Rainbow Moonstone embodies deep-seated feminine energy that helps you embrace your innate personal power. Heart based Green Moonstone nurtures your spirit, is emotionally balancing.
Ruby gemstones aid manifestation, attract new love & help you to overcome sexual dysfunction. These red stones boost concentration & sharpness of intellect, and increase leadership ability.
Bustamite stimulates joy and happiness, aids stress and helps to clear energetic blockages. Use in meditation to contact angels, boost intuition and for inner child healing.
Kyanite Stone comes in a range of colors & each has a potent energy to align the chakras. Discover more about how individual colors help specific areas & learn beneficial effects of each Kyanite color.
Dr Charles Shepherd, Hon. Medical Adviser, ME Association.
Last chance to invite your MP to next APPG meeting
If you haven’t already done so please could you contact your MP to encourage him/her to attend the APPG on M.E. meeting on Tuesday 3rd March, from 1.00 – 2.00pm.
There will be presentations from three very eminent ME/CFS researchers here in the UK – Professor Chris Ponting (University of Edinburgh), Professor Julia Newton (University of Newcastle) and Dr Eliana Lacerda (ME Biobank at the Royal Free Hospital and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine).
These presentations will not only cover the current state of ME/CFS research – they will also be emphasising what needs to be done in relation to funding, infrastructure and bringing in new researchers in order to energise ME/CFS research and put it on an equal footing with other serious long term conditions.
Having re-established the APPG on ME in January with a very well attended meeting, and a lot of genuine interest in issues facing people with ME/CFS, we now want to maintain the momentum.
Evidence from the meeting on Tuesday will be incorporated into the Report that the APPG on ME is now preparing on key issues of concern.
Invite Your MP to the Meeting
We want to encourage people to contact their MPs, especially if they are known to be already interested in M.E. and invite them to be a part of the APPG on M.E.
For further information on the time and location of the meeting, your MP can contact Carol Monaghan via House of Commons email/telephone or consult the All-Party Notices.
Sample Email
Dear XXXX
I live in XXXX and work part-time from home for the ME Association (MEA) who do wonderful work supporting people with myalgic encephalopathy or M.E. I have been disabled by this disease for 20 years and depend on carers for much of my daily needs.
M.E. is not a new disease. The medical profession has known about it for decades and yet we still don’t have an effective treatment. It has been estimated that M.E. could affect as many as 2,200 people in Cornwall and 265,000 in the UK. We desperately need the help and support of our MPs if we are going to get the necessary research funding and medical understanding to really make a difference to people’s lives.
Carol Monaghan (MP for Glasgow North-West) has now reconvened the APPG on M.E. and the next meeting will focus on research with presentations from several eminent scientists in the field. It will take place from 1.00-2.00pm on Tuesday, 3rd March. You can contact her office for more information and I would be extremely grateful if you could attend.
Yours sincerely,
Full Name and Address
END
[Use 0.4% of the population as the estimate of M.E. prevalence. The official range of prevalence is 0.2-0.4%. You can search on Google for population estimates in your area. These will likely be based on reports from the Office of National Statistics (ONS).]
What is an APPG?
‘APPGs allow campaign groups, charities, and other non-governmental organisations active in the field to become involved in discussions and influence politicians. Often a relevant charity or other organisation will provide a secretariat for the APPG, helping to arrange meetings and keeping track of its members.’
Source: Wikipedia
‘All-Party Parliamentary Groups are informal cross-party groups that have no official status within Parliament. They are run by and for Members of the Commons and Lords, though many choose to involve individuals and organisations from outside Parliament in their administration and activities.’
Source: UK Parliament
Background:
Image credit: 123RF/sborisov
The ME Association
Please support our vital work
We are a national charity working hard to make the UK a better place for people whose lives have been devastated by an often-misunderstood neurological disease.
If you would like to support our efforts and ensure we are able to inform, support, advocate and invest in biomedical research, then please donate today.
Just click the image opposite or visit our JustGiving page for one-off donations or to establish a regular payment. You can even establish your own fundraising event.
Or why not join the ME Association as a member and be part of our growing community? For a monthly (or annual) subscription you will also receive ME Essential – quite simply the best M.E. magazine!
ME Association Registered Charity Number 801279
The post All-Party Parliamentary Group on M.E. Invite Your MP to Attend March Meeting | 28 February 2020 appeared first on ME Association.
Discover how Isochronic Tones and Binaural Beats can be used to develop psychic powers. Use them to enhance your ESP, telepathic gifts and remote viewing abilities.
Yep :)
Yellow Topaz has metaphysical properties that aid you to attract helpful people & beneficial new friends. It helps you to manifest your intentions & attract money. It is a birthstone for Leo, Scorpio & November.
Kammererite resonates within the higher chakras helping to balance the brain and create harmony in life. Excellent healing and protection stones. Aid deeper meditation and help you connect with angels.
Ulexite Meaning & Use: this crystal assists you to read the energy & intentions of others. It stimulates telepathy or thought transference, aids creativity & helps you to unlock your imagination.
Dr Charles Shepherd, Hon. Medical Adviser, ME Association.
Gabapentin (trade name = Neurontin) and pregabalin (trade name = Lyrica) are two drugs that are sometimes prescribed for the relief of more severe pain, especially for nerve/neuropathic pain
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued new safety concerns about their use in people who also have a significant respiratory illnesses, especially when they are taking drugs such as antidepressants and antihistamines.
In 2019, the UK government also introduced prescribing restrictions for both drugs amid concerns of recreational misuse, particularly amongst the opioid abusing population, and a resulting rise in deaths.
As both of these drugs are sometimes prescribed in ME/CFS for moderate or severe pain, the ME Association has information leaflets covering all aspects of their use that include the UK prescribing restrictions:
We also have information covering broader topic areas:
Visit the website shop to review and download more of the large range of medical leaflets we have available.
The ME Association
Please support our vital work
We are a national charity working hard to make the UK a better place for people whose lives have been devastated by an often-misunderstood neurological disease.
If you would like to support our efforts and ensure we are able to inform, support, advocate and invest in biomedical research, then please donate today.
Just click the image opposite or visit our JustGiving page for one-off donations or to establish a regular payment. You can even establish your own fundraising event.
Or why not join the ME Association as a member and be part of our growing community? For a monthly (or annual) subscription you will also receive ME Essential – quite simply the best M.E. magazine!
ME Association Registered Charity Number 801279
The post Gabapentin and pregabalin: New safety concerns issued by the FDA in America | 25 February 2020 appeared first on ME Association.
Carnelian stones aid you to take action towards goals and help you make career choices & decisions. This power stone stimulates the three lower chakras. This may boost physical intimacy & inspire ambition and drive.
Healing frequencies to align your chakras (also for spiritual awakening!) - Many FREE audios to try!
Learn more & get the free app at http://onelink.to/pjmmu7 😀😀
Vivianite brings physical and emotional healing and stimulates compassion via the higher heart chakra. It relieves stress and burnout, aids goal setting, inspires clearer communication and boosts intuition.
Why is Labradorite Crystal known as a stone of magic? Did you know that it awakens within you magical abilities, psychic powers & mystical gifts? And it stimulates coincidence, synchronicity and serendipity.
Variscite helps stress, depression and anxiety. Brings loving energy, joyous feelings & aids you to find solutions to problems with trust in spirit. Beneficial for carers or invalids feeling despair about their illness.
Citrine crystals help you to manifest money and bring other positive things into your life. Discover its many metaphysical properties & uses such as boosting self esteem, improving mental clarity & intuition.
Zincite energy helps you to manifest what you imagine. Use its power to energize and stimulate any or all of your chakras. Most Zincite comes from Poland, in brilliant colors such as red, orange, yellow and green.
Crystal Energy is strong within high vibration crystals. Want to put this powerful energy to work in your life? Use this high vibration power to enhance your spiritual healing and boost psychic gifts.
I’d love to see this too!!!!
Sometimes I don’t shut up.
Powellite are crown chakra stones that heighten spiritual clarity. These crystals help you to get things done by boosting your staying power. They enhance creativity, especially for artists.
Mt Hay Thundereggs embody a deep pulsing grounding energy from the volcano that created them. Aka Amulet Stone, they create deep meditation. Healing stones that boost vitality & stamina, help stress and anxiety.
Does your birthday fall in the Pisces sign? The Pisces Zodiac Sign starts on the 20th February. If this is your star sign take a look at the list of Pisces birthstones so you can work out which of the lovely stones for your sign will be the best to use. Pisceans have a kind and sensitive nature, so as you read through let your nature guide your choice.
Dr Charles Shepherd, Hon. Medical Adviser, ME Association.
This is a joint statement issued by #MEAction and The ME Association.
#MEAction and The ME Association are both delighted that Carol Monaghan (MP for Glasgow North-West) has re-established the new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on M.E.
This is a parliamentary initiative for which The ME Association will be providing secretariat support. The purpose of the APPG is to seek to improve health, social care, education and employment opportunities for M.E. sufferers and encourage biomedical research into the cause and treatment of M.E.
Ms. Monaghan has campaigned tirelessly on behalf of the ME community and has led several important debates that culminated last year with M.E. being discussed in the House of Commons. Her continued support is very much appreciated by all concerned.
We’d also like to thank the MPs who supported these debates and who attended the inaugural AGM of the new APPG on 14 January 2020, and all those in the patient community who encouraged their MPs to attend.
Key areas of concern
The AGM established the topics that the APPG on M.E. will cover, including:
These were agreed upon with the addition of the following:
A further aim of the new APPG is to produce a key report on issues impacting M.E. sufferers.
#MEAction and The ME Association will continue to lobby parliament to encourage greater support for people with M.E. and we believe that the APPG on M.E. is one of the best ways to achieve this positive change.
Biomedical research
The next meeting of the APPG will be on Tuesday 3rd March, from 1 – 2 pm.
It will provide an opportunity for MPs to learn about issues and developments in biomedical research and funding through a series of short presentations and a Q&A discussion.
There will several specialist guest speakers who will discuss their research: Professor Julia Newton from Newcastle University, Professor Chris Ponting from the University of Edinburgh and a representative from the UK ME Biobank.
Please contact your MP
If you haven’t been in touch with your MP about the APPG but would like to invite them to attend the meeting in March, you can find information on how to contact them (and an email template) here or here.
We would recommend that you raise issues with your own MPs in the first instance and encourage them to attend the APPG meetings where such concerns can be discussed. It might prove more effective if you consider contacting local support groups and make a joint approach to your MP.
We suggest you refer all MPs to Carol Monaghan’s office for more information and for the location of the upcoming meetings.
MPs who attended first meeting
Below is a list of the MPs that attended the first meeting in January 2020 as well as officer’s roles:
The ME Association
Please support our vital work
We are a national charity working hard to make the UK a better place for people whose lives have been devastated by an often-misunderstood neurological disease.
If you would like to support our efforts and ensure we are able to inform, support, advocate and invest in biomedical research, then please donate today.
Just click the image opposite or visit our JustGiving page for one-off donations or to establish a regular payment. You can even establish your own fundraising event.
Or why not join the ME Association as a member and be part of our growing community? For a monthly (or annual) subscription you will also receive ME Essential – quite simply the best M.E. magazine!
ME Association Registered Charity Number 801279
The post Statement: What’s next for the All-Party Parliamentary Group on ME? | 19 February 2020 appeared first on ME Association.
Dr Charles Shepherd, Hon. Medical Adviser, ME Association.
The following is an extract from a newly updated leaflet.
This leaflet summarises all the key clinical, research and political evidence supporting a neurological classification for myalgic encephalopathy/encephalomyelitis (M.E.).
The ME Association position is that myalgic encephalopathy – meaning problems with muscles (myalgia) and with brain function (encephalopathy) is the most suitable name for the disease at this time.
There is no significant or consistent pathological evidence to support the use of the term ‘encephalomyelitis’ (widespread inflammation of the brain and spinal cord) although the terms ‘benign myalgic encephalomyelitis’ and ‘post-viral fatigue syndrome’ have been (and still are) used to describe the condition by the World Health Organisation.
This lack of definitive evidence accounts in part for the reluctance of neurology to accept M.E. into its medical discipline. Many doctors still prefer to use ‘chronic fatigue syndrome’ but this is not a name we support as it does nothing to explain causation and downplays the severity of the condition. It’s akin to calling dementia, chronic forgetfulness syndrome!
We believe that myalgic encephalopathy (M.E.) should not be dismissed by neurology, and that neurologists have a key role to play in diagnosis and management, but we also believe that the cause of symptoms may stem from other systems in the body.
Until such time as research determines actual causes for the symptoms, and the name and description of this disease can be better determined, we continue to support a neurological classification.
What do we mean by neurological?
Neurological disorders are diseases of the nervous system. These include structural, biochemical or electrical abnormalities in the brain, spinal cord or peripheral nerves that can result in a range of symptoms.
Clinical evidence of neurological dysfunction
People with M.E. have a variety of neurological symptoms. These include (A-Z):
– Alcohol/Drug Intolerance
Intolerance or sensitivity is not uncommon, especially in relation to drugs such as antidepressants and painkillers that act on the brain and nervous system. Medications may need to be introduced slowly with a low dose that is built up over time.
– Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction
This can produce symptoms such as feeling faint on standing, orthostatic intolerance and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome.
– Cognitive Dysfunction
Problems with short-term memory, concentration, attention span, information-processing and wordfinding ability; often referred to as ‘brain fog’ by patients.
– Chronic Fatigue
Activity-induced muscle fatigue is almost always present and even minor physical and/or cognitive exertion can lead to post-exertional malaise (PEM) and an often-delayed exacerbation of symptoms.
The fatigue in M.E. has similar features to the central (brain) fatigue found in other neurological conditions, such as multiple sclerosis and there may also be similar pathological mechanisms involved – although PEM is thought to be a rather unique and characteristic symptom of M.E.
– Dysequilibrium
Problems with balance that may induce feelings of vertigo and nausea.
– Headaches and Migraines
Headaches and migraines (sometimes without headache but acute sensitivity to light and/or nausea) are often experienced.
– Hypothalamic Dysfunction
Leading to disturbances in temperature control and down-regulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis controlling the output of cortisol.
– Neuropathic Pain
Pain that has a burning, stabbing or searing quality.
– Sensory Disturbances
Include loss of sensation, abnormal sensations/paraesthesiae, and increased sensitivity to light, sound and touch.
– Sleep dysfunction
Including hypersomnia, fragmented sleep patterns, waking feeling unrefreshed, insomnia, vivid dreams and night-sweats.
– Tinnitus
The perception of hearing noises often a ringing in the ears.
– Other Symptoms
Some people, especially those with severe symptoms, may experience more severe neurological symptoms – including atypical seizures (i.e. not epilepsy), blackouts, double vision, loss of speech and loss of swallowing ability (requiring tube-feeding).
Also covered in this leaflet:
– World Health Organisation (WHO) Classification
– The UK Government Position
– Research evidence of neurological abnormalities
– Why do some doctors believe that M.E. is not a neurological disease?
– The NHS and the NICE clinical guideline on ME/CFS
– Research studies that demonstrate objective neurological abnormalities
The ME Association
Please support our vital work
We are a national charity working hard to make the UK a better place for people whose lives have been devastated by an often-misunderstood neurological disease.
If you would like to support our efforts and ensure we are able to inform, support, advocate and invest in biomedical research, then please donate today.
Just click the image opposite or visit our JustGiving page for one-off donations or to establish a regular payment. You can even establish your own fundraising event.
Or why not join the ME Association as a member and be part of our growing community? For a monthly (or annual) subscription you will also receive ME Essential – quite simply the best M.E. magazine!
ME Association Registered Charity Number 801279
The post New ME Association Leaflet: Is ME a neurological disease? | 19 February 2020 appeared first on ME Association.
