Doctors gaslit me into thinking I wasn't ill – experts failed me & now I may never be a mother, reveals Vicky Pattison
MEDICAL MISOGYNY Doctors gaslit me into thinking I wasn't ill – experts failed me & now I may never be a mother, reveals Vicky Pattison
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
HER fiery temper on Geordie Shore won over an army of fans – but even though Vicky Pattison has smoothed out her rough edges, she has still managed to become an unfiltered voice on issues that matter.
And now she's tackling a cause that is close to her heart.
3
Vicky Pattison says the UK healthcare system is failing women, including herself
Credit: Shutterstock Editorial
3
It was when Vicky started dating her husband Ercan Ramadan seven years ago that her PMDD first emerged
Credit: instagram
In an exclusive chat with The Sun — which comes as she presents Vicky Pattison Investigates: Medical Misogyny today on Good Morning Britain — the former I'm A Celebrity winner tells us why the UK healthcare system is failing women, including herself.
Vicky, 37, says: 'Women are so often the punching bags.
'At the moment, the healthcare system is telling women that their pain, suffering and debilitating conditions do not matter.'
Shocking statistics revealed today by GMB show three in five women have experienced reproductive health issues, yet a third have had to wait over a year for a diagnosis.
Meanwhile, over half of them received a misdiagnosis, and 51 per cent said they had felt dismissed by a medical professional.
It's a feeling that Vicky knows all too well as it took five years of being made to feel like she was overreacting before she was finally diagnosed with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder.
In the meantime, she was suffering from anxiety, depressive moods, rage, crippling cramps, and a feeling of hopelessness.
Her GP told her it was nothing unusual — she was just a bit more 'sensitive' than the average woman.
'When I hit my 30s, my period symptoms started becoming increasingly heightened,' she says.
'In some of my more intense and darker moments, I had suicidal thoughts.
I'm A Celeb winner set to join Strictly after wowing bosses while supporting pal in audience last year
'I knew what I was experiencing couldn't be right — it was just so debilitating.
'But for five years, I was repeatedly dismissed by my doctors.
"I was told everything from, 'This is just PMS, everyone experiences it, other women can just handle it better' to, 'This is psychological — you need antidepressants.'
'I was told by one doctor, 'Maybe it'll be better if you lose weight.''
Her voice breaks when she reflects on the battle she still faces.
Vicky says: 'Every month, you lose yourself — and as I've gotten older, it's gotten worse.
"It used to last a few days, but now it's seven to ten days before my period.
'I'm anxious, I'm emotional, I'm exhausted, and I'm completely unrecognisable from the woman I am the rest of the time.
'The things that bring me joy don't bring me joy.'
It was only three years ago, after hitting countless dead ends, that she went to a private doctor — a step she knows many women can't take.
'SPICY MOMENTS'
'I broke down when she said I had PMDD,' Vicky says. 'I'd had five years of being gaslit.'
Yet sadly for Vicky and so many other women, diagnosis is just the first step.
She is still on the quest to find treatment that works.
She explains: 'I've read all the blogs, I follow all the accounts, I've got some great premenstrual supplements that I swear by.
'But even if you exercise, your diet is good and you're doing all those things you know help, you can't control the uncontrollable and the PMDD symptoms will rage.
'The only thing that helps me is communicating.
"Whether it's to my agent, to the people I work with, or to my family, I say: 'I know what's about to happen.
"There will be some spicy moments where I'm raging. Please know that's not me.''
So much of her personal healing has come from her husband of almost a year, Ercan Ramadan, 31.
The pair had only just started dating around seven years ago when Vicky's PMDD first emerged.
She recalls: 'It did initially put a huge strain on our relationship.
3
Vicky's now written to Health Secretary Wes Streeting to deliver news of GMB's findings
Credit: Getty
'Now I help him understand.
"I'll go to him: 'I think I'm coming into my spicy week' — where you can't remember names, you can't remember where you're supposed to be, you're practically narcoleptic.
'He'll just handle me with kid gloves. I am very lucky that I have a man who understands.
'I know everyone's not in that position, but they can't give you empathy if they don't understand, so do try to explain it.'
Vicky's now written to Health Secretary Wes Streeting to deliver news of GMB's findings.
She wants to see education on women's health improve in schools, get GPs more informed and give greater support to women in the workplace when they are in pain.
Vicky says: 'I know Wes Streeting is a busy man, and I don't think for one second he's going to see a letter from Vicky Pattison and think, 'Ooh I should make time for her.'
'But it's not about ignoring me. It's about what ignoring me says to women in Britain.
"You are saying to half the population that our pain, our suffering, our quality of life doesn't matter. That is inexcusable.'
Appearing alongside Vicky on GMB today are three women who have also been fobbed off by the healthcare system.
I think people wrote me off a long time ago, but I'm really grateful that I parlayed a stint on reality TV to where I am now
Vicky Pattison
Kelly Swingler, 44, from Cambridgeshire, waited 34 years for a diagnosis of adenomyosis, and it took two years for Rachael Twimasi-Corson, 35, from London, to get a call from a mental health nurse after identifying her PMDD symptoms through social media.
Meanwhile, Manika Kaur, 27, from Newcastle, received an endometriosis diagnosis after ten years of debilitating pain.
Vicky adds: 'I'm hoping that the Government realises this can't be ignored anymore.'
As for her personal journey, PMDD is still a battle — and it's one affecting her plans to become a mum after freezing her eggs in 2023 and making embryos with Ercan.
She wells up as she says: 'I am a woman of a certain age who would love to have kids.
"But my fear is that my condition will make it very difficult to be the mum that I want to be.
"You want to be this lovely, patient mother, but I do worry what I'll be like with PMDD — because you're short-tempered, you're exhausted."
Yet having opened up in previous years about her body image issues, her struggles with alcohol and finding herself in toxic relationships, she is used to showing her vulnerable side.
She says: 'I think people wrote me off a long time ago, but I'm really grateful that I parlayed a stint on reality TV to where I am now, and that I'm able to use my platform to champion issues that are so important to me.
'I'm going to be a thorn in the side of people making decisions, because I believe it's important.
'I hope they're ready, because I'm fired up.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
North Wales Chronicle
4 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
New runners are falling into these common traps
A poll of 2,000 adults found 42 per cent have skipped a running warm-up or cool-down. While a third (32 per cent) have run through pain, or ignored early injury warning signs, just to stay moving. More than nine in 10 (94 per cent) admitted to making at least one 'running red flag' mistake, with many making the same early missteps. More than a quarter (27 per cent) wore the wrong shoes or gear, while 23 per cent compared their efforts to others on social media like Strava. Others admitted to buying expensive gear before building a habit (15 per cent), or following rigid training plans that don't fit real lives (18 per cent). The research was commissioned by Samsung to promote its Galaxy Watch8. Clinical Psychologist Dr Julie Smith warns red flags are part of the process, but the key is knowing when to spot them and when to reset. She said: 'Many people take up running to feel better mentally as well as physically — but it's easy to fall into 'all or nothing' thinking. 'They push themselves too hard, compare their progress to others, and when it doesn't go perfectly, they give up. 'That mindset can take a real toll on both motivation and mental wellbeing. The research went on to find mental wellbeing is now one of the top reasons that people start running. Nearly half (46 per cent) who have started running in the last six months, said they lace up primarily to manage stress and improve mood rather than to hit traditional fitness goals. While 21 per cent said they were looking to connect with others or join a community. When running becomes a habit, the benefits are wide-reaching. Respondents said running helped them to reduce stress (48 per cent), sleep better (51 per cent), improve their mood (52 per cent) and boost energy during the day (42 per cent). A quarter (24 per cent) said celebrity stories like Jamie Laing's and Spencer Matthews' have inspired them to start running, while 37 per cent were inspired by a friend or family member's transformation. Local running clubs and parkruns (26 per cent) are also powerful motivators, while social media continues to play a role, with 23 per cent crediting running influencers on platforms like Instagram and TikTok for sparking their interest. Dr Julie Smith added: 'The Galaxy Watch8's Running Coach helps people stay grounded with real-time support and structure, while also tracking key wellness indicators like sleep and heart rate variability. 'Tools that empower runners to build sustainable habits that support both body and mind.'
Wales Online
5 hours ago
- Wales Online
Faye Winter tells of ‘terrifying' weeks before Love Island due to botched Botox
Faye Winter tells of 'terrifying' weeks before Love Island due to botched Botox It comes as ministers announce plans to cut down on "cowboy" cosmetic procedures by introducing new restrictions on who can access and provide treatments. Reality star Faye Winter appeared on Good Morning Britain to discuss her cosmetic surgery bad experience (Image: ITV) Reality TV star Faye Winter has said it was "pretty terrifying" to be subject to botched Botox treatment in the weeks leading up to her stint on Love Island. It comes as ministers announce plans to cut down on "cowboy" cosmetic procedures by introducing new restrictions on who can access and provide treatments. Winter, 30, who appeared on the ITV dating show in 2021, said the Government is taking "a massive step in the right direction" and added that the NHS should not be covering the cost of corrective treatment for botched surgeries. Speaking about the weeks leading up to her Love Island appearance, she told ITV's Good Morning Britain (GMB): "It was pretty terrifying. I wanted to look a certain way. I wanted to look the best version of myself, knowing that I was going on national television. "I went to somebody to do my Botox that I hadn't been to before, and he told me that he was medically trained. I believed him, as so many of us do. "I later found out that he was a property developer, and he had put too much Botox into my forehead, meaning my full forehead just had nothing in it. I couldn't move it and it was fully relaxed. "It was paralysed, and I literally had to wait it out, not knowing if it (the feeling) was or wasn't going to come back." Winter explained that her forehead "had relaxed" and that her eyelids and eyebrows had "drooped". The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has said that steps will be taken to protect people from "rogue operators" with no medical training who often provide "invasive" procedures in homes, hotels and pop-up clinics. The DHSC also said the move to introduce new restrictions will reduce the cost imposed on the NHS to fix botched procedures. Winter added: "I think obviously it's a massive step in the right direction. This is only for four years I've been speaking about (it). "So for the Government to even acknowledge it is amazing. But there's also parts of it that I do think, where they say, you know licences... what are they going to look like? "Does somebody just need a passport number at a UK address and they still get a licence? We don't know what that quite looks like yet, and I think it's really important that we know those finer details." Speaking on whether the NHS should pay for corrective treatments, she said: "I don't think that we as taxpayers should be paying for that. I never asked anybody to pay for my correction work, and that was on me, and I had to learn the hard way." Winter was on series seven of the ITV dating show Love Island and was seen coupling up with Teddy Soares. Article continues below Before the proposed regulations come into force, the Government has urged people seeking cosmetic procedures to ask for the provider's qualifications and insurance, and to be wary of "suspiciously cheap" offers. It comes after health officials launched an investigation after a number of people had reactions to Botox injections earlier this year.
Daily Mirror
5 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Nikki Grahame's mum's fat jab warning after one comment sparked star's death
Big Brother star Nikki Grahame died aged 38 after a long battle with anorexia, as her mum warns that current weight-loss culture and the rise in jabs could put more young people at risk Nikki Grahame was just seven years old when a seemingly throwaway comment turned her world upside down. The Big Brother star 's mum, Sue Grahame, recalls the moment Nikki came home from gymnastics, upset after another child commented on the size of her bum in a leotard. That one remark, Sue believes, marked the start of her daughter's life-long struggle with anorexia - a battle that would dominate Nikki's life until her death in 2021 at the age of 38. She From the age of seven, Nikki spent over a decade in and out of hospital - more than 18 institutions in total, including a two-and-a-half-year stretch at Great Ormond Street. Her condition was so severe, one world-renowned doctor told her: "You are by far the worst I've ever seen." Following her death, Dorset County Hospital conducted an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding her passing. A spokesperson said at the time: 'The review has not identified any shortfalls in care which might have influenced the outcome, but has enabled both trusts to review opportunities for further partnership in the management of future complex eating disorder cases as well as further discussions on the clinical strategy in Dorset.' Today, Sue, 71, is raising alarm over the popularity of weight-loss injections, which she fears could become dangerous tools in the hands of those struggling with eating disorders. "I think these jabs are a nightmare for people with eating disorders," she told The Sun. "They're already skinny and this just gives them another way to restrict food. It would have been a worry for me while Nikki was alive." Sue explained that Nikki's relationship with food became tightly controlled from childhood. Small daily rituals, like weighing herself before and after meals, became part of a meticulous and punishing routine. The idea of taking an injection to suppress appetite, she says, would have only fuelled that toxic obsession. Sue also expressed concern about the kind of content being shared on social media, particularly "thinspiration" videos that glorify extreme thinness and offer tips on how to eat as little as possible. She revealed that Nikki used to browse this kind of online content in secret. The first sign that something was wrong came not long after the gymnastics comment. Nikki became withdrawn and fussy with food. Doctors, however, refused to believe anything was seriously wrong. Sue said she was repeatedly dismissed until the day Nikki became so weak she couldn't stand. That day, she carried her daughter into the GP's surgery and refused to leave until action was taken. Although Big Brother gave Nikki a temporary escape, her illness was never far away. Behind the scenes, she battled obsessive food rituals and deep-set fears around hygiene. She couldn't eat in front of people and everything had to be cleaned to her standard before meals. Sue said that Nikki learned survival mechanisms inside anorexia treatment units that later shaped her explosive personality on TV. Despite her battle, Nikki found moments of joy in her life. She worked abroad, trained as a teaching assistant, and continued to be a beloved figure to fans. But Covid lockdowns brought isolation and a serious relapse. Her gym closed, so she bought a £900 cross trainer for her flat. She began collapsing while walking. Her body, after decades of malnutrition, was shutting down. In April 2021, Nikki collapsed at a pharmacy and was taken to hospital. But due to a lack of space in specialist eating disorder units, she was placed in a general ward. According to Sue, care there was insufficient and, at times, 'aggressive.' Staff reportedly told Nikki she could go home if she walked up and down a set of steps - even though she could barely care for herself. She was discharged, alone, and took a taxi to her London flat. Hours later, she was dead. A nurse later phoned Sue in tears, admitting: 'She shouldn't have gone home.' Four years on, Sue is still grieving the loss of her only daughter. She recently had to say goodbye to Baby, Nikki's beloved chihuahua, who had lived with her since Nikki's death. She fears young people today are facing the same pressures Nikki did, but multiplied by social media, diet culture, and the rise of appetite-suppressing injections. It's estimated around 1.5 million people in the UK are on weight loss drugs, with demand continuing to rise. Around 95 percent of those are getting the prescriptions privately.
