ME treatment needs to improve

I should say so having had my last 20 years blighted by this illness with no proper diagnosis or integrated treatment whatsoever.

"By Siobhan Ryan »


It was once dismissed as nothing more than “yuppie flu” but over the years a greater understanding about the debilitating effects of ME has emerged.
The lives of many patients were left devastated by the disease as they struggled to cope with a whole range of symptoms ranging from extreme tiredness and lethargy to consistent pain and dizziness.
This was all up against a lack of knowledge and recognition from the medical profession and the general assumption that people should just “pull themselves together”.
But things have now changed significantly for the better.
ME is now recognised as a specific medical condition and NHS services specifically aimed at supporting and treating patients are now emerging across the country.
But according to the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG), chaired by Brighton Kemptown MP Des Turner, there is still plenty that needs to be done.
The group has recently published an interim report on its inquiry into the NHS services available.
Dr Turner said: “Currently, services offered to patients with ME or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) are patchy and we have heard of numerous cases where treatment has simply not been available to any adequate standard.
“This is confounded by delays in diagnosis and failings on the part of GPs to recognise the disease or diagnose it.
“We found unacceptable variation in provision between different health trusts, which needs to be addressed.”"