs. I don't
have seasonal allergies. I have inner ear congestion, and the
(40:47):
sniffing helps clear my ears. I've caught myself doing it,
and I annoy myself. I've even seen myself in videos
doing it. I can't imagine what people think. I've seen
at least two doctors, and they couldn't help no amount
of decongestic's work. I feel like I'm underwater. I feel
for these two friends, the sniffer and the sniffy, which
(41:07):
got me thinking I have a host of seemingly random
symptoms in addition to the sniffing. I'm exhausted, I have headaches,
and I constantly feel like my head is in a
fish bowl. My periods have changed, and I'm back on
birth control to help with the heavy flow. I find
myself wondering if it's something serious, But could it just
be menopause?
Speaker 3 (41:25):
XO, Karen, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (41:28):
Ni Hi Hi, Karen, Hi. Welcome to Dear Chelsea. This
is Naomi wats our special guest today.
Speaker 6 (41:35):
Thank you so much for having me.
Speaker 5 (41:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 7 (41:37):
I mean, look, as far as I've been told, I
knew that fertility changes off to thirty five.
Speaker 5 (41:44):
But what I.
Speaker 7 (41:45):
Didn't know is that you can experience perimenopause symptoms right
from then onwards. And certainly in my case, that's what
was going on. So it sounds like with the with
the exhaustion levels and the heavy periods. I mean, is
that was that regular, the heavy periods or is it
just suddenly or in the last.
Speaker 6 (42:05):
It was new and it was so uncomfortable. I didn't
want to leave my house and I went to my
doctor to make sure everything was okay, and then I
ended up going back on birth control pill and it helped.
But there's so much stigma around the birth control pill.
Speaker 2 (42:23):
Why is that? Why is there so much stigma around
birth control? Naomi? Do you know that?
Speaker 7 (42:28):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (42:28):
They shouldn't be. Let's put it that way.
Speaker 1 (42:30):
Is it just such an adjustment when you get off
of it? Is that the downside of it?
Speaker 7 (42:34):
I was on the birth control for gosh maybe and
you know, of course, when I wasn't getting pregnant, I thought, oh,
is it because I was on it for too long?
But no, I don't. I don't think it was related
at all. It's probably a big adjustment. How long did
you say that you haven't been on.
Speaker 6 (42:50):
It for Well, I was on it for probably fifteen years,
and I got pregnant like two months after I stopped
with my first daughter, when I wanted to start a family,
and then I went back on it, and when I
wanted to have when I had my second daughter, and
the same thing, I was able to get pregnant right away,
and then after her I was like, oh maybe I
(43:11):
should you know, do I have to give my body
a break from it or you know. So I was
off it for five years until just like fourteen months
ago when I went in. I was like, this is miserable.
I was getting like really bad headaches. And when I
was young, I was like the only one of my
friends that like took it. I'm very type A, so
(43:31):
I was so good at taking it and it made
my period like three days very light. I had a
lot of friends that said be careful. You know that's
not good for you. But here I am on it
and it's helping me. But there was something in the
back of my head like am I hurting myself? Like
you know it's hard. Now.
Speaker 7 (43:48):
Look, I think HRT, as I understand it, lower levels
of estrogen. So if you want to go to if
you ask your doctor if it's safe for you, that
would be maybe better for you. I mean, people stay
on HRT till the very very end, you know. I
(44:09):
know people that are in their seventies still taking it.
So the old messaging about oh, you're only supposed to
be on it for a certain amount of time, certain
the lower dose, the least amount of time, that's old.
That's old education right there. So I think you should
maybe investigate. If you want to get your regular periods
(44:31):
under control, you should investigate that.
Speaker 5 (44:32):
I sound like I'm pushing HRT on everyone.
Speaker 1 (44:35):
No, Buthow, I don't think so. I think that is
exactly what you're dealing with right now. It sounds like
you're going through early perimenopause.
Speaker 2 (44:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (44:44):
I feel like it's just really helped me. And it's very.
Speaker 7 (44:49):
Confusing because this study that went wrong put the fear
of God in not only women who were taking it
and they literally flushed their hormones down the toilet, but
doctors started doing the same thing.
Speaker 5 (45:03):
And that was it. They were They just stopped the research.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
But you're talking about the article that came out that's
saying it caused cancer, right, yes, exactly, that it was
leading to breast cancer.
Speaker 7 (45:14):
And this was in two thousand and two, and this
is like more than twenty years ago now and we're
still dealing with the fear of what happened there. I
would say, look at the Menopause Society. That is a
great website that it leads you to doctors and all
kinds of education and get your.
Speaker 5 (45:32):
Symptoms under control.
Speaker 7 (45:33):
And the sniffing thing that that So that tell me
more about this.
Speaker 6 (45:41):
You know. I I I had this. I had a
doctor looking He's like, oh, yeah, it looks like you
got some fluid in your inner inner ear.
Speaker 2 (45:49):
You know.
Speaker 6 (45:50):
Takes some decongestics, which I love taking. Honestly, I understand
why they make them in the mess but or use
them in math, but sometimes it wouldn't work. And so
like I do this like this kind of like big
sniff because it clears my ear. So I was taking
a video of like bees in my garden, and I
was watching the video back and I could hear myself
and I'm like, oh my gosh, it's terrible. And then
(46:11):
I hear the episode and I'm like, oh, I wish
Chelsea could tell me, like, not that off, but it's
really If I don't do it, then the congestion kind
of builds and then I'm like leading my head over
and people like what are you doing? And I just
kind of wonder if it's just.
Speaker 2 (46:30):
Kind of well.
Speaker 6 (46:30):
Also, my ears would like they ring sometimes and then
they started well tonight.
Speaker 7 (46:35):
Is is definitely a symptom. And I've definitely been there
with sticking my fingers so far down my ear that
I look like like because I.
Speaker 6 (46:46):
Started itching, and I'm like, I'm literally turning into a bitch.
Speaker 2 (46:49):
Yes, I feel like you need to go to a
hormone doctor.
Speaker 1 (46:52):
I think you should go get some testing done, not
just blood work, like to ask for the urine test,
ask to just.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
Test all your level at the right time of.
Speaker 1 (47:01):
The month, like track when you're going to be in
mid cycle or whenever. The most optimal time for hormone testing.
Speaker 7 (47:07):
Is forty eight is around the exact age for all
of those symptoms to be taking place. And it's the
not knowing what's going on with your body, the feeling
of like, wait, I this didn't used to work like this.
That kind of period, the transitional period from perimenopause through
to that menopause day, which is one year after you've
(47:28):
had your last menstrual cycle. You know that that is
a confusing time. So I would definitely try to get
in front of your doctor, a doctor that you trust.
Speaker 6 (47:40):
Yeah, I need to.
Speaker 1 (47:41):
And you have to advocate for yourself in these situations,
Like you have to be a little bit more pushy
and a little bit more you know, bold than you
might feel comfortable with. But no one's going to advocate
for yourself better than you are. So, like you want answers,
especially with your nose and your pressure and your ear situation,
Like you need to go to an E and T
and go what is this and what can I do
about it? There's got to be some solution out there
(48:03):
that can at least abate the symptoms to a degree,
you know, Like, so you're not feeling pressure in your ear,
whether those are ear drops or what you know whatever,
Like there are answers out there, but you kind of sometimes,
especially with this, as Naomi has demonstrated, you really have
to push and be pushy to get answers. You know,
women's health is not a priority for anyone in the
(48:25):
history of the world, so we have to make it
a priority. And you have to go in there and
ask for answers and demand to get them. And if
you don't get them from a certain doctor, then you
have to change doctors. And that can be an exhaustive process,
but it's going to be worth it in the end
for you.
Speaker 5 (48:40):
Yes, exactly what she said.
Speaker 6 (48:42):
Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 2 (48:44):
And then we're in the meantime, we're going to rename
Naomi's book to I Am Not a Doctor. Okay, do
you feel better equipped?
Speaker 1 (48:54):
You just needed a little bit motivational speaking, motivational push right.
Speaker 6 (48:57):
Here, I think.
Speaker 2 (48:58):
Yeah, we'll be as squeaky Karen.
Speaker 6 (49:00):
Yeah, well, my name's Karen.
Speaker 2 (49:03):
I know, live up to your potential, don't worry. That's
that's the name. That's my alias.
Speaker 1 (49:08):
I have to travel with an alias, like when I'm
in hotels and stuff.
Speaker 2 (49:11):
I don't have to, I choose to, but M Karen.
Speaker 1 (49:13):
Is my alias, and everyone thinks that's the funniest thing
that my name is Karen. She's sitting right here, so
we're sisters.
Speaker 5 (49:21):
Hilarious.
Speaker 6 (49:22):
All right, thank you so much.
Speaker 2 (49:23):
Bye, take care of thank you.
Speaker 1 (49:26):
Bye.
Speaker 4 (49:27):
All right, we just have a couple more minutes, so
we'll take a quick break and come back to wrap up.
Speaker 1 (49:31):
Okay, we'll take a break and we'll be right back
to wrap up with Naomi.
Speaker 2 (49:38):
And we're back with Naomi.
Speaker 1 (49:39):
Watts, who's written this new book called Dare I Say It,
which every woman should read and most men should read too,
quite frankly, so you can understand what women are going
through since you guys don't really have to go through
fucking anything except getting us pregnant. And there's a quote
for there's even a blurb for me on the back.
I hear a man laughing in the background.
Speaker 7 (49:55):
Ha ha ha.
Speaker 5 (49:56):
He goes ha ha ha ha.
Speaker 2 (49:58):
To show us what you go through. Moved to us
what you're dealing with.
Speaker 1 (50:01):
I was always like, Oh, what's what's something embarrassing that
a man has to deal with? Like periods we can't
control when we get them. We could be on a plane,
bleed out through clothing. I've told the story of meeting
my sister on Safari after she was on a plane
in like bled for seventeen hours and she had she's
luckily she had those zip Safari pants that I had
sent her as a joke that she had zipped off
(50:23):
and then taken her and taken them and wrapped them
around her waist. And I was like, God, what is
comparable to like the woman's humiliation of getting our periods
in school and in public places? And then I was like, oh,
boners like those are embarrassing, But a boner, it's like, first,
yeah you can, I mean unless it's a really big one,
But I mean that's embarrassing for your boner to get
(50:45):
hard all of a sudden, because then everyone knows exactly
what you're thinking, you know. But also it's just like
that's that also could be argued, you know what I mean.
There's no evidence with a period, there's evidence with it,
Like with a boner, there's no evidence, like you just see,
you think you see something and someone can kind of
push it away. But yeah, I can't think of anything
that men go through that is comparable to all of
(51:07):
the levels of pain, childbirth, child rearing, all of it,
and then a menopause on top of it.
Speaker 5 (51:16):
So we have to educate them.
Speaker 7 (51:17):
We have to bring them into the conversation and say,
this is what's going on. And I find that most times,
if they're included into the conversation, they don't have to
like imagine what's going on and nothing's a mystery. Then
they will want to help, They will want to be empathetic.
They just need greater understanding, and sadly that's our job
(51:38):
to make them understand. But you know, again, this is
the changes happening in real time.
Speaker 5 (51:45):
Then I'm certain that this is not going to be
the case. For the next generation.
Speaker 7 (51:50):
Everything will be more normalized and humanized, and it'll be
something that everyone knows how to talk to. You know,
we can talk to our children and say, Mummy having
a bad day. I didn't mean to snap, you know,
And this is why, you know hormonal shifts. Just like
when a teenager slams the door in your face, we
(52:10):
know what that's about and we empathize. So we've got
to bring everyone into the conversation. We have to tell
our bosses at work. If you know you're suddenly in
a boardroom meeting and you know you're doing a power
point with ten men and you have a memory blip
when you forget something that kind of suddenly unravels the
whole meeting.
Speaker 5 (52:32):
That can happen. I've heard countless.
Speaker 7 (52:34):
Stories of women, you know, which can lead to greater
anxiety and retreating. And you know, nobody understands what's going
on until you tell them. And so if we bring
them in and say, hey, this is what's happening. I'm
going to need a few hours, or I'm going to
need a day, they can adjust and.
Speaker 5 (52:55):
Figure out how to behave hopefully.
Speaker 3 (52:57):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (52:58):
I want to say, Naomi, really proud and impressed by
you for bringing this subject to the four and the
way that you have. And I really want to say, like,
especially in our industry, because I have so many friends
that have gone through menopause before me, who were very
loathed to even admit that that was an issue, who
are very secretive about it. Like, I really feel like
(53:19):
this is the dawn of a new era and you
are someone who can really be credited with bringing that
conversation forward. So thank you for doing that for women
and for doing that for people within this industry to
make people more comfortable with the idea of talking about
it and not being so ashamed at getting older, like
it doesn't have to be a dirty word.
Speaker 2 (53:40):
It doesn't have to be a dirty thing.
Speaker 1 (53:42):
And I think by welcoming men into these conversations as well,
it's just another opportunity to get more educated for all
of us.
Speaker 5 (53:50):
Exactly exactly, Yeah, it was.
Speaker 7 (53:54):
It had to happen, and I'm glad to be a
part of it, and along with a lot of other people.
It's all things coming from every angle. All the doctors
now who genuinely want to care for people, who are
coming together and making sure the conversation is not only open,
but the treatment is available. And we need to optimize
(54:15):
our health because if you don't get your health under
control at this point in time, it can lead to
other issues later. We're living longer, so we need to
stay strong and that means, you know, protecting our bones
and things. I've seen you do it, Chelsea. You're lifting
weights that right, that's what you do, and that's protecting
(54:38):
your bone health.
Speaker 5 (54:39):
And you know there's.
Speaker 7 (54:41):
So many We don't want to be fragile, No, I
know that's exactly right.
Speaker 1 (54:46):
We don't want to be fragile. We don't want to
be feeble, we want to be strong enough to take
care of ourselves right to the end. Yeah, so, thank
you Naomi. Congratulations on your book. And her product line
is called Stripes for Anybody and you go to what
is it pypes beauty dot com, Stripes beauty dot com.
Speaker 2 (55:03):
Okay, thank you Naomi, have a wonderful beauty.
Speaker 5 (55:05):
Hey, guys, Thanks Katherine, great to see you. Take care travel,
See you, Sarin.
Speaker 4 (55:10):
If you'd like advice from Chelsea, shoot us an email
at Dear Chelsea podcast at gmail dot.
Speaker 3 (55:15):
Com and be sure to include your phone number.
Speaker 4 (55:18):
Dear Chelsea is edited and engineered by Brad Dickard executive
producer Katherine Law, and be sure to check out our
merch at Chelseahandler dot com
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