Helping people with ME

The founder of a support group for ME sufferers hopes an awareness week, which ends today, will help people develop a greater understanding of the condition.

ME (myalgic encephalo-myelitis / encephalopathy) is also known as chronic fatigue syndrome.

Symptoms vary but include a persistent, extreme fatigue unlike normal tiredness, muscle and joint pain, headaches, flu-like symptoms, sore throat, swollen glands, concentration and short-term memory problems, sleep difficulties, digestive disturbances, dizziness, poor temperature control and increased sensitivity to light and sound.

The exact cause is unknown but sufferers often have abnormalities in their immune and nervous systems.

Miss Sophy Wynne, 31, of Low Street, Collingham, was diagnosed about seven years ago. Last year she started a support group for people in the Newark area.

Miss Wynne said often people did not understand ME because there were no obvious external symptoms.

“If you break your leg you have a cast on but with ME there is nothing to see, so people don’t know about it,” she said.

“Some GPs are extremely unhelpful, but some people in the support group have had trouble with their GPs because they don’t understand the condition at all.”

Miss Wynne said the group was doing well.

She said: “There’s probably about 15 of us who meet every week although not everyone comes every week because it depends how they’re feeling.

“It can be an extremely isolating illness because people don’t understand there is a big difference between normal tiredness and being tired when you have got ME.

“The group is about getting together with people who have probably experienced what you’re going through.”

The group meets at Miss Wynne’s home each Wednesday from 2pm to 4pm. Anyone interested can email sophy. wynne@hotmail.co.uk or telephone 07772232083.