You shouldn't have published this @bmj_latest I'm glad Paul has recovered, but this is promotion of dangerous pseudo-science. I expect better from a Professor of medicine (especially someone involved with Cochrane).

Thoughts on fast recoveries & "thinking" yourself well ... 1/ https://twitter.com/PaulGarnerWoof/status/1353792263424503809

I got very ill after a bad virus in September 2015 (fatigue, dizziness, extreme breathlessness, weird heart stuff, skin infections). I rested to varying degrees for about six months, and by Autumn 2016 I felt recovered, triumphant even. I started doing PT sessions again 2/

A specialist I saw in 2018 called this a classic "false recovery". By end of 2017 I was very, very sick again, recovered-ish over 2018, & now consistently swing between mild-moderate symptoms. I'll likely never get back to pre-virus, or even "false recovery", levels of health 3/

I'm not trying to fear-monger, and I sincerely hope that Paul is one of the many who recover quickly, and completely, from post-viral syndromes. It's a minority who become long-term sick like me 4/

But I want people with #LongCovid to know that not everyone can/ should be doing Military Fitness sessions, like Paul. Keep listening to your body. If it's telling you to move, try it (gently at first, then increase slowly -- do not start with hardcore cardio!) 5/

As for whether you can heal yourself by ignoring your body's signals and "thinking" yourself better... this is a classic n=1 situation. Has the venerable professor not heard of regression to the mean...? 6/

I do believe our emotional states affect our physical health (people with chronic illness know well the delicate daily dance between hope and acceptance). But to say that #pwme have simply failed to *want* to be well enough is offensive & genuinely dangerous 7/

(The kind of therapies that Paul espouses are covered in this article) 8/ https://www.buzzfeed.com/tomchivers/inside-the-controversial-therapy-for-chronic-fatigue?utm_term=.hvDlgDg9R#.pcvqG7G1D

I'm esp. disappointed because Paul is an infectious disease specialist, a discipline which has failed everyone with post-viral syndromes. It finds the acute phase fascinating (I was v popular when hospitalised) & can't be bothered with chronic illness 9/ https://twitter.com/EmRoseBaz/status/1343216794660720640

I cried when I read Paul's first, brave post about #LongCovid back in May. To see a white, male professor of medicine publicly share his experience of the gaslighting that comes with chronic illness was extraordinary and validating 10/ https://twitter.com/EmRoseBaz/status/1257968781130895366

I hope Paul's good health continues. I hope he educates his colleagues about the severity of post-viral syndromes and advocates for more funding into their pathophysiology so that #pwme get the treatments we deserve. You have a lot of influence, Paul. Please use it wisely 11.