Dr Ros Vallings is scheduled to be interviewed by the Nine-to-Noon team at Radio NZ
this Wednesday about her updated book 'Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - Symptoms Diagnosis Management'.
It was a fairly helpful interview, in terms of increasing public understanding of the illness. Dr Vallings does refer to the illness as CFS/ME or Chronic fatigue syndrome which is slightly annoying.
She said that there's no reason to think that Long Covid is not a post-viral fatigue syndrome, as occurs with many viruses. And that, once the symptoms last for six month, they are termed ME/CFS. I thought that was helpful. She gave a good account of the symptoms and the range of severities. I like that she noted how people mildly affected may be attending school or working, but they run out of steam quickly, so 'even the so-called mild cases are quite compromised'. She also mentioned that some people are totally bedridden in a darkened room.
She mentioned 'brilliant teams' working on the illness. The interviewer mentioned Ron Davis, who she has previously interviewed, and Ros mentioned the Griffiths team, and Professor Tate in NZ. She said that a diagnostic test is on the way, but is not there yet. She noted that many illnesses don't have a definitive test and rely, as does CFS, on doctors using their expertise to evaluate against criteria.
She said that we are beginning to recognise the CFS term is just an umbrella term - there will be different illnesses because people have different sets of symptoms. And that there is certainly inflammation going on. She said that it is possible to see on MRIs the microglia sparkling away with inflammation which is probably why these people get very bad headaches.
There was coverage of risks for onset, which wasn't bad, concluding with the statement that it can occur at any age group and in any person, with the very fit being just as vulnerable as those that are not. This was an improvement on some of her statements in the last years suggesting there is an ME personality - so perhaps she has moved on that.
In the past she has mentioned that the Lightning Process helps some people; thankfully that wasn't mentioned. She said that no treatment helps everyone and its important to minimise stress, keep exercise to a minimum (which I think is an over-simplification), eat a good diet. But then came the bits I had the most problem with. She said that supplements like CoQ10and B12 are helpful but people should save their money on supplements unless there is very good evidence. (But there's no good evidence for either of the supplements she mentioned helping ME/CFS.) She said that there's a lot of evidence that medications can be useful in sub-groups - anti-viral agents, low dose naltrexone, neurological medications, extra salt and medications to help the body retain salt. She said it all with such authority and the interviewer was exceedingly impressed and praised her knowledge.
Vallings mentioned that Professor Tate is about to launch into some Long Covid research.
So, I think that was a positive media event, all things considered. It seems as though some of the criticism that Dr Vallings has received may have helped ensure that her messages are better. But I don't think she understands yet that her endorsement of treatments that don't have evidence has probably contributed to the scepticism that ME/CFS is viewed with by most doctors in NZ. The interview served usefully as an advertisement for her practice - without doubt she will have many people coming to see her from all over New Zealand, convinced that they will get treatments that will cure or at least substantially help them.
Hadn't thought of that. Would save the fine, too. I can't get myself to the library these days but if any other bookworms happen to get a bit shoddy with their shelving, they didn't get the idea here.
