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Hi, I’m Alisha Whittam, and I live with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis, a chronic illness that has profoundly shaped my journey. Here, I want to share a little more about who I am beyond the challenges I face every day.

Weluv 4 in 1 facial brush from Amazon

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Rome

Slimming World

Losing weight while bedridden is proving difficult for me , it’s me I know that. I suffer from Severe Myalgic Encephalomyelitis which has left me completely bedridden. I am following Slimming World but facing problems which is why I need your help.

It’s much more than just football.

I’m still freezing #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #ME #Disabled #raiseawareness

Tonight’s mood #MyalgicEncephalomyelitis #fedup

This will kill me.

Black Lives Matter

This may sound naive but surely Black Lives Matter applies to Black people the world over. I hate borders and how the location in which you were born dictates most lives.

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What is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

What is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis ?

According to the NHS Website, Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a long-term illness with a wide range of symptoms. The most common symptom is extreme tiredness

For more information please visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-cfs/

What are the symptoms of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis ?

People with ME/CFS have fatigue that is very different from just being tired. The fatigue of ME/CFS:

Can be severe.
Is not a result of unusually difficult activity.
Is not relieved by sleep or rest.
Was not a problem before becoming ill (not life-long)

Worsening of ME/CFS symptoms after physical or mental activity that would not have caused a problem before illness. This is known as post-exertional malaise (PEM).

Sleep problems.

Many but not all people with ME/CFS have other symptoms.

Pain is very common in people with ME/CFS. The type of pain, where it occurs, and how bad it is varies a lot. The pain people with ME/CFS feel is not caused by an injury. The most common types of pain in ME/CFS are:

Muscle pain and aches
Joint pain without swelling or redness
Headaches, either new or worsening

Some people with ME/CFS may also have:

Tender lymph nodes in the neck or armpits
A sore throat that happens often
Digestive issues, like irritable bowel syndrome
Chills and night sweats
Allergies and sensitivities to foods, odors, chemicals, light, or noise
Muscle weakness
Shortness of breath
Irregular heartbeat

Information is taken from The CDC Website https://www.cdc.gov/me-cfs/symptoms-diagnosis/symptoms

What is the treatment for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis ?

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis does not have a cure.

Find a Dr or Consultant who listens to you is the first step

It is a manageable condition and depending on the severity of your symptoms the more difficult this can become.

I advise learning to listen to your body and what it is telling you. If you feel tired rest and if you feel pain find a solution to reduce that pain, this could be through pain medication prescribed by your Dr.

I am not saying that finding a Dr who listens or listening to your body is going to be easy as this illness is incredibly complex for some and manageable for others.

Having a Dr who listens to you or reads about the latest drug that sufferers are recommending can take a lot of unnecessary stress and anxiety from the sufferer.

What is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome ?

It would be best for me to point you to the above question What is Myalgic Encephalomyelitis?

Most pages list the illness as ME/CFS or Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or sometimes even Systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID).

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