The pandemic and mental health: ‘I kept thinking that we'd go into lockdown again, and I started to have paranoid thoughts'
The global pandemic affected people in so many ways, over and above the HSE-reported 10,000 deaths linked to Covid in Ireland alone. The lockdowns in particular saw people suffer in a myriad of other, often unseen ways.
Lisa Callaghan is testament to this as, having suffered with depression at various times throughout her life, the aftermath of enforced isolation and collective stress caused her to have a serious mental health breakdown, which doctors later described as psychosis.
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The Journal
2 hours ago
- The Journal
Weight loss injections become more attainable as they enter beauty clinics
THE MOVE TO bring obesity treatment injections further into mainstream use has taken another step forward with the news that it's now being offered outside strictly medical settings. Thérapie Clinics, best known for lip fillers and laser hair removal treatments, has now launched the doctor-led service Thérapie Health to provide access to Wegovy obesity treatment injections in Ireland. The company says it is a 'medically managed programme for those who meet the correct criteria'. The move has been largely appreciated by experts and patients who are advocating for increased accessibility to the medication to prevent people looking towards the black market. According to the HSE, Ireland has one of the highest levels of obesity in Europe , with 60% of adults living with the disease. Obesity treatment injections are intended to fight obesity and its associated diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease, several types of cancer, pain and musculoskeletal disorders. It costs €365 to begin using obesity treatment injections at Thérapie Health, including €220 per month for the Wegovy medication. Each follow-up appointment costs €35. Belinda Hogan, who lost over 80 pounds using Ozempic between 2022 and 2023, told The Journal she welcomes an increase in the availability of the obesity treatment injections. 'I would say it's a good thing because if you get to go in and sit in front of a doctor, they can check your health markers,' she said. She highlighted the importance of doctors being knowledgeable about the medications and clearly communicating the administration process to patients. Advertisement Hogan runs an online coaching programme for users of weight loss injections, she said she receives messages every day from people who have been prescribed the medication but don't know how to use it. She also said cost can be a barrier to accessing obesity treatment injections. 'It's wealthcare as opposed to healthcare. It's not fair,' she said. 'It doesn't just help you lose weight, it staves off other health medications. It stopped me getting diabetes, and being an absolute drain on the system,' she added. Hogan uses an online doctor service based in Northern Ireland to access her prescription to Mounjaro, as the medication is cheaper in the North. Mounjaro medication generally ranges from €285 to €475 per month in pharmacies in the Republic of Ireland, in comparison to £133.40 (€153.94) to £254.91 (€294.06) per month in pharmacies in Northern Ireland. Aisling O'Leary lost over 100 pounds using Ozempic between 2022 and 2023. She said: 'I'm a huge advocate for these medications to be used for treatment of chronic obesity, but it is a disease, and it should be done right through the correct channels.' 'People need to be making monthly check-ups, but also need to be referred to a dietician and counsellor to treat all parts of the obesity disease, not just take the medication and hope for the best,' she added. O'Leary, who is a medical card holder, paid €139.50 monthly for Ozempic during her weight loss journey, which took a considerable chunk out of her income as a pensioner. She said the medication should be available on the drug payment scheme, adding that many people travel to Northern Ireland to access Mounjaro. Dr Francis Finucane, Consultant Endocrinologist with the National Clinical Programme for Obesity, told The Journal he welcomes the move by Thérapie. Read Next Related Reads Will Ireland follow the UK with free Mounjaro jabs? Minister says assessment to be ready by next year He said: 'It appears to be a bona fide clinically supervised doctor service with carefully considered criteria'. Dr Finucane said the cost of the drugs act as a barrier for people who could benefit from their use and criticised the lack of funding for obesity treatment medication in Ireland. Weight loss injections in Ireland currently cost between €120 and €475 per month. He said: 'They are extremely expensive considering they are being used for legitimate a disease.' 'The Health Service will not fund effective proven treatment of disease', he said, adding that services relating to diseases from alcohol and smoking are funded 'generously and compassionately' by the state. Minister for Health Carroll MacNeill said that Wegovy will be available as early as the end of 2025 as part of the HSE's reimbursement schemes, including the Medical Card Scheme and Drugs Payment Scheme. Another weight loss injection, Saxenda, has been available on the scheme since January 2023. Dr Finucane warned that caution must be exercised when accessing obesity treatment injections. 'There are unscrupulous actors out there using these drugs for cosmetics, gaining financially from vulnerable people who want to be skinny,' he said. He said that in some cases obesity treatment injections are not being used for their intention of fighting obesity and the connected health issues, but rather as a cosmetic enhancement to fulfil the 'cultural desire for thinness'. According to Dr Finucane, the aesthetical desire to be thin 'mopped up the demand for the medication', in part contributing to the shortage of these medications in 2023. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Irish Times
8 hours ago
- Irish Times
HSE apologises over delay in acting on X-ray showing man aged 91 had swallowed dentures
The HSE has apologised to the family of a 91-year-old man who died with choking complications after a hospital took a week to act on an X-ray that revealed he had swallowed dentures. At the High Court sitting in Cork, Ms Justice Carmel Stewart approved a €55,000 award on Wednesday to the family of Daniel O'Leary, late of Knockbrack in Banteer, Co Cork. The court heard how on July 26th, 2022, Mr O'Leary, a resident at Kanturk Community Hospital, Co Cork, started coughing while sitting in a chair. He was uncomfortable and complained about something stuck in his throat. READ MORE He was holding his hands to his throat and his partial bottom denture of two teeth was missing. Staff went to his aid and he was transferred to University Hospital Limerick. Paramedics told doctors he had possibly inhaled a denture consisting of two lower teeth. He was examined in the emergency department, and X-rays showed no evidence of the dentures or any foreign body. Mr O'Leary was admitted to hospital. He was further assessed the following day and again a doctor found no evidence that his upper airway was obstructed. A diagnosis of respiratory sepsis was made on a background of likely aspiration due to impaired swallow. Mr O'Leary was given fluids and antibiotics intravenously. He also received oxygen therapy. He was assessed two days later when he appeared to be improving. He remained in hospital over the bank holiday weekend, with his care being taken over by a consultant physician and geriatrician on August 2nd. Ms Justice Stewart was told a chest X-ray carried out on his arrival at the hospital on July 26th was only reported on July 30th. It showed 'densities in the upper neck, likely reflecting a foreign body'. The court was told there was no evidence the X-ray report had been seen or acted on by medics in the hospital until the consultant geriatrician came on duty on August 2nd. A CT scan carried out on August 3rd did not detect any foreign body in Mr O'Leary's neck or chest. However, later that day nursing staff carried out a suctioning procedure on the patient and detected dentures in the lowest part of his throat. The ENT team removed the dentures on August 4th, 2022, nine days after he was taken to hospital. Mr O'Leary continued to deteriorate physically and his care became palliative. He was brought back to Kanturk Community Hospital where he died peacefully on August 12th, 2022. Eamon Shanahan, for his family, said they received an apology from the HSE. In the apology the health service acknowledged the delay in the review of the relevant X-ray and said it has 'learned from the incident' and implemented a recommendation identified by the coroner at the inquest concerning Mr O'Leary's death. 'We wish to apologise for the failings in the care provided and for the distress and upset that this has caused,' it said. In effect there was a week between the X-ray, which showed a potential blockage, and when it was acted upon. Ms Justice Stewart extended her condolences to Mr O'Leary's family. 'Your father had a long and fruitful life,' she said. 'There is never a good time to lose a loved one, or to endure the trauma he endured. It doesn't bear thinking about. Hopefully you can put this behind you and reflect on the good times.'
Irish Independent
11 hours ago
- Irish Independent
One person dead and nine cases confirmed after ‘extensive' listeriosis outbreak linked to recall of over 140 ready-made meals
The Health Service Executive (HSE) have said that there are nine cases of listeriosis confirmed as of Tuesday, July 22. It has confirmed that the HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre has been notified of and is investigating the death. The adult is confirmed to have had listeriosis. The HSE added a 'voluntary precautionary food recall of ready-to-heat meals' is underway due to a link with the outbreak. The Food Safety Authority (FSAI) of Ireland has recalled 141 different ready-made meals and side dishes sold in leading supermarkets across Ireland following a confirmed "extensive outbreak" of listeriosis. The recalled products sold in Centra, Supervalu, Tesco, Aldi, Lidl and various other stores are produced by Ballymaguire Foods. The majority are products connected to the individual supermarket retailer, but brands like the Happy Pear are also included. Products that are listed include chicken pasta bakes, turkey and ham dinners, spaghetti bolognese, beef stroganoff, chicken carbonara, beef lasagne, pilau rice and more. Supervalu's 'Signature Taste', 'Freshly Prepared' and 'Supervalu' ranges are impacted. Tesco's 'Irish Classics', 'Meals Made Easy' and 'Finest' ranges also have impacted products. Centra's ranges 'Centra', 'Freshly Prepared', 'Kitchen', 'Fuel'd Foods', 'Clean Cut', 'Happy Pear', and 'Food to Go' also have affected products. Aldi's 'Specially Selected' and 'Inspired Cuisine' contain affected products. Learn more A full list of the potentially contaminated products has been created by the Irish Independent in a searchable menu here: Notices have appeared in supermarkets including Supervalu. One notice urged consumers not to eat listed products. It also asked consumers to 'return it to your nearest store, where you will be issued a refund. "We apologise for any inconvenience and thank you for your co-operation,' it continued. The notice also included a helpline for Supervalu customers: 0214217619. Symptoms of Listeria monocytogenes infection can include mild flu-like symptoms, or gastrointestinal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. The incubation period is on average three weeks but can range between three and 70 days.
