Fiona Phillips says the menopause has left her "fearing for [her] sanity".
Fiona Phillips' menopause struggle
The TV presenter has opened up about the negative effects of the menopause - when a woman stops having periods and is no longer able to get pregnant naturally - which has seen her become "scared" to do things she used to do "with ease".
Fiona - who presented 'GMTV' between 1997 and 2005 - said: “It’s been going on for …you know, I can’t think, my brain is all over the place.
“I’ve cried a thousand rivers in the past few weeks and I’ve got nothing to be sad about.
“I’ve been fearing for my sanity and am scared to do things I’ve been doing with ease for years.”
The 61-year-old star has called for more support and a better understanding of the menopause, which millions of women go through at a certain stage in their life.
Her biggest fear is that it will mark the end of her career.
She added to the Daily Mirror newspaper: “They call it brain fog, I don’t know what I’m talking about half the time.
“God, it’s horrible, I haven’t worked for the first time in my life, I can’t do television work because I’m so anxious and just scared of everything and I’m not that kind of person at all. I have the intent to do everything I used to do, but then your body, your brain, doesn’t let you.
“The fear takes over. I hope to God this isn’t the end of my career.
“If I have a deadline or have a certain time to be somewhere, I panic. It’s a heart palpitation feeling, a lot, most days, most hours.”
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