Fat jabs are a nightmare for anorexics – I'll never get over my girl Nikki's death but I'd worry if she was still here
DYING TO BE THIN Fat jabs are a nightmare for anorexics – I'll never get over my girl Nikki's death but I'd worry if she was still here
NIKKI Grahame was just seven years old when her mum said she came home from gymnastics club upset because another child had said her bum looked big in her leotard.
That one tiny comment sparked the beginnings of an eating disorder in Nikki, which would see her spend the next decade in more than 18 different institutions, including two-and-a-half years in Great Ormond Street Hospital.
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16
Nikki Grahame shot to fame on Big Brother in 2006
Credit: Getty
16
Nikki with mum Sue Grahame before her 2021 death from anorexia
Credit: David Cummings
16
Sue said she'll never get over the loss of her 'darling Nikki'
Credit: David Cummings
When she shot to fame on Big Brother in 2006, fans had no idea that behind her iconic diary chair meltdowns was a lifelong struggle with anorexia so severe that even the most experienced doctors described it as "the worst they'd ever seen."
Now in a raw and emotional interview, Nikki's devoted mum Sue relives her gruelling journey with anorexia and recalls the last days before her tragic death from the disease, aged just 38.
And she warns against the use of skinny jabs such as Ozempic or Mounjaro by people who are already slim - saying it could trigger or worsen eating disorders.
'Worst they'd ever seen'
"I think these jabs are a nightmare for people with eating disorders because they are already skinny and it means they can restrict their food even more," Sue, now 71, told The Sun.
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"It would have been a worry for me while Nikki was alive. I don't know if Nikki would have taken them or not. She was already limiting her calories every single day, that was a huge part of her life.
"I wouldn't have let her take the jabs, I'd have said, 'over my dead body'.
"For people like Nikki, everything is counted, measured and weighed; it becomes their whole life. She would weigh herself before breakfast and again after each meal. It's constant.
"To me, it's a short-term fix, to get an injection, because you need an education on how to look after your body, how to nurture it, how to nourish it. And just getting an injection, that's not going to change your ways, is it?"
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When shown examples of "thinspiration' content which can be found on social media sites such as TikTok, where influencers post images of ultra thin women and what they eat, Sue was shocked.
'Nikki used to go on sites like this and look at this kind of thing," she said.
Nikki Grahame goes mad in Big Brother house in emotional scenes in new documentary
'I know when I've walked into the room and she suddenly turned her phone off.
'Back then there were lots of websites about how to be as thin as you can. These people should be bloody locked up. It's disgusting.
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'People should be locked up'
'I can honestly say I've never been on a diet. Never. And so it wasn't something Nikki learned from me."
Sue said the first signs of Nikki's anorexia came when she was seven and she suddenly stopped eating and became withdrawn.
'There was the comment from the girl in gymnastics and she started to become withdrawn, that was the first sign," Sue said.
"She started to get smaller and very picky with her food, so the alarm bells started to ring.
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'I took her to the GP and he stood her in front of him and he asked her what she had eaten today. Of course she lied to him.
'She was so young, doctors refused to believe there was anything wrong with her."
16
Nikki became known for her meltdowns and tantrums in the diary room
Credit: Rex
16
Nikki was just seven when she started suffering from anorexia
Credit: David Cummings
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16
Nikki on the balcony of the London flat where she died age 38
Credit: David Cummings
Sue remembers being fobbed off by doctors until one day, Nikki was so weak she couldn't stand, and she carried her into the GP surgery where she refused to move until they admitted her daughter to hospital.
"I didn't want her to be admitted to hospital but I couldn't get her to eat anything, she'd trick me," Sue said.
'It got to the point where I had to make her eat naked so she wouldn't stuff food in her knickers or anything.
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'Because it started so young, by the time Nikki became an adult it was so engrained for her. Her purpose, her way of life, was to stay as thin as possible.
'She was very competitive about it. She'd walk on to a ward and want to be the skinniest anorexic in there. I would despair.
'When she was in Great Ormond Street, she had this wonderful doctor Professor Bryan Lask and he said 'You're not the worst I've ever seen Nikki, you are by far the worst I've ever seen' - and he travelled the world lecturing on anorexia."
'Don't leave me mummy'
Sue recalls the heartbreaking day she left seven-year-old Nikki as an inpatient in hospital for the first time.
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'She kept saying 'Mummy don't leave' and I said, 'Nikki I don't have a choice because you won't eat for me'," Sue said.
'Then they said, 'You can't see or speak to her for two weeks'. I said no, but they insisted.
'As we were leaving Nikki was screaming and these people just came from nowhere and pinned her down on the floor while we were rushed out of the unit. It was hell on earth, it was unnecessarily cruel."
Sadly, Nikki did not improve.
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She refused to eat and became so thin nurses would have to force her to eat through a nasal tube.
'It got to the point where I had to make her eat naked so she wouldn't stuff food in her knickers or anything
Sue Grahame
Later on, she had to have a tube fitted surgically direct to her stomach as she kept pulling the nasal tube out, but that didn't work either as she pulled the tube out of her body.
Sometimes she'd be sedated for a month at a time, as doctors desperately tried to increase her BMI with forced feeds.
Sue said it some of the treatments were so "cruel" it was "gut-wrenching".
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'The whole system of trying to treat anorexics it doesn't work," Sue said. 'I've been to all those units and some of them are pitiful.
16
Nikki spent most of her life from age 7 to 18 in and out of eating disorder units
Credit: David Cummings
16
Nikki before she entered the Big Brother house
Credit: David Cummings
16
Nikki's anorexia worsened during Covid
Credit: Splash
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'In my mind none of them delivered for Nikki, it just strengthened her resolve.
'There was one place that I'd have to bring her back to after a weekend visit home or something, and she'd lie on the floor and beat her hands and feet and scream and cry and say 'Mum don't leave me here, please don't leave me!'
'But I didn't have a choice because she wouldn't eat for me, what was I supposed to do?
'Barbaric' treatments
'There was one place where they'd melt Mars bars down and make them set the table until it was gone and if they didn't finish it they'd have to sleep on the kitchen floor.
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"At one point she was put her under for a month to be tube fed. So I just used to go and sit by her bed and talk to her and hold her hand.
'She'd wake up and say 'I can feel all that food inside of me - I can't take it mum, it's torture'.
'Staff weren't always very kind. A lot of things I could accept if it was making a difference but it wasn't.
'It was very barbaric and cruelty just doesn't work."
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Nikki's admissions to hospital stopped when she reached 18, but her struggles with anorexia continued and she also developed severe OCD behaviour around hygiene and preparing food.
Sue said she was supportive of Nikki entering Big Brother because she was pleased to see her having some fun after the "hell" she'd been through as a child, however she did worry about how she'd cope with her eating disorder in such an environment.
'Going on Big Brother was great for her, it did give her a taste of a normal life, but obviously those demons were always there," she said.
Because it started so young, by the time Nikki became an adult it was so engrained for her. Her purpose, her way of life, was to stay as thin as possible
Sue Grahame
"When she got a call to say she had been chosen she started jumping around saying, 'I'm in, I'm going into Big Brother!'
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'I was pleased for her but worried because at the time she couldn't eat in front of people and she wouldn't allow people to cook for her.
'I couldn't even cook for her because it she had this OCD as part of her illness and she became obsessed with hygiene.
'She had to clean her own plates before she'd eat on them, she had lots of rules.
"That was the thing that worried me. But I just thought you know she's been in hospital from age seven til 18. Give the girl a bloody break. She had no life up to that point.
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'This is why she used to have hissy fits in the Big Brother house because she learned in these units that if you shouted the loudest you'd get attention.
"I used to watch her on the live stream and I could see she was having fun but I also knew when the s**t was going to hit the fan. I could predict it when she was heading for a meltdown. I'd think 'Christ here we go' and all of a sudden she'd let rip."
16
Nikki won a National TV Award for her appearance on Big Brother in 2006
Credit: Rex
16
Mum Sue with Nikki as a baby
Credit: David Cummings
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16
Sue said she vowed to always support Nikki through her illness
Credit: David Cummings
After Big Brother, Nikki enjoyed the fame the show brought and would travel the country doing appearances, even landing herself a magazine column.
She entered the Big Brother house a total of five times, including the Canadian version.
When TV work dried up, she moved to Nice, France where she worked in a Hard Rock Cafe branch, and learnt to speak French.
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After moving back to London, she went back to college to try and get her Maths and English GCSE and got a job in a local junior school as a teaching assistant.
Sue said that in the years after Big Brother "she held her own" in her battle against anorexia, but Covid exacerbated her condition.
Nikki would walk on to a ward and want to be the skinniest anorexic in there. I would despair
Sue Grahame
'She had a flat with a gym so she wouldn't come and stay with me during Covid, but then they closed the gym and so she spent £900 on a cross trainer," Sue said.
'I used to illegally drive up to London because she was so isolated.
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'And while I was there she'd get on this cross trainer obsessively and I'd beg her to stop. I'd say, 'I don't want to lose you' and she'd say 'I'm not going anywhere. I said, 'Yeah that's what Karen Carpenter said'.
'Covid definitely didn't help Nikki, but I can't help feeling she'd already thrown the towel in.
'Because for months before, we'd be walking. I'd turn around, she'd be on the floor. Her legs would just gave way.
'Her body was packing up. She had been starved for so long. She never even had periods.
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"I don't think she was ever meant to make old bones in this world."
16
Big Brother gave Nikki the chance to travel the country doing PAs and writing magazine columns
Credit: PA
16
Nikki with her friend Imogen Thomas
Credit: INSTAGRAM/IMOGEN THOMAS
16
Mum Sue was pleased to see Nikki enjoy life after her difficult childhood
Credit: David Cummings
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16
Sue said life has been tough since Nikki's death but she's trying hard to heal
Credit: David Cummings
In the weeks before her death, both Sue and social services tried to encourage Nikki to become an inpatient again but she refused.
Instead she decided to travel to her mum's in Dorset, stopping on the way at a pharmacy to pick up her meds.
'She was only 10 minutes away when she passed out in the pharmacy, hit her head on the floor and they had to blue light her in to Dorchester hospital," Sue said.
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'She was in there for two weeks and I went in every day for the two weeks because it was just a regular ward, not an eating disorder unit and I wanted to take the weight off of the nurses because she needed supervising.
'If they brought her food, it would either go down the toilet or in the bin or out the window.
'I moved into a Premier Inn so that I could just walk there each day and I used to shower her and and watch her eat her meals.
'The mental health team said there was an eating disorders unit but it only had six beds and they were full. That might have made the difference.
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I have never been loved as much as Nikki loved me
Sue Grahame
'The nurses at the hospital were quite aggressive with her. Maybe they resented her. No one ever has any patience for anorexics.
'Her BMI was dangerously low. She was just skin and bones. She was pitiful to look at.
"Then this nurse came in and said 'This isn't the place for you. This is a surgical ward. Nikki if you can walk up and down those steps outside there you can go home tomorrow.
'And I looked at her and the state Nikki was in and I couldn't believe it."
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Final journey
Nikki was discharged from hospital later that day alone and took a taxi to her flat in London.
'She rang me from the taxi and said 'Hi Mum, I'm on my way home'. She was so weak, I couldn't believe they'd discharged her," Sue said.
"She told me she really needed the toilet and the poor thing had an accident in the taxi she was so ill. I told her to get her friend to come over when she was at home and help her clean up and then I'd come over in the morning.
'Then she rang me up half three that morning. She used to do that a lot but it was usually when she was out clubbing.
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'She said 'My friend came around and she helped me in the bath and put me in my jimmy jammies and then she saw me into bed, but I just wanted to tell you that I'm coping all right.
''I've just got up and been to the loo by myself on my walker.'
'I said, 'Every day take it slowly, you're not in a hurry, you'll get there.
'She said, 'Mum I'm tired. I love you.' I told her to go to bed and that I loved her."
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Nikki died that same morning.
Sue was on a train on her way to London when Nikki's friend called her and broke the news.
'Goodbye darling'
She rushed to Nikki's flat, where she said her final goodbye.
'I just lay on the bed with Nikki and cried," she said.
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'The worst thing was watching the undertakers come and put her in a body bag and taking her out.
'I went down in the lift with them and we got to the outside door and I said 'Which side is her head?'
'They said it's up there. I just stroked the bag from the outside and said 'Goodbye darling'. It's awful, awful. I'll never get over it. It was the worst day of my life."
Sue said she blames the hospital for Nikki's death and even looked into taking legal action but no law firm would take the case.
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She believes it was irresponsible for them to discharge her when she "couldn't even bathe herself or dress herself" and says she should have been transferred to a mental health unit.
'Even if I'd have taken it to court and won, I didn't want the money," Sue said.
"I wanted things to change. Maybe I would have tried to get a unit built somewhere that would help others with anorexia.
'That nurse shouldn't have said, 'If you walk up and down the stairs, you can leave', because she clearly wasn't well enough to leave the hospital. If that's a rule, it shouldn't be.
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'Nikki died on a Saturday morning. And I was walking my dog on the Monday morning when that same nurse rang. She was crying and she said, 'I'm so, so sorry. She shouldn't have gone home.'
'They shouldn't have let her home just because she put a bit of pressure on. She didn't know what was best for her."
Signs and symptoms of anorexia if you're under 18, your weight and height being lower than expected for your age
if you're an adult, having an unusually low body mass index
missing meals, eating very little or avoiding eating any foods you see as fattening
believing you are fat when you are a healthy weight or underweight
taking medication to reduce your hunger (appetite suppressants)
your periods stopping (in women who have not reached menopause) or not starting (in younger women and girls)
physical problems, such as feeling dizzy, dry skin and hair loss
Four years on from Nikki's April 2021 death, Sue says she's still struggling emotionally.
She has relocated from Dorset and lives in East Sussex with her chihuahua Joey.
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Just two months ago, she suffered another heartbreak when she had to have Baby, Nikki's chihuahua who she had cared for since before her death, put to sleep aged 19.
'Until the day I take my last breath I won't get over Nikki's loss," she said.
'Nothing in this world scares me anymore because the worst possible thing has happened.
"Life is tough, but since I came down here I'm trying extremely hard. I've made a couple of really good friends.
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'But I have to say I have never been loved as much as Nikki loved me. And it wasn't because I was a pushover, it was because from day one of her illness I was fighting for her.
'I try and be philosophical because at the end of the day, she was mine for 38 years. How lucky was I? And people still write lovely things about her. They still love her.
'She wasn't everybody's cup of tea but for me she was very special. And even if I died tomorrow, I know I was truly loved in my life, and that's something not everybody can say."
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If you or a loved one is struggling with an eating disorder, the charity
Beat
offers support, call the helpline on 0808 801 0677
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The Irish Sun
5 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Fat jabs are a nightmare for anorexics – I'll never get over my girl Nikki's death but I'd worry if she was still here
Sue Grahame makes a stark warning four years on from her beloved daughter's death, and recalls Big Brother star Nikki's tragic last days in unbearable pain and unable to bathe or dress herself DYING TO BE THIN Fat jabs are a nightmare for anorexics – I'll never get over my girl Nikki's death but I'd worry if she was still here NIKKI Grahame was just seven years old when her mum said she came home from gymnastics club upset because another child had said her bum looked big in her leotard. That one tiny comment sparked the beginnings of an eating disorder in Nikki, which would see her spend the next decade in more than 18 different institutions, including two-and-a-half years in Great Ormond Street Hospital. Advertisement 16 Nikki Grahame shot to fame on Big Brother in 2006 Credit: Getty 16 Nikki with mum Sue Grahame before her 2021 death from anorexia Credit: David Cummings 16 Sue said she'll never get over the loss of her 'darling Nikki' Credit: David Cummings When she shot to fame on Big Brother in 2006, fans had no idea that behind her iconic diary chair meltdowns was a lifelong struggle with anorexia so severe that even the most experienced doctors described it as "the worst they'd ever seen." Now in a raw and emotional interview, Nikki's devoted mum Sue relives her gruelling journey with anorexia and recalls the last days before her tragic death from the disease, aged just 38. And she warns against the use of skinny jabs such as Ozempic or Mounjaro by people who are already slim - saying it could trigger or worsen eating disorders. 'Worst they'd ever seen' "I think these jabs are a nightmare for people with eating disorders because they are already skinny and it means they can restrict their food even more," Sue, now 71, told The Sun. Advertisement "It would have been a worry for me while Nikki was alive. I don't know if Nikki would have taken them or not. She was already limiting her calories every single day, that was a huge part of her life. "I wouldn't have let her take the jabs, I'd have said, 'over my dead body'. "For people like Nikki, everything is counted, measured and weighed; it becomes their whole life. She would weigh herself before breakfast and again after each meal. It's constant. "To me, it's a short-term fix, to get an injection, because you need an education on how to look after your body, how to nurture it, how to nourish it. And just getting an injection, that's not going to change your ways, is it?" Advertisement When shown examples of "thinspiration' content which can be found on social media sites such as TikTok, where influencers post images of ultra thin women and what they eat, Sue was shocked. 'Nikki used to go on sites like this and look at this kind of thing," she said. Nikki Grahame goes mad in Big Brother house in emotional scenes in new documentary 'I know when I've walked into the room and she suddenly turned her phone off. 'Back then there were lots of websites about how to be as thin as you can. These people should be bloody locked up. It's disgusting. Advertisement 'People should be locked up' 'I can honestly say I've never been on a diet. Never. And so it wasn't something Nikki learned from me." Sue said the first signs of Nikki's anorexia came when she was seven and she suddenly stopped eating and became withdrawn. 'There was the comment from the girl in gymnastics and she started to become withdrawn, that was the first sign," Sue said. "She started to get smaller and very picky with her food, so the alarm bells started to ring. Advertisement 'I took her to the GP and he stood her in front of him and he asked her what she had eaten today. Of course she lied to him. 'She was so young, doctors refused to believe there was anything wrong with her." 16 Nikki became known for her meltdowns and tantrums in the diary room Credit: Rex 16 Nikki was just seven when she started suffering from anorexia Credit: David Cummings Advertisement 16 Nikki on the balcony of the London flat where she died age 38 Credit: David Cummings Sue remembers being fobbed off by doctors until one day, Nikki was so weak she couldn't stand, and she carried her into the GP surgery where she refused to move until they admitted her daughter to hospital. "I didn't want her to be admitted to hospital but I couldn't get her to eat anything, she'd trick me," Sue said. 'It got to the point where I had to make her eat naked so she wouldn't stuff food in her knickers or anything. Advertisement 'Because it started so young, by the time Nikki became an adult it was so engrained for her. Her purpose, her way of life, was to stay as thin as possible. 'She was very competitive about it. She'd walk on to a ward and want to be the skinniest anorexic in there. I would despair. 'When she was in Great Ormond Street, she had this wonderful doctor Professor Bryan Lask and he said 'You're not the worst I've ever seen Nikki, you are by far the worst I've ever seen' - and he travelled the world lecturing on anorexia." 'Don't leave me mummy' Sue recalls the heartbreaking day she left seven-year-old Nikki as an inpatient in hospital for the first time. Advertisement 'She kept saying 'Mummy don't leave' and I said, 'Nikki I don't have a choice because you won't eat for me'," Sue said. 'Then they said, 'You can't see or speak to her for two weeks'. I said no, but they insisted. 'As we were leaving Nikki was screaming and these people just came from nowhere and pinned her down on the floor while we were rushed out of the unit. It was hell on earth, it was unnecessarily cruel." Sadly, Nikki did not improve. Advertisement She refused to eat and became so thin nurses would have to force her to eat through a nasal tube. 'It got to the point where I had to make her eat naked so she wouldn't stuff food in her knickers or anything Sue Grahame Later on, she had to have a tube fitted surgically direct to her stomach as she kept pulling the nasal tube out, but that didn't work either as she pulled the tube out of her body. Sometimes she'd be sedated for a month at a time, as doctors desperately tried to increase her BMI with forced feeds. Sue said it some of the treatments were so "cruel" it was "gut-wrenching". Advertisement 'The whole system of trying to treat anorexics it doesn't work," Sue said. 'I've been to all those units and some of them are pitiful. 16 Nikki spent most of her life from age 7 to 18 in and out of eating disorder units Credit: David Cummings 16 Nikki before she entered the Big Brother house Credit: David Cummings 16 Nikki's anorexia worsened during Covid Credit: Splash Advertisement 'In my mind none of them delivered for Nikki, it just strengthened her resolve. 'There was one place that I'd have to bring her back to after a weekend visit home or something, and she'd lie on the floor and beat her hands and feet and scream and cry and say 'Mum don't leave me here, please don't leave me!' 'But I didn't have a choice because she wouldn't eat for me, what was I supposed to do? 'Barbaric' treatments 'There was one place where they'd melt Mars bars down and make them set the table until it was gone and if they didn't finish it they'd have to sleep on the kitchen floor. Advertisement "At one point she was put her under for a month to be tube fed. So I just used to go and sit by her bed and talk to her and hold her hand. 'She'd wake up and say 'I can feel all that food inside of me - I can't take it mum, it's torture'. 'Staff weren't always very kind. A lot of things I could accept if it was making a difference but it wasn't. 'It was very barbaric and cruelty just doesn't work." Advertisement Nikki's admissions to hospital stopped when she reached 18, but her struggles with anorexia continued and she also developed severe OCD behaviour around hygiene and preparing food. Sue said she was supportive of Nikki entering Big Brother because she was pleased to see her having some fun after the "hell" she'd been through as a child, however she did worry about how she'd cope with her eating disorder in such an environment. 'Going on Big Brother was great for her, it did give her a taste of a normal life, but obviously those demons were always there," she said. Because it started so young, by the time Nikki became an adult it was so engrained for her. Her purpose, her way of life, was to stay as thin as possible Sue Grahame "When she got a call to say she had been chosen she started jumping around saying, 'I'm in, I'm going into Big Brother!' Advertisement 'I was pleased for her but worried because at the time she couldn't eat in front of people and she wouldn't allow people to cook for her. 'I couldn't even cook for her because it she had this OCD as part of her illness and she became obsessed with hygiene. 'She had to clean her own plates before she'd eat on them, she had lots of rules. "That was the thing that worried me. But I just thought you know she's been in hospital from age seven til 18. Give the girl a bloody break. She had no life up to that point. Advertisement 'This is why she used to have hissy fits in the Big Brother house because she learned in these units that if you shouted the loudest you'd get attention. "I used to watch her on the live stream and I could see she was having fun but I also knew when the s**t was going to hit the fan. I could predict it when she was heading for a meltdown. I'd think 'Christ here we go' and all of a sudden she'd let rip." 16 Nikki won a National TV Award for her appearance on Big Brother in 2006 Credit: Rex 16 Mum Sue with Nikki as a baby Credit: David Cummings Advertisement 16 Sue said she vowed to always support Nikki through her illness Credit: David Cummings After Big Brother, Nikki enjoyed the fame the show brought and would travel the country doing appearances, even landing herself a magazine column. She entered the Big Brother house a total of five times, including the Canadian version. When TV work dried up, she moved to Nice, France where she worked in a Hard Rock Cafe branch, and learnt to speak French. Advertisement After moving back to London, she went back to college to try and get her Maths and English GCSE and got a job in a local junior school as a teaching assistant. Sue said that in the years after Big Brother "she held her own" in her battle against anorexia, but Covid exacerbated her condition. Nikki would walk on to a ward and want to be the skinniest anorexic in there. I would despair Sue Grahame 'She had a flat with a gym so she wouldn't come and stay with me during Covid, but then they closed the gym and so she spent £900 on a cross trainer," Sue said. 'I used to illegally drive up to London because she was so isolated. Advertisement 'And while I was there she'd get on this cross trainer obsessively and I'd beg her to stop. I'd say, 'I don't want to lose you' and she'd say 'I'm not going anywhere. I said, 'Yeah that's what Karen Carpenter said'. 'Covid definitely didn't help Nikki, but I can't help feeling she'd already thrown the towel in. 'Because for months before, we'd be walking. I'd turn around, she'd be on the floor. Her legs would just gave way. 'Her body was packing up. She had been starved for so long. She never even had periods. Advertisement "I don't think she was ever meant to make old bones in this world." 16 Big Brother gave Nikki the chance to travel the country doing PAs and writing magazine columns Credit: PA 16 Nikki with her friend Imogen Thomas Credit: INSTAGRAM/IMOGEN THOMAS 16 Mum Sue was pleased to see Nikki enjoy life after her difficult childhood Credit: David Cummings Advertisement 16 Sue said life has been tough since Nikki's death but she's trying hard to heal Credit: David Cummings In the weeks before her death, both Sue and social services tried to encourage Nikki to become an inpatient again but she refused. Instead she decided to travel to her mum's in Dorset, stopping on the way at a pharmacy to pick up her meds. 'She was only 10 minutes away when she passed out in the pharmacy, hit her head on the floor and they had to blue light her in to Dorchester hospital," Sue said. Advertisement 'She was in there for two weeks and I went in every day for the two weeks because it was just a regular ward, not an eating disorder unit and I wanted to take the weight off of the nurses because she needed supervising. 'If they brought her food, it would either go down the toilet or in the bin or out the window. 'I moved into a Premier Inn so that I could just walk there each day and I used to shower her and and watch her eat her meals. 'The mental health team said there was an eating disorders unit but it only had six beds and they were full. That might have made the difference. Advertisement I have never been loved as much as Nikki loved me Sue Grahame 'The nurses at the hospital were quite aggressive with her. Maybe they resented her. No one ever has any patience for anorexics. 'Her BMI was dangerously low. She was just skin and bones. She was pitiful to look at. "Then this nurse came in and said 'This isn't the place for you. This is a surgical ward. Nikki if you can walk up and down those steps outside there you can go home tomorrow. 'And I looked at her and the state Nikki was in and I couldn't believe it." Advertisement Final journey Nikki was discharged from hospital later that day alone and took a taxi to her flat in London. 'She rang me from the taxi and said 'Hi Mum, I'm on my way home'. She was so weak, I couldn't believe they'd discharged her," Sue said. "She told me she really needed the toilet and the poor thing had an accident in the taxi she was so ill. I told her to get her friend to come over when she was at home and help her clean up and then I'd come over in the morning. 'Then she rang me up half three that morning. She used to do that a lot but it was usually when she was out clubbing. Advertisement 'She said 'My friend came around and she helped me in the bath and put me in my jimmy jammies and then she saw me into bed, but I just wanted to tell you that I'm coping all right. ''I've just got up and been to the loo by myself on my walker.' 'I said, 'Every day take it slowly, you're not in a hurry, you'll get there. 'She said, 'Mum I'm tired. I love you.' I told her to go to bed and that I loved her." Advertisement Nikki died that same morning. Sue was on a train on her way to London when Nikki's friend called her and broke the news. 'Goodbye darling' She rushed to Nikki's flat, where she said her final goodbye. 'I just lay on the bed with Nikki and cried," she said. Advertisement 'The worst thing was watching the undertakers come and put her in a body bag and taking her out. 'I went down in the lift with them and we got to the outside door and I said 'Which side is her head?' 'They said it's up there. I just stroked the bag from the outside and said 'Goodbye darling'. It's awful, awful. I'll never get over it. It was the worst day of my life." Sue said she blames the hospital for Nikki's death and even looked into taking legal action but no law firm would take the case. Advertisement She believes it was irresponsible for them to discharge her when she "couldn't even bathe herself or dress herself" and says she should have been transferred to a mental health unit. 'Even if I'd have taken it to court and won, I didn't want the money," Sue said. "I wanted things to change. Maybe I would have tried to get a unit built somewhere that would help others with anorexia. 'That nurse shouldn't have said, 'If you walk up and down the stairs, you can leave', because she clearly wasn't well enough to leave the hospital. If that's a rule, it shouldn't be. Advertisement 'Nikki died on a Saturday morning. And I was walking my dog on the Monday morning when that same nurse rang. She was crying and she said, 'I'm so, so sorry. She shouldn't have gone home.' 'They shouldn't have let her home just because she put a bit of pressure on. She didn't know what was best for her." Signs and symptoms of anorexia if you're under 18, your weight and height being lower than expected for your age if you're an adult, having an unusually low body mass index missing meals, eating very little or avoiding eating any foods you see as fattening believing you are fat when you are a healthy weight or underweight taking medication to reduce your hunger (appetite suppressants) your periods stopping (in women who have not reached menopause) or not starting (in younger women and girls) physical problems, such as feeling dizzy, dry skin and hair loss Four years on from Nikki's April 2021 death, Sue says she's still struggling emotionally. She has relocated from Dorset and lives in East Sussex with her chihuahua Joey. Advertisement Just two months ago, she suffered another heartbreak when she had to have Baby, Nikki's chihuahua who she had cared for since before her death, put to sleep aged 19. 'Until the day I take my last breath I won't get over Nikki's loss," she said. 'Nothing in this world scares me anymore because the worst possible thing has happened. "Life is tough, but since I came down here I'm trying extremely hard. I've made a couple of really good friends. Advertisement 'But I have to say I have never been loved as much as Nikki loved me. And it wasn't because I was a pushover, it was because from day one of her illness I was fighting for her. 'I try and be philosophical because at the end of the day, she was mine for 38 years. How lucky was I? And people still write lovely things about her. They still love her. 'She wasn't everybody's cup of tea but for me she was very special. And even if I died tomorrow, I know I was truly loved in my life, and that's something not everybody can say." Advertisement If you or a loved one is struggling with an eating disorder, the charity Beat offers support, call the helpline on 0808 801 0677
The Irish Sun
12 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Warning as cases of agonising infection surge over summer – with swimming a key trigger
Read on for telltale symptoms of the infection and seven key ways of preventing it SUMMER LOVIN' Warning as cases of agonising infection surge over summer – with swimming a key trigger CASES of an agonising infection surge over the summer months, a GP has warned. Swimming can be a key trigger of the illness, as can forgetting to drink water or getting too caught up to go to the loo. Advertisement 1 Warmer weather and summer activities like swimming can up the risk of UTIs Credit: Getty As temperatures rise and summer activities ramp up, so does the risk of urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women, according to Dr Hina Gauher, GP and cystitis lead at Boots Online Doctor. In fact, the number of people visiting the pharmacy chain about UTIs has risen over the summer months. UTI consultations through the NHS Pharmacy First scheme - which allows patients to seek help over seven common conditions - saw a 10 per cent increase between May and June this year, Boots told Sun Health. Data from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) also showed a 9 per cent increase in UTI related hospital admissions compared to the previous 12 months. Advertisement Many of these patients were in hospital for less than a day - with Boots suggesting hospital trips could be avoided by accessing early advice and appropriate treatment. Dr Gauher said: 'UTIs are common bacterial infections affecting the urinary tract that can cause painful symptoms, interrupt travel plans, and sometimes lead to more serious health complications if left untreated." These can include a high temperature, pains in the lower tummy or back, as well as needing to pee urgently and a burning sensation when you do so. 'Dehydration, frequent swimming, and changes in hygiene routines during the holidays can increase the risk of UTIs," the GP went on. Advertisement "It's important to stay aware and take preventive measures, especially during these warmer months.' The GP shared her seven top tips for preventing UTIs or stopping them in their tracks. The most common illnesses you can catch on holiday 1. Stay hydrated Are you forgetting to drink water while getting caught up in your summer plans? This can make UTIs more likely, Dr Gauher warned. Advertisement 'Drinking plenty of water throughout the day is one of the best ways to help flush out bacteria from your urinary tract and relieve UTI symptoms," she said. "Try and aim for at least six to eight glasses of water a day.' 2. Pee regularly The same applies for going to the loo. 'Urinating regularly is key too," the GP went on. Advertisement "Don't hold in urine and try to go to the toilet as soon as you feel the need to. "This helps clear bacteria from the urinary tract before it has the chance to multiply.' What is a UTI? Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are usually caused by bacteria - found in poo - entering the urinary tract. The bacteria enter through the tube that carries pee out of the body (urethra). Women are more likely than men to pick up UTIs as they have a shorter urethra than men. This means bacteria are more likely to reach the bladder or kidneys and cause an infection. According to the NHS, things that increase the risk of bacteria getting into the bladder include: Having sex Pregnancy Conditions that block the urinary tract – such as kidney stones conditions that make it difficult to fully empty the bladder – such as an enlarged prostate in men and constipation in children Urinary catheters (a tube in your bladder used to drain urine) Having a weakened immune system – for example, people with diabetes or people having chemotherapy Not drinking enough fluids Not keeping the genital area clean and dry Check if it's a UTI Symptoms of a urinary tract infection (UTI) may include: Pain or a burning sensation when peeing (dysuria) Needing to pee more often than usual Needing to pee more often than usual during the night (nocturia) Needing to pee suddenly or more urgently than usual Pee that looks cloudy Blood in your pee Lower tummy pain or pain in your back, just under the ribs A high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery A very low temperature below 36C Your pee may also be dark or smell. If this is your only symptom, it might be because you've not been drinking enough water. What to do if you think you have a UTI If you think you have UTI symptoms, you should speak to your GP to discuss treatment options. Most people will need antibiotics. Some people may be prescribed a 'delayed antibiotic', meaning they'll be asked only to use it if their symptoms don't go away after a certain amount of time. If you keep getting UTIs, your GP might recommend you have a low dose of antibiotics over a long period of time or refer you to a specialist for more tests and treatments. For women who have gone through menopause, there is evidence that vaginal oestrogen creams can reduce UTI symptoms. Source: NHS 3. Wipe well Sometimes your wiping habits could put you in the danger zone of a UTI, according to Dr Gauher. 'Practising good hygiene is another important step," she stressed. Advertisement "Always wipe from front to back after using the toilet to prevent bacteria from spreading to the urethra, reducing the risk of infection.' 4. Change out of wet swimmies After you've had a dip in the sea or the pool, do you find yourself hanging out in your wet bikini? It's best to change out of it soon, Dr Gauher advised. The same goes for your damp workout clothes too. Advertisement 'Prolonged moisture creates a breeding ground for bacteria," she explained. "After swimming or workouts, change into dry clothing promptly.' 5. Pee after sex Though it's blissful to cuddle after sex, it's worth breaking the spell for a moment to nip to the loo. 'Sex habits also play a role in preventing infections," the GP said. Advertisement "Urinating shortly afterward can help remove bacteria and lower the risk of developing a UTI." You might also want to consider "sashing the vaginal area before and after sexual activity" to make sure no germs get into your urinary tract. 6. Avoid scented soaps There's nothing nicer that coming out of the shower smelling delicious - but it's a good idea to keep scented stuff away from your vagina. 'Skip douches, scented soaps, and harsh feminine sprays, which can upset the natural balance of healthy bacteria," Dr Gauher advised. Advertisement 7. Know red flag symptoms Make sure you're up to date with red flag UTI symptoms so you can seek help promptly. 'UTIs are infections that can affect the bladder, kidneys and the tubes connected to them," Dr Gauher explained. "They can cause symptoms like pain or a burning sensation when urinating, needing to urinate more often, and cloudy or strong-smelling urine.' Women aged 16-64 can access advice and prescription treatment through the NHS Pharmacy First Service, which is available at Boots stores in England as well as other pharmacies. Advertisement But if you're younger or older than this age range or keep getting UTIs, you should speak to your GP. You can get further advice from the Boots Online Doctor Cystitis Treatment service.
The Irish Sun
13 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Legionnaire's disease outbreak kills at least two and sickens dozens more after spreading at alarming rate across NYC
Health chiefs have revealed the steps Americans can take to reduce their risk of falling ill DEADLY DISEASE Legionnaire's disease outbreak kills at least two and sickens dozens more after spreading at alarming rate across NYC AT least two people have died and dozens left ill following a Legionnaires outbreak in an area of New York City. Health chiefs are probing the cluster of cases that have emerged. 2 At least two people have died following a Legionnaires outbreak in New York City (stock) Credit: Alamy 2 Cases have been reported in zip code areas of Harlem Credit: Getty At least 58 cases have been reported in zip code areas of Harlem, New York City, according to the city's health agency. And, at least 22 people have fallen ill. The infections have been reported across five zip code areas and cases were first detected on July 25. Locals who fall ill from Legionnaires tend to have flu-like symptoms, but complications can prove fatal. The illness is caused by Legionella bacteria that grows in warm water. Health officials have stressed that Americans cannot contract Legionnaires by drinking water, and the illness is not contagious. Americans of the ages 50 and over are at risk of contracting the disease. Those who smoke and have weak immune systems are also at an increased risk of falling ill with Legionnaires. Other symptoms include diarrhea, fatigue, and a loss of appetite. Some Americans who are ill with Legionnaires may also have a fever, muscle aches and cough. Legionnaires' disease is a serious lung infection most commonly caused by breathing in water droplets containing Legionella germs Symptoms can be similar to Covid-19, but there is no vaccine or cure against Legionnaires disease. Dr Tony Eyssallenne, of the New York City Health Department, urged anyone with symptoms to get checked out. "If you're in those ZIP codes that have demonstrated exposure, then we want you to monitor your symptoms and get to a healthcare provider as soon as you can so you can get access to antibiotics, because it is treatable," he told the NBC affiliate WNBC-TV. Health chiefs at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have shared tips to stop Legionella spreading. Drivers should use genuine windshield cleaner fluid, instead of only filling tanks with water. Americans should also clean showerheads and replace water filters to prevent germs from forming. Homeowners should set water heaters to around 120F. Legionnaires cases in Harlem THERE has been an outbreak of Legionnaires cases reported in zip code areas of Harlem, New York City. So far, 58 cases have been reported according to the NYC Health Department. The affected districts are: 10027 10030 10035 10037 10039 Health chiefs have said temperatures of 130F to 140F can kill Legionella bacteria but there is an increased risk of burn injuries. Water heaters should be regularly flushed, according to the CDC. In cities such as New York City, building owners must register their cooling towers. These are inspected for Legionella bacteria.
