Letter, Re: Tragic tale of woman with chronic fatigue syndrome 'too tired' to eat (Derby Telegraph, 27 February 2012)

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Derby Telegraph Letters.

Although the term Myalgic Encephalomyelitis does not appear anywhere in

the pitiful story about Lois Owen (Tragic tale of woman with chronic

fatigue syndrome 'too tired' to eat, Derby Telegraph, 27 February 2012

--

http://www.thisisderbyshire.co.uk/Tragic-tale-woman-chronic-fatigue-syndrome-tir\

ed/story-15332461-detail/story.html),

many people affected by M.E., whether sufferers, carers, doctors, or

researchers, will be presuming that this is what Lois had. This is

because, since 1988, when Chronic Fatigue Syndrome was created and

especially since the NICE guidelines of 2007, doctors have been told

that they should regard M.E. as the same as CFS and prefer the latter

term. Some patients have even had the diagnosis on their notes changed

from M.E. to the less discriminatory CFS.There are, however, some

symptoms that Lois had which many with M.E. do not have and some

cardinal symptoms of the M.E. sufferer that are missing from Lois's account.

The crucial importance of distinguishing M.E. from CFS is demonstrated

by showing that, if treatments which may be suitable for some patients

with a particular chronic fatigue illness are given to M.E. patients,

they are ineffective or make some worse. It is too late for poor Lois

but there are many more suffering today, not getting a sufficiently

accurate diagnosis, which may help and even save some lives.

Yours sincerely

drjohngreensmith@...

Dr H Greensmith

ME Community Trust.org