Marie-Louise Connolly
@mlchealth.bsky.social
470 followers 100 following 40 posts
Passionate about women’s health & reporting on health & Social care. BBC NI’s health correspondent you can catch me on TV & Radio. A runner too. 🌈🏃‍♀️
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mlchealth.bsky.social
Early morning walk - peri/menopause. Let’s talk about loss of libido-sex drive. Don’t be embarrassed to ask/talk abt it. Ask yr GP abt testosterone/lubricants. Frequent UTI’s aren’t normal! Read up on Vulva health. Address it - don’t avoid it. It’s not too late. @menomandate
mlchealth.bsky.social
Early morning run - peri/menopause. Let’s talk about sleep or lack of it! It’s my worst symptom. Don’t fight it. Get up for ten mins.. Sleep is medicine & not enough of it makes coping with all the other symptoms much harder. Try supplements. Less caffeine, alcohol & more🏃‍♀️🏋️‍♀️🚶‍♀️‍➡️
mlchealth.bsky.social
Early morning run.. in midlife we keep moving.. Endorphins come with exercise and like a natural medicine can lift our mood. @menomandate @alicesmellie @MenopauseNI 🌈🏃‍♀️ #menopause
mlchealth.bsky.social
The view. #Malinhead #Inishowen #Donegal #Bankholidayweekend
mlchealth.bsky.social
It’s difficult to get appnt with a menopause specialist GP.
NHS menopause waiting lists are 9 months.. +
private appnts are expensive..
NI doesn’t have women’s health hubs
So where does that leave women ?
mlchealth.bsky.social
Menopause - awake since after 3 30am! I thought I was over the worst of symptoms but after 5 years it feels like I’m starting over. All symptoms back with a vengeance. You shld not mess abt with HRT changing doses/patches.. it must be sorted by GP. It’s crap! Work soon 🫩
mlchealth.bsky.social
Menopause affects so many parts of women’s bodies - ovaries, muscles, skin and our brain. Brain fog is debilitating. Exercise becomes hard. And Every day another woman will find herself in peri/menopause. List your symptoms and look/ask for help. @BrMenopauseSoc @MenoScandal
mlchealth.bsky.social
Words,Wisdom & Women - #ThedictionaryofLostWords documents the importance of language especially around women’s health and the important role women played compiling the Oxford English Dictionary. “Mothers have a vocabulary all their own..” Thanks Pip Williams for Esme. #words
mlchealth.bsky.social
If life is feeling a little heavy - I recommend you pick this up. It’s a reminder to see the good in people and not to be too hard on ourselves. This is beautiful. @NiallL90377 thank you for Noel.
“By the grace of new chapters, it was morning”.
mlchealth.bsky.social
Some day of public awareness around #ovariancancer
Imagine these two on billboards,posters & public health campaigns. Two sides of the cancer story - on a plate. Leading the way @CCampbell162 & @SJA_McC Thank you. 🌈🏃‍♀️
mlchealth.bsky.social
Staff told me they just kept their head down hoping they would not be picked on..a leaked copy of the cardiology inspection report lays bare bullying allegations & claims of a lack of trust among staff. This is a shocking read
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Royal Victoria Belfast: Heart surgeons threw instruments and bullied nurses - report
BBC News NI has seen a leaked report into the culture at the Royal Victoria Hospital's cardiac surgery unit.
www.bbc.co.uk
mlchealth.bsky.social
There’s a tremendous air of expectation.. the pair are quietly happy but not visibly showing any emotions. The tone is neither raised nor muted. There’s the odd laugh & trip to fridge…They’re sitting in their usual seats & wearing their @LFC scarves & pins. Father & Son. ❤️
mlchealth.bsky.social
Are you affected by this dental story? Out of the 360 dental practices in Northern Ireland, only two are now fully NHS. An investigation by @bbcnewsni health unit www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Dentists remove over 50,000 NHS patients from practice lists
Out of the 360 dental practices in Northern Ireland, only two are now fully NHS.
www.bbc.co.uk
mlchealth.bsky.social
Inishowen this evening in all her natural beauty. ☘️
mlchealth.bsky.social
Important public information: @healthdpt opens public consultation on redesign of Serious Adverse Incident Procedure in NI - it says there’s evidence that aspects of the SAI procedure need to be “refreshed and redesigned”. The consultation will close on 6 June 2025.
mlchealth.bsky.social
Sometimes it’s hard to be a woman and sometimes it’s brilliant. Today we’ll be told how we should be feeling .. Just Be yourself and it’s ok not to be ok. Ask friends how they are & listen. #InternationalWomensDay2025 🌈🏃‍♀️
mlchealth.bsky.social
“I liked a drink, trifle and the tender moment between a parent and child.” Blue Road tells the extraordinary life story of Irish writer Edna O’Brien. It’s superb. Applauds to filmmaker Sinéad O’Shea’s doc which features a final testimony from OBrien before she died in ‘24. #BlueRoad
mlchealth.bsky.social
A workplace #menopause policy allows women to feel confident to approach their employer to comfortably explain why she can’t come to work - or that she requires support. Menopause symptoms can be debilitating.
mlchealth.bsky.social
Imagine heading off to work or beginning a shift caring for a family member &you’ve been up & awake for several hours. Sofa surfing since 3am. Throw in night sweats and you might be feeling wrung out. This is how some women who’re navigating the #menopause are feeling.. as they start the day.