The medical profession has REALLY not covered itself in glory over the fallout from the pandemic.

Utter denial of long covid and associated problems even existing, not providing enough services for kids (and adults) suffering from the psychological fallout, not acknowledging that some were hurt by the vaccines - making that antivax 😳🤷‍♀️ 1/ It's ok for us not to understand new conditions or those that were rare before covid and are now common, but denial or dismissing is not the response people need. Research, education and providing high quality services is what people need. 2/

I have now been through the new NICE guidance for obesity management (14/1/25) and the Lancet Commission on Obesity (14/1/25)

A few thoughts on them both

1. NICE talks about specific interventions, not "lifestyle advice" THANK YOU!!!
1/ 2. NICE emphasises asking permission to discuss obesity and to weigh/measure patients and that it's ok for people to say no

3. It discusses much more personalized approaches taking into account the individual and their circumstances

2/

I have known for 4 years that many medics are skeptical/unhelpful/dismissive of long covid (as they have been with MECFS)

I am struggling to hold it together right now after reading how so many kids (and their families) have been treated by HCP over this time. It’s horrific. 1/ If you don’t know about something, fine. Refer to someone who does. But don’t call parents and kids liars, don’t gaslight, don’t call safeguarding, don’t do any of this when a child has an illness you don’t understand. Learn about it instead. 2/

Unfortunately, like with ME and CFS, it is easier for the medical profession, NHS & govt to consider long covid easily treated with some rehab and councelling.
It continues the "just try harder" message and completely denies that something physically significant had occurred 1/ It's nearly 4 years of living in a fundamentally changed way for my daughter and I - and the rest of the family by default.
There is nothing we have "gained" from this, we have lost a huge amount. I can work, just about, she can no longer attend school 2/

Long covid.
As a clinician, how do we know if someone could have it? Thought it might be useful to write a bit.

Firstly, a really good history is your key. Onset of symptoms after a viral illness, that could have been v mild, almost asymptomatic for some. 1/ Symptoms will vary hugely between individuals and come and go, but most commonly:
Headache/migraines
Brain fog - cognitive issues, word finding difficulty
Vision - sometimes blurry, often accomodation difficulty
Smell/taste changes
Recurrent sore throats
2/