TV presenter Davina McCall revealed that menopause brought her back to her drug addiction days
The former Big Brother host, who has been sober for many years, says perimenopause eight years ago, 44, gave her symptoms similar to the ones she had when she was taking class A drugs
The 52-year-old opened up about the experience on Loose Women as part of the Monday show’s Menopause Week
McCall admitted that she had no idea what was going on when she started having symptoms such as night sweats and a bad mood
She said: « No one told me about it I hadn’t learned it in school, neither from my mother nor from my big sister It was the thing that no one was talking about
« There was so much shame about it It was a sign that you had dried up, that you were past your expiration date, you were at the end of your life, which in Victorian times I guess you were …
« This is where the bright side comes in, where we know we’re not having any more kids and can go away and be a little selfish after being selfless for so long »
Comparing the symptoms to those that look like drug addiction, she added, “Obviously I’m a reform addict and I would wake up soaked in sweat I had to put towels on the bed and tell myself : ‘There is something wrong with me, I have the flu or a virus or something like that’
« It really reminded me of the days when I used and really hated it… and mood swings, screaming on kids I’m not a screaming mom at all and then I would end up crying in the car, apologizing to the kids, saying, « I’m so sorry, I don’t know what’s wrong with me »
« My keys were in the fridge, my phone was in the trash, my libido was going through the floor It was just a nightmare
« The symptoms were few and far between My periods were regular, but sometimes it was a little longer, sometimes a little shorter I didn’t think I could get it so soon… but it’s actually perimenopause »
McCall also described how hormone replacement therapy helped her get by, saying, « The benefits to my health far outweighed the disadvantages.
« I have dementia in my family, it drastically reduces this, reduces diabetes and reduces the risk of heart disease by 50% »
Menopause, Davina McCall, Addiction, Sweating, Free Women, Big Brother (UK)
World News – UK – Davina McCall says menopause brought her back in the days of drug addicts
