Dispatches: The Truth About Long Covid Monday 15th March, 8pm

Hi.
There's a programme tonight about Long Covid.

Here are a couple of trailers:

1. https://twitter.com/user/status/1371400782722043904


2. https://twitter.com/user/status/1371144094206943234


Here is the synopsis:
https://www.bradfordhospitals.nhs.u...ord-long-covid-clinic-the-first-in-yorkshire/

I know a colleague of the film-maker. I intend to send any feedback directly to them.

Those of you who decide to watch the documentary, please would you be kind enough to comment on the film whilst bearing in mind that the comments may be seen by folk who have no knowledge of the history of ME/CFS or of the science behind the associated exertion intolerance.

If there are more such documentaries in the future, any pertinent and salient information that you provide, may help to shape the content of those, so I think it's worth our best shot!

Personally, I think that if the rest of the film is framed the same way as the trailers (i.e. there is 'this physical damage' which can been seen in the x-rays and scans and 'the rest is a mental health problem') then I think I need to brace myself for what I am about to see. I hope I am wrong.

Looking forward to your comments.

 

Here are some additional articles which relate to the program tonight:

1. https://inews.co.uk/news/health/bre...xiety-depression-long-covid-dispatches-913181

2. https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/hea...rwhelming-future-of-treating-patients-3165458

3. https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/news/tv/channel-4-dispatches-long-covid-20160225

 

Don't think I can bear to watch it having seen that first tweet.

 

It was surprisingly good actually! I am SO relieved. The two tweets above are actually NOT representative of the whole documentary.

 

I'm so glad! Honestly we could do without more harmful BS at the moment. I may watch it when feeling up to it - the whole topic is still quite upsetting. Do you think it will help people understand the relevant issues? I'm relieved!

 

I thought it was reasonably good. Lead of Bradford long-Covid clinic said they were using regimented exercise at start. Wasn't working, so have moved to energy management approach.

Edit: How many may have been harmed in those first six months if they were indeed pushing GET (or something similar)? It really makes Thursday's letter in the Guardian look all the more negligent.

 

I thought it was okay, but then I'm not as aware of ME politics as some on this forum.

For those in the UK, here's the link (it was on Channel 4):
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-truth-about-long-covid-dispatches

ME (sorry, CFS) was mentioned. Their definition of Long Covid is pretty broad: it included those who actually had damage to various organs.

 

I mentioned it here
https://www.s4me.info/threads/possi...ovid-19-long-covid.14074/page-192#post-330794

that was the overall impression I got, and the brief mention of CFS, chronic fatigue, later on used as an example.

I tried for ages to get C4 news and Dispatches to look at the issues around the PACE trial with little success (ie a certain health reporter couldn't see any problem with it even when I gave her a statement from JE).
Then there was Unrest which also didn't interest them, they'd never heard of Millions Missing, and for a while I sent links to various other key 'events' relating to ME.
Sometimes I got a reply.

C4 have 'links' to the SMC and are pretty much in the BPS camp.

https://www.s4me.info/threads/the-r...re-a-collaboration-with-itn-productions.2147/

 

Start of a Twitter thread with quotes from the programme, by @Adam pwme

 

https://twitter.com/user/status/1371758518882209798

 

A few more Quotes in this article

https://www.bradfordhospitals.nhs.u...ord-long-covid-clinic-the-first-in-yorkshire/

 

"“Some patients are recovering very quickly but some patients are developing a condition that is akin to chronic fatigue syndrome. And this is where the experience of people who have been dealing with chronic fatigue for decades is really important. One thing we know is, we don’t push people too hard. We are concentrating a lot more on the psychology and the mental recovery of patients.”

 

Both the statements and their implications as to the state of medical understanding are moderately terrifying aren't they.

I just love the implication that the experience 'of people who have been dealing with chronic fatigue for decades' is important - which apparently doesn't mean the patients, but the 'medical' people - even when they've been doing so unsuccessfully, and are 'probably' solely responsible for harming their patients.

Yep - we should definitely listen to them.