Long Covid and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME

[bright-horizon]

I’d like to share a very interesting article about research being done on the similarities between long Covid and ME/CFS. This is an article published by Radio New Zealand. I found it fascinating, and relevant to people with wonky immune systems. Work in progress.

rnz.co.nz/news/what-you-nee...

[Billiebobdog]

I found that really interesting as I know a young lady who has had CFS since she was 12 and has been dismissed by the system that has no idea how to sort her symptoms out despite being chronically ill and fingers crossed it means more research and funding into the whole spectrum of these illnesses

[SnazzyD]

Very interesting indeed, thank you for posting.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Think the subject has come up before, but always good to see new research which may lead to better understanding of other illnesses. Thank you.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

"Some experts are postulating Long Covid could be a sub-type of ME/CFS"

Some patients were saying soon after Long Covid became a topic 18 months ago that it was another autoimmune disorder triggered by a virus - and as we know, PMR and all the other a/i CAN appear soon after an illness, a vaccination or whatever. It is nothing new - but it has woken them up to the long term effects of such disorders. We can only hope that all a/i patients will have less of a fight to be taken seriously and not be told "it's all in your head".

But I'm not holding my breath - I AM furious that a Long Covid patient can have access to services that would make life so much easier and comfortable for many of us.

[Longtimer]

Thank you for this, interesting, I have relatives with ME/CFS....fingers crossed because of long covid they will find some answers.......

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Longtimer]

Hope so - and that has been said already. Trouble is, the demand for the services will be too high to be covered and we will be left behind again.

[Longtimer in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, It irks a bit though that long covid had to appear before notice was taken..

I got flu in my late 30's after a very stressful few weeks, house caught fire with gas boiler in lounge, then 6 weeks later in the house on my own it was struck by lightening...several weeks later, got flu.....took months to "recover" but have never felt really right after that. What I found interesting was the DNA suggestion....I firmly believe that too......

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Longtimer]

Yup - I had something like ME in my mid-20s at a point where they still called it yuppy flu but luckily it improved a lot after the initial 6 months or so. But it was over 4 years before I could walk upstairs without sagging at the top. At one time there were quite a few on the forums with a similar history - wonder if there is a link?

[Longtimer in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, wouldn't be at the least surprised if there is a link....and the sagging at the stop of the stairs...when I worked at the university the engineers used to help me up the stairs, still struggle now most days........still looking for that elusive bungalow!

[Sophiestree in reply to PMRpro]

I'm pretty sure this is what my mother called Royal Free Disease after nurses suffered deathly fatigue.

me-pedia.org/wiki/1955_Roya...

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Sophiestree]

Pretty sure it is too.

Just looking for a past post of mine - and noticed the title of another one: "Long Covid, or something from the autoimmune menu?" From very soon after they noticed its existence...

[Sophiestree in reply to PMRpro]

I'm guessing she was tuned in to it as that is where she trained.