Paul Garner on Long Covid and ME/CFS - BMJ articles and other media.

David F. Marks: Can Long-Covid be Cures with the Mind: Expert Patient or Nutty Professor? Guest authored by dr. Keith Geraghty

Quote:
Paul Garner’s recovery may have had very little to do with his mind, yet his mind now tells him it was the most important factor. That is perhaps the true power of the mind. The mind subjectively validates the stories you tell about yourself.

In his early media posts Garner said pacing helped, and also diet, sleep, rest, accommodating to the virus and setting up a self-help support group, all before the magical mind guru entered his Long-Covid tale.

This researcher wishes Professor Garner continued good health, but remains concerned that Long-Covid NHS care planning could be influenced by anecdotal stories; we must listen to all patients and be evidence-led.
 
ukxmrv said:
It's one of those exercise groups for people who liked being shouted at by men in camouflage gear.
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I was going to say this! I used to see those people in the park at the weekend before I got ill, being shouted at by a man in an army shirt and carrying a heavy bag, for "training" on a Sunday. Who is going to tell him that it's not military training? You're just paying someone in a military-style outfit to pretend you're in the military. Who is going to tell him?
 
Clinical Lead Physiotherapist @CamdenNeuro. Neurorehab & physical activity. Part of @TheCSP strength project, Trustee of
@LEGSphysio, recovering from #longcovid
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It's disappointing that it takes personal experience to get it but I am still glad it can lead to change, even in people who make exercise rehabilitation their career. Simple-but-wrong-solutions are wrong, and that's all that matters, simple doesn't change that.
 
Robert 1973 said:
I’m probably wasting my time but I will escalate it to the ECU.
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I was wasting my time. Reply from the director of the BBC ECU:
3 June 2021
Dear Mr Saunders

Breakfast, BBC One, 28 January 2021
I am writing to let you know the outcome of the Executive Complaints Unit’s investigation into your recent complaint about an interview on the above edition of Breakfast. I have watched the programme and considered the points you have made in light of the BBC’s editorial standards for Accuracy and those for Harm and Offence. These are set out in the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines.
I do not believe there are grounds to uphold your complaint but I hope I can explain the reason why.

Dr Clare Gerada and Professor Paul Garner were interviewed to talk about their experience of long-Covid. The audience would have recognised they were talking in their capacity as patients and as medical professionals. In my view, their comments have to be judged in the context of the interview as a whole. I have watched the interview a number of times and I did not share your interpretation of the specific comment from Dr Gerada which prompted your complaint or the weight which viewers were likely to give to what she said.

Both contributors described how long-Covid affected them personally, both mentally and physically. In particular they explained the negative impact of trying to get back to normal too quickly.

For example:
Dr Clare Gerada: As I got better I did what many people in my position do, I thought I was superhuman and I started running. Did my usual 5k, even 10k, and really, that’s probably the worst thing I could possibly do and it set me back.

Professor Paul Garner: Like Clare, I needed to avoid overdoing things, because if I did the illness would echo back... I’ve learned a lot about my own body and about how to recover and, like Clare, about the importance of gentle exercise and positive thinking to take you forward out of this. Late in the illness I was obsessing about my symptoms the whole time...

The presenter, Naga Munchetty, reiterated their thoughts about the danger of trying to do too much too soon:
... it is a real shock being told, as someone who exercises regularly, don’t do it because you’re going to damage yourself. And then there’s that fear, Paul touched upon it, that fear of getting back out there in case you get worse.

My impression was both contributors were offering a personal reflection on how long- Covid affected them and, in particular, how they had to change their attitude towards exercise and come to terms with the impact of the virus on their mental wellbeing. I think that is the most likely context in which the audience would have judged what they said.

I am well aware of the controversy over the use of graded exercise therapy for those with ME/CFS, and I appreciate the points you have made, but this interview was not about the condition and so the extent to which viewers would understand what was said to refer to, or apply directly to, ME/CFS is, in my opinion, very limited. Viewers would have understood Dr Gerada was talking in general, colloquial terms about the benefits of exercise when she said “There is nothing which isn’t made better through exercise, OK, nothing, no matter what age, what condition, exercise will always improve it. But in moderation”. It seems to me her language echoed the general advice given by the NHS and the UK Chief Medical Officers with regard to exercise. The NHS website says, for example, “Adults should do some type of physical activity every day. Any type of activity is good for you. The more you do the better”. There will obviously be exceptions to this broad principle but bearing in mind the context in which Dr Gerada was speaking, I cannot agree what she said was misleading or was likely to cause harm to those who have a condition where exercise may not be considered to be beneficial.

There is no further right of appeal against this decision within the BBC’s complaints process but if you do wish to take the matter further, it is open to you to ask the broadcasting regulator, Ofcom, to consider your complaint. You can find details of how to contact Ofcom and the procedures it will apply at the following website: https://www.ofcom.org.uk/tv-radio-and-on-demand/how-to-report-a-complaint. You can also write to Ofcom at Riverside House, 2a Southwark Bridge Road, London SE1 9HA, or telephone either 0300 123 3333 or 020 7981 3040.

Yours sincerely

Colin Tregear

Complaints Director
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How stupid of me not to have understood that Dr Gerada was talking in “general, colloquial terms” rather than spouting offensive, unscientific nonsense.

I wonder if she was speaking in general colloquial terms when she made that training video promoting exercise therapy for ME/CFS: https://t.co/vRnyL6RrDN?amp=1

[edited formatting of ECU letter]
 
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Kalliope said:
David F. Marks: Can Long-Covid be Cures with the Mind: Expert Patient or Nutty Professor? Guest authored by dr. Keith Geraghty

Quote:
Paul Garner’s recovery may have had very little to do with his mind, yet his mind now tells him it was the most important factor. That is perhaps the true power of the mind. The mind subjectively validates the stories you tell about yourself.

In his early media posts Garner said pacing helped, and also diet, sleep, rest, accommodating to the virus and setting up a self-help support group, all before the magical mind guru entered his Long-Covid tale.

This researcher wishes Professor Garner continued good health, but remains concerned that Long-Covid NHS care planning could be influenced by anecdotal stories; we must listen to all patients and be evidence-led.
Click to expand...
 
Robert 1973 said:
Reply from the director of the BBC ECU:
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Quote from the director of the BBC ECU:

It seems to me her language echoed the general advice given by the NHS and the UK Chief Medical Officers with regard to exercise. The NHS website says, for example, “Adults should do some type of physical activity every day. Any type of activity is good for you. The more you do the better”.

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/?tabname=how-much-exercise

They actually don't exclude any health condition for their advice on physical activity for adults aged 19 to 64, just explicitly include
  • disabled adults
  • pregnant women and new mothers
with those exceptions:

When you start exercising after pregnancy, make sure your physical activity choices reflect your activity levels before pregnancy. You should include strength training.

After your 6 to 8 week postnatal check, you can start to do more intense activities if you feel you're able to. Vigorous activity is not recommended if you were inactive before pregnancy.

Couldn't find any info about the authors of the guidance.

@PhysiosforME

@Snow Leopard

@Jonathan Edwards
 
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