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M.E. is being treated as a "serious" and "real" illness by scientists, at long last!
nethwen
Posts: 23,374 Forum Member
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11440372/First-biological-proof-that-ME-is-real-found-by-scientists.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2949369/Chronic-fatigue-real-disease-Doctors-draw-new-guidelines-diagnose-condition.html
About time, as well, I say.
For all those suffering this debilitating illness - and fibromyalgia syndrome too, which has very similar symptoms - already know exactly how "real" and "serious" an illness it is thank you very much!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2949369/Chronic-fatigue-real-disease-Doctors-draw-new-guidelines-diagnose-condition.html
About time, as well, I say.
For all those suffering this debilitating illness - and fibromyalgia syndrome too, which has very similar symptoms - already know exactly how "real" and "serious" an illness it is thank you very much!
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My personal experience of almost 25 years has sometimes been a nightmare, in terms of differential diagnoses and has on many occasions left me feeling like a fraud. Anything that sheds light on it is good, as long as it is based on gold-standard evidence. I think I understand what happened to me and why it came about but anecdotal evidence only fits the person it's supplied by and I would welcome it being more accepted clinically. My health was so bad at one point I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, some symptoms of which are not easy to 'fake' (abnormal reflexes, loss of balance, and so on). I didn't believe it was MS and challenged the diagnosis ten years down the line. If I'd wanted to be a 'malingerer' and take the easy route it would have been much 'easier' to keep the MS diagnosis, in terms of acceptance from other people. Even members of my own family seem to think that I can pull myself out of it when I have tried incredibly hard to do so and achieved different things across the years. My symptoms do include depression and severe migraines but it isn't 'all in my head'. The overwhelming fatigue (with or without physical activity) and poor concentration/ fuzzy head at times is more disabling than both of those. It is as it is- very frustrating but all you can do is manage it as best you can. Thing is, on bad days, people don't see me, so it's understandable that they can't get their heads around it when they do because I don't walk around with a long face. On a daily basis, face-to-face, it's just easier not to tell people and make my excuses.
I feel for anyone else going through similar. It's awful feeling so wretched, too tired to argue back and disbelieved.
Thankfully, I have supportive GPs, there is a long history of evidence, they know for definite I'm not 'lazy' and my condition has improved compared with how overwhelming it was at one point. I think that it's probably because I've learned to manage it better and don't fight against it so much.
ETA: In fact, off for my afternoon zonk now as I've been messing about on DS and it's overdue!!!!