Thread by @siobhansimper

On #IDPWD, I'm sharing some of my favourite quotes from submissions to the Aus #LongCOVID enquiry and joint standing committee.

"Reassurance is incredibly important because, by the time they get to see us, the patients are just paralysed with hypervigilance"
...

"We've learnt to not over-investigate"
"There is no pathophysiology"
"One of those roadblocks [to getting better] is anxiety and frustration"
- Royal Melbourne Hospital Post-Covid Clinic, source parlinfo.aph.gov.au/parlInfo/downl…

"The consequence is that COVID infections have further reduced activity levels of a huge number of individuals who were already extraordinarily inactive. This provides an attractive explanation for the high prevalence of Long COVID."

"Deconditioning is likely to be a cause and..

..perpetuating factor in many cases of Long COVID where fatigue is the dominant symptom"
"Recovery from long COVID is unlikely when poor mental health inhibits engagement with therapy"
- Austin Hospital submission (Chris O'Callaghan)

"Patients with such medically-unexplained chronic fatigue states will benefit from a multi-disciplinary, cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) program incorporating graded exercise therapy (GET) and cognitive exercise therapy (CET)"
- UNSW Fatigue Clinic submission (Andrew Lloyd)

"Queensland Health has estimated that the prevalence of long COVID is currently low"

"Our health system's response to long COVID has been reframed as "Your Recovery from COVID-19""
...

"Some health services contact former COVID patients during their recovery to provide information about long COVID and their clinics. There are risks that such approaches may affect recovery in some patients...

...including the potential for the "nocebo effect" and "iatrogenic somatic fixation""

- Queensland Health submission

What's your favourite? ❤️

#LookBeyond

If you want to read the submissions yourself , head over to aph.gov.au/Parliamentary_…

There are some actually good responses from Emerge, NCNED, and other groups.