BBC1 tonight — Doctor in the House, featuring "chronic fatigue"

[slysaint]

I've just heard this is now scheduled for Tuesday 27th at 10.45. Don't know if this is am or pm

interesting..........the same day as the BBC Radio 4 program on Children with ME
Tue 27 Jun 2017 20:00
BBC Radio 4

 

[trishrhymes]

BBC 1 Tuesday 27th June 22.45 - 23.45.

Here's what it says about the program on line.

Nicola has been diagnosed with ten different conditions, including fibromyalgia, ME, sciatica and depression. Her pain and exhaustion have led her to become reliant on painkillers and she struggles to get through the day. Can Dr Chatterjee help Nicola find the cause of her problems and improve her health so that she can enjoy life again with her three young sons?

La-Vern is suffering from stress and severe exhaustion and is at risk of developing life-threatening type 2 diabetes. As a single mother, she works two jobs as a car saleswoman and a nightclub bouncer whilst juggling the demands of her two young sons. Rangan must find a way to completely overhaul her lifestyle, including her diet, sleeping habits and work-life balance.

 

[Snowdrop]

I'll wait for the follow up program a year from now that shows the incredible strides they made following advice.
Although having said that I feel (in the UK in particular) word really needs to get out about what the difference is between cf/burnout and ME. They are worlds apart.

 

[trishrhymes]

The program notes don't claim either patient is actually suffering from ME.

It's mentioned among a long list of diagnoses the first patient has been given, it's not mentioned at all for the second patient.

We'll have to wait for the program to see whether the doctor thinks either has ME.

In a previous program in the series, one patient had ME as a possible diagnosis in the past, and the doctor found he had a genetic need for high B vitamins.

He doesn't take past diagnoses at face value. I'm holding off judgement until I see the program.

 

[Snowdrop]

I do get ahead of myself sometimes . . .

 

[trishrhymes]

Bumping as it's on tomorrow 10.45 (a.m. I presume)

No, it's pm. 22.45 to 23.45

 

[trishrhymes]

There's also the radio program tomorrow. BBC Radio 4, 8pm 'Children with ME.

 

[arewenearlythereyet]

too late for me, shall have to record it

Too late for me too. Hopefully iplayer will have it available on Wednesday

 

[trishrhymes]

I've just watched the program from last night.

There were two patients treated,

One with stress from doing too much and pre-diabetic blood sugar and fatigue. Her cortisol was heading up instead of down in the evenings, indicating stress and making her sleep badly.

The treatments were - diet change for the pre-diabetes, and yoga for the stress and yellow clip ons for her glasses so she didn't get blue light from TV and phone screens in the evenings to help her sleep. Results - a lot of improvement on all fronts - sleep, stress, fatigue and blood sugar.

..........................................

The other had diagnoses of ME, fibromyalgia, sciatica etc. She was on lots of pain killers and clearly unwell, suffering a lot of fatigue and pain and nausea, but able to struggle through the day looking after her family and going for an hour's walk in the evenings, with difficulty and a lot of pain. Her level of activity would, I think be described as equivalent of mild ME, though the fact that she was able to do the walk every day, albeit with difficulty, suggest to me that she may have had fibromyalgia, not ME.

Her blood tests showed low vitamin D and B12, and a test showed she had SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth). He did say SIBO is under-diagnosed and can cause whole body inflammation as well as gut problems including nausea.

Treatments:

Diet change - gluten and dairy free and no junk food and cutting back on carbohydrates.

Reduction of pain killers to cut back on side effects.

Antibiotics for SIBO.

Injection of vitamins B12 and vitamin D.

Mindfulness/ breathing / relaxation techniques.
...

She improved significantly, lost a lot of weight, was practically pain free and able to do the evening 1 hour walk much more easily, and her score on a questionnaire had dropped from 90 to 53 (I need to watch that bit again - I'm not clear which questionnaire it was, and what a health score would be).

He said at one stage that the labels - fibro, ME etc that she had been given were holding her back, making her fearful of trying to help herself get better, or words to that effect - she objected quite strongly and I think rightly to that.

I think it was much more a case of the FM/ME labels having held her doctors back - giving them the excuse not to look further, and just dismiss her with more pain killers.

Doctors in the UK stick a label like fibro or ME on us and think it's okay never to look deeper. It was her doctors being held back by those labels, not her. Why had they not tested her for vitamin deficiencies or SIBO. This makes me angry - on her behalf and my own. Next time I see a doctor I'm going to ask for those tests!

In summing up at the end, the doctor attributed the improvement to the lifestyle changes - diet and mindfulness. This seemed a little odd to me, as it could just as easily have been down to the vitamin D, vitamin B12 and antibiotics for SIBO, or a combination of everything.

 

[TiredSam]

Thanks for that review @trishrhymes, I was wondering when someone who watched it was going to report back.

To be honest I've decided not to bother watching it myself, the guy sounds like a quack.

 

[gregh286]

I've just watched the program from last night.

There were two patients treated,

One with stress from doing too much and pre-diabetic blood sugar and fatigue. Her cortisol was heading up instead of down in the evenings, indicating stress and making her sleep badly.

The treatments were - diet change for the pre-diabetes, and yoga for the stress and yellow clip ons for her glasses so she didn't get blue light from TV and phone screens in the evenings to help her sleep. Results - a lot of improvement on all fronts - sleep, stress, fatigue and blood sugar.

..........................................

The other had diagnoses of ME, fibromyalgia, sciatica etc. She was on lots of pain killers and clearly unwell, suffering a lot of fatigue and pain and nausea, but able to struggle through the day looking after her family and going for an hour's walk in the evenings, with difficulty and a lot of pain. Her level of activity would, I think be described as equivalent of mild ME, though the fact that she was able to do the walk every day, albeit with difficulty, suggest to me that she may have had fibromyalgia, not ME.

Her blood tests showed low vitamin D and B12, and a test showed she had SIBO (small intestinal bacterial overgrowth). He did say SIBO is under-diagnosed and can cause whole body inflammation as well as gut problems including nausea.

Treatments:

Diet change - gluten and dairy free and no junk food and cutting back on carbohydrates.

Reduction of pain killers to cut back on side effects.

Antibiotics for SIBO.

Injection of vitamins B12 and vitamin D.

Mindfulness/ breathing / relaxation techniques.
...

She improved significantly, lost a lot of weight, was practically pain free and able to do the evening 1 hour walk much more easily, and her score on a questionnaire had dropped from 90 to 53 (I need to watch that bit again - I'm not clear which questionnaire it was, and what a health score would be).

He said at one stage that the labels - fibro, ME etc that she had been given were holding her back, making her fearful of trying to help herself get better, or words to that effect - she objected quite strongly and I think rightly to that.

I think it was much more a case of the FM/ME labels having held her doctors back - giving them the excuse not to look further, and just dismiss her with more pain killers.

Doctors in the UK stick a label like fibro or ME on us and think it's okay never to look deeper. It was her doctors being held back by those labels, not her. Why had they not tested her for vitamin deficiencies or SIBO. This makes me angry - on her behalf and my own. Next time I see a doctor I'm going to ask for those tests!

In summing up at the end, the doctor attributed the improvement to the lifestyle changes - diet and mindfulness. This seemed a little odd to me, as it could just as easily have been down to the vitamin D, vitamin B12 and antibiotics for SIBO, or a combination of everything.

yeah just watched it also. Maybe she did improve a lot, or maybe he got her on a good day. one day to next can be worlds apart with this.
the GET advocates would have loved that.

 

[ChrisD]

I was impressed that Chatterjee went straight in with a functional medicine approach, looking at vitamin levels and diagnosing SIBO. This was a promising approach and puts emphasis on the biology of 'fatigue'. In terms of the picture it paints for the outsiders perspective, this programme was very bad for us, it ended on 'mindfulness' and gave the impression that her CFS/Fibro diagnosis could have been caused by some emotional stress that she hadn't 'let go'. At no point did they make it clear that these therapies would help to improve or alleviate symptoms rather than curing CFS. So for anyone who does not understand ME/CFS, this programme has just compounded the majorities opinion that it is 'all-in-your-head', I'm disappointed, its a shame they didn't focus on the gut more.

 

[Chrisb]

It must always be remembered that Doctor in the House was a comedy programme. Who do they have playing the part of Sir Lancelot Spratt?

 

[Wonko]

I watched it last night and, based on what was presented only, the woman did not have the same thing I have. Able to walk for an hour EVERY night with the downsides being pain, exhaustion and unable to speak, for a while? Whilst I realise there may have been several takes, her cognitive ability and emotional control also seemed on the high side compared with mine. Lots of other stuff I could put in but watch it, you'll see. Chronic Fatigue - quite possibly, fibro, maybe - but M.E.?

 

[Hell...Hath...No...Fury..]

I missed the first 15 mins but it started off well with the antibots, SIBO and vits. I also got the impression that they were dumping the improvement on mindfullness at the end, rather than the collective.

Its like they put the functional stuff in at the start to appease the masses, then finished off and highlighted the mindfullness at the end so thats the part that sticks in your head.

I can't wait to get the new and improved versions of 'people's help' now. Going along the lines of 'oh all you need is mindfullness practice to get better.'

I've been practising mindfullness for at least 10 years and it did nothing to improve my physical symptoms.

 

[TiredSam]

I confess I haven't watched any episodes of this program, so I could have got the wrong end of the stick, but I'm getting rather wary of series on UK television which just happen to shape public perception. We had Benefits Street teaching us what benefits recipients were really like. We had My Big Fat Gypsy Wedding showing us what travellers were like. Now we have a miracle worker showing us the power of lifestyle / attitude / behavioural changes for Medically Unexplained Symptoms.

Sorry to be so cynical, but I'm in no mood to sit in front of my television being amazed by Dr Chatterjee when what we really need is investment in biomedical research for proper treatments and cures. That may be more expensive than supplements and mindfulness, but would be much more useful to me than being fobbed off by a TV show that is basically a series of anecdotes.

Not that I've ever watched it. Or intend to. Rant over.

 

[gregh286]

I watched it last night and, based on what was presented only, the woman did not have the same thing I have. Able to walk for an hour EVERY night with the downsides being pain, exhaustion and unable to speak, for a while? Whilst I realise there may have been several takes, her cognitive ability and emotional control also seemed on the high side compared with mine. Lots of other stuff I could put in but watch it, you'll see. Chronic Fatigue - quite possibly, fibro, maybe - but M.E.?

Depend on function level. At times I couldn't have been able enough to engage like her and times I could.
Mindfulness load of Bollocks.have you screaming at t.v. that nonsense.
Wonder.how long he had her on cipro.
Didn't focus enough on the treatments.

 

[Ambrosia_angel]

This is disturbing. I was just told that a family friend watched it. I'd rather the BBC have nothing to do with ME than spread misconceptions. Very disappointing that they went straight to attributing her improvements to mindfulness.

I haven't watched it and don't plan on it.

 

[ChrisD]

Correct me if I am wrong, but they also seemed to make no mention of the start of Nicola's Illness i.e. a virus, glandular fever etc.? Putting more of a focus on her family life/emotions/diet etc.

 

[trishrhymes]

To be fair, I don't think the doctor ever said he thought she had ME.

I liked the fact that he looked at everything he could think of - blood tests, SIBO test, as well as diet and lifestyle.

I actually like his approach - he has got to the bottom of the problem for others very well in other programs in the series, including some that were not anything to do with lifestyle.

He normally doesn't so obviously assume it's the lifestyle changes that have made the difference. I think it was his conclusion that I objected to so strongly. It was completely unscientific to throw everything he could find - vitamins, antibiotics, diet and mindfulness at a case, see her improve, and then attribute that improvement to the lifestyle changes, when it was much more likely that it was due to treating vitamin deficiencies and/or clearing SIBO and reducing side effects of the massive amount of drugs she was on.