Hamilton woman mistook menopause for dementia symptoms

Andrea Clare, a menopause coach, artist and mother of three, mistook perimenopause symptoms for early onset dementia due to a family history of the condition.

She said: "I thought I had early onset dementia.

"My mum, aunt and grandma had dementia – but it was brain fog.

"My mood swings were so bad I also thought I was bipolar.

"I was in the depths of perimenopause – the joy was missing from my life.

"My confidence levels were rock bottom, and I was anxious about being anxious."

Andrea, 61, who is post-menopausal, described how the experience deeply affected her mental health.

She said: "I thought my family would be better off without me.

"The rage was like an out-of-body experience.

"I felt so lost and hopeless."

During this time, Andrea faced further personal challenges, including the loss of her mother to dementia on Christmas Eve.

Now, she is using her experience to support others in similar circumstances.

Andrea is the founder, creator and host of the Scottish Pause Summit, a holistic menopause event aimed at empowering women.

The summit, first held in Glasgow last year, brings together speakers from across Scotland and focuses on lifestyle choices, as well as having self-hypnosis, sound bath, laughter yoga and skincare workshops.

She said: "I am on a mission to help women understand and navigate the menopause in a way I couldn't.

"There is a huge menopause event in London, and I decided we needed something similar in Scotland."

The Scottish Pause Summit will return to The Studio on Hope Street in Glasgow on Sunday, October 18 to coincide with World Menopause Day.

Andrea expects the event to double in size this year and even include some local celebrities.

In addition to her advocacy work, Andrea has turned to art as a form of healing and self-expression.

She began painting at the end of lockdown and has since completed more than 100 pet portraits.

She said: "At the end of lockdown, I used watercolour paints for the first time and then I felt compelled to paint a terminally ill dog – Sacha – and I gifted the portrait to her owner.

"Sacha and Friends was born and I have painted – and sometimes gifted – more than 100 pet portraits since.

"I also have a range of mandala art prints and cloudscapes; all available via my website andreaclareart.uk"

In her spare time, she now enjoys painting, which she says has helped her through grief and trauma.

She also enjoys a night out with friends; the Glasgow Cocktail Festival runs from April 24 to May 3.

Her go-to drink is a raspberry mojito, although she has emphasised the value of mocktails for older women.

She said: "I love that mocktails are available at the event; midlife women can't process alcohol in the way they could when they were younger."