News from South-East Asia

Sly Saint · May 23, 2023

from Daily Express (MY) online
Part 1: Chronic Fatigue Syndrome - What is it & what causes it?

This debilitating condition can leave you feeling drained, both physically and mentally, and can have a profound impact on your quality of life. But don't despair! With the right treatment and support, it is highly possible to manage the symptoms of CFS and regain control of your life.

WHAT IS CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME (CFS)?

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) which is a complex multisystem disease characterised by overwhelming fatigue, cognitive dysfunction and sleep problems which can affect activity of daily living.

THERE ARE THREE CORE SYMPTOMS TO DIAGNOSE CFS:

Significantly reduced ability to do usual daily activities. This comes along with fatigue and must last six months or longer. The fatigue level can be severe, not relieved by rest or sleep and is not caused by unusually exhausting activity.

Post-exertional malaise (PEM), which means the exacerbation of existing symptoms and reduction in function after minimal physical or mental activity. Many refer to this as a “crash” or “payback”. While this may vary among individuals, most of those affected by CFS will find themselves experiencing atypical exhaustion after any physical or mental activity that caused no problems before the condition.

For example, simple activities such as taking a short stroll in the park, getting coffee with a friend, or finishing this article- which many of us take for granted- have now become either impossible or would take an enormous toll on their energy levels.

The onset of PEM may be postponed, creating difficulty in predicting the level of physical activities that can be tolerated per day.

The symptoms typically get worse 12 to 48 hours after the activity and can take days or even weeks to recover. Sometimes patients can be house-bound or even completely bed-bound during crashes.

Sleep problems. You may not feel better or refreshed, even after a full night of sleep. Some people can have problems falling asleep or staying asleep.

BESIDES THESE THREE CORE SYMPTOMS, ONE OF THE FOLLOWING TWO SYMPTOMS IS REQUIRED FOR A DIAGNOSIS OF ME/CFS:

Cognitive impairment - Problems with thinking, memory or executive functions. Most patients have trouble thinking, remembering things, and focusing on details which they often described as “brain fog” because they feel “stuck in a fog” and not able to think clearly.

Orthostatic intolerance - Worsening of symptoms upon maintaining upright posture when standing or sitting.

The symptoms include lightheaded, dizziness, weak, or fainting while standing or sitting up. Some may have vision changes like blurring or seeing spots. These symptoms can be improved by lying down or elevating the feet.

...
WHAT CAUSES CHRONIC FATIGUE SYNDROME (CFS)?

You might have heard many refer to CFS as the disease of a fast-paced 21st century as it is commonly associated with stress. However, the unfortunate truth is we don’t know what causes CFS- at least not yet. CFS affects individuals of all ages, genders, ethnicities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Noteworthily, a majority of individuals affected by the disease, approximately 75-80%, are female and mostly affect the age group between 40 and 70.

... Despite the uncertainties, what we do know is that CFS is a physical illness with biological causes, it is not a result of lack of fitness or poor mental health.
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https://www.dailyexpress.com.my/int...-fatigue-syndrome-what-is-it-what-causes-it-/

(I'm guessing that part 2 will have treatment and support)

Hutan · Sep 16, 2023

Singapore National Centre for Infectious Diseases, reproducing content from two Straits Times 2022 articles
Hit by Long Covid

Gives a list of clinics providing services. The information about Long Covid is a mix of good advice, graded exercise therapy and commercial exploitation of the situation. e.g.

This condition is not malingering,” he says. “Society should educate the public to avert prejudice against the victims. A multi-tiered effort ought to be prepared to facilitate timely access to health professionals and accommodate their functional limitations in the community and workplace environment.”
He has recommended cognitive training and relaxation techniques for long COVID sufferers with brain fog and have difficulty sleeping, as well as physical therapy for those who suffer fatigue.
He adds: “Exercise intensity should be meticulously prescribed and gradually adjusted by rehabilitation doctors and therapists as inadequate exercise protocol may cause harm and exacerbate the patient’s condition.”
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Hutan · Sep 24, 2023

This article is a bit old - May 2022 - but it gives an idea of the situation in Thailand regarding Long Covid.

Long COVID clinics mushroom in Thailand as survivors tackle after-effects

With more than 4 million COVID-19 infections recorded in Thailand since early 2020, it is no surprise that long-COVID support groups are popping up all around the country.
Meanwhile, the Public Health Ministry is setting up long-COVID clinics nationwide, while nine were launched on May 9 by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration at hospitals under its jurisdiction.
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In January this year, the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine began offering treatment for long COVID. Mobile units were deployed to treat patients with Thai traditional herbs across the country.
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He spends every Saturday at the Bumrungrad COVID-19 Recovery Clinic and says 15 to 20 patients show up for consultation. “Sometimes, all the patients are new,” he told Thai PBS World.
One commonly found and concerning post-COVID symptom, he said, is deep-vein thrombosis (DVT), which can lead to pulmonary embolism. He discovers DVT once every few weeks at the clinic.
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“We need long-COVID clinics at the national level, or we may not be able to take proper care of people and consequently lose human resources. We may lose people at a young age if they develop depression [as a post-COVID symptom],” he said.
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More hope for long COVID sufferers is being provided by volunteer groups. Set up in May 2021, Zero COVID Thailand is an information platform offering accurate, science-based reports to battle the virus’s spread.

Its “Zero C Thailand” Facebook page has attracted 123,250 likes so far and it also publishes articles on Blockdit.

“It all starts with knowledge and perception,” the group’s spokesperson ML Rangsithorn Bhanubandh said. “Many [COVID-19] survivors do not know that the virus can have a long-standing effect on their health and sometimes misunderstand that the ill health comes from other causes. We need to join hands and give people accurate information.”

Another support group called Home Isolation Friends has gained about 4,000 followers on Facebook since September last year.

“Long COVID is pervasive and a lot of users share their experiences in the self-help support group. Many cases can be applied to others,” said Chantima Treeloet, 36, who oversees the Facebook page. She added that her team was preparing to organize another live-talk session on the subject of long COVID.
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