Denise Welch’s partner had to get involved to help her when a recent health scare had her screaming like a wounded animal as she battled the pain of vertigo

Denise Welch was left “screaming like a wounded animal” after a recent health scare.

The Loose Women star has opened up about her battle with vertigo, explaining how the “debilitating” condition affects her day to day life. Whilst her symptoms have eased as of late, Denise recalled how the illness left her struggling.

Speaking on the show today, she said: “I’ve had it for about 15 years. My sister has it. They say it’s not hereditary, but she has it too. It feels like you are falling off the edge of something. So my normal vertigo would be that if I’m walking around, normally 90% of the time, I’ll be okay. But when I lie down at night, I go 1, 2, 3, 4, spin and it’s like a rollercoaster.

Denise Welch on Loose Women
Denise Welch is a regular panellist on Loose Women 
Image:
Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
“It’s like when you used to get drunk, but without the fun getting there. That’s what it is. And then if I’d wake up in the night to go to the loo, I’d have to sit on the edge of the bed and hold the bed and it’s absolutely miserable.”

Denise went on to explain how vertigo affected her during a recent trip to New York.

“And last year in New York, I went to the airport early so that I could find some seats and lie down, it was so bad. It’s really, really debilitating. Anyway, I went to an ENT guy who sent me – this is after years of trying to get it done properly – went to an audiologist, check my hearing and said that was fine. And then it sounds pretty brutal, but we established it was mainly my right side.”

She added: “So Lincoln was with me. And he laid me down on the bed and he said, I’m going to put you backwards to the left, which he did, which was horrible, but not so bad. Then he sat me up and put me down to to to the right – they threw me backwards. First time, threw me backwards with my head to the left, then with my head to the right. Lincoln said I sounded like an a wounded animal.”

Denise Welch
Denise Welch’s partner had to get involved to help her when a recent health scare had her screaming like a wounded animal as she battled the pain of vertigo 
Image:
ITV)

Denise ended up missing her stint on the show as she was so poorly, but since that meeting, she hasn’t got vertigo again. However, she did warn others to consult with their doctor before attempting something similar.

Speaking about that day, and her recovery since, she shared: “I was meant to be coming to get the train to come down to work that night. And I had to phone Ashley, our producer, and put Lincoln on. I was vomiting. I had to take the rest of the week off work. But then on the Friday, I woke up and it had gone. This is three months ago and I haven’t spun once.”