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Adjusting to living with a chronic illness
Living with disabling conditions like ME/CFS and long COVID, with energy limitations that restrict what you can do, can be very challenging. There are many losses associated with living with these chronic conditions, as they affect all aspects of your life. From the realisation that your health isn’t improving, to the shock of receiving a
Pacing and Rest Position Statement
Pacing and rest are individualised and essential management techniques for people with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS). Pacing and rest promote safe levels of activity to manage post-exertional malaise (PEM), the hallmark symptom of ME/CFS.
Crisis support
If this is an emergency or your life is in danger call 000 When life becomes overwhelming or access to in-person services is not available, support lines can help. These services are free to access, are available 24 hours a day and can be accessed over the phone, by text or online chat. Calling a
Accessing mental health support
ME/CFS and long COVID are conditions that cause your body to not work properly, they are not psychological conditions. But it is not uncommon to need support with mental health when living with physical symptoms that don’t go away. Professional support can help you learn to cope with the challenges your illness brings, adjust to
Webinar Series
As part of Emerge Australia’s commitment to providing up-to-date and evidence based management techniques we have launched a recurring webinar series. You can find those as well all the recent recordings from previous events below. Living with ME/CFS Q&A with Dr Richard Schloeffel OAM World ME/CFS Symposium 2023 Basics of ME/CFS Q&A with Dr Richard
Preparing information for your doctor
Many symptoms of ME/CFS can make communicating difficult. Some people who live with ME/CFS report that at times they struggle to recall information, lose their train of thought easily and find comprehending and processing new information difficult.
What is ME/CFS?
Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a complex and disabling disease that affects many parts of the body, including the brain and muscles, as well as the digestive, immune and cardiac systems, among others.
ME/CFS – what’s in a name?
Published November 2022 Statement Emerge Australia uses the name ME/CFS as an umbrella term to encompass the varied diagnoses for which PEM is the core feature. Emerge Australia will continue to use this term until the science has definitively concluded whether the illness is one or more separate conditions, and there is consensus on a
GP Education at GPCE in 2023
In 2022, Emerge Australia’s Medical Director, Dr Richard Schloeffel, OAM presented the keynote address at four General Practitioner Conference and Exhibitions (GPCE) with overwhelmingly positive feedback. At these conferences, we demystified the disease by presenting the latest research and providing practical, applicable management options to create a better experience for the patient. Another theme from our
NDIS Petitions 2018 and 2019
In 2018, Emerge Australia launched a paper petition to demand better access to the NDIS for people with ME/CFS. After gathering 1400 signatures, it was tabled in Parliament by Greens MP Adam Bandt on 5 December 2018. We launched the same petition online and over 10,273 people signed. The petition has paved the way for
Telehealth Campaign
In March this year, the federal government made a range of telehealth medical services temporarily available through Medicare. After many years of campaigning for telehealth services for people living with ME/CFS and other chronic illnesses, Emerge Australia and the ME/CFS community have warmly welcomed this change. The current arrangements were originally intended to expire in
Management and Support
Although there are no TGA approved treatments for ME/CFS or long COVID, healthcare practitioners can do a lot to support people with these conditions. This includes helping patients with:
Energy management: pacing and rest
Step-wise symptom management
Practical support
In addition to our healthcare practitioner information, the Emerge Australia webpage has
Access and equity for the NDIS and the DSP
The National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) aims to give people with disabilities (and their carers) choice and control over the services and support they receive but many people living with ME/CFS face significant challenges gaining access to the scheme and receiving adequate funding. Anecdotal evidence suggests many people with ME/CFS are rejected from the NDIS
Post-Infection disease: Australia’s 10th National Health Priority Area
Emerge Australia strongly advocates for the Federal Department of Health to make post-infection disease Australia’s 10th National Health Priority Area (NHPA). The number of Australians living with post-infection disease is rapidly increasing, predicted to be over half a million by the end of 2022, due to a new cohort of post-infection disease patients: those with
