Vicky Pattison has criticised the medical profession for dismissing women's health concerns, revealing she was told to bring her partner to be taken seriously. The former Geordie Shore star appeared on Good Morning Britain to discuss her battle with Pre-Menstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD) and the 'medical misogyny' she faced.
Pattison said that during the five years it took to get a diagnosis, her symptoms were 'dismissed' as 'hysterical'. She recounted a doctor telling her: 'Bring your partner next time, because sometimes, when you explain what's going on and how you feel, you sound a bit hysterical.'
The 35-year-old described PMDD as 'increasingly debilitating', causing 'hopelessness, despair, anxiety, insomnia' and 'dark intrusive thoughts'. She added: 'No wonder I was being hysterical after not being listened to for five years.'
Pattison also hit back at online trolls who accused her of lying about her condition. In a video, she flipped her middle finger at critics who said she was 'creating an illness just to stay relevant'. She captioned it: 'You've got to laugh… But also, respectfully f*** all the way off.'
The reality star's comments come as Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced a new strategy to tackle medical misogyny, acknowledging that the healthcare system is 'failing women'.
