Regarding Me

What if your gut knows what you want, but everyone else keeps telling you otherwise?When Louise was diagnosed with invasive lobular breast cancer, she knew she wanted both breasts removed and didn’t want breast reconstruction. But holding onto that decision wasn’t easy. She faced pressure from her surgeon, pity from others, and the weight of social ideas about what women should want.Louise shares what it was like to trust her instincts anyway and choose what felt right for her body.She also reflects on how running marathons topless has become a way of reconnecting with her body, reclaiming her right to live a full, visible, joyful life, and inspiring a crew of global 'flatties' to do the same!You can find Louise's book Going Topless and links to you connect with her in the episode blog on my website.Please take care of you while listening. This episode includes references to breast cancer, mastectomy surgery, body image and mental health.Connect with Luan:Sign up for Luan's personal newsletterEmail LuanFollow Luan on InstagramConnect with Luan on LinkedInVisit Luan's websiteGuests share their personal experiences of healthcare. Individual clinicians or services are not identified, and the experiences discussed are not intended as allegations about any specific practitioner or service. Experiences are shared to explore broader patterns in healthcare and the impact they can have on patients to help improve healthcare for patients.Please read more in this DisclaimerCREDITS:Host & producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods is an award-winning women’s health advocate, speaker and host of the Regarding Me and Rewritten Me podcasts.

This episode will help you spot medical billing red flags before they cost you.In Part 2 of my chat with Dr Margaret Faux, one of Australia’s leading experts on Medicare and medical billing law, we get practical. Margaret shares simple things patients can do to question fees, quotes and item numbers, and explains why so many women’s real out-of-pocket costs do not match the official data.You’ll also hear the simple sentence that could save you money if you need regular healthcare.We also talk about the hidden charges, vague wording, referral confusion and surprise bills that can leave women paying more than they expected at some of the most vulnerable moments in healthcare.If you’ve ever felt unsure about a quote, a bill, or whether something was charged properly, this episode will help you understand what to look for and what to ask next.You can find Margaret’s book 'How to Avoid the Medical Bill Rip Off!' and links to you connect with her in the episode blog on my website.Connect with Luan:Sign up for Luan's personal newsletterEmail LuanFollow Luan on InstagramConnect with Luan on LinkedInVisit Luan's websiteGuests share their personal experiences of healthcare. Individual clinicians or services are not identified, and the experiences discussed are not intended as allegations about any specific practitioner or service. Experiences are shared to explore broader patterns in healthcare and the impact they can have on patients to help improve healthcare for patients.Please read more in this DisclaimerCREDITS:Host & producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods is an award-winning women’s health advocate, speaker and host of the Regarding Me and Rewritten Me podcasts.

Nobody should be yelled at, bullied or gaslit for asking questions about healthcare costs.In the previous episode, we talked about how patients can be protected by consumer law, but paying for healthcare is not really like buying a tin of beans.In this bonus episode of Regarding Me, Dr Margaret Faux shares two powerful examples, including her own experience, that show why medical billing is never just about money.It’s also about how vulnerable patients can be when they rely on professionals to do the right thing both clinically and financially.In the next part of my conversation with Margaret, we go deeper into what to do when something doesn’t look right.Subscribe so you don't miss it!You can find Margaret’s book 'How to Avoid the Medical Bill Rip Off!' and links to you connect with her in the episode blog on my website.Connect with Luan:Sign up for Luan's personal newsletterEmail LuanFollow Luan on InstagramConnect with Luan on LinkedInVisit Luan's websiteGuests share their personal experiences of healthcare. Individual clinicians or services are not identified, and the experiences discussed are not intended as allegations about any specific practitioner or service. Experiences are shared to explore broader patterns in healthcare and the impact they can have on patients to help improve healthcare for patients.Please read more in this DisclaimerCREDITS:Host & producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods is an award-winning women’s health advocate, speaker and host of the Regarding Me and Rewritten Me podcasts.

Most Australians think they understand Medicare. Many of us don’t.Dr Margaret Faux helps unpack the medical billing terms and systems that shape what you pay for healthcare in Australia, including bulk billing, private health, rebates, out-of-pocket costs and the Medicare safety net.This conversation helps explain why so many of us feel confused by medical billing, and why that confusion can have real consequences when money is already tight.Margaret is a nurse turned lawyer and one of Australia’s leading experts in Medicare and medical billing law. We break down how the system is meant to work and why understanding a few key terms can help you ask better questions and protect your rights as a patient that save you money.This is a practical conversation about money, rights and understanding the system you’re already paying into.In Part 2 we look at red flags, real billing examples and what to do when something doesn’t look right.You can find Margaret’s book 'How to Avoid the Medical Bill Rip Off!' and links to you connect with her in the episode blog on my website.Connect with Luan:Sign up for Luan's personal newsletterEmail LuanFollow Luan on InstagramConnect with Luan on LinkedInVisit Luan's websiteGuests share their personal experiences of healthcare. Individual clinicians or services are not identified, and the experiences discussed are not intended as allegations about any specific practitioner or service. Experiences are shared to explore broader patterns in healthcare and the impact they can have on patients to help improve healthcare for patients.Please read more in this DisclaimerCREDITS:Host & producer: Luan Lawrenson-Woods is an award-winning women’s health advocate, speaker and host of the Regarding Me and Rewritten Me podcasts.

Mackala had lived with pain for years before she was diagnosed with endometriosis. But the diagnosis didn’t bring the relief she'd hoped for.What followed was a different kind of struggle: trying to function while managing pain, inconsistent care, and the feeling that she still had to explain and prove what was happening in her body.Her story raises bigger questions about what happens when women are finally diagnosed but still left without clear support, proper follow-up, or care that makes sense of their pain.There is also a turning point in this conversation, when Mac describes the difference it made to be met by someone who listened, explained things clearly, and helped her feel held.Listener note: This episode discusses chronic pain, medical dismissal, emergency care experiences, and the emotional impact of ongoing pain. Please take care while listening. Support is available through Beyond Blue's free online resources, or by calling 1300 224 636.Connect with Luan:Sign up for Luan's personal newsletterEmail LuanFollow Luan on InstagramConnect with Luan on LinkedInVisit Luan's websiteGuests share their personal experiences of healthcare. Individual clinicians or services are not identified, and the experiences discussed are not intended as allegations about any specific practitioner or service. Experiences are shared to explore broader patterns in healthcare and the impact they can have on patients to help improve healthcare for patients.Please read more in this DisclaimerCREDITS:Host: Luan Lawrenson-Woods is an award-winning women’s health advocate, speaker and host of the Regarding Me and Rewritten Me podcasts.

Have you ever been dismissed by a doctor and wondered if it was just you?In this episode, award-winning journalist and Health Editor at the Sydney Morning Herald, Kate Aubusson, shares what their medical misogyny investigation uncovered.The series revealed clear, systemic patterns of dismissal, delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis, including what Kate describes as “nightmare fuel” — cases where women were diagnosed with psychiatric conditions and involuntarily admitted to psychiatric wards while experiencing serious physical illness.The investigation has already led to changes in policy and practice, showing what can happen when these experiences are recognised at scale.This episode discusses experiences of dismissal, misdiagnosis and psychiatric misdiagnosis in healthcare.Please take care while listening and reach out for support if you need it. Beyond Blue has a range of free resources online, or you can call them 24/7 on 1300 224 636.Connect with Luan:Sign up for Luan's personal newsletterEmail LuanFollow Luan on InstagramConnect with Luan on LinkedInVisit Luan's websiteGuests share their personal experiences of healthcare. Individual clinicians or services are not identified, and the experiences discussed are not intended as allegations about any specific practitioner or service. Experiences are shared to explore broader patterns in healthcare and the impact they can have on patients to help improve healthcare for patients.Please read more in this DisclaimerCREDITS:Host: Luan Lawrenson-Woods is an award-winning women’s health advocate, speaker and host of the Regarding Me and Rewritten Me podcasts.