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We want to hear from you: please tell us about your experience of the online community.

Hi, I'm Mick, Ask me questions about mental health today

MickConnon

I am 49 years old and live in Coningsby, Lincolnshire. I am husband to Dawn and Dad to Daniel, Shaun and Ryan, also grandfather to Lizzie and Harley and have 2 dogs Kai and Nero. I was brought up in Aberdeenshire and joined the Royal Air Force and served for 15 years. I met Dawn towards the end of my RAF service. I started working in IT for a local company but after they were taken over, I returned full circle to train as a Nurse which I finished in 2008. Since then, I have worked in Community Rehabilitation, Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment, Older Adults Mental Health, Acquired Brain Injuries Rehab, and lastly Adults with Learning Disabilities for Priory Group. I have been a trainer and SME for Priory since 2013 in Mental Capacity Act and DOLs and Safer People Handling. I am also an Advanced First Aid Instructor, and also teach First Aid for Mental for my own company Lincolnshire Healthcare Training.

I have been carer for my wife who had a full Liver Transplant in October 2017 and since then she has experienced Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Before and after this life changing surgery, she has gone through DLA and PIP assessments and I have made it my business to learn all about the medical and psychological symptoms that people can go through after an Organ Transplant. As such, I am fully up to speed with Mental Health conditions and Learning Disabilities and can offer support and answer any questions about this. I have also experienced Mental Health problems in the past and can empathise and pass on knowledge to others to help them. I suffer from Diverticulitis and can offer support with this to others too. I have a vast array of knowledge in a lot of associated medical equipment like PEGs, RIGs,Feed pumps and Catheters.

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Comments

Richard_Scope

Hi @MickConnon
Great to have you here!

Sam_Alumni

Thanks so much @MickConnon

Adrian_Scope

Welcome @MickConnon! So glad you've joined us.

Gemmacreswell

Hi Mick I've suffered with phycogenic vomiting depression anxiety ocd and IBS for well over 30 years now and I really would like help with someone fighting my corner

thespiceman

Hello @MickConnon Pleased to meet you . Thanks for being part of the team.

Look forward to working with you.

I am one of the community champions. Of the forum.

Have mental issues my self and try to do my best to support every one who needs the help and support.

Using my own knowledge and expertise as I can do.

Good to know your here.

Take care.

@thespiceman

MickConnon

Hi @Elsey66, I can understand exactly where you are coming from and this what I do best. Have been thinking about the meds you are currently on - Olanzapine in particular. The MH professionals would have started you on this to cover 2 areas- the psychosis with anxiety and secondly the eating disorder. I take on board how you feel this might be encouraging you to put on weight. However, there are others on the market that might be more beneficial and are certainly worth trying. Your CPN should be working in partnership with you to achieve a successful recovery. Am not dissing them in any way but it is something that is worth exploring? Being honest with them might be a start and no-one can fault you for trying to take control of your own recovery. Just because you feel it isn’t the right one for you, there are a host of others out there which can be used but without the side effects. Olanzapine is well known for weight gain and Quetiapine is another similar one but again weight gain. Aripiprazole (Abilify) is another used extensively and is a third generation but a lot less side effects. It is certainly worth discussing this with your CPN and the next time you see your psychiatrist?
If you have a look at the document produced by Rethink as I advise people have a good look at this as it puts everything into perspective on side effects and is a worthwhile read. I could tell you all about it but this post would be very lengthy?. https//www.rethink/resources/a/antipsychotics-factsheet
Can I just check the other medication you have tried? Am I right in thinking they are Haliperidol, Mirtazepine and Clozapine.
I am here to support you as I have the experience and knowledge to do this. But, I do think that you need to have a read of the above document so it shows you have done your homework and then after this discuss the options you have with your CPN. That would show to me as an ex CPN that you want to have a say in your own treatment which is what Person Centred Care is all about. This should not hold any other treatments back as if they did it would be completely unfair and unjust if they did. Keep me posted on your progress. Thanks

MickConnon

Hi @Gemmacreswell, thanks for posting. I have certainly heard of what you have, one of those is very debilitating so yes I have your corner on this one. ?.
IBS itself is something that is very misunderstood and people seem to miss the close connections between physical and mental health and how each can impinge on each other.
My understanding is that IBS can be managed but can flare up through stress, and eating trigger foods. Am not saying you do any of these consciously as you have lived with this for 30 years and am sure you know which group of foods can flare this up. Added to this the Psychogenic Vomiting complicates this. I know that Buscopan can help with this. But Care should be sought in carefully choosing medication which is where our GPs come in.
There was a trial done a few years ago looking at Psychogenic vomiting, and using a particular medication called Escitalopram. I am happy sharing this trial if it helps you but it would need discussing via your GP who I assume prescribes your monthlies for any changes to be made.
It would also be interesting to hear how you have managed this long. 30 years is a long time and am sure in this time you have tried a variety of various medications which may or may not benefit you. Just because it worked for someone else, no guarantees it would work for you? Im sure you recognise this. Am not being pessimistic here, far from it. Please count me in - in your corner as am happy doing that. Keep in touch and keep the faith ?

MickConnon

Hi@thespiceman, great of you to introduce yourself to me when I first joined. We all have Mental Health and as I said above, it is affected by our physical health in so many different ways. Our bodies are very complex systems which rely on other internal systems which can so easily go out of balance if out of synch. I like to use that analogy to help people understand. It’s okay to feel the way we do as we all have good days and bad days and am talking from experience there and not from a purely professional perspective?.
Am here to help support those who need this and have a lot of experience to share for those who will listen. Mental Health problems are not something that people should be ashamed of, they can happen for a lot of reasons and nearly all of which are outwith our control. Looking forward to working alongside you and you know where I am if you need me. Those I look after tell me I have a good listening ear and can come up with solutions that can help. A pleasure knowing you ?

MickConnon

Hi again @Elsey66. Just make sure you download that document and be ready with it, it will go a long way to helping you. You’re very welcome, anytime ?

steve51

Hi @MickConnon

Good Afternoon & Welcome!!!!!!

I am also one of the Community Champions here at Scope.

Please Please let me know if you need any support/help?????

”Steve51

steve51

Hi @Sam_Scope

Good Afternoon!!!!

I do hope that everything goes okay for you.

Please please let me let me know if there’s anything that I can “help/support” you with “before & afterwards”

@steve51

Gemmacreswell

Thank you

Gemmacreswell

I'm not quite sure how you would be able to help me tho

Gemmacreswell

Yes 30 years is a very long time I only found out about a year ago now what it was actually known as (phycogenic vomiting) growing up was a tough time as I was barely at school due to this and so many test in and out of hospital I also have trichotillomania which also stemmed from my childhood so that's about the same amount of time thank you for getting back to me ?

MickConnon

Hi @Gemmacreswell have been on shift since my last post but am still here and listening. I still have your corner?

newborn

Hi, good of you to help. Lots of gut problem people don't know about F.O.D.M.A.P.,dietary guidance, which is NICE approved and led by Kings College Hospital. It is surprising the things which can be worth looking out for, such as garlic, honey, and apple.

MickConnon

Hi @newborn, thanks for you post. You are absolutely right abut FODMAP and i will put a link for people so they can read this as its very interesting, worthwhile and makes you think how easy it can be to go off the dietary guidance and overlook things that might cause flare-ups. Gastroscopy day tomorrow :-(

newborn

good luck

MickConnon

https://www.ibsdiets.org/fodmap-diet/fodmap-food-list/

hope25

Hi
Sorry if this is not what I'm supposed to write here , I was just wondering I keep having these feelings mainly at night when I want to sleep like my body isn't attached it's so hard to explain but I have dizziness with it and weird sensations through my body its absolutely awful I wonder if I'm going to die or something ... I've been told it's panic attacks of my therapist and Dr but I have regular panic attacks that most times just happen for no apparent reason these feel different , it's scary and affecting my ability to go to sleep properly I'm sorry I feel bad for talking about myself when so many are going through worse things I'm just scared I don't know what to do