Reality TV star Vicky Pattinson has spoken of her experience of ‘medical misogyny’ after male doctors dismissed her ‘crippling’ gynecological symptoms for five years.
The 37-year-old was diagnosed with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) in 2023 – a severe and debilitating form of premenstrual syndrome that the former I’m A Celebrity winner described as ‘PMS on steroids’.
Despite struggling with ‘horrendous’ symptoms including ‘crippling anxiety, exhaustion and feelings of hopelessness’, she today revealed she was ‘ashamed’ of my doctors.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, she explained that the condition caused her to suffer a constant cycle of despair, including suicidal thoughts, for ten days to two weeks a month.
These types of problems may be familiar to many of the 824,000 women in the UK and 4.2 million in the US who suffer from PMDD.
Women with the condition experience intense mood swings, anxiety and boiling anger every month, in addition to regular physical symptoms.
The range of emotional and physical symptoms typically occur in the fourteen days before a period.
Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain today, she said: ‘It can look different for different people. Physical symptoms include aches, exhaustion, cramps, and breast pain.
Reality TV star Vicky Pattinson told ITV’s Good Morning Britain that male doctors dismissed her ‘crippling’ gynecological symptoms for five years
“Your mental symptoms are your mood swings, your erratic behavior, and the sincere belief that the world will be a better place without you.”
Although PMDD is common, a lack of awareness among healthcare professionals means some women wait a decade or more for a diagnosis, according to the International Association for Premenstrual Disorders (IAPMD).
Pattison added: ‘My experience when I went in to discuss my symptoms was terrible. I was laid off for five years. I felt ashamed. Most of the time they were men.
‘I find the lack of understanding and empathy for what we are going through shocking.
“We’re not getting the right information and training to be able to treat a woman who’s going through what she’s going through.”
“When I was completely fired again and again, I was able to go private.”
Pattinson’s complaints come after a damning report found women are suffering from painful gynecological conditions as a result of ‘medical misogyny’ within the NHS.
A stigma surrounding reproductive health issues and a lack of education about common conditions such as endometriosis, heavy periods and adenomyosis are fueling the crisis, the report said.
Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, or PMDD, has numerous physical symptoms, such as pain, nausea and fatigue, as well as mental health problems such as mood swings, relationship problems and even thoughts of suicide.
Victims suffer painful discomfort that ‘disrupts every aspect of their daily lives’, including their education, careers, relationships and fertility, according to MPs on the Commons Women and Equalities Committee, which published the report today.
The report shows that a lack of research, treatments and specialists, together with the ‘de-prioritisation’ of gynecology services, has led to these waiting lists growing faster than any other specialty.
Meanwhile, women’s symptoms are often “normalized,” meaning it can take years before diagnosis and care are provided.
Pattinson told the GMB presenters: ‘There are thousands, if not millions, of people who are not getting the same opportunities as me and this report is a step in the right direction.’
It is estimated that neglecting women’s health in the workplace costs the UK economy £20 billion a year, with some forced to leave their jobs.
The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says Britain is in the midst of a ‘gynecological care crisis’, with more than 750,000 women on the waiting list.
According to IAPMD, approximately 72 percent of people with a PMDD diagnosis report suicidal thoughts at some point in their lives.
By comparison, in the general population, about 10 percent of people report suicidal thoughts during their lifetime.
However, it’s not just emotional and psychological symptoms that many women with the condition also struggle with.
Physical symptoms that can also be disabling and have a disruptive influence on the quality of life.
A lack of energy, tender or swollen breasts, pain in muscles or joints, headaches, bloating, changes in appetite such as overeating or specific food cravings, and irregular sleep are all symptoms of PMDD.
The exact causes of PMDD are not yet fully known, but researchers believe it may be due to being very sensitive to changes in hormone levels.
Treatment for PMDD ranges from taking antidepressants and the combined contraceptive pill to therapy and painkillers or even surgery to remove the uterus, says mental health organization MIND.