CPD Online College : What is ME?: scam

Sly Saint

Senior Member (Voting Rights)
ETA: it appears this site may be a scam

It starts off reasonably OK but.......

What are the different types of ME?
A genetic study in 2008 revealed that there were seven subtypes of ME. The research was carried out by people at St George’s Hospital, University of London. The different subtypes of the disease were related to specific patterns of symptoms.

Here are the different types:

1. Type 1 – High levels of anxiety/depression and pain, poor sleep.

2. Type 2 – Joint/muscle pains, post-exertion fatigue is severe.

3. Type 3 – Mild disease.

4. Type 4 – Sleep problems and moderate pain.

5. Type 5 – Gut problems predominate, most severe muscle weakness.

6. Type 6 – Significant fatigue.

7. Type 7 – Swollen glands, headaches, high pain levels – most severe form.

In the research, type 4 and type 6 were the most common.
What are the signs and symptoms of ME?
The main signs and symptoms of ME or CFS are feeling generally unwell and extremely tired. The symptoms do vary from patient to patient, and they can be fluctuating and vary day to day. Let’s take a look at these symptoms in more detail.

Extreme tiredness (fatigue)
The most predominant symptom of ME is extreme fatigue – both physical and mental. With this level of tiredness, rest and sleep don’t make it go away. This means that it’s really difficult to do everyday activities and tasks.

Most people with the condition describe it as being an overwhelming tiredness and different from anything they’ve ever experienced before.

Doing exercise will typically make a person feel worse. Sometimes, this will have a delayed effect and the person will feel extremely tired a couple of hours after exercising, or even the following day.

Here are some of the treatments people with ME have:
Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT)
Mild to moderate ME patients are usually offered CBT. This is a talking therapy that helps people change how they think and behave. This doesn’t mean doctors believe ME is a psychological condition, but it is useful in helping people to adapt to the necessary changes they will need to make as a result of their diagnosis.

Energy management
This therapy aims to help patients learn how to use their energy levels to their advantage without worsening their symptoms.

Sometimes people are prescribed an exercise plan, but not always.

It seems as though a lot of the information comes from the NHS site rather than the NICE guideline; note the link to NICE doesn't go to the new ME/CFS guideline just the NICE home page.

https://cpdonline.co.uk/knowledge-base/care/what-is-me/
 
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The word "tiredness" must be removed from training and articles on ME. The NHS page on ME has a hell of a lot to answer for calling ME "tiredness", asserting that 'some people' improve with treatment, then listing CBT as 'Specialised treatment'!.

I have brought the NHS pages to the attention of both of the charities and someone said they would bring it to Forward ME's attention. But the Tiredness word and 'CBT-as-treatment' is still out there misinforming everyone.


The study referred to ('A genetic study in 2008 revealed that there were seven subtypes of ME') is this, Dr Jonathan Kerr's study. But it uses the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention diagnostic criteria (Fukuda).

No one else has run with the '7 subtypes of ME' (just as well) and I don't think it was ever repeated as a study.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18462164/
 
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I'm all for subtyping ME (See this thread about LTSE), but I don't see depression or anxiety as part of ME.

This doesn’t mean doctors believe ME is a psychological condition...
In my experience this is highly disingenuous, they know that promoting behavioural treatments will lead to a society that treats ME patients as if their disease is psychological. It's all part of the gaslighting in my opinion.

https://doctorswith.me/poor-knowledge-of-me-cfs-among-doctors-puts-patients-at-risk-of-harm/ - 82% of trainee doctors think ME is psychological.
 
It's definitely missing the righteous fury subset because although I am about 3% depressed and 0% anxious, I am 199% righteous fury at the raw destruction of millions of lives, and my own, and it's probably a good thing I am as physically capable as a potato because holy crap I'll just stop here.
 
This seems to be put out by a commercial organisation linked to Birmingham City Football Club and British Transport Police. Interesting.
Yes they are a company that produces Computer Based Training on a very wide range of topics so their expertise is taking content they are generally given by a client and turning it into a training package staff can work through by themselves anywhere. It would be interesting to know if they have been commissioned to produce ME material or have done it off their own bat as they perceive it is as a training package they will be able to sell to a range of clients. Either way interesting also to know who acted as their subject specialist for the content.
 
Either way interesting also to know who acted as their subject specialist for the content.
this is the author:
Louise Woffindin
Louise is a writer and translator from Sheffield. Before turning to writing, she worked as a secondary school language teacher. Outside of work, she is a keen runner and also enjoys reading and walking her dog Chaos.
no medical training whatsoever.
 
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