Brain Tumour Symptoms Mistaken for Menopause: Delyth’s Oligodendroglioma Story
When Delyth Smith was diagnosed with an oligodendroglioma in late 2023, it finally explained years of symptoms that had slowly stolen her confidence, health and sense of self.
What had been blamed on menopause, stress and depression was actually a brain tumour.
Delyth had always been active, fit and adventurous. A keen climber and mountaineer, she was used to pushing herself physically. But gradually, everyday life became harder.
She struggled to walk far. Her mood changed. Her confidence slipped. She no longer felt like herself.
At first, many of the symptoms were easy to explain away — menopause, stress, depression, the aftermath of COVID.
But the truth was something very different.
Early Symptoms That Didn’t Make Sense
Delyth began noticing strange changes in how she felt and behaved.
She became more emotional, impulsive and frustrated. She says things would come out of her mouth before she could stop them.
Even driving became difficult.
On one occasion, she forgot how to drive in the middle of town and had to leave her car in the road.
“I forgot how to drive in the middle of Wilmslow and I just had to leave my car in the middle of the road.”
Looking back now, these were signs of a frontal lobe brain tumour affecting how her brain was functioning.
Like many people with brain tumours, the symptoms were subtle at first and easy to misread.
“I just knew I felt really, really, really bad.”
The Seizure That Changed Everything
Everything came to a head while Delyth was in Sheffield recording social media interviews.
She suffered a major seizure and was rushed to hospital.
A CT scan quickly revealed a brain tumour.
Within days, she was referred to specialists in Manchester and prepared for surgery.
Watch Delth tell her story in full in the Aunty M Brain Tumours Talk Show interview below, or keep reading for the written version
Emergency Brain Surgery
Delyth underwent an eight-hour craniotomy.
Surgeons were able to remove around 90% of the tumour, leaving a small area near important blood vessels where surgery would have been too risky.
Weeks later, she received the diagnosis: oligodendroglioma, a slower-growing type of brain tumour.
Although no diagnosis is easy to hear, there was relief in knowing it was not a fast-growing tumour.
Recovery Was Not Straightforward
The surgery was only the beginning.
After returning home, Delyth experienced complications, including leaking cerebrospinal fluid and a serious infection.
She needed urgent treatment and another craniotomy.
Her recovery became longer and more difficult than anyone expected.
Hospital stays, strong antibiotics, steroids and constant monitoring all took their toll physically and emotionally.
The Hidden Trauma of Hospital Life
Delyth also speaks openly about something many patients understand but rarely say out loud — hospital itself can be traumatic.
Being surrounded by seriously ill people, hearing devastating conversations behind curtains, losing independence and identity as a patient can leave lasting emotional scars.
She describes feeling like she had stopped being herself and become only a diagnosis.
That honesty will resonate with many readers.
Finding Humour in Dark Moments
Despite everything she has faced, Delyth has held onto humour.
During her time in hospital, she kept notes and voice memos about the strange, surreal and sometimes absurd moments of treatment and recovery.
Those notes became the basis of a book she hopes to publish to raise money for brain tumour charities.
Her humour doesn’t minimise what happened.
It shows the strength it took to survive it.
Why Delyth Is Sharing Her Story
By sharing her experience, Delyth hopes more people understand that brain tumour symptoms are not always obvious.
Sometimes they look like depression.
Sometimes menopause.
Sometimes personality change, confusion or simply “not feeling right”.
Trusting your instincts matters.
Her story is also a reminder that recovery is rarely linear — and that laughter, honesty and support can carry people through the darkest times.
Delyth’s story matters because so many people dismiss symptoms that don’t fit the stereotype.
Brain tumours are not always dramatic at first.
Sometimes they arrive quietly.
And sometimes being believed can save years of suffering.
