MEDICAL MATTERS
- Medical Matters features questions asked by Members of the ME Association on health-related topics.
- Dr Charles Shepherd and the ME Association's other advisers answer these questions by sharing their expert knowledge.
- Medical Matters is based on the popular ‘Ask the Doctor’ series in ME Essential magazine.
- It is a free resource that supplements the detailed information contained in the full range of literature that can be found in the website shop.
Search all questions
Choose a letter to see our categories
- Show all
- A
- B
- C
- D
- E
- F
- G
- H
- I
- J
- K
- L
- M
- N
- O
- P
- Q
- R
- S
- T
- U
- V
- W
- Y
- h
- T cells
- T-cells
- TENS Machine
- TMJD
- Tachycardia
- Taurine
- Teenagers
- Teeth
- Temperature
- Temperature Regulation
- Tender Glands
- Terminology
- Test
- Tetanus
- Tetracycline antibiotics
- The Real M.E. Campaign
- Therapy
- Thermoregulation
- Thiamine
- Throat
- Thrombocyte Count
- Thrombocytopenia
- Thrombocytosis
- Thrombosis
- Thyroid
- Thyroid Disease
- Thyrotoxicosis
- Thyroxine
- Ticks
- Tilt Table Test
- Tinnitus
- Tonsillitis
- Toothache
- Tramadol
- Transverse Myelitis
- Trauma
- Treatment
- Treatments
- Tremor
- Tremors
- Triamcinolone
- Tricyclic Antidepressants
- Trigger
- Trismus
- Tryptophan
- Turmeric
- Type 1 Diabetes
- Type 2 Diabetes
Questions in the Category: Teenagers
Diagnosing ME in a teenager
My 13-year-old daughter had a very nasty flu-like infection about two months ago. Our GP thought she might have had glandular fever but a blood test was negative.
Since then she has continued to have severe fatigue, post-exertional malaise (PEM), brain fog, frequent headaches and unrefreshing sleep. She has tried to return to school on two occasions but this has not been successful. Not surprisingly, she is getting upset at remaining so unwell and losing contact with her friends.
Our GP is very reluctant to make a diagnosis of ME/CFS in such a young person and says that it’s probably just ‘post-viral fatigue’. However, he has offered to refer her to a paediatrician if she continues to remain unwell. Could this be ME/CFS?
Dr Charles Shepherd
Dr Shepherd has been Trustee and Hon. Medical Adviser to the ME Association for more than 40 years. He is integral to the charity's activities and provides information and support based on his professional knowledge, personal experience as a doctor with ME/CFS, and the understanding gained from helping many thousands of people with the condition. He was a member of the comittee responsible for the 2021 NICE Clinical Guideline and is a recognised expert on ME/CFS in the UK. His knowledge extends to Post-Viral Fatigue Syndromes (PVFS), Myalgic Encephalopathy/Encephalomyelitis (ME), Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), and Post-Acute Sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC) or Long Covid.
If you have questions about ME/CFS or Long Covid, you can:
- Review the free information in the What is ME/CFS section of the website, and the free Covid-19 and Long Covid information in the website shop.
- Review the largest range of literature covering all aspects of living with ME/CFS. Download detailed information about symptoms, diagnosis, management, co-mordidities, employment, education, related health conditions, The 2021 NICE Clinical Guideline, welfare benefits etc.
- Join the ME Association as a member and you'll receive the highly-rated ME Essential magazine, and you can ask questions of the charity’s expert advisers including Dr Shepherd.
- Contact us via the ME Connect Telephone Helpline (open 365 days a year) and speak to one of the national team of fully-trained volunteers who waiting to provide information and support.
- Contact us via email or social media:
Medical Matters is based on the popular ‘Ask the Doctor‘ series featured in the highly-regarded member’s magazine, ME Essential, and in the healthcare professional magazine, ME Medical. Both are produced by the ME Association and published as hard-copy magazines every 3 months and sent to members and healthcare professionals by post to home or business addresses.
If you are a Health Care Professional you can sign-up to receive ME Medical magazine (people with ME/CFS can also nominate their HCP by completing the sign-up form).