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Dr Martin Rhisiart 'killed himself after ME diagnosis' BBC news South East Wales

Jo Best

Jo Best

Senior Member
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1,032
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Hip

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,852
If the ME/CFS-triggering virus he likely caught was anything like mine, the depression and anxiety may have been worse than any of the ME/CFS symptoms he was suffering from, in terms of causing suicidal ideation.

My virus triggered anxiety, depression, anhedonia and blunted affect in myself and in a few others who caught the same virus. Only later did this virus appear to trigger my ME/CFS. I find my ME/CFS symptoms themselves don't induce suicidal ideation (although I am fortunate enough not to suffer from horrible ME/CFS symptoms like muscle pain or migraines); but I find the depression and anhedonia certainly do.

Medical science has been far too slow to appreciate the role that contracting a chronic infection can have on health status. When people are fine one minute, and the next minute they are inexplicably suffering from severe anxiety, depression or dysphoria (without any good reason in their life for this to occur), then I think infection should be suspected and investigated. But this investigation very rarely happens.

It makes no sense that someone can be perfectly healthy mentally and physically, and then without any obvious reason, all of a sudden start suffering from anxiety or depression. Scientific explanations are based on uncovering cause and effect, and so when there is a sudden inexplicable mental or physical health status change, there must be a cause. The acquisition of a new virus or bacterium in the body is, in my view, a good candidate to explain such sudden health status changes.
 
C

charles shepherd

Senior Member
Messages
2,239
This is obviously a very sad item of news - condolences to the family of Dr Martin Rhisiart

Suicidal thoughts or intentions must always be taken seriously in someone with ME/CFS - because suicides do sadly occur

Here is a brief summary of actions, along with sources of help and support (in the UK) if you should find yourself in this situation, or you are caring for someone who is expressing suicidal thoughts or intentions

Firstly, you must speak to your GP about what is happening - the GP acts as gatekeeper to the various mental health professionals that may well be required in this situation, especially where suicidal thoughts are linked to very low mood or depression

Secondly, you could speak to the Samaritans if the situation becomes more desperate or acute -

telephone number: 08457 909090

website: http://www.samaritans.org/how-we-can-help-you/contact-us?gclid=CKfh_badudMCFYoQ0wodsa0NZg

Thirdly, you (or your carer/partner) could speak to one of our professionally trained volunteers on the ME Connect helpline (contact details on the MEA website: www.meassociation.org.uk) which is available morning, noon and evening 7 days a week.

Our helpline volunteers are very used to helping and supporting people with ME/CFS in this type of very difficult situation

We also have an MEA information leaflet covering depression in ME/CFS which may be helpful:http://www.meassociation.org.uk/shop/management-leaflets/antidepressants/

Daily Mail coverage:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4858040/Professor-advised-government-hanged-himself.html

Dr Charles Shepherd
Hon Medical Adviser, MEA
 
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Jo Best

Jo Best

Senior Member
Messages
1,032
Marky90 said:
Oh dear.. Rip.

I would assume two weeks apparently with little to no sleep played a huge role here..
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Valentijn said:
And no effective help from the medical system.
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Invisible Woman said:
I wish there was a way we could show Joe Public the grim realities of ME.
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Today is Day 1 of an international conference in UK on Functional Neurological Disorders. (ETA here's a PR thread on that: http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...ychogenic-neurological-disorders-6-sep.53652/)
On one hand that is the next hurdle in helping Joe Public understand the grim realities of this disease, but on the other hand, as so many other diseases or disorders are being brought under this umbrella perhaps that gives a better chance of the general public (and wider medical profession) to question these diagnoses.
 
Jo Best

Jo Best

Senior Member
Messages
1,032
Hip said:
Medical science has been far too slow to appreciate the role that contracting a chronic infection can have on health status. When people are fine one minute, and the next minute they are inexplicably suffering from severe anxiety, depression or dysphoria (without any good reason in their life for this to occur), then I think infection should be suspected and investigated. But this investigation very rarely happens.

It makes no sense that someone can be perfectly healthy mentally and physically, and then without any obvious reason, all of a sudden start suffering from anxiety or depression. Scientific explanations are based on uncovering cause and effect, and so when there is a sudden inexplicable mental or physical health status change, there must be a cause. The acquisition of a new virus or bacterium in the body is, in my view, a good candidate to explain such sudden health status changes.
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I agree with you and I was interested to read in this paper published yesterday:
It has been estimated over half of human-infecting viruses remain to be discovered.[76] Numerous conditions in which patients suffer unexplained symptoms may also be virus-associated. Therefore, there is a need to sample a wide range of body fluids and tissues from individuals globally to better understand the role of viruses in human health and disease.[75] http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apt.14280/full
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The link to that paper was posted here: http://forums.phoenixrising.me/inde...rome-in-health-and-disease.54015/#post-897178

My own case was mild at onset and was diagnosed within weeks as post-viral fatigue syndrome and I was very fortunate not to experience low mood until a few years into the illness and no anxiety until I was on the verge of physical collapse, as it's taken a progressive course in my case. ETA, my diagnosis was changed to myalgic encephalomyelitis when I hadn't recovered after a year or so, and a few years later my doctor told me that ME was now being called chronic fatigue syndrome (this was in UK).
 
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Hip

Hip

Senior Member
Messages
17,852
PhoenixDown said:
ME is not fatigue.
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To be fair, the BBC article does not equate ME with fatigue, but correctly says the ME causes persistent fatigue (ie, that persistent fatigue is one of its symptoms).
 
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