- Rest and pacing address worst of symptoms but often leave M.E patients stuck with low and hard to manage levels of function, potentially for the long-term.
- Prof Wessely's (and others') work on Graded Exercise provides necessary push to make recovery gains. Without progression there is no treatment, no therapy, only coping strategies.
- Any switch of emphasis from rest to exertion should, I think, only occur when a patient's sleep/wake cycle is restored to normality.
- M.E's association with viruses has been long speculated, but they may not be the only factor. Whether there is a viral link here with Covid19 we don't know, however there may be a behavioural link via inactivity and break to normal routines.
- My work suggests that M.E patients change their approach to recovery over time.
- Both under and over-exertion should be avoided until health restored (high activity level).
- I don't wish M.E community's atrocious behaviour onto Covid19 sufferers.
This is all I have for Covid long-haulers wanting to know if patients' experience with M.E can possibly help them. I hope Covid19 folks aren't overly worried by the experiences from M.E patients. I met one patient and founder of an M.E charity at their golf club, so improvement (in terms of M.E at least) is certainly possible.
