Gemma Collins has confirmed she’s in perimenopause in a new Instagram post on Tuesday.
The TV personality, 44, who has been incredibly candid about her wish to have children, shared with her followers that she sought help from a clinical team after feeling a ‘bit off lately, and urged ladies to listen to their bodies.
In a video clip, she said: ‘Hi guys, so I wanted to share with you a journey I’ve been on.
‘I’ve been getting the most weirdest symptoms, itchy ears, feeling a little bit more tired than usual.
‘I was just like, I feel like there’s something not right with my hormones. I’m 44 now, and it’s no secret that perimenopause can creep up on you at any time, and I’ve just been a bit worried about it.
‘But I am so pleased and have such a weight lifted off my mind, that I’ve managed to speak to the Voy care team.
Gemma Collins has confirmed she’s in perimenopause in a new Instagram post on Tuesday
The TV personality, 44, who has been incredibly candid about her wish to have children, shared with her followers that she sought help from a clinical team after feeling a ‘bit off lately, and urged ladies to listen to their bodies
She then heaped praise on her doctor, saying: ‘And Dr Sally has been there for me, and I’ve had a chat with her, she has literally put my mind so at rest.
‘She’s been incredible, I didn’t feel embarrassed to ask her anything. I explained that I’ve just been feeling a little bit off.
‘Dr Sally has reassured me, the Voy care is ten ten, everything (has) made me feel so relieved, so listened to as a woman, she has given me a blood test kit to take at home. I can’t wait to do it.’
Alongside the video, she captioned the post: ‘Sharing my perimenopause journey because none of us should feel alone.’
‘I’ve been feeling a bit ‘off’ lately, so I reached out to the amazing team at @voymenopause and honestly, Dr Sally has completely put my mind at rest. I finally feel heard and supported.
‘Ladies, if something doesn’t feel right, listen to your body. There is help out there and you absolutely can feel better.’
According to the NHS, perimenopause is when you have symptoms of menopause, but your periods have not stopped.
Perimenopause ends, and you reach menopause when you have not had a period for 12 months.
In a video clip, she said: ‘Hi guys, so I wanted to share with you a journey I’ve been on. I’ve been getting the most weirdest symptoms, itchy ears, feeling a little bit more tired than usual’
She continued: ”I was just like, I feel like there’s something not right with my hormones. I’m 44 now, and it’s no secret that perimenopause can creep up on you at any time, and I’ve just been a bit worried about it’
Common mental health symptoms of menopause and perimenopause include changes to your mood and problems with memory or concentration.
Meanwhile, common physical symptoms include hot flushes, difficulty sleeping, heart palpitations, headaches and migraines, muscle aches and joint pains, skin changes, reduced sex drive, recurrent urinary tract infections, and sensitive teeth.
Gemma has been incredibly candid about her wish to have children and previously shared that she has faced several miscarriages and was once advised to terminate a pregnancy of an intersex baby.
The TV personality has also shared that after struggling to conceive naturally, she and fiancé Rami were considering going down the surrogacy route, and she previously revealed she had considered fostering, as her mum was fostered as a child.
She has a low number of AMH hormones, meaning she also has a limited number of eggs available, and also suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which directly affects the ovaries.
Gemma got engaged to businessman Rami last year, and the couple have since spilt the beans about their plans for their upcoming nuptials, revealing they want three separate weddings.
The reality star icon explained that she wants a main ceremony in the UK, a second taking place abroad and then a ‘formal one’ for their closest family and friends.
In true GC style, she added that multiple celebrations mean she is also planning to have several different wedding dresses.
Gemma has been incredibly candid about her wish to have children and previously shared that she has faced several miscarriages and was once advised to terminate a pregnancy of an intersex baby; pictured with fiancé Rami Hawash
The TV personality has also shared that after struggling to conceive naturally, she and fiancé Rami were considering going down the surrogacy route, and she previously revealed she had considered fostering
Gemma has been open about past fertility struggles and has previously suffered three miscarriages.
She suffered her first heartbreaking loss in 2012, finding the strength to speak out about it publicly eight years later in 2020.
The reality star did not realise she was pregnant at the time and said that the baby ‘died in front of her’ after giving birth at home on her landing.
Gemma suffered her second pregnancy loss in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tragically, just a few months later, Gemma endured a third devastating miscarriage in July 2020 after falling pregnant with her ex-boyfriend James Argent’s baby.
Gemma refuses to give up on her dream of becoming a mother, and she thinks about her miscarriage ‘every day.’
Despite her fertility struggles, the star said in October last year that she is open to becoming a foster parent.
Gemma, whose mother Joan grew up in a foster home, recently rekindled with her long-lost family on Who Do You Think You Are?
After finding her family on the show, Gemma said it has helped her feel more ‘complete’ and has made her want to give back to children after the national fostering group warned of a caring crisis.
She said: ‘There’s a lot of love I could give. I always make a good dinner.’#
‘There are so many rooms that are spare across London and the UK’, she added.
She has been incredibly open about her fertility journey and has recently transformed her lifestyle in the hope it will help her get pregnant.
Dropping from a size 26 to 20, Gemma recently claimed her weight loss journey has ‘cured’ her after years of struggle.
Gemma has a low number of AMH hormones, meaning she also has a limited number of eggs available, and also suffers from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), which directly affects the ovaries
Despite her fertility struggles, the star said in October last year that she is open to becoming a foster parent
Gemma told OK! Magazine of wanting to be in good shape to start a family: ‘I don’t want to be an overweight mum. Nothing against overweight mums at all, but I want to run and play with my kid.
‘I want to have as much energy for my child as possible and to be the best version of myself for my child.’
On her fertility struggles, she added: ‘I always find with me nothing has ever come easy. I’ve always been that one that’s got the struggle to bloody get there!
‘It’s the same with my fertility, and I share it because so many people reach out who are going through the same thing.’
She also claimed that she has reversed her polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) with the help of diet guru Steve Bennett.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common condition that affects how a woman’s ovaries work. It can mean a woman has difficulty getting pregnant as a result of irregular ovulation or no ovulation.
Gemma previously told Daily Mail: ‘Since working with Steve, he has reversed my PCOS, I no longer have it, so I’m a step closer to having a baby.
‘I went to a fertility clinic, and obviously, I was going to start my fertility journey in September, but I’m not sure I need to do fertility now because hopefully I can do it naturally, plus my thyroid is doing better – I have no underactive thyroid anymore.
‘People have bullied me about my weight, they bullied me about it so badly for years, and it’s like, I can’t help it, I am active…
‘But now I don’t need to do vigorous exercise, this is the first diet where you’re adding and not subtracting.’
Gemma has suffered from PCOS since she was 28 years old, which is when she started to gain weight.
The NHS states that PCOS cannot be cured, but the symptoms can be managed.
In overweight women, the symptoms and overall risk of developing long-term health problems from PCOS can be greatly improved by losing excess weight.
Weight loss of just 5 per cent can lead to a significant improvement in PCOS.
