I wanted to share a story that has stayed with me. One that quietly changed the way I practise medicine.
I remember the moment she said, “Doctor, the tablets aren’t working anymore.”
My heart failed a little.
She wasn’t dramatic, just tired.
She had done everything right, taken her medication, followed instructions, turned up to every review appointment.
And yet… she wasn’t better.
I sat there thinking how often I’ve been in that same place, both of us quietly frustrated.
Medicine gives us answers that are technically right but humanly incomplete.
That was when I started looking beyond the prescription pad.
On my morning commute, I would listen to podcasts, read through piles of books, study for another exam – all about small, yet effective daily choices, about rest, meaning, and self-kindness.
And it felt like something clicked.
Like someone had finally said out loud what I had been sensing all along.
Healing isn’t just about fixing what’s broken, it’s about nurturing what’s still whole.
Since then, I’ve learned that sometimes the real treatment starts after the prescription ends.
It begins when we ask different questions, not just
“What’s wrong?”
but
“What’s missing?”
And now, I see the same pattern again, this time when it comes to “fixing” menopause with hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for women in midlife.
The pills, patches, and gels can help, often beautifully, but sometimes they don’t reach the deeper roots of fatigue, anxiety, or that quiet loss of self.
That’s when we need to look beyond HRT –  into sleep, nutrition, stress, boundaries, and the gentle rediscovery of joy.