Describing herself as a generally positive person, Carol Vorderman opened up on ITV’s Lorraine show about how the menopause had affected her
Responding to Lorraine Kelly’s question on why she thought we were so reluctant to talk about the ‘change’, Carol said: “Because society tries to say, ‘oh well’ you’re past it”. The celebrity mathematician went on: “Which, of course, women aren’t.”
Expressing how: “It’s just a different chapter in your life, that’s all it is” and how it’s “an exciting chapter, potentially,” Carol then went on to discuss the impact this natural part of ageing had on her.
“This was a blackness”
Explaining that she had no other symptoms, the famous presenter disclosed: “… this depression hit me – and I don’t use the word depression lightly. This was a blackness where I would wake up – and […] nothing else in my life was going wrong.” She went on: “I’m a very lucky woman: no money worries or nothing like that – and I would wake up and I thought ‘I don’t see the point in carrying on. I just don’t see the point in life.’ ”
It was only on the realisation that for two weeks of every month she suffered, and for two she felt some relief, that she got to thinking about her cycle.
Bioidentical hormones
She booked in to see a professor who specialised in bio-identical hormones and was described a gel treatment. From the moment she used it, the star said that the ‘black’ feelings stopped.
The National Health Service (NHS) website states that: ‘Bioidentical or “natural” hormones are hormone preparations made from plant sources that are promoted as being similar or identical to human hormones.’
Interestingly, the trusted site concludes that even though practitioners maintain ‘these hormones are a “natural” and safer alternative to standard HRT preparations’, the NHS doesn’t recommend them for a number of reasons.
These include the fact that they aren’t regulated and it’s unclear how safe they are. And that it is also unclear ‘how effective they are in reducing menopausal symptoms’.
If you experience any symptoms – including depression – it makes perfect sense to visit your GP. Privy to your medical history, they will be the best equipped to help you.
