‘Isolation with no end’ The fight against ME

A YOUNG woman has warned ‘lives are being stolen’ by the energy-sapping disease ME – and has called on more people to research the condition.

Catherine Allen works full-time as a communications officer and, in her own words, leads ‘quite a full life.’

But the 23-year-old is constantly battling the incurable disease ME (myalgic encephalomyelitis) – a chronic condition that affects the central nervous system.

ME causes extreme exhaustion, chronic pain, brain fog, and a variety of other symptoms.

“Too much of anything could land me in bed, or make me feel quite unwell,” said Catherine, from Birstall, who was diagnosed in 2017 while studying at university.

“I have days when I can not leave my bed but day-to-day I live quite a normal and full life.

“I tend to push through quite a lot.

“There is always something that means I feel a bit under the weather. My symptoms include pain in my back, legs and arms.

“I am also unable to regulate my temperature.

“Some days I can’t get up until I’ve used a hot water bottle on my back.”

May 12 will mark ME awareness day with a designated week running from May 11-16.

The ME Association has said the week is ‘a time when everyone we know puts all their valuable energy into telling the world that ME is a real and physical disease.’

Catherine added: “A lot of people have had a really difficult time getting a diagnosis.

“I get comments like: ‘You’re just lazy’ or ‘you are too young to be tired.’ ME is very real and people’s lives are literally being stolen from them.

“I think it is just about having that understanding and we need to get rid of the prejudice.

“The awareness week might be the first time you hear of the illness – this is people’s lives.

“It limits so much of what you can do.”

Catherine, who is now fully vaccinated against Covid, likened living with ME to ‘isolation with no end’ as she revealed how the pandemic has impacted her day-to-day life.

She said: “We are already isolated because we are unable to do things. Imagine isolation having no end.”