Kate Lawler has urged for better education within the NHS regarding women's health as she shared her own experience of being hospitalised due to severe pain.
The 44-year-old star appeared on Monday's episode of Loose Women, where she discussed her health struggle that left her doubled over in pain while doctors struggled to identify her condition.
Kate described her discomfort as a constant stabbing sensation in her groin area, which was particularly problematic during her menstrual cycle or after intimacy.
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The issue first emerged in 2017, with the former Big Brother champion undergoing numerous medical appointments, scans and even an A&E visit to determine the cause. At one point, a doctor suggested she had a hernia, but this was not the case. Kate also suspected appendicitis, but this was also ruled out.
It wasn't until several years later, by chance, that Kate was informed by a leading varicose veins specialist in London that she had Pelvic Congestion Syndrome, following a series of tests.
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She had initially visited the Bond Street clinic to address varicose veins on her legs when the doctor asked if she had been experiencing abdominal and pelvic pain, reports Surrey Live.
After revealing her prolonged agony, he ordered tests which confirmed she had been suffering from the condition for some time. According to the NHS website, Pelvic Congestion Syndrome is a chronic pain condition caused by varicose veins in the pelvis, particularly the ovarian veins. It is treated with technology that stops the problematic vein from working.
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Kate, who is now on a mission to raise awareness about the relatively unknown condition and advocate for more guidance and education when it comes to women's health, shared her own experience on the popular daytime show.
Jane initiated the conversation, recalling the moment when Kate was rushed to hospital while on holiday back in 2018. Kate revealed: "My symptoms started in December 2017, I had the worst pain in my lower groin area and I went to the doctors I had a transabdominal scan, I had a pelvic scan, I ended up in A&E in the March, here in the UK because the pain was so bad."
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She continued: "I then had another scan, everything was telling me, well the AandE trip, she said she thought I had a hernia. I didn't have a hernia. Then I thought I had an appendicitis, it wasn't that.
"Then I ended up in Greece, on holiday and I was like 'something bad is happening' and they were like 'everything is fine' and i was like 'am I going mad?'"
