DENISE Welch has revealed she’s endured a 15 year health battle that leaves her “screaming like a wounded animal”.
The Loose Women star bravely opened up about her secret struggle that has even caused her to miss work.
On today’s show, the panellist talked about her battle with vertigo and how it has affected her daily life.
Opening up about her health struggle, Denise said: “I’ve had vertigo for about 15 years. My sister has it. They say it’s not hereditary, but she has it too.
It’s like when you used to get drunk, but without the fun getting there.
Denise Welch on having Vertigo
“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 per cent 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 went on: “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 – who is married to husband Lincoln Townley – went on to explain the impact vertigo had on her when she recently took a trip across the pond.
Explaining what happened she said: “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 revealed she also had to cancel work on Loose Women due to being so ill.
Denise is a popular face on TV, thanks to her work on Loose Women.
She thrilled fans at the end of last year, when she revealed she’s signed a new contract to stay on Loose Women.
Denise was a panellist on Loose Women from 2005 until 2013 when she took a break before returning in 2018.
Now actress Denise has told how she’s got no plans to leave the ITV show anytime soon.
Speaking to Best, she said: “I’ve just signed another contract for Loose Women for a year, which I adore. I
“I’m there for the long-haul. But I’m at the point now where I love working, but I also love not working. Next year is about getting the balance right.”
In another interview Denise was asked who she is closest too on the panel and appeared to snub one of her co-stars.
She told Bella: “In he 21 years I’ve done this show, I have never, ever, ever had an actual argument with anybody on that show. I can go hammer and tongs with them on set, but nothing afterwards.
“Kaye Adams and I see quite a bit of each other, I’m very close to Charlene White. I’m very close to Sunetra Sarker, I’m very close to Jane Moore, but I’ve known Jane for 30 years – way before we did Loose Women. I see Brenda Edwards when I can, I still see Andrea Mclean from the old days. I’m very close with Katie Piper. So to be honest, there’s no one that I wouldn’t want to see, but we’re all busy and my main home is Cheshire. We’re a close bunch, but not in each other’s pockets.”
But Denise notably failed to mention Stacey Solomon, who has been largely absent from the show since having youngest child Belle in February.
Meanwhile, last year Denise was forced to respond after becoming the target of a sick social media death hoax.
Her Wikipedia page was updated to claim she’d been involved in a bizarre accident with Big Brother stars Kerry Riches and Farida Khalifa.
But Denise hit back, saying: “I’m alive and well and about to watch the jungle. Thanks for your concern.”
