Dad from Peterborough battling anorexia calls for overhaul of health system after nearly losing his life

Former Peterborough Telegraph journalist Joel Lamy was first diagnosed with the serious mental health condition Anorexia Nervosa in 2020 – during the Covid-19 pandemic.

His illness is exacerbated by IBS and a condition known as Functional Neurological Disorder – which causes a problem with how the brain sends and receives information to other parts of the body, often leaving him in severe pain. It is an extra hurdle in gaining weight for the 34 year-old, as his IBS and FND pain is often triggered by food.

The conditions leave him too unwell to work, or to pick up his young daughter.

He is now calling for the NHS to offer a faster response to those with eating disorders, a “multi-disciplinary approach” to treatment, and greater flexibility in dealing with complex illnesses like his.

“During the Covid lockdown, I had a physical breakdown at work and the anorexia began from there,” he explains. "I have always had a difficult relationship with food, weight and exercise, but I began looking at my relationship with food as a way to bring control back into my life at a time when I felt I didn’t have any.”

Joel said he would spend hours every day “agonising over food”, leading to “extreme behaviours” – and ultimately a level of “despair”.

"Eating physically pains me. I've lost weight and wanted to cry, I've gained weight and wanted to cry,” he admits. “I've tried to find ways to occupy my mind so I don't think about food.”

After leaving his job, Joel’s weight plummeted to under seven stone. He sought help with the Adult Eating Disorder Service (AEDS) through Cambridge and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust, and was then sent to Peterborough City Hospital, run by North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (NWAFT) – but claims neither helped him to make any lasting improvements.

“A couple of years ago, I was threatened with being sectioned if I didn’t go to Peterborough City Hospital,” he recalls. “So I went, but when I got there, they had no pain relief for me. I asked to be discharged and they let me go home the next day in tears.

“I said I was happy to keep working with them, but I wanted them to investigate my IBS and pain – but that was declined. What I needed was a multi-disciplinary approach to take into account the existing IBS, and my FND, but I wasn’t getting it.

“Until they get my body in a better state and address these things, I don’t think I can ever get to grips with the anorexia fully.”

A Close Call

In June this year, weighing less than 6st, things took a turn for the worse when the dad suddenly collapsed.

“I reached the point this year where I collapsed at home,” he explained. “My wife had the sixth sense to cancel her plans that day and stay home with me. Thankfully the ambulance arrived really quickly, but we were told by the paramedics that another 30 minutes and I wouldn’t have survived.”

He was resuscitated and taken to PCH, but was told his liver was in a bad way due to the anorexia. He stayed at the hospital to recover, during which he claims he was given food that exacerbated his IBS.

"I tried to explain that I have severe issues that need addressing (IBS and FND) – but these were completely disregarded,” he claims.

Responding to Joel’s claims, Jo Bennis, Chief Nurse at NWAFT, said: “When a patient with an eating disorder is admitted to our hospital, it is usually following a review and recommendation from a mental health professional, and because the patient is clinically unwell or at risk of deterioration. Every case is different and often complex, requiring input from a multitude of specialties across various organisations. If there is a concern that the patient is dangerously underweight then a meal plan is developed by a dietician and in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary team caring for that individual. These plans are carefully put together and delivered to ensure that we try and improve the patient’s nutrition and calorie intake, and stop them becoming more unwell.

“The care of our patients, and the compassion and understanding needed to deal with treating an eating disorder is always taken into consideration and we will of course include them in the plan for their care.

“It would be inappropriate for us to discuss any personal information relating to Mr Lamy’s care without his direct consent."

Fighting for his Family

“This whole experience has taken such a huge toll on my family, it is unbearable,” Joel says. “What this has done to my wife, I can’t even begin to describe.”

"I have nobody on a daily basis at home other than my wife who calms me down, helps me decide what to eat when I can't decide, and helps me prepare it when I'm too ill to do so - even when she is tired and needs to go to bed after a long day of parenting and working.

“The good news is the fight is still there. I'm determined to be there for my family, but anorexia is evil, and with my pain and IBS there is only so long I can sustain this before I end up breaking.

“I say this not for sympathy, but to raise awareness both of anorexia and the shocking way people with eating disorders are treated in this area. I know I am not alone with these experiences, while some have been less fortunate and have sadly passed away.”

“People with such eating disorders, go in to hospital, get given food, and then get shoved out again. But they end up just going back in as there is no community support.”

He said: “The system, in general, is a mess. I just want to get healthy and be around for my family. I’m scared, nervous and pessimistic about my future.”

After being sectioned at PCH in September, Joel was transferred to the Priory Hospital in Chelmsford in October – which specialises in mental health illnesses and addictions. He has since been removed from sectioning and is slowly gaining weight with a custom meal plan.

Campaign for Change

Joel now wants to highlight his experiences in the hope of helping others in a similar situation, and to call for an overhaul of the system to better support those with complex eating disorders.

"There will be others going through similar struggles to me, and I don’t want their families to be destroyed by what we’ve had to go through.”

“I want my case to be part of the narrative, not the whole story.”

Joel has been in touch with Hope Virgo, the founder of the #DumpTheScales campaign and the Secretariat for the All Party Parliamentary Groups (APPG) for eating disorders, about his experience.

“The neglect that so many face at the moment is shocking,” she said. “We are seeing hundreds of people discharged from eating disorder services with dangerously low BMIs, people being told they are too complex, not motivated enough. “Joel's situation is one I hear daily, people crying out for support but being met with nothing.

“This is one reason of many why we are calling for an eating disorder stand alone strategy, a confidential inquiry into all eating disorder deaths and funding into services. But beyond funding we need a complete reformation of services.”

• Anorexia has the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric disorders. During Covid-19, there was a spike in urgent and routine referrals to NHS child and adolescent eating disorder services, which almost doubled.

Eating disorder charity BEAT says: "Eating disorders are complex with no one sole cause, but we know from research that individuals might be predisposed due to their genetic or biological make up.

"Eating disorders are treatable and people can and do make full and sustained recoveries. The sooner someone gets the treatment and support they need, the more likely this is.”

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust has been approached for a comment.

Beat offers a national helpline and web chat service. For more details, visit the charity’s website.

Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust were approached for comment.