BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty says she often found herself vomitting, ‘curled up on the floor screaming’ or even passing out due to a health condition that cannot be cured
Naga Munchetty has issued an update on her “debilitating” womb condition. The 51-year-old was diagnosed with adenomyosis in 2023, a condition that causes her pain so intense that she is unable to function at times.
There is no cure or even treatment for the condition. It can be controlled with hormones or a hysterectomy, but the latter is only effective if the condition is “only in the uterus”.
Naga, who says she has suffered “debilitating and horrendous pain” since she was 15, was told the hysterectomy “might help” but the condition had already spread to other parts of the body. Adenomyosis is thought to impact around one in 10 women but often goes undiagnosed.
The BBC Breakfast and Radio 5 Live presenter now wants to see more education about menstruation and what are the signs of normal and abnormal periods. She says youngsters are taught that periods are “a few teaspoons of blood over three to five days” but not what to do if someone experiences more than that, or if they are in extreme pain.
Speaking to The I, Naga said: “I still experience prolonged bleeding. It helps that I am on HRT, as I am perimenopausal, so my hormone levels are being managed more carefully.
“My doctor recently asked me what it is like, and comparing with what it used to be like, I said: ‘It’s not that heavy.’ Her response was: ‘Naga, that is heavy’.”
Naga says she was then sent for blood tests and asked about her energy levels. She explained that she had always suffered from anaemia throughout her left, something she now knows is down to the heavy bleeding.
She has previously opened up about how she would find herself “normalising the pain” she would suffer, even passing out at times. Speaking to The Times, she said: “You become conditioned to accept extreme pain with adenomyosis.
“I have probably got endometriosis as well. If you’re curled up on the floor screaming, sweating, flooding, passing out, vomiting, that is debilitating. But you end up normalising that pain. It can come at any time, but you put it in a box and you get on with your job — that’s what most women do when they’re in pain.”
Naga has used her public platform to help raise awareness and encourage people in a similar position to seek medical help. She now wants to see more of a focus on the way women are referred and treated.
She added: “So many women are told that ‘it’s probably nothing’ by doctors; they need to be empowered to flag concerns about their health and they should expect to be heard – and treated if necessary.”
Since deciding to open up about her struggles, Naga has written a book, ‘It’s Probably Nothing’, that examines the way women’s health is treated. She says she has had messages from women who have read it and decided to book a doctor’s appointment, something she describes as a “massive achievement”.
Adenomyosis occurs when the lining of the womb grows into the muscular wall, often leading to heavy periods, severe cramping, bloating and pain during everyday activities. While it is not life-threatening, the condition can have a major impact on quality of life.
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