Brighton-born actress, Amanda Redman is probably best known as lottery millionaire Alison from UK’s ‘At Home With The Braithwaites’, or Detective Superintendent Sandra Pullman in New Tricks.
She told the UK’s Mirror newspaper: “I’m more than middle aged now. I hate it. You don’t feel comfortable in yourself.”
“It’s not pleasant. Mum said it’s the worst time as a woman and I think she’s right”.
Embarrassing hot flushes is one of the more common symptoms
Amanda referred to the menopause as “ghastly” and “embarrassing” and added: “I’ve had hot flushes and I am irritable.” She explained how the flushes can be problematic while filming, saying: “If I go red, they can’t film me and they have to send a make-up artist with a fan.”
In an interview with the Telegraph Amanda Redman confirmed: “How hideous for women of our mother’s generation because – while me and my girlfriends will talk about everything under the sun, including the menopause – it was something they didn’t discuss. You must have felt so lonely and embarrassed all the time.
“For me, it’s tailing off now. But I can still suddenly go that awful colour when I’m talking to somebody and sweat beads will break out on my upper lip. You’re acutely aware of it, even if they are not. But the more open we are about it, the less of a taboo it will become.”
The UK’s NHS website states that: “Most women will experience hot flushes when going through the menopause.” The reliable health service page says that they “can start a few months or years before your periods stop (before you start the menopause), and usually continue for several years after your last period.”
While an effective treatment can be hormone replacement therapy (HRT), the NHS advises speaking to your GP to see what remedies may be right for you
Tips for the reduction of hot flushes include the more obvious cutting out, or lessening your intake of, tea and coffee and quitting smoking, as well as reducing your alcohol intake. It’s good to also keep the room you are in cool, using a fan, wearing “loose layers of light cotton or silk clothes” and having “layers of sheets on the bed rather than a duvet so you can remove them as you need to”.
If you would like to share your peri-menopause or menopause story, we would love to hear from you. Just email [email protected]
