“Doctors thought I had dementia, but it was actually perimenopause”

“Getting my four kids into the car, I sighed, feeling exhausted and unmotivated. I was 43 years old and everything was incredibly hard, yet I had no idea why,” says Katie Taylor, now 56.

“Up until that point, I’d been coping with life just fine. Yes, it was busy juggling being a mum and working in marketing for a charity, but I’d got through it all.

“Now, I found everyday things difficult; it was like walking in sticky treacle.

“Over the next four years, I experienced heart palpitations, aching joints and insomnia – most nights, I was getting just three hours of sleep.

“My mood was also extremely low. While watching a comedy series with my husband, Hugh, and the kids one evening, they all laughed along, but I could barely raise a smile.

“At work, things were also tough. I had brain fog all the time. I couldn’t think straight and I’d lost my confidence. Most meetings, I’d end up crying, feeling like I was a fraud.

“Throughout this period, I saw my doctor multiple times. He suggested I was depressed and offered to prescribe me antidepressants, but I didn’t want them. My life looked good on paper; I didn’t think I was depressed.

“I was convinced that I had early-onset dementia and my doctor agreed that it could be a possibility, but an appointment with a neurologist ruled it out.”

Losing confidence in myself

“With no answers, I continued ploughing through, feeling the shell of the woman that I once was. Struggling at work, I even had to get Hugh to help me write a presentation as I couldn’t think straight.

“I felt so paranoid and convinced that I was going to be fired that I ended up quitting my job.

“The turning point came when I was on holiday in Italy with Hugh and the kids. Watching them all giggling together in the pool, I felt impending doom. Usually, I felt amazing when I was on holiday, but all I wanted to do was go home.

“When I did get back, I spoke to my dad, Michael, who was a breast cancer professor. ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me,’ I cried. He told me to see a gynaecologist he knew who specialised in hormonal health.

“Within 10 minutes, she said, ‘This is classic perimenopause, these HRT patches will help.’ Back at home, I felt relieved, but also angry. I’d spent four years feeling like this, even thinking it was dementia.

“Why has it taken so long to get the right diagnosis?”

Creating a community

“I decided I wanted to help other women, so I set up a Facebook group, calling it The Latte Lounge. Whenever I met up with a friend for coffee, we put the world to rights and that’s what I wanted to create here.

“Incredibly, overnight, 1,000 women joined the page, sharing their similar frustrations. ‘Oh my god, I’ve needed this,’ women wrote, as they shared their stories of losing jobs, being dismissed by doctors and even feeling suicidal from the perimenopause.

“I wasn’t alone – there were women all over the world suffering and I wanted to help.

“I put a team of medical experts together and built a website that was brimming with articles, tips and advice to help guide women through this stage of life. To reach more women, I even started a podcast, interviewing medical specialists about menopause.

“As for my own journey, within two weeks of using the HRT patches, I felt like a new woman. The brain fog cleared, I had bundles of energy and I slept like a baby. Watching the same comedy series as before with Hugh, I now chuckled throughout it. ‘I’ve not seen you laugh in such a long time,’ he said.

“I finally felt like myself again.”

Helping the next generation

“Running The Latte Lounge led to me writing a book, Midlife Matters, where I spoke about my own experience and brought together 48 health specialists to help women as they tackle midlife. It’s like a bible for my daughter and the next generation as they navigate this tricky chapter.

“Alongside this, I also ran panels at companies, where their employees could come and listen to experts discuss the menopause. A real ‘pinch-me’ moment was when I went to 10 Downing Street and delivered a panel to their staff.

“I’ve also worked with others on campaigns to make sure that we are all more educated and informed on the menopause. I even created ‘The Midlife Festival’, an annual online event where women can listen to talks from multiple experts that’ll support and guide them through this stage of life.

“Although I went through hell myself, I never imagined I’d achieve everything that I’ve done with The Latte Lounge and without my own journey, I wouldn’t be doing the things that I’m doing today.

“There are women all over the world struggling through menopause, but I want them to know that they’re not alone and with the right support, it can be a much more joyous experience."