Blue Lights star opens up on 'weird' menopause struggles
Blue Lights actress Andi Osho has revealed the surprising menopause symptoms she never expected to experience, including vertigo, phantom smells and eyes that constantly felt "itchy and full of grit", as new research highlights how many women are battling overlooked menopausal symptoms.
To mark Menopause Awareness Month, Osho is helping to raise awareness of lesser-known symptoms after partnering with Specsavers, whose research among 1,000 menopausal, perimenopausal and postmenopausal women found that issues such as dry eyes, burning mouth syndrome, digestive problems and tingling sensations are affecting significant numbers of women.
Reflecting on her own experience, the 53-year-old London-born actress and comedian, who plays Gerry Cliff's wife Sandra in the hit BBC police drama, said: "One of the biggest surprises of perimenopause was discovering just how many weird and unexpected symptoms there were.
"I had vertigo, phantom smells, the occasional unwelcome chin hair and eyes that constantly felt itchy and full of grit.
"I later learned that dry eyes is actually a common menopause symptom. I used to make jokes about it in my stand-up - 'Just blink!' - but having experienced it myself, I know it's a lot more frustrating than that."
Her comments come as the study revealed a staggering number of women in Northern Ireland are suffering from severe, lesser-known daily symptoms that are often missing from official health resources.
Among those surveyed in Northern Ireland, 54% said they experience dry eyes, causing their vision to feel gritty (31%), itchy (38%), blurry (54%) and sensitive to light (31%).
Despite affecting more than one in two women experiencing menopause, only 28% were aware that dry eyes were linked to the menopause, while the condition is not currently listed on the NHS menopause symptoms webpage.
The study also exposed a similar awareness gap for other disruptive symptoms. Digestive issues such as bloating and nausea affect 33% of women, while burning mouth syndrome impacts 17% and electric shock sensations throughout the body are experienced by 11%.
The good news, according to experts, is that simple advice and treatment options are available to help ease symptoms and improve quality of life.
Dr Zoe Williams, GP and television personality, explained that hormonal changes can have widespread effects throughout the body.
"Hormonal fluctuations, particularly drops in oestrogen, cause systemic changes throughout the body.
"They alter blood pressure, nerve signalling, gut motility, and drastically reduce tear, saliva, and natural oil production. This triggers a range of symptoms that women simply do not expect.
"Menopause and perimenopause symptoms are often reduced to hot flushes, night sweats, and fatigue.
"Yet many women experience a wider range of lesser-known symptoms that can be confusing or unexpected, especially when there are no visible, physical signs."
For Osho, learning that treatment was available for dry eyes came as a welcome surprise.
"As someone who thought dry eyes was just one of those annoying things you had to deal with, I was intrigued to find out more about Specsavers' ZEST procedure.
"It was reassuring to learn there are ways to manage the symptoms, and that my eyes feeling itchy and gritty all the time doesn't have to become the new normal."
To address dry eye, one of the most common yet overlooked menopause symptoms, Specsavers is highlighting its advanced in-store ZEST (Zocular Eyelid System Technology) procedure, which is also available through its Home Visits service.
Leanne Lindsay, optician director at Specsavers Lisburn, said: "Dry eyes is a surprisingly common issue which can be very uncomfortable, and which many women don't realise there is treatment for.
"Many customers say that after procedures like ZEST, everything becomes clearer, more comfortable, and easier to focus on.
"It's a simple step that can have a big impact on how you see and feel."
ZEST is a quick, painless procedure lasting between 10 and 20 minutes. Using a natural okra-based gel and a specialised swab, it deep-cleans the eyelids and lashes, removing the biofilm, debris and mites that can block vital oil glands and contribute to dry eye symptoms.
l For more information on the procedure, visit www.specsavers.co.uk/book