Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) might - at last - have been explained and demystified.

Recent research has mapped out the central, interlinking mechanisms which can create an illness of exercise intolerance and post-exertional malaise. Those mechanisms include low blood volume, vascular and cardiac autoimmunity, dysfunctions in the cells and mitochondria, microclots and, in general, a reduction in blood perfusion throughout the body.

In particular, research from Germany has mapped out a convincing model for how all of these dysfunctions inter-relate and how they are likely part of one big vicious cycle. For the first time, this provides a ‘unifying model’ of what ME/CFS probably is. Aimed at a patient audience, this book offers accessible explanations of this crucial, breakthrough research by Prof. Klaus Wirth and Prof. Carmen Scheibenbogen.

Patrick Ussher, an ME/CFS patient, weaves together the personal and theoretical in this book, unravelling the most exciting research ‘in plain English’ but also talking about his own personal experience with various treatments to improve quality of life. He also shares advice on how to construct a life of hope and meaning, despite having a chronic illness.

This is primarily intended to be a guide and handbook for ME/CFS and Long Covid patients (although it will also likely be of interest to patients with the closely related Fibromyalgia and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)). It will help many sufferers understand the true physical nature of their illness and provide them with a range of healing strategies.

But most importantly, this is a book which inspires hope for a future in which ME/CFS patients are at last treated with the dignity they deserve and in ways which truly do diminish their suffering.

The book has a foreword written by Prof. Klaus Wirth in which he describes his encounter with ME/CFS, subsequent research and initial work on developing the ‘Mitodicure’ drug.