Covid #LongHaulers please take note.
Those in the #MEcfs community has been down the Post Viral Sydrome road for decades now.
The CDC is fully aware of our plight, but has done little in the way of research or help. #ThisNeedsToChange
Thread...
2-It begins, usually, with an infection.
For the majority of #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis pts it was the Epstein Barr Virus. But there are other infections that lead to #MEcfs as well. In almost every case the person knows that from that point, they were never the same again.
3-For some the progression is slow, fits & starts of decline.
Many continue with some sense of 'normalcy' in life for years. For others the onset of their post viral syndrome happens immediately and functional decline deterioration of all body systems is rapid. #LongCovid#MEcfs
4-Many will first notice issues with digestion, metabolism, profound fatigue with minimal exertion.
What #MEcfs patients know all too well is the standard prescription of being told to 'exercise' your way back to health does only more harm.
5-Arrythmia and drops in blood pressure when going from sitting to standing, (#POTS), is another issue that often surfaces, along with cognitive issues referred to as 'brain fog' by those in the #ChronicIllness community.
6-There are so many other debilitating symptoms that arise.
When seeking help, you're usually told that your labs look pretty good.
The unspoken insinuation that the MD feels your symptoms are likely all in your head.
Many are referred to a psychologist at this point. #LongCovid
7-The only saving grace is that w/#Covid19 & #LongCovid we have a more direct and obvious connection to the reality of Post Viral Syndrome. We'll also likely have a lot of medical professionals that contract it. Which may lead to funding for research and hopefully, treatment.
8-In closing, as one who has had #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis for 38 yrs, first I encourage all those with #LongCovid to LISTEN TO YOUR BODY.
While remaining as functional as possible is vital, learn when to stop. doon't 'push' too hard when your body is it's at it's limit.
9-Second-We in the #MEcfs community KNOW what you're experiencing is all too REAL.
It's important to stand up for yourself when confronted by those who will insist you're 'fine' or tell you your lived experience is 'all in your head'. #LongCovid
10-Third-That being said, it is NORMAL to feel frustrated, depressed, angry, and even sad faced with the loss of who you once were.
There is no shame in any of it, and no shame in expressing those feelings or asking for help.
The #MEcfs community's here, to offer support.💕
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The Pain Care Crisis: A Call for Compassionate Policy
The majority of people who rely on RX opiate medicines for chronic pain are being unfairly penalized and harmed due to policies aimed at 'misuse'.
Thread...1/
#PainCareCrisis
2-Deadly policies-touted as well-intentioned-have led to unintended consequences across the board, leaving millions of chronic pain patients struggling to access the medications they desperately need.
3-Personal responsibility plays a crucial role in in the safe use of medications. Patients should be empowered with informed consent, understanding risks and benefits of treatment options, rather than subjected to restrictive, gatekeeping measures.
1-Thread about the barriers to care for people in pain and what needs to change.
I. Addressing Chilling Effect
End Morphine Milligram Equivalent (MME)
Prescribing must reflect individualized patient need, considering benefits/risks for each patient.
#PainCareCrisis
2-Regulation of Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs):
Define clear & limited circumstances under which law enforcement can access PDMP data.
Protect healthcare providers from unjust prosecution based on PDMP data and require warrants for any LE investigation.
3-Rescind CDC Opioid Guidelines: Transfer oversight and guideline development to a specialized body of pain management and chronic pain experts, separate from the CDC and focus solely on medical health issues and pain management.
Thread: Denying opiate medications to individuals who genuinely need them for pain management can lead to many serious health issues and so much more...
#PainCareCrisis #TheOutlawAdvocate
2-Increased Pain and Suffering:
The most immediate effect is an increase in pain, which can severely degrade the quality of life, making daily activities unbearable or impossible.
3-Mental Health Deterioration:
Chronic pain can significantly contribute to or exacerbate conditions like depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation. The psychological toll of unrelieved pain can be profound.
Kolodny laid out a detailed plan in how to reduce opioid Rxing in a meeting in NY, before guideline was even published.
@jmkillingnyc has so much information on how insidious this anti-opioid agenda was from inception in early/mid 2000s and even earlier I believe.
#PainCareCrisis
2-In order to fight back against draconian prescribing protocols, we need to understand how we got here & what's preventing change.
Changes in Standard of Care requires MDs to stay withing the bounds of restrictions.
Law enforcement in medicine has created a chilling effect.
3-With changes re: opioid Standard of Care, if MDs stray, Medical Boards can target them, DEA can charge them, jailing at worse, destroying their reputation and financial standing at the very least. Pts claiming harm by opioids have increased ability to sue for malpractice.
Thread...1-Prescribing practices should never have gotten to the point where some of the most vulnerable people in our society-the sick/injured/elderly-are left in agony, driven to the point of desperation with little to no hope in sight of things changing.
#PainCareCrisis
2-People with serious illnesses and injuries have been being told every year for over a decade to 'hold on', that change is coming. I know from having boots on the ground in the chronic illness community that for most, things have only gotten worse.
#PainCareCrisis
3-Right after CDC/PROP's unrolling of the 'opioid guideline', I and others watched medical professionals convene boards to change the Standard of Care in managing pain in EVERY aspect of medical care, with an anti-opioid, 'dangerous drug', directive driving those changes.
1-What I've noticed over 14 years of advocating for people in pain is when you make it clear you're not anti-opioid, MDs, legislators, media, and GOV officials become rude then dismiss you. If you still don't go away, they'll then attack your character/ignore you.
#PainCareCrisis
2-Even when presenting facts-like the extremely low incidence of 'addiction by prescription'.
Or if we explain the safety/efficacy of opiate medicines when taken as prescribed, or the real dangers of leaving someone without effective pain control, including death- we are ignored.
3-More often than not, a pain patient advocating for themselves is automatically judged as ignorant and having no credibility. We are usually labeled as people 'just wanting THOSE drugs', called junkies or pharma shills, or bots.