In a recent survey, 54% of patients with ME who encountered physiotherapists had a negative experience. We asked for some of their experiences. Here is just a snap-shot…
“The trauma caused has worsened my symptoms… I called to complain and was told everyone is equally qualified and if I didn’t want to see the physio I’d be discharged.”
“It was a 6 week course of exercise. By the end I was much worse but worried they’d think I’d not tried hard enough, so tried to put a brace face on… the physio was apathetic and dismissive in attitude, I felt stigma and guilty for being ill. I have never recovered to my levels prior to that.”
“I am now totally wheelchair dependent after the physio was totally unreasonable about my ability and made me far more worse than I was safely capable. I will never ever trust a physiotherapist again.”
“I appreciate they meant well and understand they lacked learning in how to help us. It has however cost my daughter precious years during her early teens which we will never get back.”
“Physio left me exhausted and in severe pain… it had such a negative impact on my health I would just suffer rather than seek medical help through fear of being prescribed physiotherapy again.”
“Any adverse effect I experienced was not reported and was completely ignored.”“I deteriorated still further, under the belief that the exercises would help in time… a few months later I collapsed and have had severe ME ever since.”
“I was left feeling a fraud and no better off than at the start.”
“I came near to collapsing as I tried to comply and ended up in tears. I explained I couldn’t do it but they refused to listen… I found it a very distressing experience.”
“My symptoms definitely increased during the physio course. I am deeply disturbed by the level of prejudice, negligence and dishonesty still present in the NHS when dealing with ME patients.”
First published on social media 17 October 2019