Latest news with #PMDD
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mirror
Vicky Pattison admits medical condition makes her 'fear being a mum'
Former Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattison has raised awareness of premenstrual dysphoric disorder, which is known as PMDD, in recent years following her diagnosis Reality TV star Vicky Pattison has shared a fear over parenthood. She's opened up about the potential impact of a health condition, saying that she worries it will make it "very difficult" for her to be the parent that she wants to be. Vicky, 37, has raised awareness of premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) since being diagnosed two years ago. The former Geordie Shore star has spoken about symptoms that she has experienced, including "crippling" anxiety and insomnia, in the weeks leading up to her period each month. The presenter has now expressed concern over the prospect of parenthood due to the condition. It comes after Vicky previously shared that she was freezing embryos amid her relationship with Ercan Ramadan. Speaking to The Sun, Vicky said in an interview published tonight: "I am a woman of a certain age who would love to have kids." She added: "But my fear is that my condition will make it very difficult to be the mum that I want to be." She went on to discuss symptoms such as exhaustion. Looking to the future, Vicky said: "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." Vicky, who is set to appear in a segment on Good Morning Britain tomorrow about women being misdiagnosed with conditions, also spoke about her experience with the outlet. She recalled it taking five years to be diagnosed with PMDD. She shared that once in her thirties, her period symptoms became "increasingly heightened". Vicky said that her experience was "so debilitating" and she told the outlet that in her "more intense" moments, she had "suicidal thoughts". Vicky, however, said that she was "repeatedly dismissed" by doctors for five years. She said that one doctor told her that she was simply more "sensitive" than other women, experiencing symptoms including depressive moods and cramps. She's shared that she ended up visiting a private doctor, who went on to diagnose her with PMDD. Vicky said that she "broke down" when she got the diagnosis. Vicky also told the outlet that she loses herself every month and that it's "gotten worse" as she's gotten older. She said that whilst it used to last a few days, it now continues for up to ten days before her period. She said that symptoms include feeling anxious, emotional and exhausted. She added that she doesn't feel joy from things that usually bring her enjoyment either. Vicky said that she is "completely unrecognisable" in the days before her period each month. If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@ or visit their site to find your local branch.
The Irish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Doctors gaslit me into thinking I wasn't ill – experts failed me & now I may never be a mother, reveals Vicky Pattison
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. Advertisement 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, Advertisement 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 In the meantime, she was suffering from Her GP told her it was nothing unusual — she was just a bit more 'sensitive' than the average woman. Advertisement '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 "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.' Advertisement '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. Advertisement '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. Advertisement 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.'' Advertisement So much of her personal healing has come from her husband of almost a year, 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. Advertisement "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 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. Advertisement 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 Advertisement 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 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. Advertisement "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.' Advertisement Tune in to Good Morning Britain on ITV1 and ITVX from 6am today for its exclusive investigation into medical misogyny with Vicky Pattison.
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- Scottish Sun
Doctors gaslit me into thinking I wasn't ill – experts failed me & now I may never be a mother, reveals Vicky Pattison
Vicky has written to Health Secretary Wes Streeting about the issue of medical misogyny 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.'
Sky News AU
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'Stop using ADHD for everything': Bachelorette star Angie Kent slammed for blaming neurodivergence for massive parking fine
Reality TV star Angie Kent has come under fire for bringing up her ADHD diagnosis after copping a $204 parking fine in Melbourne. Kent, 35, rose to fame appearing alongside former housemate Yvie Jones on Gogglebox Australia and later starred in the fifth season of The Bachelorette Australia. The veteran reality star took to social media on Wednesday to share her frustration with Stonnington council in Melbourne's inner east after receiving a fine for parking in a loading zone. Kent, who pleaded guilty to drink driving back in October 2021, argued Melbourne's street signage was confusing, especially for those suffering with Adult ADHD. Adult ADHD is a neurodevelopmental condition that includes a combination of persistent problems, such as difficulty paying attention, hyperactivity and impulsive behaviour. 'They have so much writing on the signs … so you think you're reading something and when you've got ADHD I read that and it literally looks like a different language, it's just a lot going on,' Kent said. The reality star's comments were criticised by her social media followers, who accused Kent of 'using ADHD' for everything. 'It's not that hard,' one said. 'Stop using ADHD for everything,' another said. 'Don't blame ADHD, that's a cop out - if you can't understand the sign don't park there,' a third follower wrote. Kent, who has publicly shared her journey with both ADHD and PMDD, a hormonal condition that triggers extreme mood swings, was quick to defend herself. 'It's not an excuse but my reality,' she responded to one critic. 'I spent most of my life not knowing about ADHD, so I'll keep talking about how difficult … it is.' Other followers suggested Kent should consider taking public transport if she was unable to read road signs. 'Don't drive a car if you struggle with road signs,' one follower said. The reality star also received support from fans and fellow ADHD sufferers, who agreed parking signs were unnecessarily complicated. 'Signage in Australia is incredibly confusing,' one supporter wrote. 'I don't have ADHD and I still struggle to figure it out.'
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Women with ADHD three times more likely to experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder
Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has historically been under-studied in women. This means we still have a limited understanding of how the condition may uniquely affect women – and what effect monthly hormonal changes may have on women with ADHD. But a recent study conducted by me and my colleagues has shown that women with ADHD are at higher risk for mental health struggles associated with the menstrual cycle. We found that having ADHD makes women around three times more likely to experience premenstrual dysphoric disorder. Premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), is a serious condition that affects about 3% of women worldwide. The condition can seriously interfere with a person's everyday life, causing symptoms such as mood swings, irritability, depressed mood and anxiety. These symptoms occur in the days before menstruation, and resolve after the period starts. For some, PMDD may lead to severe outcomes, such as being at an increased risk of attempting suicide. Read more: Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK's latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences. We conducted an online survey of 715 women aged 18 to 34 in the UK. We asked them whether they experienced different symptoms of ADHD or PMDD, whether they'd received an ADHD diagnosis from a doctor and how symptoms interfered with their lives. We found that about 31% of women with a clinical ADHD diagnosis also had PMDD, as did around 41% of women who scored high for ADHD symptoms (whether they had been formally diagnosed with ADHD or not). In comparison, only about 9% of women without ADHD met the criteria for PMDD. We also found that women who had ADHD and a clinical diagnosis of depression or anxiety had an even greater risk of PMDD. The research showed that the most common PMDD symptoms women experienced were irritability, feeling overwhelmed and depression. But women with ADHD may also be more likely to experience insomnia when they have PMDD. Our study isn't the first to show a link between the two conditions, but it is the first to identify a similar PMDD risk among women with ADHD symptoms, not just among those who were in treatment. We're also the first to show that people who have ADHD plus depression or anxiety are at an even greater risk of PMDD. Other research suggests that women with ADHD may also be at higher risk for mental health problems during other times of hormonal change. For instance, one study found women with ADHD experienced higher rates of depression and anxiety after starting combined oral hormonal contraceptives. Another study found that women with ADHD were more likely to experience depression after giving birth than those without the condition. More research is now needed to understand why women with ADHD appear to be more vulnerable to PMDD, and whether this affects what treatments work best. It should be noted that our study assesses 'provisional PMDD diagnosis'. An official diagnosis requires two months of symptom tracking across the menstrual cycle. But we asked women to remember how they felt across their menstrual cycle rather than tracking how they feel in real-time. This means we could be over- or under-estimating PMDD prevalence as we're relying on participants to recall their symptoms. Future research should assess PMDD symptoms among women in real-time as they experience their menstrual cycles to more accurately assess symptoms without having to rely on people's memory. Additionally, it may be difficult to distinguish PMDD from other disorders that may worsen during the premenstrual period, such as depression or anxiety. Tracking symptoms across the menstrual cycle in real-time would help to disentangle this. PMDD can have profoundly negative effects on women's lives. Some women even report it can make them feel 'physically unable to see the joy in things'. Although symptoms can be managed with prescription treatments, this can only happen if the condition is diagnosed by a doctor. Our new research shows us that women with ADHD are an at-risk group for PMDD, especially if they also have depression or anxiety. This suggests doctors should consider screening for PMDD among women with ADHD to reduce distress and adverse outcomes associated with the condition. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Jessica Agnew-Blais receives funding from the UK Medical Research Council and GambleAware for her research.
