"Have you tried more exercise? Or is it depression?"— what you've probably been told
ME/CFS
NICE NG206 (2021) replaced the old CG53 guideline. It explicitly removes graded exercise therapy as a treatment, requires recognition of post-exertional malaise, and sets a clear diagnostic pathway.
The wait: Average diagnosis takes 6.8 years in the UK.
GPs trained on older guidance sometimes still recommend graded exercise. NG206 explicitly says this should not be offered to people with ME/CFS. The letter makes this current obligation visible.
- Recognition of ME/CFS where the four core symptoms are present
- A management plan consistent with NG206, not the withdrawn CG53
- No recommendation of graded exercise therapy
- Referral to a specialist ME/CFS service for confirmation
My GP wants me to do graded exercise — is that current?
No. NICE NG206 explicitly states that graded exercise therapy should not be offered to people with ME/CFS. The letter cites this directly.
What's usually said in the room
"Have you tried more exercise? Or is it depression?"
What the guideline actually says
GPs trained on older guidance sometimes still recommend graded exercise. NG206 explicitly says this should not be offered to people with ME/CFS. The letter makes this current obligation visible.
Outcomes from people with ME/CFS
One short email each Sunday — anonymised stories from people who got their GP to take them seriously.