Jo Whiley says brain fog caused by the menopause made her feel like a 'liability' at work
Jo Whiley has candidly detailed the invasive 'brain fog' she has endured as a result of the menopause and how it has made her feel like a 'liability' while hosting her radio show.
The 56-year-old presenter, who currently hosts her weekday evening Radio 2 show, revealed that along with her mind going blank while she was live on air, she suffered from symptoms she had no idea were connected to the midlife change, including a burning mouth.
'I've felt rotten, which is why it is good to talk about it today. You feel less alone,' Whiley told the Daily Mail. 'I noticed the brain fog returning. It's difficult to deal with when you're doing live radio and interviews and you can't think of the word you're supposed to be saying or the next question you're supposed to ask.'
She continued: 'That was the main reason I went on HRT in the first place. I felt I was a liability on the radio and it was a very uncomfortable feeling not being in charge of what I was doing, suddenly grappling for words.'
Whiley – who is mother to four children, India, 29, Cassius, 22, Jude, 20, and 12-year-old Coco – admitted that some days she feels 'absolutely great' while others she's hit with 'low-confidence, low self-esteem and a burning mouth'.
She said that taking a combination of HRT, exercising regularly and the meditative calm of gardening helps her feel more like herself.
This isn't the first time the DJ has spoken so openly about the hormonal and physical changes of menopause that she has experienced.
Speaking previously about the impact the menopause has had on her 'sense of self', Whiley explained that getting back into fitness and setting herself big challenges made her 'feel more able to cope with everything'.
'I'd been a very strong woman physically and mentally and I felt I was beginning to become a little unravelled, in both ways,' Whiley had told The Times. 'Getting back into fitness and giving myself a challenge made me feel a lot better.'
For more advice and support about the menopause, visit the NHS website.
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