Penny Lancaster did not recognise the symptoms of the menopause initially (Picture: REX)
Penny Lancaster has revealed it was the Loose Women panel that helped her realise she was going through the menopause after believing her symptoms were down to Covid.
The model and TV presenter, 51, opened up about the menopause, revealing she had initially been diagnosed antidepressants and thought she had coronavirus, before she was finally given access to HRT (hormone replacement therapy).
She revealed as part of ITV’s Let’s Chat Menopause campaign: ‘When I first had my symptoms, it was during lockdown.
‘So initially, I thought maybe I’ve got Covid because of the heat, the flushes, but it wasn’t just, “oh give me a minute,” they were disrupting my sleep so then I couldn’t function during the day…
‘And it wasn’t until I spoke with the ladies on Loose Women, that they said, “I recognise what you’re going through Penny.”’
Penny revealed that she had even been misdiagnosed by her doctor, adding: ‘My doctor, unknown to him obviously are the symptoms of the menopause, he gave me anti-depressants, so I was on them for a long time until I got HRT.’
Penny, who is married to Sir Rod Stewart, initially dismissed her symptoms as Covid (Picture: Joe Maher/Getty Images)
She added to Christine Lampard that she had initially tried to explain away the changes she was feeling before coming to terms with the fact she was going through the menopause.
‘Not every single woman suffers the same way. Some managed to sort of find almost excuses…,’ Penny admitted.
‘I remember thinking, maybe it was because my husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer, maybe it’s because my father had a heart attack or maybe because it’s lockdown, and you’re constantly in denial.
‘I think one of the things is that maybe you’re thinking, “I’m not getting that old. How can it be menopause? I’m not ready for that.”’
She credited HRT with giving her a new lease of life to begin a career as a police officer (Picture: PA)
Penny, who is married to Sir Rod Stewart, also advocated for HRT to be free or heavily discounted for those that need it, adding: ‘We’re not asking for extra, we’re just asking for our hormones back, we’re asking to feel normal.
‘So if the government could just give us what they’ve promised and bring in, ideally, free HRT but if not, a huge discount on it, because it’s just too much especially the way things are right now.’
Penny, who has been working as a police officer, also credited HRT with helping her get a ‘new lease of life’ and to start her new career.
Lorraine airs weekdays from 9am on ITV.
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She didn’t realise her hot sweats were actually caused by the menopause.