© Ryan McnamaraThe TV presenter says one common symptom made her life hell, ahead of her new documentary Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause airing next week
Davina McCall has opened up about her 'frightening' perimenopause experience.
The 53-year-old TV presenter - who has just finished filming a new documentary about the menopause for Channel 4 - said she 'went into a bit of depression' when her periods began to change eight years ago.
'My sleep was interrupted two or three times a night and it caused a chain of events in my brain that really frightened me,' Davina told the Radio Times. 'The mental fog and confusion were so overwhelming.'
She says she found solace in a natural alternative to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). Known as Bio-identical Hormone Replacement Therapy (BHRT), extracts from yams replace the synthetic hormones used in traditional medication.
Davina admitted she was 'afraid to go public' about taking HRT because of the stigma.
'I was scared about what was going on,' she explained. 'Somehow menopause is shameful to admit, in a million different ways. You're past your sell-by date. You're not a baby-maker.'
Filming Davina McCall: Sex, Myths and the Menopause made it clear that she was far from alone in feeling this way.
'I get home after filming and sometimes I just sit down and cry... from deep frustration and anger at how we are failing women,' she said. 'This film isn't just for menopausal women, it's for their partners, their fathers, their brothers, and their sons.'
Just like fellow TV presenter Gabby Logan, Davina didn't realise the brain fog and sleepless nights were caused by hormonal changes brought on by perimenopause.
In fact, the former Big Brother host previously admitted on Gabby's The Mid.Point podcast, that she was convinced she had memory loss brought on by Alzheimer's Disease.
© Ryan Mcnamaradavina mccall
She begged her GP for help, saying: 'Look, please help me, I think I've got Alzheimer's because obviously my dad's got Alzheimer's.' Her doctor explained she had 'cognitive overload' brought on by perimenopause.
Davina's new documentary 'aims to challenge our reluctance to talk about the menopause,' according to Channel 4. 'With startling honesty, Davina McCall will describe her own menopause journey, busting the myths surrounding the transition, and dispelling the shame and fear around hormone replacement therapy'. It will air next week.
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