Impact of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis on treatment of comorbidities: A lived experience

Abstract

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) is a complex, chronic, disabling, multi-system disease with no FDA-approved treatments. ME greatly impacts quality of life (QoL) with studies showing that people with ME often have worse quality of life than people with sickle cell anemia and cystic fibrosis, among other chronic diseases. People with ME frequently have comorbidities, which, if treated, could improve quality of life. However, the pervasive impact of ME makes treatment of comorbidities difficult. When trying to treat comorbidities it is therefore important for rehabilitation specialists to understand the impact of ME on day-to-day life in order to avoid treatment-related harms or exacerbation of ME symptoms. This article details the lived experience of one family in which both siblings have ME and comorbidities.