LISA Snowdon has made peace with the fact that she will never be a mum, previously confessing that “being a mum wasn’t meant for her in this life.”
Speaking as she launched the Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign, the 49-year-old TV presenter reveals she was cruelly robbed of the opportunity to start a family with her “brilliant” fiance George Smart, 43, when her menopause began five years ago.
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“Though it’s still possible for some women to have a baby in perimenopause, I knew my partner and I probably wouldn’t be able to have a biological child now,” she told Fabulous.
“We’d discussed it in the past, but hadn’t started trying, so I knew we’d have to explore other options in the future if we did want to become parents.
George was amazing about the situation and suggested that we might explore other options in the future. It was a lot to come to terms with.”
I knew my partner and I probably wouldn’t be able to have a biological child now
Aside from the crushing news about her fertility, Lisa faced a turbulent few years with the perimenopause causing her to battle with her emotions, as well as her weight.
“In 2017, aged 44, I began to really pile on weight – around 3st over the next year or so – and I was having brain fog, anxiety, and real fits of rage,” The model revealed.
“In 2018, I went to the doctor for blood tests, which was when I got the bombshell that I was perimenopausal. It all finally made sense, but it was hard to process.”
Lisa’s diagnosis was devastating, but it allowed her to finally receive the support she needed.
“The doctor put me on HRT with a bioidentical progesterone cream that I could apply to my inner arm, and for the next 18 months things improved,” She says.
I began to really pile on weight – around 3st over the next year or so
“My periods and anxiety settled down and my energy levels came back a bit.
“But by the start of 2020, I was suffering from insomnia and the worst hot flushes. George was wonderful, but I felt horrible and totally unsatisfied.
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.
Women have suffered silently for centuries because of the stigma associated with this transition.
Central Recorder is determined to end the stigma attached to the transition and launch the Fabulous Menopause Matters campaign.
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.
Fabulous commissioned exclusive research that surveyed 2000 British women between the ages of 45 and 65 who were going through or had gone through the menopause. It found that 49% felt depressed, and 7% felt suicidal.
Respondents said that they don’t have enough support available for menopausal ladies, which is simply unacceptable. It’s time to change that.
What is menopause, and when does it usually begin?
Menopause is an inevitable part of ageing. It usually occurs when a woman turns 45 or 55.
Menopause occurs when a woman reaches 51 years old in the UK.
It happens when the body’s levels of oestrogen begin to decline.
These periods can become shorter or stop suddenly, and women who experience menopause will not be able to get pregnant naturally.
Premature ovarian insufficiency, also known as premature menopause, affects around one in 100 women.
Numerous celebrities have shared their personal experiences, including Lisa Snowdon and Davina McCall as well as Michelle Heaton, Zoe Hardman, and Michelle Heaton.
What are the symptoms?
The symptoms of menopause can appear months to years before your period stops. They can also last up to four years after your last period.
Symptoms include:
- Hot flushes
- Changing or irregular periods
- Difficulty in sleeping
- Anxiety and loss of confidence
- Low mood, irritability and depression
- Night sweats
- Vaginal dryness or discomfort during sex
- Reduced libido (sex drive)
- Problems with concentration or memory
- Weight gain
- Bladder control
“Last March, I was finally prescribed oestrogen as well as body-identical, much cheaper progesterone, and it was like a miracle. After three months, my hot flushes and brain fog subsided and I felt like myself again. I also started working with Naomi Potter – AKA @drmenopausecare – to help women going through the changes I had.
“Finding the right HRT has given me my life back. I’ve got va-va-voom and confidence, and it’s a bonus that I feel attractive and sexy again, which has been so important for my relationship. At the moment I’m using an oestrogen spray, a progesterone pill, as well as testosterone.”
Lisa is also a regular runner to ease her anxiety.
“I do a mix of cardio and weight training to get mood-boosting endorphins flooding my body, and I try to limit caffeine, because it can set my anxiety off,” She says.
“Now, I feel amazing. I’m going to be 50 in January, and it’s been a year since I last had a period, so I’m officially menopausal.
“It’s a relief to not have periods or pain any more – it’s like a new chapter of my life is starting. I want other women out there to know that it can be the same for them, too.”
These are seven reasons night sweats can be a sign of menopause.
And this woman, who went through menopause when she was 13, is now a mom.
Plus here are the 12 signs you could be in early menopause – and what to do about it.