Monday the 12th is National ME Day, and I'll be sharing my story on stream as well as others to spread awareness
Any money from that stream will be donated to MEASSOCIATION charity
#MECFS
#MECFSAwarenessMonth
#LongCovid #pwME #pwLC
www.twitch.tv/katyfear
Monday the 12th is National ME Day, and I'll be sharing my story on stream as well as others to spread awareness
Any money from that stream will be donated to MEASSOCIATION charity
#MECFS
#MECFSAwarenessMonth
#LongCovid #pwME #pwLC
www.twitch.tv/katyfear
Oh, but I forgot, I don't want any of that, you're right Simon Wessely I love this, please repress me more.
#MECFSAwarenessMonth
Oh, but I forgot, I don't want any of that, you're right Simon Wessely I love this, please repress me more.
#MECFSAwarenessMonth
Thirty years on, major health agencies have rejected the psychological approach to #MECFS. Patients were right — but the impact has been devastating. Harm, stigma, denial of care, stalled research and patients have no treatments.
Thirty years on, major health agencies have rejected the psychological approach to #MECFS. Patients were right — but the impact has been devastating. Harm, stigma, denial of care, stalled research and patients have no treatments.
2021: After a comprehensive review, NICE finds all evidence for Graded Exercise Therapy and CBT to be of low or very low quality. GET is found to be harmful and is no longer recommended. CBT is downgraded to supportive use only.
2021: After a comprehensive review, NICE finds all evidence for Graded Exercise Therapy and CBT to be of low or very low quality. GET is found to be harmful and is no longer recommended. CBT is downgraded to supportive use only.
2018: Emma Shorter tells the Scottish Parliament how Graded Exercise Therapy left her needing a wheelchair. Prof. Jonathan Edwards submits evidence saying patients were vilified but they were right — the science was poor quality.
2018: Emma Shorter tells the Scottish Parliament how Graded Exercise Therapy left her needing a wheelchair. Prof. Jonathan Edwards submits evidence saying patients were vilified but they were right — the science was poor quality.
2018: A re-analysis of the PACE trial, using the authors’ original plan, finds the results were inflated and that GET and CBT are not effective. If the authors had kept to their original plan, the PACE trial could not have been reported as a success.
2018: A re-analysis of the PACE trial, using the authors’ original plan, finds the results were inflated and that GET and CBT are not effective. If the authors had kept to their original plan, the PACE trial could not have been reported as a success.
2018: MP Carol Monaghan leads the first of 3 UK Parliament debates on ME, including one about the PACE trial. She highlights patient harm and flawed research, calling it “one of the biggest medical scandals of the 21st century.”
2018: MP Carol Monaghan leads the first of 3 UK Parliament debates on ME, including one about the PACE trial. She highlights patient harm and flawed research, calling it “one of the biggest medical scandals of the 21st century.”
2017: The CDC drops its recommendation for Graded Exercise Therapy and CBT — a major step away from the psychological model. An analysis of multiple treatment surveys finds over 50% of #MECFS patients report Graded Exercise Therapy made them worse.
2017: The CDC drops its recommendation for Graded Exercise Therapy and CBT — a major step away from the psychological model. An analysis of multiple treatment surveys finds over 50% of #MECFS patients report Graded Exercise Therapy made them worse.
May 2017: Merryn Crofts dies of Severe ME. Merryn’s mum, Clare Norton, is very critical of the PACE trial and the NICE guideline, believing advice to slow down and rest earlier might have prevented her deterioration into Severe ME.
May 2017: Merryn Crofts dies of Severe ME. Merryn’s mum, Clare Norton, is very critical of the PACE trial and the NICE guideline, believing advice to slow down and rest earlier might have prevented her deterioration into Severe ME.
2015: Long-term PACE trial results show no long term benefit from CBT or GET compared to standard medical care. Yet authors still claimed effectiveness. The Science Media Centre backed the findings, and media reported success despite criticism.
2015: Long-term PACE trial results show no long term benefit from CBT or GET compared to standard medical care. Yet authors still claimed effectiveness. The Science Media Centre backed the findings, and media reported success despite criticism.
2015: A landmark report in the US reviews 9,000+ studies and concludes ME/CFS is a “serious, chronic, complex” disease — not psychiatric. It identifies post-exertional malaise as a key diagnostic feature and helps shift understanding.
2015: A landmark report in the US reviews 9,000+ studies and concludes ME/CFS is a “serious, chronic, complex” disease — not psychiatric. It identifies post-exertional malaise as a key diagnostic feature and helps shift understanding.
2011: Ian Gibson MP highlights a high-level block on biomedical #MECFS research. A study also reveals nurses’ frustration delivering psychological treatments — one supervisor reported a feeling of, “the bastards don’t want to get better.”
2011: Ian Gibson MP highlights a high-level block on biomedical #MECFS research. A study also reveals nurses’ frustration delivering psychological treatments — one supervisor reported a feeling of, “the bastards don’t want to get better.”
The Science Media Centre, which has strong ties to Wessely, launches a media campaign portraying #MECFS patients as dangerous activists who threaten researchers - it discredits patients and diverts attention from valid concerns about research.
The Science Media Centre, which has strong ties to Wessely, launches a media campaign portraying #MECFS patients as dangerous activists who threaten researchers - it discredits patients and diverts attention from valid concerns about research.
2011: The £5m PACE trial claims CBT and Graded Exercise Therapy are effective treatments for ME/CFS. It’s widely condemned as deeply flawed and later cited as a case study in bad science.
2011: The £5m PACE trial claims CBT and Graded Exercise Therapy are effective treatments for ME/CFS. It’s widely condemned as deeply flawed and later cited as a case study in bad science.
2007: NICE publishes a guideline recommending Graded Exercise Therapy and CBT for #MECFS. It’s condemned by doctors, charities, researchers, and patients due to weak evidence, bias on the committee, and concerns about harm.
2007: NICE publishes a guideline recommending Graded Exercise Therapy and CBT for #MECFS. It’s condemned by doctors, charities, researchers, and patients due to weak evidence, bias on the committee, and concerns about harm.
2005: Sophia Mirza dies of severe ME. Prior to her death, she was wrongfully sectioned for refusing to attend a clinic offering Graded Exercise Therapy. Mistreatment during her stay led to a dramatic deterioration, and she never recovered.
2005: Sophia Mirza dies of severe ME. Prior to her death, she was wrongfully sectioned for refusing to attend a clinic offering Graded Exercise Therapy. Mistreatment during her stay led to a dramatic deterioration, and she never recovered.
1999: Wessely sets up the first NHS clinic for CFS. An influential GP training video calls patients “very frustrating” due to arguments, downplays severity, and promotes exercise even when they feel “rotten” — which is potentially very harmful.
1999: Wessely sets up the first NHS clinic for CFS. An influential GP training video calls patients “very frustrating” due to arguments, downplays severity, and promotes exercise even when they feel “rotten” — which is potentially very harmful.
1993-96: Wessely lobbied the UK government to reject ME as a neurological disorder and led an influential report that downplayed biomedical causes, pushed psychological treatments, and resulted in the virtual disappearance of ME for the next decade.
1993-96: Wessely lobbied the UK government to reject ME as a neurological disorder and led an influential report that downplayed biomedical causes, pushed psychological treatments, and resulted in the virtual disappearance of ME for the next decade.
1991, the Oxford criteria for CFS were published. Vague and overly broad, they effectively identified people with unexplained fatigue. Despite being seriously flawed, they became popular in UK research and distorted understanding of ME for decades.
1991, the Oxford criteria for CFS were published. Vague and overly broad, they effectively identified people with unexplained fatigue. Despite being seriously flawed, they became popular in UK research and distorted understanding of ME for decades.
#MECFSAwareness #MECFSAwarenessMonth
#MECFSAwareness #MECFSAwarenessMonth
Together with @openmedf.bsky.social, @meactnet.bsky.social, and @solveme.bsky.social, we’re working to raise awareness and expand understanding of ME/CFS.
Add #UnitedForME to your posts and be part of the collective effort this month.
#MECFSAwareness #MECFSAwarenessDay
Together with @openmedf.bsky.social, @meactnet.bsky.social, and @solveme.bsky.social, we’re working to raise awareness and expand understanding of ME/CFS.
Add #UnitedForME to your posts and be part of the collective effort this month.
#MECFSAwareness #MECFSAwarenessDay
... a disabled body&brain.
The person is still fabulous though!
#mecfsis
#MECFSAwarenessMonth
@openmedf.bsky.social
... a disabled body&brain.
The person is still fabulous though!
#mecfsis
#MECFSAwarenessMonth
@openmedf.bsky.social