Lisa Snowdon 'burst into tears' when she got health diagnosis after six years of struggles

Lisa Snowdon, 52, says she didn't know what perimenopause was as she felt anxious, had heart palpitations and panic attacks - and it took her six years to get a diagnosis

Lisa Snowdon is never one to shy away from a tough topic – particularly when it's about menopause. Candid about her own struggles, the 52 year old broadcaster has recalled beginning perimenopause in her early forties. "I felt anxious, had low moods, heart palpitations and panic attacks," Lisa said, recounting symptoms that were completely alien to her, including the lesser-known occurrence of vertigo. "I felt out of sorts and didn’t know why."

However, it took the ex-Capital Radio presenter an agonising six years to receive the correct diagnosis. Reflecting on those challenging times, she revealed, "I didn’t know what perimenopause was. I had heard of menopause, but I thought it happened when you were much older."

Her first GP visit at 41 ended with being misdiagnosed with depression and prescribed antidepressants, which entirely missed the actual issue. "The GP didn’t mention perimenopause," she said, recollecting her frustration. "I burst into tears, I couldn’t get across how I was feeling."

It was only after consulting with a private doctor that Lisa discovered she was facing perimenopause. Even so, it was a costly journey of several attempts and a hefty financial toll before finding the right treatment regimen. The widespread misunderstanding surrounding menopause, even among medical professionals, has driven Lisa to become a vocal advocate. "That’s why I’m so vocal," she admitted. "You have to push back to get the help you need."

Lisa also shared her challenging path, detailing how crippling anxiety stopped her from wanting to go to work or drive anywhere unfamiliar. "I didn’t want to go to work. I had so much anxiety that I didn’t want to drive anywhere new," she revealed.

During her darkest days, she declined career advances, feeling completely alienated from her own reflection. "When you look at your body in the mirror and you don’t recognise who you are, a feeling that you just want to crawl out of your own body," she described her ordeal as akin to an extreme version of premenstrual stress, saying "It was like PMS on steroids."

A significant shift happened when Lisa started Hormone Replacement Therapy—a simple oestrogen spray led to miraculous improvements. "My hot flushes went, my night sweats went, the pains went, and I was able to go back to the gym," she said. Through her experience, Lisa has emerged with knowledge to impart; menopause can begin sooner than anticipated yet doesn't signify life's end. "It can happen much earlier than we think," she added. "But menopause is not the end of your life – it’s the start of a beautiful new life."