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    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

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Search results

  1. Annikki

    Scientists identify the first genetic marker for Multiple Sclerosis severity, opening the door to preventing long-term disability.

    Since ME/CFS shares similarities between the autoimmune disorder, Multiple Sclerosis, this article is worth reading. Scientists have found a genetic marker that indicates which MS cases degrade into severe impairment quicker than others. Some MS patients can walk and run, but others wind up...
  2. Annikki

    News: "The NIH has poured $1 billion into long Covid research — with little to show for it." (gee, no interest in a chronic condition- not surprising)

    For inexplicable reasons, an amply funded NIH has precisely nothing to show for the billion dollars it received for long Covid research, according to a new article. They seem to be dragging their feet about it, there are no therapies for patients and no answers for this neglect are forthcoming...
  3. Annikki

    "Women who survived coronavirus angry after persistent symptoms dismissed as ‘anxiety’ by doctors." Doesn't this sound familiar?

    Here are studies about bias in medicine. These ought to serve to uproot the seeds of doubt sown here: https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=383803 "Misdiagnosed Heart Attacks in Women" https://www.padbergcorrigan.com/misdiagnosed-heart-attacks-women/ A book by Maya Dusenbery...
  4. Annikki

    "Women who survived coronavirus angry after persistent symptoms dismissed as ‘anxiety’ by doctors." Doesn't this sound familiar?

    Post whatever you like here. Thanks for your opinions and support, it is much appreciated.
  5. Annikki

    "Women who survived coronavirus angry after persistent symptoms dismissed as ‘anxiety’ by doctors." Doesn't this sound familiar?

    I'm good at finding the irony in life. I'm also good at not being surprised by human ignorance, stupidity and cruelty after my journey with CFS. Lately I've been wondering if doctor's nasty habit of refusing to take female patients seriously would affect the spread of coronavirus. I've know...
  6. Annikki

    Science Daily: Hookworm trial offers new hope to MS patients

    This is not a joke. Science Daily reports that hookworms are beneficial for multiple sclerosis patients. The good news is that hookworms seem to stop the autoimmune response in MS. Naturally, I am thinking maybe this therapy may be beneficial to CFS patients. Honestly, I would be willing to...
  7. Annikki

    A New Connection Between the Gut and Brain A surprising way that diet leads to risks of stroke and cognitive impairment.

    This is an article from Scientific American about salt intake and also a link between the small intestine and the brain. The findings also suggest high salt intake also imposes risk of autoimmunity:
  8. Annikki

    Everyday hormone-disrupting chemicals could affect our immune system’s defenses against infections

    I just read this intriguing article about how hormone disrupting chemicals in products affect our levels of cytokines. It sort of reminded me of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, which Simon Wessely attempted to suggest was psychosomatic. It's interesting what science is actually finding now in...
  9. Annikki

    Study – which stresses serious health risks of smoking – suggest substance in tobacco may lower risk of getting coronavirus

    Yes, well cigarettes are bad and tobacco companies have made them worse by adding nicotine to them. I quit smoking using nicotine gum and since it has less nicotine, and it's in graded amounts, it certainly is safer than cigarettes. Inhaling any nicotine products, even nicotine vapor damages the...
  10. Annikki

    Study – which stresses serious health risks of smoking – suggest substance in tobacco may lower risk of getting coronavirus

    Nicot Nicotine gum works too. Thanks for sharing about NGF, I didn't know that. Nicotine can be poisonous in large amounts and because of this it's used as a pesticide.
  11. Annikki

    Study – which stresses serious health risks of smoking – suggest substance in tobacco may lower risk of getting coronavirus

    Covid-19 is truly the most bizarre disease I have ever heard of. The Guardian reported today about a French study which found smokers were less likely to become infected with the virus. This is tantamount to the most counter-intuitive assumption about who would or would not be most at risk-...
  12. Annikki

    "Men are much more likely to die from coronavirus - but why?" -The Guardian

    Oh, gee, why don't they know?! It's time to bring up Maya Dusenbery's book, "Doing Harm, How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed and Sick." Maya Dusenbery says women were left out of clinical trials for 30 years,. In her book she shares how medical researchers use...
  13. Annikki

    "French study finds hydroxychloroquine doesn't help patients with coronavirus"

    Here is good news for those here with Lupus or who have friends with Lupus. It looks like Lupus patients will no longer faces shortages of hydroxychloroquine. A study found the drug does nothing for coronavirus: Lupus patients were unfortunately harmed by the false belief...
  14. Annikki

    Study about infection-triggered autoimmune disease, Multiple Sclerosis, EBV and Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus

    I agree fully with you. EBV has even been also discovered to play a huge role in interstitial cystitis, an autoimmune condition of the bladder. It keeps popping up in all sorts of diverse autoimmune diseases. It was dismissed as the cause of CFS, but it clearly plays a role in the disease...
  15. Annikki

    Study about infection-triggered autoimmune disease, Multiple Sclerosis, EBV and Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus

    I think the Chinese people are less to blame for the pangolin problem, than the wildlife traffickers getting rich from capturing and trafficking pangolins and other animals. I read that the Chinese public is so poor and so in need of food, they need the wet markets to feed themselves. A news...
  16. Annikki

    The cytokines stimulated by Covid-19 infection are the main cause of death in patients and cytokines in ME/CFS

    TGF-alpha is associated with IL-6. Do you know if TGF-alpha is abnormal in CFS/ME?
  17. Annikki

    The cytokines stimulated by Covid-19 infection are the main cause of death in patients and cytokines in ME/CFS

    Our cytokines are out of whack. I wish I could provide a clearer picture of exactly how. I've had trouble compiling a clear list of differing cytokine levels in ME, because some studies have differing results. I wasn't surprised to find a study that tries to resolve and negotiate conflicts in...
  18. Annikki

    The cytokines stimulated by Covid-19 infection are the main cause of death in patients and cytokines in ME/CFS

    (Revised) Death from Covid-19 is caused from an overproduction of cytokines in certain patients according to a new research. Cytokines are a problem ME/CFS. It's unclear how our differing cytokine levels could interact with Covid-19. However, the good news is that the cytokine, interleukin-6...
  19. Annikki

    Some Coronavirus Patients Show Signs of Brain Ailments

    You are welcome. Neurological symptoms are concerning. Maybe combining what we already know about neurological disease with the data on Covid-19, we can learn something useful.
  20. Annikki

    Articles about uncommonly known symptoms of Covid-19

    . WOW! This is 98% identical to the symptoms I've had. Thanks for sharing your story. This really helps. It sounds like we were both sick with the same thing. The only difference is my lungs didn't hurt. I wrote it off as c. diff, but now I'm thinking it's not. I gave a short-hand description...
  21. Annikki

    Articles about uncommonly known symptoms of Covid-19

    Good advice for her. Better safe than sorry, so people who are unsure should stay home.
  22. Annikki

    Articles about uncommonly known symptoms of Covid-19

    You are welcome. I found I was less afraid of coronavirus until I read that. I worry more about neurological symptoms because I don't want to get sicker. It's sort of like how I freaked out when I brought a tick into my apartment because of my fear of Chronic Lyme Disease. I cut the thing in...
  23. Annikki

    Articles about uncommonly known symptoms of Covid-19

    Coronavirus infection affects more than the respiratory tract. There are a host of other symptoms from the virus, which include diarrhea and intestinal problems, pink eye, and neurological problems. Contrary to what the CDC was saying a week ago, a runny nose is also a symptom of it. If anyone...
  24. Annikki

    Study about infection-triggered autoimmune disease, Multiple Sclerosis, EBV and Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus

    They still do this now, except now it's called, "neuromodulation." Now they use an implanted device called an "Interstim device" to generate constant neuromodulation. There is an externally worn version of it called a "TENS unit." I have one. I can see how electric current could fix MS, since...
  25. Annikki

    Study about infection-triggered autoimmune disease, Multiple Sclerosis, EBV and Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus

    I imagine people here are feeling worse from all the stress. Stress has been triggering fatigue, and IC symptoms in me the past week or so . I take breaks and try to limit news consumption when I feel bad. Self care and pacing yourself is so important. I pay if I get too anxious about all this...
  26. Annikki

    Some Coronavirus Patients Show Signs of Brain Ailments

    The New York Times reported today that Covid-19 causes neurological problems. This finding suggests the virus could aggravate ME symptoms. A New York Times article about neurological problems from Covid-19:
  27. Annikki

    Endometriosis and endogenous retroviruses (ERVs)

    I study various autoimmune diseases. Today I'm focusing on endometriosis. I always thought that the way in which endometrial cells run amok in endometriosis was as if a retrovirus hijacked these cells. Retroviruses have been implicated in cancer, because also in cancer you have normal cells...
  28. Annikki

    Study about infection-triggered autoimmune disease, Multiple Sclerosis, EBV and Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus

    Thanks for sharing that. I knew someone with MS. To my horror, I learned recently that people who treat their MS (or other autoimmune conditions) with immunosuppressants are being advised to be careful not to get exposed to Covid-19. I think the warning implied these patients could protect...
  29. Annikki

    Study about infection-triggered autoimmune disease, Multiple Sclerosis, EBV and Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus

    Feel better, I think we are all worn out right now. I know stress never helps me. Take care of yourself, especially now. I just get through what articles I can and then rest.
  30. Annikki

    Study about infection-triggered autoimmune disease, Multiple Sclerosis, EBV and Theiler’s murine encephalomyelitis virus

    Sorry for the cumbersome title, but the following study is definitely worth looking at. I love it because it reflects my idea that an external trigger, i.e. an entity with different DNA (or RNA) from your own triggers ME. Many of us got ME after having a "run of the mill" viral infection. I...