How menopause made York woman forget her name

“I did not consider it might simply be menopause. I assumed it have to be a mind tumour or dementia.”

Kirsty Dixon’s life modified in a single day when she began experiencing intense mind fog at 49 years outdated.

Kirsty, from York, was gazing her display screen at work in the future, when instantly she couldn’t keep in mind what she was doing.

“I simply requested myself ‘What’s my title?’, and I could not even keep in mind my very own title.

“I felt like I used to be going mad, I assumed it was solely me.”

The issues continued when she tried to entry assist.

“I assumed, why aren’t individuals listening to me?

“I’ve bought one thing actually severe happening however I am unable to get anybody to pay attention.”

Kirsty was instructed by a health care provider that what she had skilled was a part of the menopause.

It’s estimated that one in three ladies within the UK is going through the menopause at any given time.

Kirsty, studying and improvement adviser on the College of York, is working to lift consciousness of the lesser-known signs and the massive influence they’ll have on individuals’s lives.

“Earlier than menopause I’ve all the time been a really bubbly individual, very social, bit mischievous,” she stated.

“Menopause got here alongside and simply put a giant thunder cloud over my head.

“I misplaced myself. The variety of instances my husband stated ‘I need my Kirsty again’ whereas he was cuddling me and I used to be in floods of tears.”

Kirsty spent the subsequent 4 years “preventing it” as she couldn’t consider that these have been menopause signs.

Then, throughout lockdown, Kirsty discovered herself researching menopause for her work.

She stumbled throughout an article by somebody who had skilled the identical signs as her.

“I bought that lightbulb second that what I used to be experiencing was completely regular, I wanted to know it and know what I might do to assist myself,” she stated.

“I went from having this fixed cloud and feeling ineffective, to truly proudly owning my journey.”

Now aged 58, Kirsty runs two assist teams for girls experiencing the menopause, together with a nature strolling group round York, and a pop-up cafe in Acomb.

They’re non-profit and everyone seems to be welcome, no matter age or gender.

She hopes the teams will encourage extra individuals to speak in regards to the lesser-known signs.

“If you’re going by it, it could actually really feel so lonely,” she stated.

“You’re feeling prefer it’s solely you, and also you assume you are going mad.

“Some of the essential issues I say to individuals is get your assist community round you, and that is household, pals, and teams like this.”

Sarah Mortimer, 54, has been coming to the group because it began in 2022.

She skilled an unusual symptom of self-diagnosed burning mouth syndrome throughout her menopause, which entails creating blisters within the mouth with a burning feeling.

“It may be actually isolating, so to search out teams like that is wonderful,” she stated.

“It makes an enormous distinction, figuring out there’s different individuals going by the identical garbage that you are going by.

“It is that power in numbers factor, and there is power within the energy of speaking in regards to the menopause.”

The group relies in York, however individuals journey from so far as Leeds, Sheffield and Beverley to attend.

Kirsty says that it highlights an ongoing concern across the want for extra assist for individuals going by the menopause.

“Nobody else was working a menopause cafe in York, so it was clearly one thing that was lacking.”

She is asking for extra teams like this so that individuals shouldn’t have to journey up to now to get the assist they want.

“What I’ll say now, is as a post-menopausal lady, I’m essentially the most assured, the strongest, most inventive individual.

“If somebody stated to me you’ll be able to have your life once more, with out your menopause expertise, truly, I might say no, as a result of it is what’s made me the individual I’m at the moment.

“If I can get by that, I can get by something.”