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Long term health conditions >> Men 19-23 >> Rollo - Interview 11 >> Both his parents have given him so much love and support it has made it much easier for him to cope with his ME.

Rollo thinks that what triggered his ME/CFS was an overdose of vaccinations that he had received at school prior to travelling to Asia. Following this he started having joint pains and became very emotional. He was diagnosed with ME/CFS by an 'alternative practitioner' a few years after getting ill. Says that ME/CFS affects different people in different ways and that doctors should learn to recognise that.

Publication date: October 2007 Last updated: February 2012

Review date: February 2014

Various long-term health conditions can occur in young people. We interviewed 30 young people about their experiences of different chronic illnesses. Select from the key topics below, choose from the full list of topics on the right hand side of this page, or explore all the interviews by clicking on people's stories below.

Sophie says: “I've had a good weekend despite my lungs not feeling too good. My boyfriend's training to climb Mount Kilimanjaro so we have been hiking!”
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Long term health conditions >> Women 24+ >> Miriam - Interview 07 >> She did her first degree part-time alongside mature students. Did a Masters degree and used time management skills to help her.

Almost ten years ago Miriam was diagnosed with glandular fever and given three courses of antibiotics. Her symptoms didn't improve and she couldn't continue with her university course. It was a homeopathic doctor who suggested she might have developed ME or chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). It has taken her nine years to feel better again. She says that pacing and the acknowledgement of limitations are important tools for mending.

Long term health conditions >> Women 24+ >> Miriam - Interview 07 >> She differentiates between the 'being ill type of tiredness' and the tiredness that comes from physical activity and discusses how her ME affected her

Long term health conditions >> Women 24+ >> Miriam - Interview 07 >> Even though she had gaps on her CV she got a part-time job, felt a huge sense of achievement and enjoys earning her own money and being more independe

Long term health conditions >> Men 19-23 >> Rollo - Interview 11 >> He talks to his other friends with ME about how he feels but won't discuss his health with his friends without ME because he thinks it is tiresome.

Long term health conditions >> Men 19-23 >> Rollo - Interview 11 >> Both his parents have given him so much love and support it has made it much easier for him to cope with his ME.

Long term health conditions >> Women 24+ >> Miriam - Interview 07 >> Says that she found it easier to cope with other people when she went back to university on a part-time course.

Long term health conditions >> Women 24+ >> Miriam - Interview 07 >> Her relationship with her mother has been shaped by her experience of having ME. She didn't want to tell her mother some things because she knew it wo

Long term health conditions >> Men 19-23 >> Rollo - Interview 11 >> ME affected his confidence particularly when he was a teenager. Says that when he is well he feels more positive about things including finding a girl

Long term health conditions >> Women 24+ >> Miriam - Interview 07 >> Her advice to young people with ME/CFS is to accept their symptoms and take plenty of rest. Be patient.

Long term health conditions >> Men 19-23 >> Rollo - Interview 11 >> Doctors should know more about ME because that is the first person you go to when you are ill. Young people suspected with ME should be referred to so

Long term health conditions >> Women 24+ >> Miriam - Interview 07 >> It is hard to communicate with doctors because you are worried. Doctors should recognise how difficult it is for us to talk to them and not judge us.

Long term health conditions >> Men 19-23 >> Rollo - Interview 11 >> Rollo's story

Long term health conditions >> Men 19-23 >> Rollo - Interview 11 >> Says that doctor-patient relationship is difficult because doctors are used to treating your illness but in terms of ME it's not the case and to recom

Long term health conditions >> Women 24+ >> Miriam - Interview 07 >> Her mum found an internet group for young people with ME. She felt scared to ask the GP for information and feels that her GP had no idea what to tell

Long term health conditions >> Men 19-23 >> Rollo - Interview 11 >> When feeling ill he becomes emotional and tends to cry. His fellow students at his all male school found this 'weird'.

Long term health conditions >> Women 24+ >> Miriam - Interview 07 >> It was a massive confidence boost to attend a conference weekend for young people with ME.

Long term health conditions >> Men 19-23 >> Rollo - Interview 11 >> Feels that things couldn't be better in terms of the support and help he's got from the university, tutors and the student services.

Long term health conditions >> Women 24+ >> Miriam - Interview 07 >> Thinks that workshops with other young people are the best way to gain confidence and learn about your illness.

Long term health conditions >> Women 16-18 >> Charlotte - Interview 10 >> One problem that has resulted from her epilepsy is memory loss. She feels a bit scared as she is dealing with new difficulties as a result.

Charlotte was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of 13. She sees her consultant every three months and feels well supported by her. Her main problems are the frequency, till recently, with which seizures have occurred and the fact that her memory has been affected by the frequent incidence of her 'absence' seizures. Until three months ago Charlotte was having seizures twice a month and sometimes, even as frequently as once a week.

Long term health conditions >> Women 19-23 >> Elizabeth - Interview 01 >> She says that pacing and accepting her condition and limitations have helped her cope better with it.

Elizabeth was diagnosed with scoliosis at the age of 16. She now works for a Department of Health funded project. She says that as a teenager she 'rebelled' against her condition and stopped taking her painkillers. Her attitude now is to work with her condition rather than against it. She takes regular exercise and does a lot of walking.

Long term health conditions

Publication date: October 2007 Last updated: February 2012

Review date: February 2014

full list of topics

Diagnosis & learning more :

Physical problems, med's & managing your condition :

Life style :

What makes a good doctor and transition issues :

Living with it :

Talking about relationships :

Advice to others :