VICKY Pattison has revealed how husband Ercan Ramadan saved her life as she struggled with suicidal thoughts brought on by Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD).
Geordie Shore star Vicky, 37, was diagnosed with PMDD in 2023 – but it took her five years to get the diagnosis after living with the debilitating disorder since her late twenties.
In 2024 Vicky – who landed an almost-perfect score on Strictly Come Dancing last weekend – married businessman Ercan, 32, and she credits her husband with being the “calm in my chaos”.
PMDD is a very severe form of PMS and causes emotional and physical changes during the week or two before a period.
There are many symptoms such as anxiety or depression, feeling angry, tense or even suicidal.
Recalling a particularly low moment just before she made her debut on Strictly, Vicky said: “There was a night, earlier this year, when I was alone in the house with the dogs.
“Ercan was out playing football with his mates. I had to ring him and say, ‘I don’t know what I am capable of right now’.
“He stayed on the phone, reminding me of all the good things in our life – the dogs, our holidays, our family. I couldn’t see any of that at that moment. I was lost.
“It wasn’t that I wanted to die. It was that I couldn’t imagine living like that any longer.”
Vicky praised Ercan for learning to cope with her PMDD and for always being “patient” with her.
She told the Daily Mail: “He’s never had depression, so he can’t fully understand, but he tries. He’s learned to see when the fog is coming – that’s what I call it – and he’s patient. When I’m not myself, he reminds me that it’s not me talking, it’s the condition.
“That’s love, isn’t it? To stay steady when the person you love disappears for a bit. I couldn’t do this without him. He’s the calm in my chaos.”
Vicky and her Strictly pro partner Kai Widdrington earned a score of 39 at the weekend with their incredible Tango.
Shirley Ballas declared it the “best dance of the night so far” while Anton Du Beke said: “I’m a bit stunned, it was that good.”
What is PMDD?
PREMENSTRUAL Dysphoric Disorder is a very severe form of PMS and causes emotional and physical changes during the week or two before a period.
There are many symptoms such as anxiety or depression, feeling angry, tense or even suicidal.
Physical signs include headaches, bloating and pains in the muscles or joints as well as difficulty sleeping.
Symptoms usually begin to improve when bleeding starts and disappear by the time a period ends.
Exercising regularly, reducing stress and eating well can help ease symptoms.
Anti-depressants and hormone patches or injections are used to control more severe cases.
