Gabby Logan: 'I had a menopausal meltdown and told my family I was moving out'
Sports presenter Gabby Logan has spent over 20 years at the helm of television, working on Sky Sports and ITV, before joining the BBC in 2006. The mum-of-two, who lives in Buckinghamshire, is also the host of The Mid Point podcast, where she chats to celebrity guests and experts about all things midlife-related, including the menopause.
Here, she shares how going through the menopause herself challenged her and the coping mechanisms she utilises to help her mind and body stay healthy while going through so much change.
Being in the public eye, was it difficult to hide the struggles you were going through with the menopause at work?
It was quite easy to ignore my symptoms at first as I’d describe them as low level – I had no night sweats or hot flushes, but I did notice I’d become quite anxious, hot-headed and snappy, with a bad temper, which isn't my usual personality at all.
At work, I suddenly became conscious that, when I was doing live broadcasting, I began to forget the names of players, for instance, which alarmed me as I’m used to talking 'on the hoof'.
The thing that affected me the most, looking back, was the brain fog as feeling slightly unsure about trying to grasp names and other topics was such an unfamiliar feeling. I worried about doing my job, if I couldn’t recall such important things.
When I was doing live broadcasting, I began to forget the names of players
How did your menopause symptoms affect your home life too?
I was about 47 when I noticed I was a lot more impatient and began to get irritated with the kids and [husband, former Scotland international rugby union player] Kenny for no real reason. I’d lose my temper if they’d not unloaded the dishwasher, for example, and go mad at the kids if they left their trainers by the back door when we have a boot room to store them in.
One Sunday morning, I sat my family down and said I was so fed up, I was thinking of moving to a flat on my own up the road.
Things came to a head one Sunday morning when I just sat my family down and said I was so fed up, I was thinking of moving to a flat on my own up the road. I don’t know what happened to me, but I saw the twins, Lois and Reuben, tear up and Kenny said to me, "What the hell is going on?"
It didn’t help that my kids were going through hormonal changes themselves, so I suddenly felt really bad. Looking back now, it makes me sad to think I had a menopausal meltdown and told my family I was moving out. That was my lowest point.
A friend said to me recently, "You’ll miss the shoes when they aren't lying around all over the place" [when the twins have gone to university] and she’s right!
What made you decide to seek medical help?
I was chatting to my friend Mariella Frostrup, who was a guest on my podcast, about how I wasn’t recognising the personality traits that were manifesting themselves. I am never angry or irritable, but suddenly I was. And the thing is, I didn’t have anything really to be so upset about, but things just didn’t feel right. Mariella helped talk me through my emotions, then I went to visit my doctor and started on HRT which really helped.
My friend Mariella [Frostrup] helped talk me through my emotions, then I went to visit my doctor and started on HRT, which really helped.
My blood tests showed my hormones were all over the place and it suddenly made sense why I hadn't been feeling myself. Thankfully, within about four weeks, my mood had lifted and my anxiety and brain fog felt a lot lighter.
I'm very open with the kids and talk to them about everything, so fortunately I was able to give them an insight into why I'd become so hot-headed and irritable. It was nice to know I wasn’t going mad and the symptoms I'd been feeling are so common.
As someone who is passionate about sport, did exercise play a part in lifting your mood?
I’ve always been an active person and when my work schedule is busy, I often diarise a run, pilates class or some strength training, just so I know to commit to it, as exercise really helps my mood. Kenny and I use the gym at home together too... although we don’t talk, but just get on with it.
I'm never angry or irritable, but suddenly I was – and the thing is, I didn’t have anything to be so upset about...
I’ve also started to try and stretch my brain in the same way that I move my body, by doing things like trying to remember numbers and reading a lot more. I make notes too that I scribble on a piece of paper when I’m on set to help me. I feel so much calmer now and I'm sure Kenny is grateful I’m back to the real me.
How supportive has Kenny been?
He is so supportive and, interestingly enough, he listens to my Mid.Point podcast and told me he has learnt a lot about the menopause through that. It was actually through the podcast when I had Davina McCall on as a guest and we were talking about hormones that Kenny listened in and started asking me about hormones in men. That led him to get himself checked out and that is how he discovered he had prostate cancer.
That was such a scary time but having him on my podcast discussing it was something he wanted to do in a bid to help others. Amazingly, it has been one of the most downloaded episodes on the podcast. I’m chuffed to say that doctors even recommend it to their patients.
Gabby Logan is an ambassador for Menopace, a vitamin supplement taken before, during and after the menopause. If you have menopausal symptoms or you're experiencing symptoms before the age of 45, talk to your GP for advice and treatment options. You can also find support and advice from The Menopause Charity. Whatever you're going through, you can call the Samaritans now for free if you need to, at any time, on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org.
Read more on the menopause:
'I’ll be bonking into my 80s': how I saw off the symptoms of menopause (The Guardian, 4-min read)
On World Menopause Day, five myths busted by experts (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)
Gabby Logan's tears amid huge family milestone (Hello!, 3-min read)
