Presenter Emma Forbes opens up about her 'irrational anxiety' as a result of the menopause

TV presenter Emma Forbes opened up about her experience of the menopause whilst on Lorraine yesterday morning, confessing that it left her dealing with 'terrible anxiety'.

The 53-year-old and mum-of-two admitted that the emotional symptoms of the life stage hit her hard, as she dealt with irrational, anxious feelings.

Speaking to Lorraine, she confessed that when she started the menopause, she couldn't believe how difficult it was. Emma said, "It is a struggle, it's a strain. You can't believe that you're somebody that gets the menopause."

Read more:Andrea McLean shares her most 'horrific' menopause symptom - as well as a frank account of post-menopause sex

Describing how it affected her, the presenter continued, "It's caused terrible anxiety and a loss of confidence. And anxiety over ridiculous things.

"I remember my 19-year-old son told me he's going to the cinema and I told him to take a sweater. And he's 19. He told me he was fine but I remember being really irrational about it. I thought, 'What am I saying?'

"You get this kind of irrational anxiety."

Emma, who is perhaps best known for presenting Live & Kicking with Andi Peters, also opened up about the taboo nature of the menopause, and how that has changed over the years.

"Women don't recognise their symptoms an awful lot. They try and struggle through. I didn't talk about it to my mother, and that generation don't really talk about it. But actually we're now being much more vocal, which is great because people need more help."

She also shared details of how she's treated her own menopause symptoms, explaining that it's been a complicated journey.

"I've been on a rocky road of treatment. I did originally go on the bi-identical route. That's not available on the NHS but I live between here and the States where it's huge.

"It is a form of HRT (Hormone Replacement Therapy) but its supposedly more natural."

However, she warned viewers about it, explaining it's not quite regulation in the UK.

Emma said, "It's not FDA approved, and you don't really know quite what's going on. So what I would say is you've got to go and get advice and see a doctor, and you've got to get your blood tested, because everybody's journey is different."

"So I'm now on body identical HRT."

The NHS explains that not all women want treatment for the menopause, but that it can be helpful if you're finding the symptoms tricky. Hormone replacement therapy is currently the most popular form, which can be taken after a consultation with your doctor.