In Sept 2009 my dr said i had ME/CFS and referred me to the ME specialist consultant. had letter from them saying about 9 month waiting list..got my apt for next week...i know a long 9 months!
has anyone been for such apts? If so what usually happens? any advice on what to expect i would be grateful for. thanks
My cousin was asked some questions when she went for her appt at Barts hospital in London, the woman then determined that she had M.E and that was it
It depends what your symptoms are! I saw a rheumatologist as I also have fibromyalgia.
What I do suggest is you write down all your symptoms - because if you are anything like me, when you go in to see the consultant you'll forget half of it. Then if you don't mention it s/he might say it's all in the imagination and put you on antidepressants :eek:! Any depression I had was to do with loss of function, loss of career, loss of lifestyle, etc.
In the late 1970's one Dr wrote a paper saying it was all in the mind and for some reason not only did the psychiatrists jump fullscale into this idea but most other doctors too - leaving people with ME/CFS without any understanding of what we were suffering - we lost at least 20 years of research and patients were seriously misunderstood. Some people still think it is psychological and dismiss both us and the problem, in spite of the fact the NHS has finally accepted it is a problem that has physical aspects - but they still seem to 'out' on accepting that mitochondrial dysfunction has anything to do with it! - say more research is needed, in spite of the info being accepted in USA and most of Europe.
It is well worth looking at the [url]symptom lists for ME/CFS[/url], - she has treated many hundreds of patients who have been told by their doctor they just have to live with it, and helped them to recover. Write it down and don't forget to take the list with you! A copy might be useful for the consultant.
Food intolerance played a big part in my illness but the NHS don't cover this aspect usually.
Hope all goes well for you - they might have progressed a bit in their ideas in the last 15 years - but I'm not holding my breath.