Valerie Bertinelli Says Her Postmenopause Years Have Been ‘the Most Challenging’ for Her Mental Health

"I’m eight years out but I’ve also probably had the most challenging, difficult, heartbreaking eight years of my life, in my entire 64 years," Bertinelli said on 'The Drew Barrymore Show'

Valerie Bertinelli and Drew Barrymore are opening up about all the difficulties before, during and after menopause.

The Food Network alum (and new Drew Barrymore Show contributor) spoke to Barrymore about the effects menopause had on her life, and continue to have now. The talk show host asked Bertinelli, 64, about her experience with menopause and she joked, “Oh, I’m menodead.”

Bertinelli explained that it has been about eight years since she went through menopause, which lasted for about “10 or 12 years.” And for over a decade, she experienced all the symptoms.

“The hot flashes? I totally got,” she said. “The brain fog I would get on Hot in Cleveland?”

“Hot in Cleveland: pun intended,” Barrymore, 49, interjected. Laughing, Bertinelli continued, “Trying to memorize lines, all of the best bloopers are because Valerie was going through brain fog.”

But Bertinelli — who joined as the newest “Drew Crew” member in September — said that the emotional and physical difficulties of menopause didn’t go away entirely.

“I’m a little confused, which is why I’m so happy you have these doctors with us today, because I’m at a point now where I’m eight years out but I’ve also probably had the most challenging, difficult, heartbreaking eight years of my life, in my entire 64 years,” said Bertinelli, adding that it’s “worse” than how she would feel before her period when she was premenopausal. “Now I’m like, ‘What is happening to my mental health?’”

Related: Valerie Bertinelli Reveals the Surprising Reason Why She Stopped Drinking Alcohol Almost 1 Year Ago (Exclusive)

Barrymore nodded sympathetically. “And nobody talks about how menopause could be harder to deal with than periods," she added.

Bertinelli told PEOPLE at the inaugural Food & Wine Classic in Charleston on Sept. 28 that talking about health is one of her favorite parts of being part of Barrymore’s show.

“Drew tackles subjects that I wish I had heard about 10 years ago, like menopause alone,” she said. “She tackles subjects that not a lot of people do, and she does it with such grace and such vulnerability and authenticity to her and that all of us can relate to. I love being there.”

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Opening up so candidly on the talk show, she said, has helped inform her about her own experiences with menopause.

“I love being able to talk about it because things are happening to my body. I ask my doctor but he's just, like, ‘I don't know,’” said Bertinelli. “So it's fun to talk to other women that are going through the same thing and we can relate and we can say, ‘Oh my God, don't feel alone.’”

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