worth the wait ✨ #motherhood

Five things I never do based on my experience as a GP: . 1. I never go to a medical appointment in a rush! Doctors run late; the human body, human emotion and medical procedures don’t always neatly fit neatly in to allotted time frames. As doctors, we sometimes need extra time to break bad news and as patients we sometimes need more time to ask questions. Leave extra time. Prepare to possibly run late ⏱ . 2. I’d never apologise about fake tan etc!You’d be surprised by how many people decline a cervical screening test because they haven’t shaved etc! Doctors and nurses are not paying attention to ANY of this stuff! At a cervical screening test all we’re paying attention to is making sure we can clearly see your cervix 👩🏼‍⚕️ . 3. I’d never smoke or vape. Smoking reduces fertility and is associated with earlier menopause. It increases risk of sudden infant death syndrome, cervical cancer and lung cancer. It accelerates skin ageing. Early research on vapes show that they can also cause lung disease 🩻 . 4. So many people tell me they can’t make medical appointments due to work! I love my job and it’s important to me but my health is more important. I book time off guilt free if I need it 📆 . 5. I would never use a sun bed. They increase risk of skin cancer which can be life threatening. I prefer fake tan which is far safer! There is a 92% increase risk of melanoma of the skin associated with ever having been sunburned. There is a 20% increased risk of melanoma associated with ever having used a sunbed 🌅 . What are some things you never do based on your experience in your job? Share below 👇🏼

“Hormonal Imbalance” is not a medical diagnosis. It’s too vague to mean anything at all 👩🏼‍⚕️ . Examples of hormones include: insulin, leptin, ghrelin, cortisol, luteinsing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin, oestrogen, progesterone, testosterone, thyroid hormone, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), melatonin, anti Mullerian hormone (AMH), parathyroid hormone (PTH) … . Hormonal abnormalities do occur but we need to know which hormone abnormality specifically is causing your symptoms 🥼 . Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is when there’s high androgen levels, low SHBG, high AMH, high LH: FSH ratio and insulin resistance resulting in irregular periods, acne and, in some cases, cysts on the ovaries🌷 . Pre-diabetes & diabetes occurs when there’s insulin resistance or low levels of insulin being secreted from the pancreas. Diabetes commonly causes tiredness and fatigue 😴 . PMS or PMDD occurs when there’s increased sensitivity to normal hormonal changes of the menstrual cycle resulting in psychological & physical symptoms during the luteal phase of the cycle which interfere with quality of life 😞 . A high prolactin level from the pituitary gland results in infrequent or absent periods. High prolactin can be caused by psychological stress, a tumour on the pituitary gland or by medicines eg. motilium 💊 . Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI) occurs when menopause occurs before age 40 resulting in high FSH and low AMH levels ⬇️ . Perimenopause and menopause are characterised by symptoms like night sweats, hot flashes, joint aches & pains, urinary tract infections and mood changes. The diagnosis is supported by high FSH level but diagnosis can be made on symptoms alone in most women📆 . Thyroid abnormalities include over and under active thyroid. These are specific diagnoses & require specific treatments. Under active is treated with thyroxine. Over active thyroid is commonly treated with a medication called carbimazole🩺 . So whilst Hormone abnormalities can cause very disabling symptoms, “hormonal imbalance” means nothing without identifying the specific disease process and treating it appropriately 👩🏼‍⚕️

Looking back on 2022. Very grateful for another year of getting to work on so many projects that I love; working as a GP, contributing to @rteone @rtetoday , lecturing at @universitycollegecork , being brand ambassador for @avene_uki and of course launching @supplementsmadesimple . It was lovely this year as well for events and weddings to be back! Wishing you all a happy new year and every best wish for 2023 ✨

Series 3 of my podcast is now live on Spotify! Search “Dr. Doireann’s Podcast” if you want to hear from four leading health experts about the latest research & innovation in health in Ireland. These are fascinating episodes with passionate professionals which are an interesting listen even if these health topics don’t effect you directly. I hope you enjoy listening to these episodes as much as I enjoyed recording them 🎙️ . Episodes include: . “What Every Woman Needs to Know About her Gut” with Professor Barbara Ryan, Consultant Gastroenterologist at Tallaght University Hospital and The Hermitage Clinic, and one half of @thegutexperts . Prof. Ryan gives us the low down on bloating, probiotics (do we REALLY need them!), food allergy testing, SIBO, nausea and steps we can all take to improve our gut health. Prof. also explains the Gut-Brain Axis and Disorders of Gut-Brain Interaction 👩🏼‍⚕️ . @pelvic_health_programs Ms. Shalini Wiseman, Pelvic Floor Physiotherapist in Cork, on why we should all be able to “pick our vulva out in a line up”😂 as well as the key role she plays in the management of endometriosis, pelvic pain, pain during intercourse, recurrent urinary tract infections, menopause and antenatal care. There’s a lot more to pelvic floor helath than kegels🤰🏼 . Dr. Mick Crotty, founder of @mybestweight.ie ,a leading obesity management centre in europe and GP with specialist interest in Bariatric Medicine explains the science, physiology and psychology of weight management as well as everything we need to know about weight management injections like Wegovy and Ozempic - how they work, side effects, contraindications & why he advises not to buy them online🧑🏻‍⚕️ . And @drbreffinianglimoregan Consultant Obstetrician & Gynaecologist with a Subspecialist in Urogynaecology & Pelvic Floor Reconstructive Surgery in the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital. Dr. Anglim O’Regan explains the lifestyle changes that we can make to strengthen our pelvic floor and reduce severity of urinary incontinence as well as medical and surgical treatment options. You don’t have to suffer in silence with this very common women’s health condition 🏥

Happy Christmas. Hope you had a wonderful day 🎄

Random medical Christmas trivia 🎄

Sore heads after a late night with a lot of laughs😂 Christmas nights are the best 🎄

Forget @cartier 😂

Top tip for making your cervical screening test easier and more comfortable!

AD. Do you find that your skin is more sensitive, dry and uncomfortable during the harsh cold winter months? My favourite skincare brand @avene_uki has a moisturiser for every skin type; Hydrance for normal to sensitive skin, Tolérance Hydra-10 for sensitive skin & Tolérance Control for reactive, allergy prone skin. The Tolérance extremely gentle cleanser for all skin types gives an added boost of moisture and protection keeping your skin soft and hydrated even in the harshest weather conditions ✨✨

It’s Moonboot season 🎿❄️Meaning it’s also the season for…..👉🏼 . . . . Vitamin D 🙌🏼 . The sun is one of our sources of vitamin D, something we’re not getting a lot of right now!! That’s why taking vitamin D to support our immune system (🤧🤒) is recommended particularly during winter ❄️