Reality star’s desperate bid to raise awareness of condition

An English reality star who took part in the Australian version of I’m A Celebrity has slammed the reaction of doctors to her debilitating disorder.

A reality star has let the world in on some of her darkest moments in a bid to raise awareness for an illness women are often dismissed for.

Vicky Pattison first rose to fame on Geordie Shore before securing her own show and appearing on the Australian and UK versions of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!.

The reality TV star appeared on Good Morning Britain where she talked about her experience with premenstrual dysphoric disorder and how doctors dismissed her when she asked for help.

Vicky Pattison first rose to fame on Geordie Shore. Picture: Instagram

Premenstrual dysphoric disorder, also known as PMDD, happens a week or two before a period starts as hormone levels begin to drop.

It manifests as lasting irritability, sadness, suicidal thoughts, feeling out of control, trouble sleeping, food cravings, low energy, cramps, bloating or muscle pain.

“I was told it was ‘just PMS and every other woman in the world is going through it. They’re not making as much of a fuss as you’,” Vicky said.

“I felt embarrassed and I felt weak that they were able to call up all these other beautiful, shiny strong women and I couldn’t.”

She said PMDD is like building a sandcastle of good habits every month and then a wave comes along and washes away everything you’ve built.

Vicky said only hopelessness and despair is left, with the person desperately left trying to rebuild their castle before the wave returns.

“It’s a constant cycle. I experienced, although some people can have different symptoms, it was despair, hopelessness, overwhelmed, chronic fatigue and crippling anxiety,” she said.

Vicky talked about her experience with premenstrual dysphoric disorder and how doctors dismissed her when she asked for help. Picture: Instagram

She is now raising awareness. Picture: Instagram

“And in some of the darker moments it was suicidal thoughts.”

Hundreds of people rushed to thank Vicky for her candidness of the issue, saying; “Post menopausal woman here. PMDD ends when menopause happens. Thank goodness.”

Another said: “I’m more and more convinced that PMDD is why women have been perceived as ‘crazy’ and ‘unstable’ for generations. We have known so little about it.”

One added: “Thank you for this. PMDD has ruined my life the last 12 years, and the first doctors said that it was all in my head.”

“We need funding for women’s hormonal conditions eg. PCOS, PMDD, menopause, etc. You go to the doc about any of them they shrug you off,” another said.

One commented: “I thought it was ‘normal’ to feel this every month and finally in 2020 my doctor said no sweetie you have pmdd now I’m on anxiety meds for my uterus.”