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EastEnders star Jo Joyner, 48, fears menopause will affect her acting career amid her struggle with brain fog – following a secret hysterectomy

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Jo Joyner has candidly opened up on having surgical menopause following a secret hysterectomy.

48-year-old actress who was once on EastEnders shared during Kate Thornton’s White Wine Question Time podcast that she had a hysterectomy recently due to having excessive estrogen levels, leading to an early onset of menopause.

Menopause brought on by surgery, often referred to as “surgical menopause,” occurs when your ovaries are surgically removed (a procedure known as bilateral oophorectomy) or when they’re taken out during a hysterectomy before natural menopause. This results in an abrupt start of the menopause process following the surgery.

Jo, who portrayed Tanya Branning on the BBC soap opera, confessed that she’s concerned about how menopause may impact her acting career due to her current battle with brain fog.

One reason for my undergoing a complete hysterectomy was an excess of estrogen in my body.

‘Unlike many others, I faced an unusual situation. Now, a year later, I find myself requiring estrogen supplements due to the abundance of my reserves. Isn’t that surprising?’

She mentioned, “I believe a typical general practitioner might have simply prescribed oestrogen for my symptoms. However, it seems that this approach only worsened the issue.

I didn’t realize the balance of my hormones until I conducted the Dutch hormone test, which presented me with a small, circular graph illustrating all my hormone levels.

Upon hearing this, I exclaimed, ‘That’s clear as day!’ I visited my naturopath who informed me that my estrogen levels were extremely high and beyond normal range. She advised me to consult a doctor immediately as there seemed to be an underlying issue. As it turned out, she was spot on with her diagnosis.

In the past, I was dealing with a condition called endometriosis adenomyosis. However, more than a year has passed since then, and now, I’m slowly experiencing menopause for the first time.

Yesterday, I found myself in an unusual predicament where I repeatedly entered rooms and cabinets, only to stand there perplexed, wondering why I had come there in the first place. I found myself questioning my purpose each time: “What am I doing here? Why did I come here?

‘Well, I don’t know, but it amazes me how quick it can happen.’

Indeed, it’s fortunate that this situation isn’t encroaching upon my professional duties. Thankfully, I’m still able to deliver as expected. It does, however, seem rather daunting when such interruptions might start impacting one’s workflow.

As I journey through my life, I find myself unexpectedly treading on the path of early surgical menopause, a reality that seems almost surreal given I’m not yet 50. It feels a bit too premature for someone as vibrant and youthful as me, but I choose to see it as an unusual challenge rather than a barrier.

With a packed workload, Jo, set to appear on the upcoming Paramount series Little Disasters, decided to take a week-long break at a retreat for relaxation and rejuvenation.

She mentioned that her ex-colleague and good friend, Tamzin Outhwaite, had advised her to attend the retreat.

This year has been quite unusual for me. I underwent some surgeries, followed by a trip to Malta, my return home, another trip to a place called Richmond (in a location not specified) that had Budapest, and then I jumped right into Shakespeare and Hathaway in September.

For roughly a week or two, there was no break between my employment opportunities. By early March this year, following the completion of Shakespeare and Hathaway, I found myself jobless once more.

I realized it was high time for me to reflect on my recent major surgery, the menopause I’m experiencing, and everything else that comes with it, and give myself some personal time for a while.

Inspired by the remarkable Tamzin Outhwaite and her initiative, “We Free Women,” which is a captivating retreat-focused project of hers, we too are inspired to pursue our own endeavor in a similar vein.

She frequently encouraged me to take a retreat, explaining that she had done so herself during her spiritual journeys, including the time we spent in Malta last year. She emphasized the importance of self-care, healing, and exploration of my new abilities, saying, “It’s crucial for you to go on a retreat. You need some personal time to heal and discover what your body is capable of.

After a year had passed, I hadn’t achieved what I set out to do yet. To be honest, I was quite drained. It seemed extravagant and self-centered, but I decided to take a week off for a solo retreat, something I had never done before.

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2025-06-06 02:20

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