Woman quit job after thinking menopause symptoms were dementia

Lauren Chiren has helped thousands of women through the menopause

A woman who thought she had early onset dementia and quit her job found out the menopause had been causing her symptoms.

Lauren Chiren, 55, from Bristol, was working as a senior executive in financial services when she started to have "dark days" in her 40s.

She now works as a menopause trainer and has helped 19,000 women - and men - learn to "demystify menopause".

Heather, 52, said she "learned a heck of a lot" when she took the class.

"I suffered quite horribly with symptoms for the past nine years," Heather added.

"It would all be so different if there was more understanding, if women were understood and not judged for being 'stupid'."

Ms Chiren added: "I left my job in my early 40s thinking I had early onset dementia, I was a new mum at the time and I didn't have much support around me.

"I was working as a senior executive in financial services which meant that I led large-scale projects and programs and had teams all over the world.

'Tight throat'

"But there were times in meetings where my heart felt like it was beating outside of my chest and I was so scared that if I let go off the chair I'd fall on the floor.

"Another time my throat was so tight with anxiety that I could barely squeak out the smallest words in a meeting."

Lauren delivers a free course over three days to teach people the basics about menopause

She said it left her feeling "isolated", "alone" and experiencing "dark days" worrying that she was going to go through dementia.

'Demystify menopause'

After visiting a doctor several times she was "relieved" to find out she was going through an early menopause.

"I went from being a gibbering wreck in the doctor's surgery to being someone who literally pumped the air with joy and I looked at the doctor and said we have to stop other people from going through this.

"That is what inspired me to get people together and so I founded Women of a Certain Stage."

Over the last 10 years Ms Chiren has been running free menopause courses, with more than 19,000 joining last year.

Heather, who took the class two weeks ago, said she also had to quit her job as a mediation specialist due to symptoms of menopause.

"My brain turned to mush. I could not absorb the numbers on the page," she said.

"We need to share more knowledge and information among women.

"After taking the class, I'm excited about the road ahead."

Ms Chiren added there was a reason that the age group of 45 to 55 are seen to quit their jobs, get divorces and even experience a higher rate of suicide and it is all because of a lack of understanding about the menopause.

"We are only halfway through our adult life when we are menopausal and it is an incredible opportunity for people to really think where they are and what they want to do and gather that support around them."