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What is CFS/ME treatment like in Sweden? Is there a specialist I can see?

S

soignee

Messages
2
I am moving to Göteborg/Gothenburg in August to maybe live with my boyfriend fulltime, we will see how it is when I get there. He is Swedish born and raised, and will help make my settling in/paperwork side of things easier, since he tells me he is my sambo. My Swedish is non existent right now, and am trying to learn.

I've visited/stayed in Sweden before to be with my boyfriend, up to four months at a time. I sort of know what to expect- apart from the medical side of things. I had a throat infection and dealt with a GP before, but not sure how to deal with the ME/CFS side of things.

I am English, and used to the NHS system mainly. I am currently on the waiting list to see a specialist in Southampton. Various GPs have diagnosed me as having CFS/ME, and I'm discovering that I've got to work out what works for me. Which is hard if you're mostly clueless about it to begin with.

However, what with the waiting list and the stress and anxiety of the current benefit system, I've decided to say "fuck it" and move to Sweden, where my boyfriend can take care of me. I would be happier knowing what I was walking into medically, though, and what to expect with doctors.

Is there anyone based in Sweden that can tell me what to expect? I am luckily in a fairly big city, so will have access to more medical facilities. Can anyone recommend a specialist or GP, or even tell me what to expect?
 
A

alexa

Messages
59
Welcome to Sweden!
I am swedish and have lived in Uppsala for almost 10 years now. I have not had very good experiences with swedish doctors. Some do believe that ME exist but can offer no treatment, only B12 shots and maybe an appointment for the speciallist Gottfries clinic. most ME patients in sweden are batteling to get a diagnosis, since it is needed if you want to get sickpay ( which is almost impossible for this disease in sweden since there are no biomarkers that are acceppted) but each county is different.
I have also talked with doctors who think i am crazy or depressed, and who believe that CFS is a made upp illness for whiny people.....
i have talked to some doctors who are knowledgable. the best thing for me has been that Kenny De Meirler comes to Sweden and Norweig every three moths and he has been a huge help for me.
i have "only" been sick for 3 years and have not really fought for a swedish speciallist since i was not impressed with what they can offer.

what kind of care are you getting now?
if you have specific problems the healthcare system can help you in sweden, but for the overall ME... worse
 
S

soignee

Messages
2
alexa said:
Welcome to Sweden!
I am swedish and have lived in Uppsala for almost 10 years now. I have not had very good experiences with swedish doctors. Some do believe that ME exist but can offer no treatment, only B12 shots and maybe an appointment for the speciallist Gottfries clinic. most ME patients in sweden are batteling to get a diagnosis, since it is needed if you want to get sickpay ( which is almost impossible for this disease in sweden since there are no biomarkers that are acceppted) but each county is different.
I have also talked with doctors who think i am crazy or depressed, and who believe that CFS is a made upp illness for whiny people.....
i have talked to some doctors who are knowledgable. the best thing for me has been that Kenny De Meirler comes to Sweden and Norweig every three moths and he has been a huge help for me.
i have "only" been sick for 3 years and have not really fought for a swedish speciallist since i was not impressed with what they can offer.

what kind of care are you getting now?
if you have specific problems the healthcare system can help you in sweden, but for the overall ME... worse
Click to expand...

Well, at the moment I see a nice GP at a doctor's surgery that is sympathetic to ME/CFS, and fought for me to see a specialist. I am on a waiting list to see said specialist, and going by other UK patients, the results may vary in terms of success.

At the moment I am just trying my hand at supplements and PACE style therapy/exercises, but the latter is a lot of effort to someone who has to have a lie down after a shower. I get the overwhelming feeling that we don't have much on the NHS here in UK in way of treatment either, other then "here is an exercise place and here is some cognitive behavioural therapy", going by UK forums at least.

Moving to Sweden was meant to be the life goal; my boyfriend has three more years of college (masters/phd) so we figured I'd move there to live and work, but then I got sick (and have been for three/four years, just got diagnosed this year though) and put off moving for a while. Long distance relationships are miserable affairs, and I figure the happier I am the more chance I have at getting better. Perhaps I should wait to see a specialist here first, but I am fed up of waiting around for things to happen.

Do you think Swedish doctors will take my UK diagnosis seriously?
 
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