ShootCert.co.uk

[tjm160]

A profoundly grateful shout out to ShootCert.co.uk.

I have Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.), (also erroneously referred to as 'chronic fatigue syndrome') from a virus in 2013 and a consequent complex and difficult medical history. With extremely anti shooting medical consultant(s) and GP, I frankly had zero chance of ever re-gaining my FAC after being forced to surrender back in 2017. This was at least until conducting a periodic search for any 'progress' around M.E. and firearms, I encountered an article on Shooting.co.uk from 2022 by the founder of ShootCert.co.uk Dr Chris Garrett, the updated version of which is here; Depression & gun ownership, it’s time to dispel the myths

I consequently felt I had nothing to lose in submitting a medical records review application to ShootCert.co.uk. Following a short delay with my surgery forwarding all my medical records, my application was subsequently reviewed by Dr Chris himself. The end result is that I have my medical certificate confirming no medical reason I may not possess firearms and the medical endorsement for me to do so. This will hopefully satisfy my FEO's requirement in order to be able to support my re-application to the Chief Constable.

So, sorry all, you might just have to put up with me being around again For what it's worth, I've certainly missed you lot

 

[Liveonce]

I wish you well with your application and ongoing health.

 

[VSS]

A profoundly grateful shout out to ShootCert.co.uk.

I have Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (M.E.), (also erroneously referred to as 'chronic fatigue syndrome') from a virus in 2013 and a consequent complex and difficult medical history. With extremely anti shooting medical consultant(s) and GP, I frankly had zero chance of ever re-gaining my FAC after being forced to surrender back in 2017. This was at least until conducting a periodic search for any 'progress' around M.E. and firearms, I encountered an article on Shooting.co.uk from 2022 by the founder of ShootCert.co.uk Dr Chris Garrett, the updated version of which is here; Depression & gun ownership, it’s time to dispel the myths

I consequently felt I had nothing to lose in submitting a medical records review application to ShootCert.co.uk. Following a short delay with my surgery forwarding all my medical records, my application was subsequently reviewed by Dr Chris himself. The end result is that I have my medical certificate confirming no medical reason I may not possess firearms and the medical endorsement for me to do so. This will hopefully satisfy my FEO's requirement in order to be able to support my re-application to the Chief Constable.

So, sorry all, you might just have to put up with me being around again For what it's worth, I've certainly missed you lot

Glad to hear you're getting back into it

 

[tjm160]

Thanks Liveonce and VSS, hope the boots are still serving you well

 

[VSS]

Thanks Liveonce and VSS, hope the boots are still serving you well

Well they still exist, but only just!
I've certainly had my money's worth out of them, but I think they've now reached the stage of life when they'd be better filled with compost and planted up with geraniums.

 

[tjm160]

Yeah, it's certainly been a while

 

[tozzybum]

Welcome back, glad you were successful with your research.
Long time no speak look forward to your journey back to stalking atb Iain

 

[scotch_egg]

My partner suffers with M.E and has just finished a Psychology masters and is starting a PhD concentrating on M.E. It is a misunderstood condition and often bears a huge stigma. There is some amazing research being conducted by the University of Edinburgh that my partner is working on between her studies. She is going to be applying for her first F.A.C when she gets the chance. Your post has been a huge boost for her.

I wish you all the best in your shooting future knowing what the condition does to the body and how frustrating it can be it’s a hard slog but well worth it. I know the enjoyment of shooting provides a great boost in my own mental health.

I read the article and can also confirm to anyone reading this don’t keep anything to yourself. Get help and don’t fear loosing your F.A.C there are people with a range of conditions who keep shooting.

 

[tjm160]

Cheers Iain, it's so good to be back I can't tell you

Thanks scotch_egg, so sorry to hear about your partner, but that's great encouragement, thank you. Like anyone with M.E. it's obviously an extremely long story. The short version is that I managed to avoid the 'psych's for almost four years. Ploughing my own furrow (mum having M.E. since late twenties and so anecdotally knowing I had 5-years to find my way out of or be stuck for life and there being no 'magic bullet'), I had learned the hard way what works for my specific manifestation of the illness and accordingly, had pulled together 'treatment' ingredients and 'recipe' spanning the whole being; psychological, nutrition and physical.



As a result, I was 15-stone, fit as a fiddle, incredibly positive and although still full of symptoms and unable to do anything but follow my strict 'regime', I was slowly getting better with all the data to prove. I was then accused of lying and effectively having overcome the M.E. and all my symptoms having been taken over by 'psychological issues'. I wrote war and peace explaining everything and literally begged all concerned to trust me and not stop my efforts which were clearly working and were literally getting my life back.

They weren't however having any of it and demanded I follow 'their way' and submit to 'psych' 'treatment'. I couldn't refuse or would be 'refusing treatment' and therefore lose the permanent health insurance upon which my family are now entirely reliant. So for the sake of keeping a roof over my families heads, I had to comply. Within four months they had forced me onto anti depressants and systematically dismantled literally everything I was doing to get better, turning me into a 5-stone heavier thoroughly genuinely depressed mess.



After 12-months of their utter stupidity I reasoned no one could any longer say I had refused treatment or hadn't tried, so had a huge row with the consultant psychiatrist and 'left'. Waddling back into next appointment with the consultant rheumatologist, he literally did a double take, scarcely unable to believe what his forced referral to the psych's had done to me. Of course, he wouldn't acknowledge but his 'look' had said everything and at least I was finally away from the 'psych's'. I tried to get back to what was working prior, but now there was a whole layer of difficulties over the top of the M.E as a result of being forced to undertake treatment I knew would be harmful and now nothing worked anymore, I was truly stuck.

Thankfully, two grands worth of private trauma counselling took the edge off everything they had done to me, but it's taken almost seven years to fully get over mentally and physically, I sadly don't think I ever will. Although an unbelievable effort before, I could stalk independently. Now, I need help. My lad isn't interested in the shooting but fortunately loves the food side and is happy to come and carry everything for me and deal with everything post shot once properly taught, as the stalking had always been 'our thing' and we've both mourned it's loss terribly. I'm also looking at an electric quad to make more accessible.

So this is me most recently. Having finally felt able to return to some form of shooting ("air") earlier this year and finding bench rest particularly suited as the rifle is fully supported. The range shooting has helped me return to some degree of very light activity, has got me out with people again, has massively raised my morale and mental health and given me the impetus needed to get back onto keto (the only type of eating that works for me, enabling me to lose weight) and lose almost 2-stone so far.





"As a footnote to anyone wondering; I really don't like having to share such details publicly. However, as scotch_egg rightly points out, there is sadly such stigma associated with post viral illness and huge consequent difficulties living with. I consequently feel it's important to do my bit towards dispelling the myths, to show just what it's like living with such a condition and to encourage others in similar positions".

 

[Mr. Gain]

Cheers Iain, it's so good to be back I can't tell you

Thanks scotch_egg, so sorry to hear about your partner, but that's great encouragement, thank you. Like anyone with M.E. it's obviously an extremely long story. The short version is that I managed to avoid the 'psych's for almost four years. Ploughing my own furrow (mum having M.E. since late twenties and so anecdotally knowing I had 5-years to find my way out of or be stuck for life and there being no 'magic bullet'), I had learned the hard way what works for my specific manifestation of the illness and accordingly, had pulled together 'treatment' ingredients and 'recipe' spanning the whole being; psychological, nutrition and physical.

View attachment 388559

As a result, I was 15-stone, fit as a fiddle, incredibly positive and although still full of symptoms and unable to do anything but follow my strict 'regime', I was slowly getting better with all the data to prove. I was then accused of lying and effectively having overcome the M.E. and all my symptoms having been taken over by 'psychological issues'. I wrote war and peace explaining everything and literally begged all concerned to trust me and not stop my efforts which were clearly working and were literally getting my life back.

They weren't however having any of it and demanded I follow 'their way' and submit to 'psych' 'treatment'. I couldn't refuse or would be 'refusing treatment' and therefore lose the permanent health insurance upon which my family are now entirely reliant. So for the sake of keeping a roof over my families heads, I had to comply. Within four months they had forced me onto anti depressants and systematically dismantled literally everything I was doing to get better, turning me into a 5-stone heavier thoroughly genuinely depressed mess.

View attachment 388560

After 12-months of their utter stupidity I reasoned no one could any longer say I had refused treatment or hadn't tried, so had a huge row with the consultant psychiatrist and 'left'. Waddling back into next appointment with the consultant rheumatologist, he literally did a double take, scarcely unable to believe what his forced referral to the psych's had done to me. Of course, he wouldn't acknowledge but his 'look' had said everything and at least I was finally away from the 'psych's'. I tried to get back to what was working prior, but now there was a whole layer of difficulties over the top of the M.E as a result of being forced to undertake treatment I knew would be harmful and now nothing worked anymore, I was truly stuck.

Thankfully, two grands worth of private trauma counselling took the edge off everything they had done to me, but it's taken almost seven years to fully get over mentally and physically, I sadly don't think I ever will. Although an unbelievable effort before, I could stalk independently. Now, I need help. My lad isn't interested in the shooting but fortunately loves the food side and is happy to come and carry everything for me and deal with everything post shot once properly taught, as the stalking had always been 'our thing' and we've both mourned it's loss terribly. I'm also looking at an electric quad to make more accessible.

So this is me most recently. Having finally felt able to return to some form of shooting ("air") earlier this year and finding bench rest particularly suited as the rifle is fully supported. The range shooting has helped me return to some degree of very light activity, has got me out with people again, has massively raised my morale and mental health and given me the impetus needed to get back onto keto (the only type of eating that works for me, enabling me to lose weight) and lose almost 2-stone so far.

View attachment 388563



"As a footnote to anyone wondering; I really don't like having to share such details publicly. However, as scotch_egg rightly points out, there is sadly such stigma associated with post viral illness and huge consequent difficulties living with. I consequently feel it's important to do my bit towards dispelling the myths, to show just what it's like living with such a condition and to encourage others in similar positions".

What a fantastic post. Thankyou very much for sharing your story. It's great to hear what you've achieved against all the odds, many of them shockingly unjust, that have been stacked against you, and to learn that you have made a real breakthrough with ShootCert's help. Your story brings home too just how important the off-ticket status of sub-12 airguns is in allowing shooters to continue their sport in the face of adversity.

 

[tozzybum]

Seems to be the biggest problem in this country the Dr is all knowing and Godlike .
But no he isn't, had 6 hospital stays since last November.
After 1 operation an obviously infected " tomato " growing on my foot .
The nurse asked doctors to send me for an X Ray but he said no.
Result back in for another amputation, setting me back .
Well done for believing in yourself and not some Physc doctor babble.
Having been through it with your mum you knew what was needed and it wasn't on page 25 of a doctors handbook.
Good luck with your journey Tim and thank you for sharing such a personal event atb Iain

 

[tjm160]

Thanks Mr. Gain, totally agree. Whilst I was too shocked and upset to even consider continuing with 'air' when I had to surrender the firearms, it has been absolutely central to getting back to this point. It's also been strangely nice to enjoy pure marksmanship without the noise and recoil However, one can only manage so long without the wonderful 'smell of cordite in the morning' and that first shot with rimfire again at the club, was truly magical

I've clearly missed a lot in the past 7-years but reading between the lines you've clearly been through (and still are) rather a lot too Iain, I'm so sorry.

 

[takbok]

Welcome back Tim and wishing you all the best!

 

[tjm160]

Cheers takbok, so good to be here again

 

[Sol]

Glad to see you back, even though I've not seen you before.
I feel you on chronic conditions, they can kick ass and FEO's and Doctors can be highly judgmental too Its horrid especially for things that are more-so "life effected" mental health rather than a genuine mental depression that sticks with you without medication, People just need a chance to learn things again and get back into the swing of things removing one of there passion hobbies is not a great way to do it!

I left school early about 2 years early (Start of 3rd) Turns out I had a genetic defect that causes me not to produce collagen meaning the upkeep of like.... my entire body is a battle in-itself.
Nothing functions correctly like actually, nothing works right, I am pretty much playing life on hard mode! that 2-3 year break was amazing I needed it.

I'm still obviously tired I always will be, I'll be prone to burn out a little more than the average person, I'll probably be drastically higher for some medical conditions and so forth.
But hey! I have muscle now, I'm no longer under 40kg (60kg now!), I enjoy my hobbies and over all I'm content with life now that I know whats going on.

I especially love shooting even if If I need to use sticks/bipods, I might not be able to drag deer very well either but hey I make it work with what I have around me and whos willing to help!.

 

[tjm160]

Thanks Lady, so sorry to hear of your own challenges but also greatly inspired by your story, tenacity and the insightfully accurate points you make. My sincere very best wishes for your own continued success in battling the adversity life has thrown at you

 

[geoshot]

Great post!
Well done you for sharing your struggles (that's brave in & of itself) and it's great to see that you're managing to overcome some of the hurdles that the medical profession can put in your way
Good luck and I hope your FAC application is quickly approved, your positivity surely helps prove your fitness to hold an FAC
ATB

 

[tjm160]

Thank you very much geoshot, much appreciated encouragement, will keep you posted on how things proceed

 

[tjm160]

FEO has given his blessing to go ahead and re-apply. I'm medium risk apparently and so will need to interview again, but I had that last time and it doesn't concern me. Application submitted last night. A bit of a backlog though, so up to 6-8 month wait. It's going to be a looooooong winter Applied for 243, 308 and 2 x FAC Air, one for 'rimfire' target at the club and the other hunting. The hunting one will be setup with a DNT Zulus and I had hoped to use for LSR at the club (the other being used for NSRA Bench Rest) but found out today that can't use a scope with a built in LRF. So, should have included at least one 22LR Will have to remedy that at interview.