DARK DAYS
Carol Vorderman says she felt ‘suicidal at times’ as she opens up about health battle
CAROL Vorderman has opened up about her battle with a common health issue.
The 61-year-old said she felt a deep depression during the menopause, which at times left her struggling with her mental health.
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An estimated one in five of the UK’s population are currently experiencing the menopause.
The first symptoms can be felt years before your last menstrual cycle, and there’s no one-size-fits-all experience.
But common signs include hot flushes, a change in periods and low libido.
Former Countdown star Carol was going through her symptoms as a guest on ITV's This Morning's ‘Menopause Bus’.
Read more on menopause
She said she started the menopause in her 50s, but didn't have some of the most traditional symptoms associated with the condition.
"I started getting anxious, I’d never felt anxious before in my life.
"I started feeling anxious, even about what sort of trousers I was going to wear, was I going to have a tea or a coffee?"
The mum-of-two said things continued to get worse for her, and she experienced a 'deep deep depression'.
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"I felt suicidal at times, for many months", she added.
She previously compared it to the grief she suffered after the death of her beloved Countdown co-host Richard Whiteley in 2005.
"Had I been in different circumstances, I could understand why people take their lives — because you can’t think of a way out.
“I couldn’t see the point of going on sometimes. It was a horrible place to be. I’ve been struck by grief, and experienced bad times. But this was different," she said.
Fabulous Menopause Matters
An estimated one in five of the UK’s population are currently experiencing it.
Yet the menopause is still whispered in hush tones like it’s something to be embarrassed about.
The stigma attached to the transition means women have been suffering in silence for centuries.
The Sun are determined to change that, launching the Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign to give the taboo a long-awaited kick, and get women the support they need.
The campaign has three aims:
- To make HRT free in England
- To get every workplace to have a menopause policy to provide support
- To bust taboos around the menopause
The campaign has been backed by a host of influential figures including Baroness Karren Brady CBE, celebrities Lisa Snowdon, Jane Moore, Michelle Heaton, Zoe Hardman, Saira Khan, Trisha Goddard, as well as Dr Louise Newson, Carolyn Harris MP, Jess Phillips MP, Caroline Nokes MP and Rachel Maclean MP.
Exclusive research commissioned by Fabulous, which surveyed 2,000 British women aged 45-65 who are going through or have been through the menopause, found that 49% of women suffered feelings of depression, while 7% felt suicidal while going through the menopause.
50% of respondents said there is not enough support out there for menopausal women, which is simply not good enough. It’s time to change that
Carol was determined to take control of her situation and said she did this by tracking her symptoms.
"I kept a note of when my periods started in my electronic calendar. I started on a bespoke HRT and within 48 hours - literally within two days - I felt back to normal."
She added: "I have never have a symptom since, it is wonderful."
But as many women across the country have experienced, getting access to HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) has been a struggle over the last few months.
HRT is a treatment which uses oestrogen and progesterone to relieve menopausal symptoms.
These are the two main hormones that naturally deplete during the menopause.
A shortage sweeping the UK has meant that many women have not been able to get hold of the medication.
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Patient woes revealed by The Sun's Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign - forcing the government to make medication available over the counter.
A vaginal pill called Gina, which has been used on the NHS for 30 years to ease dryness and improve women’s sex lives, is the first to get the green light.
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