symptoms

You may need to seek urgent medical attention while abroad

The UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued a warning to Brits heading abroad. As our government’s foreign affairs department, the FCDO is responsible for many tasks – one of which is distribute travel advice in a bid to help trips run smoothly and to keep people safe.

And in a new post on X, formerly Twitter, FCDO has warned of a potentially life-threatening issue that can present symptoms similar to a “bad hangover”. The alert reads: “Methanol poisoning can be hard to spot. Early symptoms can feel like a bad hangover.

“Learn the warning signs and know how to reduce the risk.” Further information found within a linked government campaign explains: “Alcohol contaminated with methanol and targeted spiking incidents can lead to serious illness and death.”

Methanol is an industrial alcohol used in products like antifreeze, fuel and paint thinners. FCDO guidance continues: “In some parts of the world methanol products are sometimes illegally mixed with ‘real’ alcohol such as spirit-based drinks and cocktails.

“Medical experts believe that as little as 30ml (roughly equivalent to a shot) of methanol can be fatal for an adult, while 10ml can cause blindness.” Early symptoms include vomiting, a loss of balance, drowsiness, and poor judgement.

Twelve to 48 hours after drinking there may be vertigo, hyperventilation, abdominal pain, breathlessness, coma, convulsions, and blurred vision and/or blindness. If you or someone you are travelling with have these symptoms you should seek urgent medical attention.

FCDO advice adds: “Vision issues are a distinctive red flag, particularly blurry vision, trouble looking at bright lights, and in some cases complete blindness. ‘Snowfield vision’ (seeing snowy static like an old TV) or tunnel vision can also occur.”

Seeking urgent medical attention could save your life.

July 3 (UPI) — Authorities in Pennsylvania’s Berks County declared a mass casualty incident when more than 100 people waiting to see a train were treated for heat-related symptoms.

A crowd of thousands gathered Thursday afternoon at the Reading & Blue Mountain Railroad Outer Station in Muhlenberg Township to glimpse Big Boy, the world’s largest steam-powered locomotive, which is currently on tour for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations.

The train’s arrival was delayed for more than an hour as local temperatures climbed to 106 degrees.

Berks County 911 started to receive 911 calls about 1:30 p.m., and ambulances and firefighters from surrounding counties were summoned to assist.

More than 100 people were treated for heat-related maladies, and 45 of those were transported to local hospitals. One patient went into cardiac arrest, but was resuscitated before being transported to hospital.

Officials said children and the elderly made up the majority of those affected.

Big Boy rolled through the station around 2:30 p.m., before continuing on toward Philadelphia.

FRANKIE Bridge has revealed she’s been diagnosed with ADHD after her Loose Women co-star Denise Welch spotted the symptoms and urged her to get tested.

The 37-year-old has previously been open about her battle with depression and anxiety and now she believes she’s found the “last missing piece” with her attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder diagnosis.

Speaking on her latest YouTube vlog, the former Saturdays star told her viewers: “I found out today that I’ve got ADHD.

“Denise was like, ‘I got diagnosed with ADHD and it’s completely changed my life – my depression and my anxiety is so much better’.

She was like, ‘let me put you in touch with [a specialist]. You can just see’. I was a bit like, ‘yeah, I mean, I could be’.”

The mum-of-two continued: “I’ve been battling with [the diagnosis] all day. Part of me is like, what a relief, because it does make sense to me.

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“When I went on the call, I was not sure if this was going to really resonate with me. But by the end of it, I was like, ‘f***, it really does’.

“It’s kind of reassuring. Not that it makes excuses for it, but I can hopefully try and feel less guilt because I’m such a perfectionist, and all that is part of it.”

According to the NHS, those with ADHD are significantly more likely to experience depression and anxiety.

ADHD itself can cause emotional dysregulation, making individuals more prone to intense emotions and making it harder to soothe themselves when feeling down or worried.

The I’m A Celebrity star added: “Hopefully this is the last missing piece that is going to help.

“They do say with a lot of women, we’re not diagnosed ’til we’re a lot older, and by then, you’ve already dealt with depression and anxiety for a really long time.”

Her fans flocked to the comments section on YouTube to commend her on her bravery as some related to her diagnosis.

One penned: “I recently got diagnosed with adhd too and so much makes sense now.”

Another person said: “Awww love your vids. Love your vulnerability.”

While a third added: “Thanks for another great vlog and thanks for being you.”

Denise was diagnosed with ADHD herself in January 2023 after undergoing a series of intense tests.

Incidentally, Denise went to get tested after her Loose Women co-star Nadia Sawalha received her own diagnosis and saw similar traits in her.

Frankie has previously stated that she was “anxious from the womb” and experienced physical symptoms including stomach aches, night time panic and difficulty breathing.

Her depression began to manifest significantly when she was 15, coinciding with her first brush with fame in S Club Juniors.

In 2011, at the height of her success in The Saturdays, Frankie suffered a major mental health breakdown.

She voluntarily admitted herself into a private psychiatric hospital for treatment for one month.

It’s something the ITV star has continued to deal with on daily basis but has used her platform to help other people who are experiencing the same as her.

In March last year, she told her Instagram followers: “I have finally made it down to the gym. It’s taken me the whole day to actually get here.

“My depression is absolutely kicking my a**e, and I’m so over it. You know when you just feel like you do all the things you’re told you’re meant to do, and then it just still always comes back? 

“I’m just so bored of myself. It is so boring. You know when you just think everyone around me must just be so bored of it as well, and I just I’m over it.” 

“But I’m here,” she added. “I’m going to try and do as much as I can in the gym, because I know it will make me feel better.

“Instead of just sitting around, eating s**t, which is what I’ve been doing all day, which only makes me feel worse and I know that, so I don’t know why I do it, but here we are back in the same old place.”