Cosmopolitan: Millions of Women Suffer From a Disease That Virtually Sucks the Life Out of Them

[Barry53]

http://www.cosmopolitan.com/lifestyle/a12779054/what-is-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/

Millions of Women Suffer From a Disease That Virtually Sucks the Life Out of Them — But Doctors Still Don’t Take It Seriously

Jen Brea was a 28-year-old grad student at Harvard when her health began to deteriorate after a 104 degree fever. She spent a year searching for an explanation for her recurrent infections, profound dizziness, and disturbing neurological symptoms, only to be dismissed by doctor after doctor. She was just stressed. She was dehydrated. There was nothing wrong. A neurologist told her she had conversion disorder, a psychiatric diagnosis that used to go by another name: hysteria. He suggested that her symptoms were the product of her “unconscious mind,” caused by a repressed trauma she couldn’t remember.
...

 

[pattismith]

I too was awarded with the "histeria conversion" diagnosis by an otolaryngologist

 

[Barry53]

I too was awarded with the "histeria conversion" diagnosis by an otolaryngologist

Being as it's ear, nose and throat, I suppose it might be suggested the problem was "all in your head" ... er, and throat

 

[Alvin2]

very well written article

 

[Jennifer J]

Wiki (highlighted parts by me):

Cosmopolitan has 64 international editions worldwide, and are published in 35 languages, with distribution in more than 100 countries making Cosmopolitan the largest-selling young women's magazine in the world.[3] Some international editions are published in partnerships, such as licenses or joint ventures, with established publishing houses in each local market.

Cosmopolitan has since the sixties been a women's magazine discussing such topics as sex, health, fitness, and fashion. Cosmopolitan also has a section called "Ask Him Anything" where a male writer answers readers' questions about men and dating.

Over 3,000,000 people are subscribed to Cosmopolitan.

 

[Hutan]

Yes, the author deserves a plug for her forthcoming book.

Maya Dusenbery is author of the book Doing Harm: The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed, and Sick, coming out in March 2018.

Hopefully she gets to do a book tour with the same or bigger reach as the one that neurologist did - Suzanne O'Sullivan, with her book 'It's All in Your Head'.

 

[Sean]

Suzanne O'Sullivan, with her book 'It's All in Your Head'.

Suzanne O'Sullivan, with her book 'It's All in My Head'.

 

[perrier]

The author does a very good job outlining the attitude to various illnesses endured by women, however, her article lacks a good strong paragraph summarizing the very serious symptoms of ME.

 

[Cheesus]

The author does a very good job outlining the attitude to various illnesses endured by women, however, her article lacks a good strong paragraph summarizing the very serious symptoms of ME.

I thought she still did a good job of communicating the potential gravity of the disease, however:

Brea is convinced that one reason that ME/CFS has been neglected is that much of the medical community — and the public — just doesn’t have an accurate understanding of how incredibly sick ME/CFS patients can be. One patient featured in her film hasn’t had the energy to speak in a year; another hasn’t stepped foot on solid ground in six. Brea herself has been confined to her home, and often her bed, often over the last six years. These days, thanks to four years of treatment, she’s improved enough that she can leave her house and even travel again. “But I can’t walk more than like 50 or 100 feet at a time, so I use a wheelchair when I leave my house,” she says. “If I go out for more than a few hours in a day, I’ll pay for it.”

 

[AndyPR]

For anybody who does Facebook, here is Cosmopolitan's post sharing the article - https://www.facebook.com/Cosmopolitan/posts/10155864110697708 - and even the comments seem reasonable.

 

[Hajnalka]

Another great article by the same author Maya Dusenbery about Unrest (and she linked to the TED talk): http://feministing.com/2017/09/22/w...tary-on-living-with-chronic-fatigue-syndrome/
She also mentions that she'll include Jen's story in her book.
Apologies if the article was already posted on PR, so much great press coverage that it's getting confusing.

 

[lilpink]

The author does a very good job outlining the attitude to various illnesses endured by women, however, her article lacks a good strong paragraph summarizing the very serious symptoms of ME.

As well as an accurate history of the disease. It did not 'emerge' in the 1980s.

 

[Alvin2]

As well as an accurate history of the disease. It did not 'emerge' in the 1980s.

I noticed that too but don't have a more accurate date. Perhaps worth finding it and e-mailing the author who could publish a correction

 

[lilpink]

I noticed that too but don't have a more accurate date. Perhaps worth finding it and e-mailing the author who could publish a correction

It's moot as the history probably needs further unraveling. But Hilary Johnson's Osler's web is a good place to start.

 

[Solstice]

Nice article. There's no commenting possible on the article-page itself btw?

 

[Hajnalka]

I noticed that too but don't have a more accurate date. Perhaps worth finding it and e-mailing the author who could publish a correction

One date is that ME has been officially recognized by the WHO as organic illness since 1969. Others might be the documented mass outbreaks of a strikingly similar disease in the last 100 years and the Royal Free Hospital outbreak in 1955 that led to the term ME.
Noticed the sentence too while reading. But I thought the author maybe rather meant with "came on the radar" the (negative) press coverage that took off in the 80ies (after the new term CFS was coined).

 

[Alvin2]

One date is that ME has been officially recognized by the WHO as organic illness since 1969. Others might be the documented mass outbreaks of a strikingly similar disease in the last 100 years and the Royal Free Hospital outbreak in 1955 that led to the term ME.
Noticed the sentence too while reading. But I thought the author maybe rather meant with "came on the radar" the (negative) press coverage that took off in the 80ies (after the new term CFS was coined).

Indeed. If anyone wants to contact the author go for it

 

[Demepivo]

Maya Dusenbery is on Twitter if you want to give her some love

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/915664241931063296

 

[Mrs Sowester]

I don't think it's worth being pernickerty about details like dates in a Cosmo piece, especially when it's so positive.
Runs the risk of feeding into the touchy ME brigade myth in my opinion.
A science paper or a broadsheet newspaper is a different matter.

 

[TiredSam]

It's moot as the history probably needs further unraveling. But Hilary Johnson's Osler's web is a good place to start.

Looks like that's where she started: