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‘I thought I had dementia’: Ulrika Jonsson, 54, reveals she has been suffering from dark moods, anxiety and brain fog as a result of the menopause
Ulrika Jonsson has discussed her harrowing experience of the menopause in an emotional new interview.
The star, 54, said she first experienced symptoms of menopause at the age of 46 when they came out of the blue one day.
The TV presenter wrote in The Sun that she was confused when dark moods, anxiety and brain fog started to set in as a result of menopause.
Brave: Ulrika Jonsson has discussed her harrowing experience of the menopause in an emotional new interview (pictured May)
Because of her personal lack of knowledge of this phase of life, she jumped to the conclusion that she was suffering from dementia.
She also admitted to being confused and shocked when she started to gain weight, despite being active.
Most alarmingly to the Swedish born model, though, was her lack of memory, saying that she was once ‘sharp as a tack’ and ‘someone who took pride in remembering things.’
She said: ‘It really perturbed me. I found myself searching for words mid-sentence. In my mind’s eye it felt like complete darkness in front of me — I had no visual prompts for the words I was searching for.’
The forgetfulness became the butt of jokes in her family, and was left in a dark place.
Stunned: The TV presenter wrote in The Sun that she was confused when dark moods, anxiety and brain fog started to set in as a result of menopause which led her to think she had dementia
The lack of knowledge surrounding the issue of menopause caused her to not connect the dots of her symptoms.
She went on: ‘All these symptoms assaulted me in a matter of months, or perhaps just weeks. I’m ashamed to say there was no way in the world I had associated them with the onset of the menopause. My limited knowledge about it amounted to someone having hot flushes and heightened emotions.’
Her mind was finally put at ease when she eventually confided in a friend about what she was experiencing, fearing the worst.
She wrote in the article for the publication: ‘I finally confided in a close friend who is a few years older and she smiled, put her arm around me and said: “No, love, it’s just the start of the menopause.” I was dumbfounded. For me, it felt like a very cruel last blow from Mother Nature.’
Menopausal: Most alarmingly to the Swedish born model, though, was her lack of memory, saying that she was once ‘sharp as a tack’ and ‘someone who took pride in remembering things’ (pictured last year)
Ulrika sought advice in her mother who had been taking HRT tablets, which help with stabilising hormones.
The treatment, which is not readily available on the NHS, helped Ulrika overcome her symptoms by calming her down using the progesterone hormone – of which she lacked.
She had to privately access this medication because the NHS does not provide the tailor-made service she had and has general solution for all women.
Ulrika went on to write about how she wishes more people had more of an awareness of the experience she went through, not just other women but men too.
Solutions: Ulrika sought advice in her mother who had been taking HRT tablets, which help with stabilising hormones. The treatment, which is not readily available on the NHS, helped Ulrika overcome her symptoms
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