As a regular fixture on daughter Billie Shepherd’s reality show The Family Diaries, Suzie Wells has become a star in her own right. And she’s never afraid to share insights into her own life – whether it’s going on dates or being a grandma to Billie and her other daughter Sam’s five young children.
More recently, Suzie has been opening up about her journey with the menopause – and new spoke to her during World Menopause Awareness Month to hear how her life has been impacted by the symptoms.
“I thought I was getting early onset dementia,” the 53-year-old tells us. “You think, ‘Oh my God, am I going crazy?’ But it’s the brain fog.
“The hardest part has been not feeling like myself and the anxiety. I used to drive all over the country and around Europe, but now I get in the car and I can’t even go over a bridge. I’ve had panic attacks on the motorway. I’ll be on the road and when there’s a lorry either side of me I feel like I’m not in control and I get that feeling of panic.
“I’ve been trying to avoid motorways, but that’s a pain when Sam lives in Surrey. I end up having to go 60mph in the slow lane to get there and I find myself holding on for dear life.”
Suzie isn’t the only celebrity who has opened about how much they’ve been affected by the menopause. Davina McCall, Lorraine Kelly and Nadia Sawalha have all spoken about their experiences, something Suzie says has helped her.
“I think it’s so good now that women like Davina talk about it openly. The more women who speak about it, the better. I’ve had such amazing feedback from talking about it on the show. A lot of people feel embarrassed and don’t want to talk about it, but they shouldn’t feel like that.”
As well as brain fog and anxiety, Suzie has experienced sleep deprivation, night sweats and feeling low. But she says her daughters have been a tower of strength for her.
“They’ve been amazing,” she says. “Samantha is always sending me different lotions and potions, and different things for my diet, and Billie has been coming to appointments with me. I couldn’t wish for two better daughters to help me through it.”
Suzie has been just as supportive of her girls. She recently took to social media to defend them after voice notes leaked allegedly featuring their former TOWIE co-star Ferne McCann fat-shaming Sam and criticising Billie for giving her son the same name as her jailed ex-boyfriend, Arthur Collins. And while questions about the incident are off limits, it’s clear the family is closer than ever.
“I have no reason to be down,” says Suzie. “I’ve got five, nearly six, grandkids and the girls are doing well and they’re amazing.
“I should be on top of the world, but you just don’t feel
yourself with the menopause. I’ve tried all sorts but I’m currently using HRT [hormone replacement therapy], including a transdermal spray, and I am feeling better.
“But the doctor said I need to give it a good six months. I haven’t had that feeling yet where I feel like a different woman, but I’m getting there.
“Some of my friends have said testosterone is amazing. My friend said it might get me out more and make me find a man!”
Billie, 32, and Sam, 31, have also been urging their mum to get back on the dating scene.
“You feel so low in your menopause and like you can’t be bothered but I don’t want to park myself up just yet!” she laughs. “I do always say to the girls that if I met someone, I would like a relationship. The girls say, ‘You’re not going to meet anyone sitting at home,’ so I do need to up my game with my social life.
“But I think we’ve just got a lot going on at the moment. Then there’s Billie moving into her amazing new house, the new babies and I’m moving. I think when I move it will be a clean start and I’ll get back out.”
So has Sue considered using a dating app when she feels ready to mingle? “I was on Raya for a while, but I don’t know if I had my location...
More recently, Suzie has been opening up about her journey with the menopause – and new spoke to her during World Menopause Awareness Month to hear how her life has been impacted by the symptoms.
“I thought I was getting early onset dementia,” the 53-year-old tells us. “You think, ‘Oh my God, am I going crazy?’ But it’s the brain fog.
“The hardest part has been not feeling like myself and the anxiety. I used to drive all over the country and around Europe, but now I get in the car and I can’t even go over a bridge. I’ve had panic attacks on the motorway. I’ll be on the road and when there’s a lorry either side of me I feel like I’m not in control and I get that feeling of panic.
“I’ve been trying to avoid motorways, but that’s a pain when Sam lives in Surrey. I end up having to go 60mph in the slow lane to get there and I find myself holding on for dear life.”
Suzie isn’t the only celebrity who has opened about how much they’ve been affected by the menopause. Davina McCall, Lorraine Kelly and Nadia Sawalha have all spoken about their experiences, something Suzie says has helped her.
“I think it’s so good now that women like Davina talk about it openly. The more women who speak about it, the better. I’ve had such amazing feedback from talking about it on the show. A lot of people feel embarrassed and don’t want to talk about it, but they shouldn’t feel like that.”
As well as brain fog and anxiety, Suzie has experienced sleep deprivation, night sweats and feeling low. But she says her daughters have been a tower of strength for her.
“They’ve been amazing,” she says. “Samantha is always sending me different lotions and potions, and different things for my diet, and Billie has been coming to appointments with me. I couldn’t wish for two better daughters to help me through it.”
Suzie has been just as supportive of her girls. She recently took to social media to defend them after voice notes leaked allegedly featuring their former TOWIE co-star Ferne McCann fat-shaming Sam and criticising Billie for giving her son the same name as her jailed ex-boyfriend, Arthur Collins. And while questions about the incident are off limits, it’s clear the family is closer than ever.
“I have no reason to be down,” says Suzie. “I’ve got five, nearly six, grandkids and the girls are doing well and they’re amazing.
“I should be on top of the world, but you just don’t feel
yourself with the menopause. I’ve tried all sorts but I’m currently using HRT [hormone replacement therapy], including a transdermal spray, and I am feeling better.
“But the doctor said I need to give it a good six months. I haven’t had that feeling yet where I feel like a different woman, but I’m getting there.
“Some of my friends have said testosterone is amazing. My friend said it might get me out more and make me find a man!”
Billie, 32, and Sam, 31, have also been urging their mum to get back on the dating scene.
“You feel so low in your menopause and like you can’t be bothered but I don’t want to park myself up just yet!” she laughs. “I do always say to the girls that if I met someone, I would like a relationship. The girls say, ‘You’re not going to meet anyone sitting at home,’ so I do need to up my game with my social life.
“But I think we’ve just got a lot going on at the moment. Then there’s Billie moving into her amazing new house, the new babies and I’m moving. I think when I move it will be a clean start and I’ll get back out.”
So has Sue considered using a dating app when she feels ready to mingle? “I was on Raya for a while, but I don’t know if I had my location...
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New UK (Digital) - 1 Issue, October 31, 2022