Naga Munchetty 'fainted' before BBC appearance in painful health admission
Naga has previously said she became "conditioned to accept" the pain, but admitted it can "come at any time", including when she is live on BBC Breakfast
Naga Munchetty has spoken candidly about once fainting before appearing on live television, as she opened up about a painful health condition. Naga has the non-cancerous gynaecological condition adenomyosis, referred to as the "evil twin sister of endometriosis", in which the lining of the womb grows into the muscle in the womb wall and leaves her in severe pain.
Symptoms of the condition, which is more commonly diagnosed in women aged over 30, include painful periods that can involve heavy bleeding, pelvic pain, bloating and discomfort during sex.
Naga has previously discussed becoming "conditioned to accept" the pain, yet acknowledged it can "come at any time", even while she is broadcasting live on television. The BBC Breakfast star made the remarks during a chat about health with Kate Thornton on the White Wine Question Time podcast.
She said: "I don't wanna keep saying I'm in pain. It doesn't do my mental health any good. It doesn't do... It takes you back to a time when, you know, I would be at school and vomiting, throwing up, you know, fainting.
"I fainted just in the last month when I had a period again, just before work. And, you know, I was really ill.
"It makes you feel like you're doing less well than other women. When you look around...I would look at you, Kate, you know. We're not dissimilar ages.
"I would look at you and go, 'She's doing brilliantly. She's coping. Look how far she's got. You know, I'm not doing well enough'. I'd look at my peers and think, 'Well, they're just cracking on with it. Why is it affecting you so much?'"
Speaking previously about the condition, Naga told The Times that with the pain, you "put it in a box" and "get on with your job", adding that she also "probably" has endometriosis.
She said: "If you're curled up on the floor screaming, sweating, flooding, passing out, vomiting, that is debilitating. But you end up normalising that pain."
Naga visited doctors on a number of occasions, but didn't receive her diagnosis for 32 years. She previously admitted that she'd "come off set to throw up" while on BBC Breakfast as she thought she was "passing out".
"I went to the toilet, threw up, cleaned it up. I managed to get a 10-minute break, got makeup redone covered in sweat, sat down and did the next hour and a half."
By contrast, endometriosis is a separate condition where tissue akin to the lining of the womb "grows in other places", the NHS explains.
It adds that you should seek an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if your pelvic or period pain is severe or worse than expected and painkillers haven't alleviated it.
Learn more about the condition on the NHS website.
