@meganranney 1. Many post-Covid patients still feel exhausted after 60 days and haven't returned to their previous level of health. A small amount of exertion wipes them out for hours. This is known as Post-Exertional Malaise or PEM or crashing.
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@meganranney 2. An unknown percentage of these patients may never recover and will go on to develop Myalgic Encephalomyelitis aka Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. #MECFS
3. Support groups for thousands of these patients have already appeared on Facebook.
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3. Support groups for thousands of these patients have already appeared on Facebook.
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@meganranney 4. Numbers of patients with #MECFS could double in a few years, putting great stress on disability support.
5. There is no treatment for #MECFS. Rest and lifestyle management are key.
6. Very few doctors feel confident diagnosing, treating or counseling #MECFS patients.
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5. There is no treatment for #MECFS. Rest and lifestyle management are key.
6. Very few doctors feel confident diagnosing, treating or counseling #MECFS patients.
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@meganranney 7. Many doctors believe that #MECFS is a psychological affliction & that patients can recover with exercise.
8. Doctors will tell #ME patients they need to exercise. Unfortunately for many patients, this has led to permanent worsening. Only a few can take on light exercise.
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8. Doctors will tell #ME patients they need to exercise. Unfortunately for many patients, this has led to permanent worsening. Only a few can take on light exercise.
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@meganranney Here's what we don't know: exactly how many will never recover and develop #MECFS.
Let's say that 50 - 70% of the US population of 330 million will eventually have Covid-19 because vaccine development and distribution are a long way off.
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Let's say that 50 - 70% of the US population of 330 million will eventually have Covid-19 because vaccine development and distribution are a long way off.
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@meganranney SARS, MERS and H1N1 data show 5 - 25% of those patients developed a postviral illness resembling #MECFS. If those figures predict the same future for Covid -19 then look how many in the US will have #MECFS:
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@meganranney Low figure: 50% x 330 million x .05 = 8.25 million (8,250,000) 😬
High figure: 70% x 330 million x .25 = 57.75 million (57,750,000)🙀
Current number of #MECFS patients in the US (not counting Covid-19) is about 3 to 4 million. Many are undiagnosed.
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High figure: 70% x 330 million x .25 = 57.75 million (57,750,000)🙀
Current number of #MECFS patients in the US (not counting Covid-19) is about 3 to 4 million. Many are undiagnosed.
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@meganranney These 3 to 4 million have been developing over the last 35 years, so ~100,000/yr. Research has been slow and held back by poorly designed studies aiming to show that all that was needed to recover was a walk around the block and a nice chat. #PACE
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@meganranney Now many researchers are chomping at the bit to study the long-term effects of Covid-19 (and compare it to #MECFS) and some studies are probably underway as we speak.
I have seen many #MECFS patients on Twitter reach out to Covid survivors.
Hello, we're here to help.🖐
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I have seen many #MECFS patients on Twitter reach out to Covid survivors.
Hello, we're here to help.🖐
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@meganranney Then here:
Post Covid-19 Rehabilitation
#MECFS patients contributed to the content of this website with respect to MECFS.
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physiosforme.com/covid-19
Post Covid-19 Rehabilitation
#MECFS patients contributed to the content of this website with respect to MECFS.
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physiosforme.com/covid-19
@meganranney Finally, many #MECFS patients have shared this 36-page Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Adult & Paediatric International Consensus Primer (ICP) for Medical Practitioners with their doctors.
#MedTwitter
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sacfs.asn.au/download/me_in…
#MedTwitter
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sacfs.asn.au/download/me_in…
Unroll @threadreaderapp please. Thanks.
