Episodes

  • Darragh Connolly | Penis Pumps, Prostate Health and Sex After Surgery

    Darragh Connolly | Penis Pumps, Prostate Health and Sex After Surgery
    Jul 9 2026
    Laura sits down with community pharmacist Darragh Connolly, who has built a men's health service — Men's Health Downunder — around something most clinics rush past: helping men get their sexual function back after prostate surgery. It's a candid, frequently very funny conversation about a subject usually wrapped in silence and shame.Darragh explains the male anatomy in plain (and memorable) terms, why nightly "micro-erections" keep the penis healthy, and what actually changes after a prostatectomy. He walks through how a penis pump works, what constriction rings are for, and why this isn't only for men who've had cancer surgery — smoking, diabetes, spinal injury, certain medicines and simply getting older can all play a part.Running through all of it is a hopeful message: a prostate diagnosis or surgery is not the end of sex, intimacy is far more than penetration, and men well into their 80s can still enjoy a full sex life. Darragh also makes the case for meeting men's sexual health at the pharmacy counter, not only the consultant's clinic.🔑 Key PointsSexual health is health — and still tabooThere's deep shame and silence around men's genitals and sexual function, and Darragh's whole approach is to demystify it, often with humour, so men actually seek help.Micro-erections keep the penis healthyMen have around five micro-erections a night that bring blood, oxygen and nutrients to the tissue; without them it's "use it or lose it", and the penis can shrink and lose function.Erectile dysfunction has many causes, not just prostate surgeryAgeing, smoking, diabetes, lower-back trauma, spinal injury and some medications can all affect erectile function.How a penis pump actually worksUsed for five to ten minutes a day, it draws blood into the penis like training a muscle, improving vascular and nerve health over time.Constriction rings let men maintain an erection for sexPaired with the pump, a constriction ring traps blood to hold an erection for penetrative sex — but should never be left on more than six to eight minutes.A prostate diagnosis is not the end of sexWith the right tools, men who hadn't had an erection in months or years can have penetrative sex again — and intimacy is always more than penetration.Know the warning signs of prostate troubleDribbling, a weak stream, going more often (especially at night) and "stage fright" can point to an enlarged prostate; Movember is a good place to learn the signs.📚 ResourcesMen's Health Downunder Darragh Connolly's Irish men's health service and the surgical-grade penis pumps discussedMovemberthe men's health charity Darragh recommends for prostate cancer, testicular cancer and male suicide awareness⏱️ Timestamps00:00 — Welcome and sponsor01:36 — Why a pharmacist is talking about men's health03:24 — How Darragh got into men's health04:32 — What a prostatectomy actually involves07:28 — Male anatomy explained simply13:48 — Micro-erections and "use it or lose it"20:55 — How a penis pump works24:31 — Constriction rings and maintaining an erection38:33 — The prostate and its warning signs52:44 — How Viagra and Cialis were discovered57:00 — Low-dose Cialis, the pump and the post-surgery "void"1:01:24 — Couples, intimacy and a hopeful noteThanks 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.
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    1 hr and 5 mins
  • Bitesize Moment: "This Isn't Your Fault." — Dr Mick Crotty on the biology of weight

    Bitesize Moment: "This Isn't Your Fault." — Dr Mick Crotty on the biology of weight
    Jul 7 2026

    In this bitesize moment pulled from the Laura Dowling Experience back catalogue, GP Dr Mick Crotty explains why weight is far less within our conscious control than we are led to believe — and why so many people carry a load of self-blame they never deserved.


    He walks Laura through the genetics of appetite, the brain's reward response to food, and the "set point" it quietly defends, which is why weight so often returns after a diet. It's a clip that gently takes apart the "just eat less and move more" myth.


    🔑Key Points

    • Why "just eat less and move more" is an oversimplification

    • How genetics and the appetite system shape hunger and fullness

    • What the brain's "set point" is, and why weight often returns after dieting

    • Why this is a medical issue, not a personal failing


    🎧 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.
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    12 mins
  • Heavy Bleeding, the Mirena Coil and Speaking Up with Dr Áine Dempsey #176

    Heavy Bleeding, the Mirena Coil and Speaking Up with Dr Áine Dempsey #176
    Jul 2 2026
    How many women quietly put up with heavy bleeding, painful periods or a difficult coil fitting, telling themselves it is just part of being a woman?In this episode, Laura sits down with obstetrician and gynaecologist Dr Áine Dempsey, who works at BlackRock Women's Health and at the Rotunda, for an honest, practical conversation about the things women are so often told to live with - and what can actually be done about them.Áine explains what a hysteroscopy really involves, why polyps and fibroids drive heavy bleeding, and when the Mirena coil is the right first step before ablation or surgery. She is candid about pain relief during coil fittings, the six-month settling period, and where the copper coil fits in.The conversation moves into perimenopause and HRT, smear tests, HPV and colposcopy, and the realities of painful sex, vaginismus and caring for women who carry past sexual trauma. She closes on labour ward life, her own two pregnancies, the magic of epidurals, and why no woman should feel she has to suffer in silence.At its core, this episode is about taking your own symptoms seriously and making your gynae health a priority.🔑 Key PointsHeavy bleeding is not something to put up withchanging a pad every hour, bleeding for more than five days, or planning your life around your period all count, and there is plenty that can help.Flooding is a symptom women rarely volunteerÁine asks directly because most women never mention soaking through their clothes or sheets.A hysteroscopy is not as frightening as it soundsa thin camera and a well-briefed team can investigate bleeding, polyps and fibroids, usually without a general anaesthetic.You deserve proper pain relief for a coil fittingfrom paracetamol and ibuprofen beforehand to numbing gel and a local cervical block.The Mirena coil takes about six months to settlebloating, tenderness or mood changes often ease, and it can be used as part of HRT.HRT is about long-term health, not just symptomsbeyond brain fog and night sweats, it supports heart and bone health.Painful sex is not normalwhether it stems from low oestrogen, endometriosis or past trauma, there are options that help.You do not have to suffer in silenceif something is affecting your quality of life, make your gynae health a priority.📚 ResourcesBlackRock Health Women's Health CentreHysteroscopy (HSE)The Mirena and copper coils (HSE)HRT and menopause treatment (HSE)Cervical screening and HPV (CervicalCheck, HSE)⏱️ Timestamps02:04 - Inside a day at BlackRock Women's Health03:23 - What a hysteroscopy actually involves06:21 - Polyps, fibroids and heavy bleeding09:02 - Heavy bleeding and flooding in perimenopause10:11 - The Mirena coil as a first-line treatment13:56 - Pain relief and what to expect from a coil fitting18:02 - The Mirena as part of HRT, and sleep20:04 - Mental health support through menopause22:35 - Smear tests, HPV and colposcopy24:35 - Painful sex and trauma-informed care29:18 - Vaginismus, physio and the pelvic floor33:34 - Her own pregnancies and epidurals37:56 - Don't suffer in silenceThanks 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.
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    41 mins
  • A Generational Story Behind Women & Dieting with Aimee Donnellan #175

    A Generational Story Behind Women & Dieting with Aimee Donnellan #175
    Jun 25 2026
    Aimee Donnellan joins Laura to talk about her new book Off the Scales: The Inside Story of Ozempic and the Race to Cure Obesity, and the much bigger story sitting underneath it - how generations of women learned to live with food.Through interviews with women across the world, Aimee found the same pattern repeating. A trip to a dietitian around the age of seven. A mother quietly carrying her own dieting story, passing it on through Weight Watchers, rice cakes and "don't think cute clothes mean you can come off your diet." For some, GLP-1 medications like Wegovy and Mounjaro have quietened the food noise for the first time in their lives. For others, the more confronting realisation is how differently the world treats them when they shrink.Aimee also explores how the men in her book relate to their bodies very differently, the rising scale of childhood obesity and the shame attached to it, and why the food industry has barely adjusted to a world where appetite itself is shifting. She and Laura reflect on body positivity, menopause and the pressure women carry at every stage of life, before closing on something simpler - why she thinks the meaning of life comes down to picking up the phone.🔑 Key Points1. Dieting often starts in childhood — Many of the women Aimee spoke to were first sent to a dietitian around age seven, framing food as something to manage rather than enjoy.2. Mothers carry the story forward — Weight Watchers, calorie counting and "good" and "bad" foods pass quietly from mother to daughter across generations.3. Food noise can dominate a life — Constant thoughts about food and shame-based self-talk shape how many women move through the world.4. GLP-1 drugs change more than weight — When the food noise quietens, work, relationships, shopping and how others treat you can all shift.5. Men and women relate to weight differently — Men often seek treatment for health reasons, while women carry decades of body criticism and comparison.6. These drugs are not a quick fix — Muscle loss, side effects, cost and the reality of injecting long-term are rarely talked about honestly.7. Childhood obesity is rising — Shame and clinics that don't fit larger bodies stop many families seeking help early.8. The food industry has barely adjusted — Cheap, ultra-processed food still fills shelves, and meaningful change runs into cost and lobbying.📚 ResourcesOff the Scales: The Inside Story of Ozempic and the Race to Cure Obesity — Aimee Donnellan⏱️ Timestamps01:00 — Welcome and the focus of the book03:00 — Why the dieting story starts at age seven04:30 — Rice cakes, Hershey's sauce and a mother's diet06:00 — Sarah's first Wegovy injection07:00 — Losing 70 pounds and a life that changes overnight12:00 — Menopause, microdosing and Ozempic on the black market14:00 — Body positivity, celebrity bodies and the shift back22:00 — Plateaus, muscle loss and life-long drugs28:00 — A Mars executive on a pharma board36:00 — How men relate to their bodies differently41:00 — Childhood obesity, shame and small clinic rooms44:00 — Food deserts and the cost of real change56:00 — Picking up the phone and choosing connectionThanks 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.
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    1 hr
  • Grief, Poetry and a New Kind of Masculinity with Darragh Fleming #174

    Grief, Poetry and a New Kind of Masculinity with Darragh Fleming #174
    Jun 18 2026
    Darragh Fleming went viral last year for a poem — but this conversation is about everything that came before it. The Cork writer talks to Laura about a childhood spent lost in books, a long detour through sport and self-doubt, and the years he spent convinced he wasn't creative at all.At seventeen, Darragh lost his close friend Irby to suicide, and the grief changed him profoundly. For years afterwards he felt almost nothing — a numbness he didn't recognise as depression — while quietly performing the emotions other people expected of him. He's honest about the survivor's guilt that made him sabotage his own happiness, the panic attack that became his rock bottom, and how therapy and journaling slowly led him back to writing.From there the conversation opens out into the work Darragh is known for now: poetry that reimagines what it means to be a man. He and Laura discuss why anger is so often the only emotion men feel allowed to show, how language like "toxic masculinity" can shape the way boys see themselves, and why he believes emotionally healthier men make life safer for everyone. Warm, funny and full of hope, it's also a conversation about creativity in everyday life and Darragh's belief that the meaning of life is found in the people we share it with.🔑 Key PointsGrief can arrive as numbness, not sadnessAfter losing his friend Irby at seventeen, Darragh didn't feel constant sadness but a flatness he didn't recognise as depression for years.Survivor's guilt can quietly sabotage a lifeHe describes an unconscious sense that he wasn't allowed to be happy, which led him to undo good things whenever they started going well.Writing became a way back to feelingJournaling suggested by his therapist turned naturally into poetry, helping him name emotions he otherwise couldn't reach.Anger is often the only emotion men feel permittedDarragh argues that sadness, rejection and disappointment frequently come out as anger because men aren't given other outlets.Language shapes how boys see themselvesHearing "toxic" almost always paired with "masculinity" can lead young men to believe masculinity itself is something bad.A lighthouse, not a lifeboatRather than trying to rescue everyone, Darragh sees his public work as showing people a way through and reminding them they're not alone.Success can arrive at the right timeHe reflects on being glad his career didn't take off in his twenties, when he wouldn't have been ready to carry it.📚 ResourcesThoughts Too Big — Darragh's long-running mental health blogIf I Ever Have Boys — Darragh FlemingIf I Ever Have Girls — Darragh FlemingWaiting for the Good Guys — Darragh FlemingThe Hole — Darragh Fleming, a poem on depression and copingDangerous Men — Lucas Jones, the poem Darragh's "If I Ever Have Boys" responded toMental health support — Samaritans, freephone 116 123; Pieta, freephone 1800 247 247 or text 51444⏱️ Timestamps00:00 — "My Dad Could Beat Up Your Dad" (cold open)01:13 — Welcome and introduction05:40 — Going viral with "If I Ever Have Boys"14:53 — Why he started writing17:31 — Losing Irby at seventeen18:42 — The numbness he didn't know was depression21:45 — The panic attack, therapy and journaling33:35 — A lighthouse, not a lifeboat35:23 — Masculinity, the manosphere and raising sons42:42 — Language, mental illness and "toxic masculinity"50:30 — "A Snake Named Snake" and his dad01:01:36 — Darragh reads "My Dad Could Beat Up Your Dad"01:03:09 — Advice for young people and the meaning of lifeThanks 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.
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    1 hr and 6 mins
  • Why So Many Women Suffer in Silence with Dr Fadi #173

    Why So Many Women Suffer in Silence with Dr Fadi #173
    Jun 11 2026
    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 Points1. 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.📚 ResourcesLove Your Vulva — Laura DowlingfabÜ Hello HealingContinence Foundation of Ireland⏱️ Timestamps01:46 — Introducing Dr Fadi and urogynaecology02:49 — Why pelvic floor problems happen04:14 — Assessing pelvis and baby size before delivery05:09 — Robotic surgery and vault prolapse06:34 — Stress incontinence and mesh as the gold standard09:01 — Why mesh has been paused in Ireland12:31 — Sending Irish patients to Spain for mesh14:25 — Botox for overactive bladder and Interstim15:43 — Faecal incontinence and tears at delivery19:17 — Interstitial cystitis and hyaluronic acid21:21 — Types and grades of prolapse24:25 — How a pessary works28:01 — Surgery for prolapse34:18 — Vaginal oestrogen and pelvic floor36:08 — Epidurals and instrumental delivery37:25 — Why more women are asking for caesareans45:00 — Working with Syrian refugees48:32 — Advice for young people and the meaning of lifeThanks 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.
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    50 mins
  • Bitesize Moment: "She Wasn't Lazy. She Was Drowning." — Dr Sarah Carty on ADHD in girls

    Bitesize Moment: "She Wasn't Lazy. She Was Drowning." — Dr Sarah Carty on ADHD in girls
    Jun 9 2026

    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 Points
    • Why girls are diagnosed much later than boys — and what gets missed
    • Masking, and how it shows up as perfectionism, daydreaming, or "just being quiet"
    • The link between unrecognised ADHD and anxiety, panic and exhaustion
    • How girls end up labelling themselves as "stupid", "lazy" or "not academic" — and why that's so far from the truth
    • Why 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.
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    7 mins
  • What Menopause Care Should Really Look Like with Dr Caoimhe Hartley #172

    What Menopause Care Should Really Look Like with Dr Caoimhe Hartley #172
    Jun 4 2026
    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 PointsGuidelines are broad, not personalThey are starting points, not prescriptions, and individual risk-benefit has to lead the conversation.Women over 60 are not automatically locked out of HRTThere is no longer evidence that starting later raises heart attack risk, and bone benefit is available at any age.The WHI still shapes the conversationA flawed 1990s study using Premarin and older progestins is still behind fears that do not map onto modern HRT.The brain adapts after menopauseHot 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 conversationVaginal oestrogen is generally safe, complex menopause clinics exist for a reason, and non-hormonal options matter.Body shape change is real and largely hormonalCentral 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 midlifeAs oestrogen falls, dopamine regulation shifts and previously well-managed traits can come to the surface.Ireland has no national DEXA screeningDespite international guidance over 65, screening here is opportunistic and goes through your GP.80% of bone density is geneticPeak bone density is in your 30s, with the remaining fifth shaped by vitamin D, calcium, weight-bearing exercise and not smoking.📚 ResourcesMenopause Health Clinic, DalkeyBlackRock Health Women's Health CentreWomen's Health Initiative (WHI)Danish Osteoporosis Prevention Study (DOPS)International Osteoporosis Foundation calcium calculatorBritish Menopause SocietyNational BreastCheck⏱️ Timestamps00:00 — Why joined-up midlife care matters03:20 — Women over 60 and HRT05:10 — Bones, brain and the limits of the 60 cut-off07:50 — Why the WHI still shapes the conversation13:00 — The brain adapts after menopause16:00 — Breast cancer and complex menopause care20:30 — Cardiovascular health and nitric oxide23:00 — Body shape change and central weight gain27:00 — Ozempic and oral progesterone28:30 — ADHD, oestrogen and dopamine33:00 — Osteoporosis and DEXA screening in Ireland41:00 — Histamine, HRT and hay fever43:00 — Later motherhood and perimenopause overlap54:30 — Advice for younger womenThanks 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.
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    58 mins