Katherine Tricker

Wife, Mum of 2 gorgeous boys. ME/CFS Warrior, Mental Health Warrior, crafter and bookworm.

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

iLands Follow Bounty #355955098326667265

[🕸️Dr.T, PhD @chydorina]

One of the most helpful papers ever written on #MECFS just might be this one by @RenzPolster (p.s. its pretty readable - honestly, give it a shot.)

Yes, I know its a big statement. The reason I think this is that to see the "forest of #MECFS" one needs to see all the tree's without getting enamored by any one tree. Living in the forest (as a patient, and not just a researcher) is not a requirement for insight but it does add something special.

His previous publication on the role of microglia was also a landmark, but this current one "ME/CFS is Sustained by an Absent Stress Response in the Central Nervous System" gets at the heart of the issue we all know come up against.

Many of the normal ways bodies adapt to various types of stressors are absent or different in #MECFS. Its the stress adaptation system itself that becomes broken.

https://t.co/5nCFfZUHOC

[🕸️Dr.T, PhD @chydorina]

Do people with #MECFS have different brain oxygenation than healthy controls?

The BOLD method used with fMRI can help answer this question. BOLD stands for "blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD)" signals.

Findings: YES! But is not as simple as brain oxygenation being 'higher' or 'lower' in MECFS than in healthy controls. Instead what we see is a lack of BOLD adaptation.

This is somewhat akin to what we see with a 2-day CPET test - where people with MECFS perform ok on day 1 but on day 2 it is a different story. In healthy controls we see our physiology adapting to exercise whereas in MECFS this normal response is absent.

In this study it is a lack of BOLD adaptation (the expected healthy response) which is absent. The authors say that the results show that there is inefficient energy economics in MECFS which leads to fatigue.

I think this will make sense to most of us, as the more we do the worse our symptoms get. I am still surprised that absolute measures were not different as well, but small sample sizes and higher resolution might be needed to see this more clearly.

Absence of BOLD adaptation in chronic fatigue syndrome revealed by task functional MRI
https://t.co/okXzZf5ae3

[M.S @MalaakSafa]

"Not every single woman has a scary story about a man" Yes they do. I promise you that they do.

[YoungMinds @YoungMindsUK]

Share this with someone who is getting their #ALevelResults this week. It's a message from Irum.

"Life can often feel like a race 24/7, but it doesn’t need to be that way. You have all the time in the world left to achieve your goals, but take care of yourself whilst you do it."

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

Having a really bad few days with my fatigue levels. Apparently I haven't been pacing well according to my body. It all got set off by sitting in my reading chair for a few hours instead of on my bed.
#ME #cfs

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

@virginmedia It says intermittent signal error in my area.

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

@virginmedia Are there problems in the RG6 area? Our internet has had to be restarted constantly today.

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

@AldiUK @ParisHilton Loki says pick me

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

I would just like to thank @virginmedia for how easy it was to get a new deal on our TV and broadband package a month before it runs out, and without having to threaten to cancel as was always necessary with our previous provider.

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

@AldiUK

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

@asda

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

@AsdaServiceTeam I have been trying to sort out a faulty gift card for a month now. In store team are totally unhelpful. We have emailed head office and no response. Can you help? Or do I need to go to trading standards?

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

@AsdaServiceTeam I have been trying to sort out a faulty gift card for a month now. In store team are totally unhelpful. We have emailed head office and no response. Can you help? Or do I need to go to trading standards?

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

@verynetwork why is is so difficult to get to speak to someone who knows consumer rights and can effectively deal with our issue? #trainyourstaff

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

Once again Nintendo hardware proves itself to be cheaply made and unreliable. New switch from November docking station now not working.

@NintendoUK

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

@GMB Do some research on what Gentle Parenting actually is before you air this rubbish. Your lack of research as journalists is disgusting.

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

Just posted a photo https://t.co/o0VVqRACnX

[Paul Chantler @PaulChantler]

Brilliant initiative and campaign by @MartinSLewis. I'm a 'mortgage prisoner' (great phrase by the way, Martin!). Hope @hmtreasury and @sajidjavid take this seriously and get something done promptly. They bailed out the banks but not us! https://t.co/2Cgdvu7pi2

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

@GMB @piersmorgan I'm with Piers Morgan on this one. It is absolute drivel.

[Katherine Tricker @MrsTricker]

@GMB This is ridiculous. Get a grip @GMB How low are going to let yourselves go?