Vicky Pattison felt 'gaslit by doctors' amid 'debilitating' PMDD struggle
22 July 2025, 11:45
Reality star Vicky Pattison has written to Health Secretary Wes Streeting to campaign for more support among women who suffer with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD).
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Vicky Pattison has opened up about her struggles with Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, revealing she felt "gaslit" by doctors who failed to diagnose her condition.
The TV personality, 37, claimed she had been continuously 'let down' by medical experts after it took five years to get the help she needed to manage her PMDD.
Despite describing her "debilitating" symptoms to professionals, which included suicidal thoughts, crippling cramps, anxiety and exhaustion, she explained doctors dismissed her concerns and told her she was just being "sensitive".
Now, the former Geordie Shore star is campaigning for more support among PMDD sufferers in a bid to help women feel heard at their GP appointments.
Vicky Pattison reveals PMDD diagnosis and struggles
Speaking of her difficult health battle, she told Good Morning Britain: "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."
Vicky, who regularly endures PMDD-driven depression and pain, was told by her GP that her symptoms were nothing short of unusual – something she felt wasn't right.
She said: "When I hit my 30s, my period symptoms started becoming increasingly heightened.
"In some of my more intense and darker moments, I had suicidal thoughts.
"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."
Vicky continued: "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.’
"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."
After struggling for half a decade, the married podcaster felt her only option was to visit a private doctor who finally made sense of her difficult journey three years ago.
"I broke down when she said I had PMDD," Vicky said, revealing the diagnosis finally affirmed everything she had been feeling.
She added: "I’d had five years of being gaslit."
Since getting her PMDD diagnosis, Vicky has embarked on a new journey, looking into treatments that she hopes will help manage her monthly symptoms.
She said: "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.’"
Vicky credits her husband of one year, former TOWIE hunk Ercan Ramadan, 31, for allowing her space to experience her symptoms without judgement.
Explaining how it has impacted them as a couple over the seven years they have been dating, she said: "It did initially put a huge strain on our relationship.
"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."
