Plea to colleagues by doctor felled by ME

[Countrygirl]

https://www.reddit.com/r/cfs/comments/6sneul/a_plea_from_a_fallen_doctor_on_chronic_fatigue/

A plea from a fallen doctor on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) (self.cfs)

submitted 11 hours ago by fallendocR53-82

I was educated at Baylor and practiced medicine for 30 years. I had a thriving practice, a rich social life, and excellent physical and mental health. I loved what I did and loved my life. I ran marathons, spoke at conferences, and chaired non-profits.

I am now completely bedridden from post viral CFS.

I am writing this to beg my fellow colleagues to take this disease seriously, understand that it is 100% organic in origin, and that it can happen to anyone.

I used to see CFS patients fairly often in my practice. Some of them were quite debilitated and some semi-functional. I always tried to be sympathetic and did what I could to help, but truth be told there was always a voice in my head questioning if their symptoms were psychosomatic. At times I delayed a diagnosis because the literature told me to wait 6 months. I recommended exercise, antidepressants, and psychotherapy because that had always been the conventional wisdom. And when patients didn't come back, I subconsciously assumed they had gotten better, and that I was justified in my approach. I feel tremendous guilt about this now.

When I got the flu that started this, I thought I would be out of work for 10 days. 10 days turned into 10 weeks, and then 10 months. The virus was gone, my labs were clean, and yet I still felt horribly ill.....(follow link to read more)

 

[Countrygirl]

The comments are interesting. One poster raises the possibility that this story might have been composed by a well-meaning patient in order to attract the interest of doctors. I can quite understand his concern and he raises some persuasive points. The usual Klimas quote makes me a little suspicious too.

I hope the author reveals his identity as it is a powerful piece if genuine.

 

[TrixieStix]

The comments are interesting. One poster raises the possibility that this story might have been composed by a well-meaning patient in order to attract the interest of doctors. I can quite understand his concern and he raises some persuasive points. The usual Klimas quote makes me a little suspicious too.

I hope the author reveals his identity as it is a powerful piece if genuine.

That was my first thought as well. The way it is written seems a bit contrived.

 

[Murph]

The comments are interesting. One poster raises the possibility that this story might have been composed by a well-meaning patient in order to attract the interest of doctors. I can quite understand his concern and he raises some persuasive points. The usual Klimas quote makes me a little suspicious too.

I hope the author reveals his identity as it is a powerful piece if genuine.

yes that's me raising a ruckus in the comments. I'm ashamed of being so skeptical but there's something odd about the neatness of this tale.

 

[bombsh3ll]

https://www.reddit.com/r/cfs/comments/6sneul/a_plea_from_a_fallen_doctor_on_chronic_fatigue/


A plea from a fallen doctor on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) (self.cfs)

submitted 11 hours ago by fallendocR53-82

He could be me. I am a GP in the UK who also I am ashamed to say bought into the attitude that no abnormality on standard tests = no somatic illness.

I have been so humbled since being struck down with ME myself, and also received no help from the NHS that I have worked for my entire professional life.

His words ring true to me, and I hope they have some impact on the profession.

I also wish I could afford to try Rituximab.

 

[hellytheelephant]

Thanks for posting this @Countrygirl I don't see why the skepticism-as we know from PR, this illness affects all kinds of people in every profession and no profession. I think he/she have not identified themselves because if he gets well, having 'CFS' on his CV would pretty much guarantee that he would meet the same level of disbelief and suspicion from his peers that we experience from many DRs

 

[bombsh3ll]

I have come across quite a few health care professionals affected by ME on forums. We are probably exposed to a wider range of pathogens in the course of our work than the average person.

I think it is ironic (but to a degree understandable) that as patients we are so often disbelieved and dismissed by doctors, yet here is a doctor talking about their illness facing the same response from fellow patients.

ME truly can strike anyone, & it is a double blow finding ones self on the other side of the consulting desk. It makes you feel very vulnerable and stripped of your professional identity.

 

[Starlight]

I know a do October who has had ME for about a decade. He has not told any of his medical colleagues because he is all too aware of the dismissive attitudes they have. He can work part time as a GP.and lives a totally reclusive life in order to continue that. I think there are many reasons why one wants to maintain their anonymity and we have to respect that.

 

[Snowdrop]

Being skeptical of this specific tale because the way it is written sounds like someone who both is new to the illness and well familiar with it in a way that implies being ill for quite some time doesn't in any way imply the idea that Dr's can't get sick with ME. I think we're all pretty well aware that anyone can be struck down-- this has been said many times by many people here. Dr's are no more immune than anyone else.

It's certainly possible that the author is indeed who they say. But multiple people have had the exact same thought on reading the tale which is kind of odd in itself.

 

[Murph]

There's the story itself , plus a few little contextual clues on reddit that make the story look odd, but I think another reason I distrust this is it is for many of us, the exact fantasy we've had so many times.

The doctor who didn't believe us, the one with the prestigious degree, his own practice, his amazing arrogance - is cut down by ME. He becomes not only utterly humbled and empathetic and apologetic, but a powerful advocate for us!

If trashy ME novels were a genre that plot line would be the best-selling one.

 

[TiredSam]

It wouldn't have occurred to me to doubt that he was genuine. Unless you've got something more concrete to back up your suspicions, I can't see what purpose you're serving by airing them.

 

[Daisymay]

If trashy ME novels were a genre that plot line would be the best-selling one.

The whole ME and PACE saga, when you think about it must sound quite unbelievable to outsiders who are trusting and decent (and naive!). If made into a film, what's happened to us all over so many decades, so many twists and turns, so utterly appalling, the David versus Goliath aspect, it may come over as being very contrived and trashy, as if the writer had really stretching credibility.

But unfortunately its true!

 

[Mij]

I was also skeptic when I first read. This line in particular:

"I used to see CFS patients fairly often in my practice".

Fairly often? It's not a common illness.

 

[Daisymay]

I have come across quite a few health care professionals affected by ME on forums. We are probably exposed to a wider range of pathogens in the course of our work than the average person.

I think it is ironic (but to a degree understandable) that as patients we are so often disbelieved and dismissed by doctors, yet here is a doctor talking about their illness facing the same response from fellow patients.

ME truly can strike anyone, & it is a double blow finding ones self on the other side of the consulting desk. It makes you feel very vulnerable and stripped of your professional identity.

They used to say that there were disproportionate numbers of nurses and teachers with ME because of being exposed to infections as you say. Teachers, certainly of young children, get exposed to loads of infections, but then so do parents of those children, but I guess not so many.

I can imagine there is an additional burden for a health care professional to have ME, your view of your own profession is I'd imagine irrevocably altered.

For us all our beliefs and views of so many things and so many people is brought into question and our professional identities lost on top of loosing our health, no chronic disease is easy, but ME is particularly difficult, no doubt about that.

 

[bombsh3ll]

I was also skeptic when I first read. This line in particular:

"I used to see CFS patients fairly often in my practice".

Fairly often? It's not a common illness.

I guess it depends on the size of the practice, the medical specialty & of course the correct diagnosis of patients. Without sufficient knowledge of the condition, and with the muddying of the classification from ME to "CFS" (the latter a term I do not use as I do not feel it accurately describes my illness), a large and heterogenous group of people with various fatiguing conditions can be categorized as "CFS" or ME/CFS when they do not genuinely have ME.

I would not have understood this until becoming ill myself. I am certainly not just "fatigued"!

The doctor posting this (and indeed any health professional now unwell with ME) should be comforted therefore that a significant number of those with "CFS" he treated with antidepressants and exercise will have improved with these measures, as they would probably not have had actual ME.

 

[Barry53]

I have come across quite a few health care professionals affected by ME on forums. We are probably exposed to a wider range of pathogens in the course of our work than the average person.

I think it is ironic (but to a degree understandable) that as patients we are so often disbelieved and dismissed by doctors, yet here is a doctor talking about their illness facing the same response from fellow patients.

ME truly can strike anyone, & it is a double blow finding ones self on the other side of the consulting desk. It makes you feel very vulnerable and stripped of your professional identity.

And yet, also ironically, you and fellow medical professional PwME are, in a way, specially placed to be heard and listened to, especially by the BPS crew.

 

[snowathlete]

I was also skeptic when I first read. This line in particular:

"I used to see CFS patients fairly often in my practice".

Fairly often? It's not a common illness.

It is common, there are loads of ME patients all over the place. I know about half a dozen who live within one minute walk of me. (That's one minute for a normal person of course).

 

[hellytheelephant]

I think it is ironic (but to a degree understandable) that as patients we are so often disbelieved and dismissed by doctors, yet here is a doctor talking about their illness facing the same response from fellow patients.

Yes! and to be fair WE are all posting anonymously on here...so why do we expect this Dr to identify themselves- we don't!!

 

[Mij]

@snowathlete well that is a lot in your area.

 

[geraldt52]

I was struck by this statement: "And when patients didn't come back, I subconsciously assumed they had gotten better, and that I was justified in my approach."

There is no doubt in my mind that this could be equally applied to most, if not all, of the "CFS specialists" out there...not just the BPS crowd. When I read of "70% success rate" and the like, my nonsense warning goes off, and I'm afraid that a lot of very expensive "CFS specialists" are guilty of this.

I'd like to think that they aren't intentionally lying, but that they are making an assumption that is totally unjustified. Just because a patient doesn't come back, especially a patient known to be chronically ill, doesn't mean a treatment has cured them.

When you've stopped seeing a doctor without notice, has anyone ever had the doctor's office contact you to see how you're doing, and inquire if their "treatment" has worked?