‘IT’S BEEN SO WORRYING... I DIDN’T
Television presenter Anna Richardson talks to
about discovering she has a thyroid issue, following a year-and-a-half of suffering mysterious symptoms...
TELEVISION star Anna Richardson has opened up about her ‘worrying and depressing’ health problem – after 18 months struggling with a ‘brain fog’.
The presenter of controversial dating series Naked Attraction said the ‘fog’ makes it difficult for her to remember people’s names and sometimes even words for everyday things.
She has also experienced weight gain, irregular periods and chronic tiredness.
Now tests have revealed that Anna, who lives in the Staffordshire Moorlands, has a thyroid problem, although further investigations are ongoing.
Anna, aged 48, said: “I’ve been struggling with what my gynaecologist and I thought were menopause symptoms.
“I have weight gain around my middle, irregular periods, aching
joints, dry skin, and awful brain fog where I can forget the words for the most everyday things. That’s a nightmare with my job.
“But the worst part is feeling continually exhausted and just under the weather, getting more colds than normal.
“I had glandular fever years ago and it’s similar. Even after 12 hours’ sleep a night, I’m still tired.
“It’s like being a teenager again, as all I’m capable of is sitting around in pyjamas, watching telly and going to bed!
“Despite taking HRT during this time, there’s been no improvement and in the last month I’ve had to cut back on work, and recently even had to cancel hosting a charity event.
“I just haven’t got enough energy – and forget having a social life. It’s been really depressing and very worrying, because I couldn’t seem to find out what was really wrong.”
Two months ago, blood tests showed Anna’s thyroid (the gland in the throat that produces the hormone thyroxine, which is essential for maintaining a normal metabolism) was underactive.
She said: “I’ve been diagnosed with secondary hypothyroidism, which was initially thought to be caused by Hashimoto’s disease (where the immune system attacks the thyroid gland, making it swell and become damaged).
“That has similar symptoms to those I’m suffering. Further blood tests are now indicating that the master gland in the brain, the pituitary, may be causing the problem, but it may not.
“I’m seeing an endocrinologist and waiting for scans and tests, and one of many possible scenarios is a pituitary tumour.
“They are quite common and apparently around 99 per cent are benign, or there may also be chronic fatigue syndrome following my having glandular fever (Epstein-barr virus). It’s all uncertain and up in the air until I get the results.”
Anna is in a relationship with former Great British Bake Off presenter Sue Perkins – and says she has been really supportive.
She said: “Over the last 18 months, Sue’s got a bit frustrated with me at times and said, ‘For goodness sake, it’s midday, you should be up! You’re sleeping way too much.’ I think she thought I’d been struck down by extreme bone idleness!
“But since we’ve realised there’s a problem, she’s been so supportive and great at calming me down and reassuring me.
“If it turns out to be a pituitary tumour, it would be a weird coincidence – Sue has a benign pituitary tumour, a prolactinoma (which affects the secretion of hormones).
“She found out completely by chance in 2007, when she had to have regular blood tests for a TV series.
“She takes medication and sees an endocrinologist regularly.
“She’s told me: ‘If that’s what it turns out to be, don’t worry – these things can be managed, we just need to find out what’s going on.’” ■ Anna Richardson’s six-part podcast series Health Fact vs Fiction, in association with HCA Healthcare UK, busts myths around healthcare topics, with a range of guests including medical consultants and celebrities who share their personal healthcare experiences. It is available on Apple Podcast and all other podcast platforms.