Trish Davis's Avatar

Trish Davis

@ozfish.bsky.social

Retired maths teacher. ME/CFS 35 years. Volunteer staff member on Science for ME international forum, www.s4me.info

1,106 Followers  |  299 Following  |  60 Posts  |  Joined: 02.10.2023  |  1.7135

Latest posts by ozfish.bsky.social on Bluesky

The Born Free Protocol There seems to be substantial, growing interest in this alt-med protocol among pwME if my Twitter is anything to go byโ€”and not just among the people most into alt-med. So it seems worth being informed...

2/2 See this S4ME thread.
Social media interest does not equate to good science.
www.s4me.info/threads/the-...

20.01.2026 11:50 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 2    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I think this is a highly irresponsible approach from a respected clinician. The inventor is a fitness trainer, not a scientist or clinician, people have been harmed by his protocol, the 'science' is shaky, there is no clinical trial evidence, he makes outlandish claims and behaves unethically. 1/2..

20.01.2026 11:48 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 3    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Hi Nicola, I can't understand why you are promoting this quack protocol. Where is the evidence?

20.01.2026 09:55 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 6    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
ME/CFS Scandal Follow up The ME/CFS scandal goes much deeper than my 27-minute explainer video. That was just an introductionโ€Šโ€”โ€Šhow for decades patients were toldโ€ฆ

My #MECFS scandal explainer video has just passed 200,000 views.

Given the level of interest, Iโ€™ve written a follow-up article covering key examples I didnโ€™t include, as well as some developments since.

medium.com/@abrokenbatt...

19.01.2026 07:53 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 111    ๐Ÿ” 63    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 10    ๐Ÿ“Œ 6
Post-exertional malaise (PEM) Key points ๏‚ท People with ME/CFS have
episodes when they are much more ill than usual following physical or
mental exertion. This is called post-exertional malaise, or PEM. ๏‚ท PEM
is a hallmark of ME/CFS and is important for diagnosis ๏‚ท Activities
like a short walk or reading a few pages may trigger PEM. For the most
severely ill, even chewing may trigger it. For many, light, sound and
other sensory stimuli also trigger PEM. Often it is the combined
effect of all activities and stimuli over a day or more that triggers
PEM. ๏‚ท PEM usually starts hours or a day or two after it is triggered
and can last for hours, days, weeks or longer. During this time, a
person cannot do as much as usual and needs to rest. ๏‚ท There is no
effective treatment for PEM. ๏‚ท PEM is not the same as the fatigue and
muscle soreness anyone can experience after more activity than usual.

Post-exertional malaise (PEM) Key points ๏‚ท People with ME/CFS have episodes when they are much more ill than usual following physical or mental exertion. This is called post-exertional malaise, or PEM. ๏‚ท PEM is a hallmark of ME/CFS and is important for diagnosis ๏‚ท Activities like a short walk or reading a few pages may trigger PEM. For the most severely ill, even chewing may trigger it. For many, light, sound and other sensory stimuli also trigger PEM. Often it is the combined effect of all activities and stimuli over a day or more that triggers PEM. ๏‚ท PEM usually starts hours or a day or two after it is triggered and can last for hours, days, weeks or longer. During this time, a person cannot do as much as usual and needs to rest. ๏‚ท There is no effective treatment for PEM. ๏‚ท PEM is not the same as the fatigue and muscle soreness anyone can experience after more activity than usual.

5-page post-exertional malaise ( #PEM) fact sheet
www.s4me.info/docs/PEM_Fac...

Headings:
-Characteristics of PEM
-Symptoms of PEM
-Exertion and other PEM triggers
-Effects of exertion that are not PEM
-Living with PEM
-Examples of PEM
-Research on PEM
-References

#MEcfs #CFS #pwME #LongCovid

1/

11.01.2026 12:40 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 40    ๐Ÿ” 12    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 4    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

I doubt any of them are really following NICE. The BACME documents are not NICE compliant, as they recommend pacing up and claim it leads to improvement.

05.01.2026 18:17 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
News in Brief - January 2026 This thread has a Science for ME 'News in Brief' post for each week in January 2026 by a team including @Trish, @Kalliope, @ahimsa and @SNT Gatchaman. Scroll down to see this week's news.

Our latest News in Brief summary has headlines and links to further reading for #MECFS, #LongCovid, and related news for the week of Dec. 29 - Jan. 4.

Topics:
News, advocacy and articles
Coming events
Research news and commentary
& Published research

www.s4me.info/threads/news...

04.01.2026 22:36 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 8    ๐Ÿ” 7    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

Where is the published clinical trial and scan evidence?

09.12.2025 07:58 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
News in Brief - November 2025 This thread has a Science for ME 'News in Brief' post for each week in November 2025 by a team including @Trish, @Kalliope, @ahimsa and @SNT Gatchaman. Scroll down to see this week's news.

Our latest News in Brief summary has headlines and links to further reading for #MECFS, #LongCovid, and related news for the week of Nov. 17 - 23.

Topics:
News, advocacy and articles
Coming events
Research news and commentary
& Published research

www.s4me.info/threads/news...

24.11.2025 00:02 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 9    ๐Ÿ” 6    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
UK set to limit refugees to temporary stays Shabana Mahmood is expected to say the era of permanent protection for refugees is over, in major changes to the UK's asylum and immigration system.

I came to this country as a child refugee. No English, no certainty, no idea what my life could become. Britain gave me refuge.

Not on a timer, not with conditions attached, but with a chance to grow roots.

A thread ๐Ÿงต 1/8
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

15.11.2025 10:29 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1471    ๐Ÿ” 665    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 45    ๐Ÿ“Œ 72
News in Brief - November 2025 This thread has a Science for ME 'News in Brief' post for each week in November 2025 by a team including @Trish, @Kalliope, @ahimsa and @SNT Gatchaman. Scroll down to see this week's news.

Our latest News in Brief summary has headlines and links to further reading for #MECFS, #LongCovid, and related news for the week of Nov. 3 - 9.

Topics:
News, advocacy and articles
Coming events
Research news and commentary
& Published research

www.s4me.info/threads/news...

09.11.2025 19:59 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 10    ๐Ÿ” 6    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

From people who did LP:

โ€œThen they tell you that itโ€™s your own fault for having ME, because youโ€™re doing ME. I became physically exhausted and unwell, and felt guilty because you would have to be pretty stupid when youโ€™re making yourself ill.โ€

02.11.2025 10:54 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 5    ๐Ÿ” 2    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
News in Brief - October 2025 This thread has a Science for ME 'News in Brief' post for each week in October 2025 by a team including @Trish, @Kalliope, @ahimsa and @SNT Gatchaman. Scroll down to see this week's news.

Our latest News in Brief post has headlines and links to further reading for #MECFS and #LongCovid news, advocacy and research for the week of Oct. 20 - 26.

Topics:
News, advocacy and articles
Coming events
Research news and commentary
& Published research

www.s4me.info/threads/news...

26.10.2025 21:03 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 15    ๐Ÿ” 9    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Scientists develop first โ€˜accurate blood testโ€™ to detect chronic fatigue syndrome Research could offer hope for ME patients โ€“ but some experts urge caution and say more studies needed

ME/CFS is a devastating condition that has long been denied, dismissed, psychologised and underdiagnosed. Research is at last starting to catch up with it, with glimmers of hope for those who have been left untreated for so long.
There's a huge BUT coming ...๐Ÿงต
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

08.10.2025 06:08 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 1524    ๐Ÿ” 641    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 59    ๐Ÿ“Œ 60
News in Brief - September 2025 This thread has a Science for ME 'News in Brief' post for each week in September 2025 by a team including @Trish, @Kalliope, @ahimsa and @SNT Gatchaman. Scroll down to see this week's news.

Our latest News in Brief post has headlines and links to further reading for #MECFS and #LongCovid news, advocacy and research for the week of Sep 8-14.

Topics:
News, advocacy and articles
Coming events
Research news and commentary
& Published research

www.s4me.info/threads/news...

14.09.2025 21:12 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 9    ๐Ÿ” 7    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Graphic 1 of 4. DecodeME: The Results graphic. At the top in bold lettering, it says โ€˜Main Findingsโ€™. Beneath this it says โ€˜Your genes contribute to your chances of developing ME/CFS. Other key findings are on the following slides.

Graphic 1 of 4. DecodeME: The Results graphic. At the top in bold lettering, it says โ€˜Main Findingsโ€™. Beneath this it says โ€˜Your genes contribute to your chances of developing ME/CFS. Other key findings are on the following slides.

Graphic 2 of 4. DecodeME: The Results graphic. The slide says โ€˜People with an ME/CFS diagnosis have significant genetic differences in their DNA compared to the general populationโ€™. Beneath this is an image of a DNA helix and a magnifying glass.

Graphic 2 of 4. DecodeME: The Results graphic. The slide says โ€˜People with an ME/CFS diagnosis have significant genetic differences in their DNA compared to the general populationโ€™. Beneath this is an image of a DNA helix and a magnifying glass.

Graphic 3 of 4. DecodeME: The Results graphic. The slide says โ€˜These lie in many places across the genome, and do not impact just one geneโ€™. Beneath this is an image of a DNA helix and graphs.

Graphic 3 of 4. DecodeME: The Results graphic. The slide says โ€˜These lie in many places across the genome, and do not impact just one geneโ€™. Beneath this is an image of a DNA helix and graphs.

Graphic 4 of 4. DecodeME: The Results graphic. The slide says โ€˜Eight genetic signals have been identified. As DNA doesnโ€™t change with ME/CFS onset, these findings reflect causes rather than effects of ME/CFSโ€™. Beneath this is a blue magnifying glass with a DNA helix.

Graphic 4 of 4. DecodeME: The Results graphic. The slide says โ€˜Eight genetic signals have been identified. As DNA doesnโ€™t change with ME/CFS onset, these findings reflect causes rather than effects of ME/CFSโ€™. Beneath this is a blue magnifying glass with a DNA helix.

(1/2) Key genetic differences found in people with ME/CFS > Swipe to find out more.

These findings reflect the lived experience of thousands of #pwME.

Thanks to all our participants & supporters who made this possible!

Read a summary of our results: shorturl.at/pgsjk

06.08.2025 19:03 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 221    ๐Ÿ” 153    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 23

Very good. Thank you Hilda.

26.07.2025 07:37 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 4    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Patients with severe ME/CFS deserve better than unproven theories

My rapid response at BMJ is online now. I joined the chorus of protest about an opinion piece claiming people with severe ME/CFS can recover by "reframing their beliefs" &c. People with ME/CFS deserve so much better than that:

www.bmj.com/content/389/...

#MECFS

25.07.2025 13:03 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 85    ๐Ÿ” 46    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 15    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
A slide showing boxes with multiple symptoms and traits commonly seen in post-viral conditions eg allergies, ADHD, sleep problems.

A slide showing boxes with multiple symptoms and traits commonly seen in post-viral conditions eg allergies, ADHD, sleep problems.

I did my safeguarding level 3 mandatory training this week on FII (Fabricated or induced illness - seen as a form of child abuse) and PP (perplexing presentations) i.e. symptoms that donโ€™t make sense to paediatricians.

Look at the symptoms that these โ€˜abusiveโ€™ parents may report.

15.07.2025 08:12 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 147    ๐Ÿ” 59    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 24    ๐Ÿ“Œ 23
News in Brief - June 2025 This thread has a Science for ME 'News in Brief' post for each week in June 2025 by a team including @Trish, @Kalliope, @ahimsa and @SNT Gatchaman. Scroll down to see this week's news.

Our latest News in Brief post has headlines and links to further reading for #MECFS, #LongCovid, and related news, advocacy and research for the week of June 9 - 15.

Topics:
News, advocacy and articles
Coming events
Research news and commentary
& Published research

www.s4me.info/threads/news...

15.06.2025 21:41 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 8    ๐Ÿ” 5    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
The importance of understanding rest
How my experience of rest as an athlete clashed with my experience of rest as a patient
Oonagh Cousins
Jun 10, 2025

Todayโ€™s post is from our very own Oonagh Cousins, a member of the #ThereForME HQ team. Oonagh is a former professional athlete with the British Rowing team and was pre-selected for the Tokyo Olympics before her career was cut short by Long Covid, which she contracted in March 2020. After nearly three years of attempting to recover and return to elite sport, she made the decision to retire at the end of 2022. Since then, she has focused her efforts in the Long Covid and ME space โ€“ working at the charity Long Covid Support, as part of a social science research team at the University of Oxford, and in the #ThereForME team.

The importance of understanding rest How my experience of rest as an athlete clashed with my experience of rest as a patient Oonagh Cousins Jun 10, 2025 Todayโ€™s post is from our very own Oonagh Cousins, a member of the #ThereForME HQ team. Oonagh is a former professional athlete with the British Rowing team and was pre-selected for the Tokyo Olympics before her career was cut short by Long Covid, which she contracted in March 2020. After nearly three years of attempting to recover and return to elite sport, she made the decision to retire at the end of 2022. Since then, she has focused her efforts in the Long Covid and ME space โ€“ working at the charity Long Covid Support, as part of a social science research team at the University of Oxford, and in the #ThereForME team.

๐Ÿงต
I thought this was good (as I'd expect from @oonaghcousins.bsky.social & @thereforme.bsky.social team):

"The importance of understanding rest: How my experience of rest as an athlete clashed with my experience of rest as a patient"

www.thereforme.uk/p/the-import...

#MEcfs #LongCovid

1/

13.06.2025 18:38 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 46    ๐Ÿ” 17    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 3    ๐Ÿ“Œ 2
Trial By Error: More on the BMJ Opinion Piece from the Psychobabblers | Virology Blog By David Tuller, DrPH When it comes to ME and ME/CFS, The BMJโ€”formerly called The British Medical Journal but now, like the food franchise once known as Ken ...

The BMJ has a long history of publishing stuff promoting the "biopsychosocial" approach to ME and ME/CFS: virology.ws/2025/05/24/t...

25.05.2025 13:41 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 54    ๐Ÿ” 20    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1
Preview
Ignorance about post-exertional malaise and continued conflation of ME/CFS with chronic fatigue harms patients and stymies research progress

The BMJ have published Dom Salisburyโ€™s rapid response to Miller et alโ€™s Opinion piece. He mentions PEM as the definitive symptom. #ME

18.05.2025 16:47 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 16    ๐Ÿ” 9    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 2    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0
Preview
Science for ME Fact Sheets The Science for ME committee and members are running a project to develop fact sheets about aspects of ME/CFS. These are being developed in...

The Science for ME forum has published a fact sheet on PEM, post-exertional malaise.

This fact sheet may be copied and used freely by individuals and organizations.

Forum version:

www.s4me.info/threads/scie...

PDF version:

www.s4me.info/docs/PEM_Fac...

#MEcfs #PwME

13.05.2025 20:41 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 24    ๐Ÿ” 11    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 1    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

It is sad to see @bmj.com platforming quack therapies in 2025

The mind-over-matter approach to #MECFS has been debunked for years, but a cadre of psych devotees in the UK persist in peddling evidence-free miracle cures

Pure and utter pseudoscience

#pwME #LongCovid @georgemonbiot.bsky.social

14.05.2025 16:32 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 235    ๐Ÿ” 73    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 15    ๐Ÿ“Œ 2

The BMJ has now published my rapid response to Miller et al's Opinion piece.

www.bmj.com/content/389/...

16.05.2025 08:58 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 131    ๐Ÿ” 47    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 15    ๐Ÿ“Œ 5

Thank you Katharine. That's a really helpful response to a dreadful article.

16.05.2025 10:38 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 9    ๐Ÿ” 0    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 0

The Science for ME international forum has published the second of our series of fact sheets. This one is about post-exertional malaise (PEM). Please share in ME/CFS and Long Covid and medical communities. #me/cfs, #longcovid
www.s4me.info/docs/PEM_Fac...
www.s4me.info/threads/scie...

08.05.2025 09:06 โ€” ๐Ÿ‘ 11    ๐Ÿ” 5    ๐Ÿ’ฌ 0    ๐Ÿ“Œ 1

@ozfish is following 19 prominent accounts