• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    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.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Search results

  1. EllenGB

    Psychiatrists -- People with authority and PACE.

    I don't think otherwise.
  2. EllenGB

    Psychiatrists -- People with authority and PACE.

    For everyone else, I never blamed patients for the failure to demolish PACE. I did think that groups had not done enough and I still think that. I am baffled as to why a few are deliberately misinterpreting what I've written. Unless you've read the original, just be cautious about accepting...
  3. EllenGB

    Former BMJ editor Richard Smith's blog post on PACE

    I should have liked to discuss and explain a bit more as I see with referee eyes that I could contribute but don't feel comfortable on this forum. Great though that you and Dr Shepherd are here.
  4. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    Psychology is a social science and not dangerous. I get very concerned when I read things like this. Terrorism is dangerous. Anti-semitisism is dangerous. Psychology is a social science and while I regard many studies as not as good quality as those you find in say, immunology, and some as a...
  5. EllenGB

    Psychiatrists -- People with authority and PACE.

    I don't think I can add anymore to the discussion so am retiring from this debate. Best wishes and a healthier 2016 to you all.
  6. EllenGB

    Psychiatrists -- People with authority and PACE.

    Good point. The CBT protocol for CFS is unusual and different to CBT for say, MS. Or depression. Which is why I don't like it. I have spent over 30 years challenging the CBT fanclub, as I call them.
  7. EllenGB

    Psychiatrists -- People with authority and PACE.

    It depends what type of CBT. The Chalder protocol is potentially harmful in that it aims to increase activity. For most other disorders, CBT is focused on resolving specific issues that en has e.g. depression. It is therapeutic. It can help or it has no effect.
  8. EllenGB

    Psychiatrists -- People with authority and PACE.

    I don't think they express it like that. If you read the manual, they really do try and offer you an alternative view. Like a concerned friend. We know it's daft but as one patient told me, 'it went in one ear and out the other.' I'm not sure how many of the participants were persuaded by the...
  9. EllenGB

    Psychiatrists -- People with authority and PACE.

    Actually, when you talk to the patients, the vast majority speak highly of the staff. In all my years, I've heard nothing bad about the therapists and read about only one negative report re Prof. White. I don't know of any official complaints. As an old patient at Barts, I would have heard...
  10. EllenGB

    Psychiatrists -- People with authority and PACE.

    Therapists as people in authority? Not unless you've been sectioned. It's an equal relationship where one person with experience helps another who might lack that. You explore together, agree on things. It's all in the PACE manual. You can say a lot about PACE but not that there was brainwashing.
  11. EllenGB

    Psychiatrists -- People with authority and PACE.

    There is no brainwashing involved in CBT. You are offered a different explanation for your symptoms which you can accept or reject. If you have evidence to the contrary, please contact the GMC. Just correcting an unhelpful and inaccurate point.
  12. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    Off topic with unfair interpretations.
  13. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    Look forward then to posts that don't ask me to justify or challenge my knowledge time after time. Now back to the BMJ. mind you, all has been said, I think. Have passed on read Report to some individuals and would like to post it here but it's a pdf and can't see space for them. but it's...
  14. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    Fine if the info has a reliable sources. Interesting that you feel I need to learn more (about ME, I assume). Not seen that one directed at Drs Edwards and Shepherd. There are only one or two who accuse me of things I haven't said or done. I appreciate that most are respectful and discussion...
  15. EllenGB

    Former BMJ editor Richard Smith's blog post on PACE

    It's not my website and David is retired. That's why it hasn't ben updated. But there are lots of things on PubMed and some are free access.
  16. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    You are having a go. You are wrong in your analysis. I'm not a doctor.
  17. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    It started with hysteria as in Wessely, Psychol Med 1987. As someone else remarked, he regards CFS as somatisation par excellence. Infections are limited to triggers only. I can't recall them implicating infection in the chronic phase but someone can correct me on that, I'm sure. I think it is...
  18. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    Ok, so you don't accept that there are good psychs, like me whom you can trust. I've spent years challenging the views of the CBT fanclub, based on scientific knowledge and arguments, but not what I've read in the Sun.
  19. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    I originally challenged generalisations about psychosomatic medicine that could be interpreted as reflecting prejudice. As per the CBT model. I'm keen not to reinforce the stereotype of the prejudiced ME patients so I responded. I would not comment on something I knew to be out-dated, or...
  20. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    No, I'm retired.
  21. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    Because the (male) physicians don't quite get such as grilling and are not asked to justify quite as often. I'm originally from gynaecology and endocrinology and I have never has such a tough time as I have in the ME world. But irrespective of the subject, I don't offer an opinion unless I'm...
  22. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    A generalisation based on ???? Especially after my earlier posts. They clearly didn't impress.
  23. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    Example of asking to justify.
  24. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    Woolie: I didn't claim LP was effective. I challenged the diagnosis of ME if LP 'cured' it. That's different. My caism aren't unusual and what was often responded to were not strong and unusual claims. BTW, possible error, it might have been Crawley who published research on LP. Look at the...
  25. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    Meghan Arroll published a study on the LP. I'm feeling a little uncomfortable about constantly having to justify my views. Of course there is evidence of psychological influences in IBS, and I even wrote something with Prof. Dancey, a sufferer, explaining. There are cases under this umbrella...
  26. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    You need to rule out infection first and re the ME epidemics, you can't. Enteroviruses, including echo 7 are a more logical explanation. One of the 1984 outbreaks was linked to contaminated milk if I recall. One to giardia. Two were ME though and that includes Lake Tahoe. Index cases at the...
  27. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    Also just thought that the people with 'ME' and 'CFS' who have been bedbound for years, do the Lightning Process and find themselves able to walk and live near normal lives. I don't know why but I would investigate the possibility of something psychosomatic there. The Gupta programme is aimed...
  28. EllenGB

    Former BMJ editor Richard Smith's blog post on PACE

    Take a guess and may the first guess be right. Who would be interested in expanding CBT and GET in the UK? You need a sense of humour here. Just saw latest instalment of FINE work. I'm pacing so decided not to go beyond abstract.
  29. EllenGB

    Psychosomatic medicine and ME/CFS.

    Couch potatoes tend not to get ME. It's often people who will plod on when ill. The conscientious types. There is some evidence for that. Can't recall name but he's now a MEP. Tannock?