The Laura Dowling Experience

Laura Dowling

Conversations about health, science, wellness, life, love, sex and everything in-between. Laura is a Pharmacist who loves to talk to interesting people about their unique life and work experiences. See @fabulouspharmacist on instagram for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. Dr Fadi | Why Are So Many Women Living with Incontinence? #173

    3d ago

    Dr Fadi | Why Are So Many Women Living with Incontinence? #173

    In this episode, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Fadi joins Laura for an open, practical conversation about pelvic floor health, incontinence, prolapse and the realities of modern obstetrics. Dr Fadi explains how childbirth, ageing and menopause affect the pelvic floor, and why so many women end up living with stress incontinence, prolapse and faecal incontinence in silence. He walks through the full range of treatment options — from physiotherapy and pessaries to urethral bulking, Botox, sacral neuromodulation, robotic surgery, and the mesh procedures paused in Ireland since 2018. The conversation also takes in interstitial cystitis, vaginal oestrogen, the impact of long inductions on older mothers, and the trade-offs women now weigh up between a vaginal delivery and a caesarean section. Dr Fadi closes with a reflection on his time working with Syrian refugees, where he met 13-year-old mothers and a 26-year-old grandmother. 🔑 Key Points 1. Pelvic floor problems are common and treatable — Stress incontinence, prolapse and faecal incontinence are usually linked to childbirth, not an inevitable part of being a woman. 2. Mesh for incontinence has been paused in Ireland since 2018 — Ireland is the only country in the world where this procedure is currently unavailable, and patients are being sent to Spain to access it. 3. There is no single fix for incontinence — Treatment depends on the type, from physiotherapy and urethral bulking to mesh slings, Botox into the bladder wall, and sacral neuromodulators. 4. Prolapse is not just the womb — Bladder, womb and rectum can all prolapse, each with their own grade and treatment pathway. 5. Pessaries give women back some control — Different types of pessary can hold a prolapse in place, and many women can learn to manage their own at home. 6. Faecal incontinence is more common than women admit — Third and fourth degree tears at delivery can damage the anal sphincter, and primary repair at the time of birth gives the best outcome. 7. Vaginal oestrogen is a low-risk, high-impact tool — It can ease overactive bladder, recurrent UTIs, dryness, and slow the progression of prolapse after menopause. 8. Older mothers face different trade-offs — Long inductions, instrumental deliveries and unplanned caesareans are more common, which is why some women are now actively asking for a planned section. 📚 Resources Love Your Vulva — Laura Dowling fabÜ Hello Healing Continence Foundation of Ireland ⏱️ Timestamps 01:46 — Introducing Dr Fadi and urogynaecology 02:49 — Why pelvic floor problems happen 04:14 — Assessing pelvis and baby size before delivery 05:09 — Robotic surgery and vault prolapse 06:34 — Stress incontinence and mesh as the gold standard 09:01 — Why mesh has been paused in Ireland 12:31 — Sending Irish patients to Spain for mesh 14:25 — Botox for overactive bladder and Interstim 15:43 — Faecal incontinence and tears at delivery 19:17 — Interstitial cystitis and hyaluronic acid 21:21 — Types and grades of prolapse 24:25 — How a pessary works 28:01 — Surgery for prolapse 34:18 — Vaginal oestrogen and pelvic floor 36:08 — Epidurals and instrumental delivery 37:25 — Why more women are asking for caesareans 45:00 — Working with Syrian refugees 48:32 — Advice for young people and the meaning of life Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    50 min
  2. Bitesize Moment: "She Wasn't Lazy. She Was Drowning." — Dr Sarah Carty on ADHD in girls

    5d ago

    Bitesize Moment: "She Wasn't Lazy. She Was Drowning." — Dr Sarah Carty on ADHD in girls

    In this bitesize moment pulled from the Laura Dowling Experience back catalogue, GP Dr Sarah Carty explains why ADHD looks so different in girls and women — and why so many only recognise it years, sometimes decades, after it first showed up. She tells Laura how the "quiet" presentation — daydreaming, internal restlessness, working twice as hard to look fine — slowly turns into anxiety, perfectionism, and a quiet erosion of confidence. It's a clip that gives language to something a lot of women have silently carried for years. 🔑 Key PointsWhy girls are diagnosed much later than boys — and what gets missedMasking, and how it shows up as perfectionism, daydreaming, or "just being quiet"The link between unrecognised ADHD and anxiety, panic and exhaustionHow girls end up labelling themselves as "stupid", "lazy" or "not academic" — and why that's so far from the truthWhy the right diagnosis can change a person's whole self-story 🎧 Listen to the full episode here. Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    7 min
  3. Dr Caoimhe Hartley | What Menopause Care Should Really Look Like #172

    Jun 4

    Dr Caoimhe Hartley | What Menopause Care Should Really Look Like #172

    What does proper midlife care actually look like, and who keeps getting left out of it? In this episode, Laura sits down with Dr Caoimhe Hartley - founder of Menopause Health in Dalkey, clinical lead of the Complex Menopause Clinic in the Rotunda, and clinical lead for women's medicine at the new BlackRock Health Women's Health Centre. They talk about the women being told no - those over 60 who feel they have missed the boat on HRT, and those who have come through breast cancer and are still struggling with symptoms. Caoimhe explains where the evidence actually sits on bones, blood vessels and brain, why so much of what gets repeated still comes from the Women's Health Initiative, and how modern HRT differs from the older oral preparations. The conversation moves through midlife weight gain and changing body shape, the rise in adult ADHD diagnoses, and the link between oestrogen and dopamine. They also dig into osteoporosis screening in Ireland, why there is no national DEXA programme, dietary calcium, and the histamine flare some women notice on HRT. Throughout, Caoimhe keeps coming back to the same point - care should be personal, joined up and built around the woman in front of you. 🔑 Key Points Guidelines are broad, not personal They are starting points, not prescriptions, and individual risk-benefit has to lead the conversation. Women over 60 are not automatically locked out of HRT There is no longer evidence that starting later raises heart attack risk, and bone benefit is available at any age. The WHI still shapes the conversation A flawed 1990s study using Premarin and older progestins is still behind fears that do not map onto modern HRT. The brain adapts after menopause Hot flushes, night sweats and brain fog are not designed to last forever, and most women in their 70s and 80s are not symptomatic. Breast cancer survivors deserve a real menopause conversation Vaginal oestrogen is generally safe, complex menopause clinics exist for a reason, and non-hormonal options matter. Body shape change is real and largely hormonal Central weight gain is one of the top three things women raise, and no specific HRT fixes it, though better sleep and mood help. ADHD is being unmasked in midlife As oestrogen falls, dopamine regulation shifts and previously well-managed traits can come to the surface. Ireland has no national DEXA screening Despite international guidance over 65, screening here is opportunistic and goes through your GP. 80% of bone density is genetic Peak bone density is in your 30s, with the remaining fifth shaped by vitamin D, calcium, weight-bearing exercise and not smoking. 📚 Resources Menopause Health Clinic, Dalkey BlackRock Health Women's Health Centre Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Danish Osteoporosis Prevention Study (DOPS) International Osteoporosis Foundation calcium calculator British Menopause Society National BreastCheck ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 — Why joined-up midlife care matters 03:20 — Women over 60 and HRT 05:10 — Bones, brain and the limits of the 60 cut-off 07:50 — Why the WHI still shapes the conversation 13:00 — The brain adapts after menopause 16:00 — Breast cancer and complex menopause care 20:30 — Cardiovascular health and nitric oxide 23:00 — Body shape change and central weight gain 27:00 — Ozempic and oral progesterone 28:30 — ADHD, oestrogen and dopamine 33:00 — Osteoporosis and DEXA screening in Ireland 41:00 — Histamine, HRT and hay fever 43:00 — Later motherhood and perimenopause overlap 54:30 — Advice for younger women Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    58 min
  4. Bitesize Moment: "We Cured Your Cancer. You Should Be Grateful." — Dr Deirdre Lundy on HRT after breast cancer

    Jun 2

    Bitesize Moment: "We Cured Your Cancer. You Should Be Grateful." — Dr Deirdre Lundy on HRT after breast cancer

    In this bitesize moment pulled from the Laura Dowling Experience back catalogue, menopause specialist Dr Deirdre Lundy walks Laura through how decisions about HRT and family history of breast cancer actually get made in clinic — and why a blanket "no" rarely tells the full story. If you've ever been handed that flat refusal, this is for you. She unpacks the difference between "a family history" and a strong family history, why outdated fears around HRT and breast cancer have cost women years of their lives, and why surviving cancer shouldn't mean accepting a wrecked quality of life with no support. 🔑 Key PointsWhat "strong family history" really means — and why it isn't a blanket noHow specialists balance risk versus quality of life in real clinic conversationsWhy so many women have been wrongly told HRT is off the tableThe wider point: survivorship deserves more than "you should be grateful"What to ask for if you've been refused HRT and want a second look 🎧 Listen to the full episode here. Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    8 min
  5. Pamela Deasy | Trusting Her Gut: A Pancreatic Cancer Survivor Story #171

    May 28

    Pamela Deasy | Trusting Her Gut: A Pancreatic Cancer Survivor Story #171

    Pamela Deasy was in her early 40s, working full time and volunteering with the RNLI, when fatigue started dragging her back into bed in the middle of the day. Her bloods were clear. She was told it was perimenopause, then depression. Months passed before a kinesiologist, of all people, pointed at her pancreas — and within days she was in a Cork hospital being told she had a tumour. In this episode, Pamela sits down with Laura to walk through what happened next: the chemotherapy that made her legs turn to jelly, the five and a half weeks of daily radiotherapy that put her on her back in hospital, and the Whipple surgery that took out the head of her pancreas, part of her stomach, part of her intestine, her gallbladder and her spleen. Then the slower, quieter battle that came after — the seven and a half stone she lost, the survivor guilt nobody warned her about, the Survive and Thrive programme that helped her step back into the world, and the small camping toilet she now keeps in her car because that is the honest reality of life after Whipple surgery. Pamela also shares why she co-founded Pancreatic Cancer Ireland, what the signs of pancreatic cancer actually look like, and why "listen to your gut and keep going back" might be the most important sentence you hear this week. 🔑 Key Points Why fatigue was Pamela's only consistent symptom — and how easy it was to put down to a busy life, perimenopause and then depressionThe signs of pancreatic cancer worth knowing: persistent tiredness, pain in the tummy that radiates to the back, floaty stools, dark urine, jaundice, an itch with no rash, new pre-diabetesWhat Whipple surgery actually involves, and why it is described as life-saving but life-alteringThe realities of life after a rewired digestive system, from packing a change of clothes to always knowing where the toilet isThe chemotherapy side effects that have lingered for years — neuropathy, Raynaud's, cold intoleranceSurvivor guilt, the drop-off in support after the "all clear", and finding her way back through the Survive and Thrive programmeWhy pancreatic cancer is projected to be the second leading cause of cancer-related death by 2030Pamela's everyday philosophy: advocate for yourself, listen to your gut, and treasure the ordinary days 📚 Resources Pancreatic Cancer Ireland Survive and Thrive ⏱️ Timestamps 00:00 — Welcome 00:27 — Blackrock Health Women's Health Centre 01:34 — Introducing Pamela and trusting your gut 02:13 — 2018: fatigue, busy work and the RNLI 03:04 — Going back to the GP again and again 05:01 — A kidney scan and "the good news is there's no cancer" 06:00 — Being told she might be depressed 06:16 — A kinesiologist who pointed at her pancreas 07:17 — Jaundice and the alarm bell 08:51 — Friday 7th December: into hospital in Cork 09:22 — "You have a tumour in your pancreas" 12:02 — What Whipple surgery actually is 13:00 — Six rounds of chemotherapy 13:30 — Side effects: falling, neuropathy, Raynaud's 17:48 — Radiotherapy, gemcitabine and six weeks in hospital 21:51 — Whipple surgery on 15 August 2019 23:20 — What was removed during Whipple 24:17 — Losing seven and a half stone and severe cachexia 26:14 — Ascites and the slow road back 29:48 — From patient to survivor 30:23 — Survivor guilt and finding therapy 31:11 — The Survive and Thrive programme 31:38 — Life after a rewired digestive system 34:55 — Pancreatic cancer statistics in Ireland 36:00 — The signs and symptoms worth knowing 42:00 — Setting up Pancreatic Cancer Ireland 47:58 — Where to find Pamela 49:25 — Advice for younger people, and the meaning of life 51:38 — Blackrock Health Women's Health Centre Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    53 min
  6. Bitesize Moment: "The Second Christmas Nearly Broke Me." — Dr Mary Ryan on grief

    May 26

    Bitesize Moment: "The Second Christmas Nearly Broke Me." — Dr Mary Ryan on grief

    In this bitesize moment pulled from the Laura Dowling Experience back catalogue, endocrinologist Dr Mary Ryan opens up about losing her husband unexpectedly while raising three small children, and what grief actually looked like for her in the years that followed. She tells Laura about the shock, the anger, and the long fog of those first two years — and the small, practical things that helped: leaning into bonding routines with her kids, accepting help from family, friends and even her own patients, and letting people in when every part of her wanted to push them away. 🔑 Key PointsWhy grief, in her experience, takes around two years — and why the second Christmas is often the hardestThe "dark hole" she fell into, and what slowly pulled her outHow she kept life moving day-to-day for three young childrenThe quiet role of family, friends and patients in keeping her goingA gentle, honest take on how you don't really "get over" loss — you come through it 🎧 Listen to the full episode here. Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    6 min
  7. Caroline Foran | The Nervous System, Anxiety & PDA Parenting #170

    May 21

    Caroline Foran | The Nervous System, Anxiety & PDA Parenting #170

    Anxiety author Caroline Foran joins Laura for a deeply personal conversation about parenting a young son recently diagnosed as autistic with a PDA profile, alongside her own long history with anxiety. Caroline talks openly about the years before the diagnosis, the blame she turned inward, and everything she has had to unlearn about parenting. She explains what PDA — Pervasive Drive for Autonomy — actually looks like day to day, why traditional approaches can make things worse, and the social pressure of being seen to "manage" a child whose nervous system is set on high alert. She also shares her own anxiety story, from a frightening breakdown at sixteen in Italy through to the severe physical anxiety that took over her twenties. Caroline talks about medication, CBT, and the years of work behind her new book Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety, and why so much of recovery came from showing her body safety rather than trying to outthink her own mind. 🔑 Key Points Discovering a PDA profile — Caroline explains Pervasive Drive for Autonomy and what it means for her son's nervous system day to day. Why traditional parenting backfires — Holding firm boundaries can push a PDA child straight into fight or flight, even at five. Lowering the demands — A low-demand, declarative-language approach has reshaped everyday life at home. Performative parenting — The urge to respond to her son for the benefit of onlookers, even with close friends. The years before the diagnosis — A bumpy COVID start, severe separation anxiety and two preschool attempts that left him distressed. Caroline's anxiety story — A breakdown at sixteen in Italy and a severe physical episode at twenty-five. Medication, CBT and self-compassion — Prozac, behavioural therapy and learning to respond to anxiety with kindness rather than self-attack. Showing the body safety — Why walking, rhythm and bottom-up regulation worked better than trying to master her thoughts. The cost of constant stimulation — Social media, the pleasure–pain balance and collective anxiety since COVID. 📚 Resources Everything I Wish I'd Known About Anxiety Owning It PDA Society Casey Ehrlich (Peace Parents) Dr Anna Lembke — Dopamine Nation ⏱️ Timestamps 02:00 — "Is he non-verbal?" introducing her son 02:30 — Autism with a PDA profile 03:00 — What PDA stands for 04:30 — Nervous system disability and perceived demand 06:00 — Why traditional parenting can backfire 08:00 — Performative parenting in public 10:00 — A pillow on the grass and what dysregulation looks like 13:00 — Blaming herself before the diagnosis 17:00 — Sensory overwhelm and rethinking exposure 20:00 — Preschool, school and what comes next 30:00 — Family life, marriage and never a date night 33:30 — Caroline's anxiety story begins in Italy 39:00 — A severe breakdown at twenty-five 45:00 — Starting medication and what Prozac actually did 51:00 — CBT, behavioural experiments and getting her life back 56:00 — Showing the body safety 59:00 — Social media and the pleasure–pain balance 01:04:00 — Caroline's new book 01:05:30 — Advice and the meaning of life Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 8m
  8. Bitesize Moment: "I Thought I Was Fine. I Wasn't." — Kyla Cobbler on getting sober

    May 19

    Bitesize Moment: "I Thought I Was Fine. I Wasn't." — Kyla Cobbler on getting sober

    In this bitesize moment pulled from the Laura Dowling Experience back catalogue, comedian Kyla Cobbler shares an honest, no-frills account of how her drinking quietly turned into dependency — while she was still training, working, and gigging five nights a week. She tells Laura how being a regular performer in Barcelona blurred the lines between socialising and self-medicating, and how Dry January cracked the whole thing open. What started as a simple challenge ended in withdrawal, therapy, AA, and a completely new relationship with fear, nerves, and joy on stage. 🔑 Key PointsHow "high-functioning" drinking can hide a much bigger problemThe cycle of running, gigging, free drinks — and waking up groggy every single morningWhat withdrawal actually felt like by day two of Dry JanuaryWhy it was never about the red wine — it was about wanting to feel differentPerforming sober for the first time, and learning to feel everything instead of numbing it 🎧 Listen to the full episode here. Thanks for listening! You can watch the full episode on YouTube here. Don’t forget to follow The Laura Dowling Experience podcast on Instagram @lauradowlingexperience for updates and more information. You can also follow our host, Laura Dowling, @fabulouspharmacist for more insights and tips. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review—it really helps us out! Stay tuned for more great conversations. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    6 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.9
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

Conversations about health, science, wellness, life, love, sex and everything in-between. Laura is a Pharmacist who loves to talk to interesting people about their unique life and work experiences. See @fabulouspharmacist on instagram for more information. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Laura Dowling
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    184
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 The Laura Dowling Experience
  • Show Website
    The Laura Dowling Experience

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