{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/682f74859cad4906be3d834f/6a742ae8e188bf946fece117?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Women's Health Doctor: Why the Health Industry Is Failing Women on Endo, PCOS, UTIs, Menopause & Pain","description":"<p><strong>How many times have you left a GP appointment without the answers you went in for? Been told your pain is normal, your symptoms are just stress, or that losing weight will sort it out? For millions of women, that experience is not unfamiliar. </strong></p><p><br></p><p>In this episode of The Health Review I sit down with Dr Reem Al-Shaikh — GP with over 20 years of experience, British Menopause Society specialist and co-founder of the Women's Wellness Clinic. And as it happens, my sister-in-law — which meant this was one of the most honest and personal conversations I've had on the show.</p><p><br></p><p>We get into the conditions that are still being missed, mismanaged and dismissed across women's healthcare — from endometriosis and PCOS to painful sex and heart health. This is the conversation I wish every woman could have with her doctor.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>We cover:</strong></p><p><br></p><ul><li>The systemic dismissal of women's symptoms — and what it's costing women in years of suffering before they get answers</li><li>Endometriosis — the nine-year average diagnostic wait, the new non-invasive tests now being backed by NICE, and what women with suspected endo should be asking for right now</li><li>PCOS beyond the basics — what it actually means for long-term metabolic and cardiovascular health, and why women are still just being told to lose weight</li><li>The mental health dimension of PCOS — anxiety, depression and body image that goes largely unaddressed in standard care</li><li>Painful sex — why it is never normal, what the root causes actually are and how to have the conversation with a clinician who will take it seriously</li><li>Why women present differently to men with the same conditions — and what that means for diagnosis and treatment</li><li>How to advocate for yourself in a medical system that doesn't always make it easy — what to ask for, what to push back on and when to seek a second opinion</li><li>The postcode lottery of women's healthcare — and what needs to change systemically</li><li>What Dr Reem wishes every woman in her 30s and 40s knew about her own health</li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>This episode is for you if:</strong></p><p>You've been struggling to get answers about endometriosis, PCOS or pelvic pain. You've been told your symptoms are normal when something feels deeply wrong. You want to understand your own health better and feel equipped to advocate for yourself. Or you simply want to hear an honest, experienced women's health doctor speak plainly about what is and isn't working in the system.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>About Dr Reem Al-Shaikh:</strong></p><p>Dr Reem Al-Shaikh is a GP with over 20 years of clinical experience and a British Menopause Society specialist. She is co-founder of the Women's Wellness Clinic with clinics in Cambridge and Bishop's Stortford, dedicated to providing women with the comprehensive, compassionate care they deserve.</p><p><br></p><p><em>This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult your own clinician before making changes to your health.</em></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Topics:</strong>&nbsp;endometriosis diagnosis UK | PCOS | PCOS and mental health | PCOS and metabolism | painful sex | women's health UK | heart disease in women | women's health dismissal | EndoTest | EndoSure | NICE endometriosis | women's health advocacy | GP women's health | postcode lottery women's health | Dr Reem Al-Shaikh | Women's Wellness Clinic | women's health podcast | PCOS treatment | endometriosis symptoms | pelvic pain | women's health 2026 | advocating for yourself | women's health inequality | PCOS cardiovascular | endometriosis awareness</p><p><br></p><p>Today's episode is sponsored by&nbsp;<strong>Coach Business School</strong>&nbsp;— Andy Ramage's world-class coach training programme, which I trained through myself. Use code&nbsp;<strong>HEALTH50</strong>&nbsp;for £50 off the Foundation Certificate at&nbsp;<a href=\"https://coachbusiness.school/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">coachbusiness.school</a>.</p><p><br></p><p>This week's sponsor, vagus nerve stimulator SONA has offered The Health Review listeners 15% off SONA. Use code THR at checkout or access the discount automatically here: https://sona.help/?im_ref=SkfXugw-kxyZWz0TwYRUY2%3AdUkuReuR-SzLO0Q0&amp;sharedid&amp;irpid=7022575&amp;irgwc=1&amp;afsrc=1</p><p><br></p>","author_name":"The Health Review"}