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Davina Mccall opens up about fears that common menopause symptom could be dementia

Photo credit: Mike Marsland
Photo credit: Mike Marsland

Davina McCall has become a strong advocate for greater discussion around the menopause, with her taboo-busting book on the subject due to be released next year.

The TV presenter has once again opened up about her menopause symptoms, revealing that the 'brain fog' she experienced left her with fears that she could be developing dementia.

Discussing the menopause in an interview with Fabulous last weekend, Davina explained that she also began to worry she'd lose her job as a result of this symptom.

"I thought it was something that happened in your 50s – you got a couple of hot flushes and were through it," Davina said. "I had no idea about how much our bodies need hormones. I was having night sweats, hot flushes, and I wasn't sleeping.

"And the brain fog… I remember sitting on the drive and looking at some grass, thinking: 'What’s the word for that?' I thought it was some kind of dementia."

Davina added: "It was only a couple of years later, when it was affecting my work, that I went to my gynaecologist, who said I needed hormone replacement. I thought I was going to lose my job.

"Then I went on HRT, and literally two weeks later I was like: 'Oh, I’m back. This is life again.'"

This isn't the first time the 53-year-old fitness guru has opened up about these fears. Speaking to fellow presenter Gabby Logan on her podcast, The Mid-Point, earlier this year, Davina revealed that she had felt "paranoid" that she was developing Alzheimer's Disease, as a result of the memory loss she experienced during the menopause. Davina's father suffers from Alzheimer's, the most common cause of dementia in the UK.

Problems with memory and concentration are among the most common symptoms of the menopause, according to the NHS website.

This is because the drop in oestrogen impacts the hippocampus, the part of your brain that helps with memory and speech, according to an article by US health website Prevention.

For information on the perimenopause and menopause, and their associated symptoms visit the NHS website. Speak to your GP if you're struggling with any of the issues mentioned in this feature.


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