The Septet Model for ME/CFS and Long COVID

ME/CFS and Long COVID don't fit the medical model of one problem, one organ, one treatment and that's exactly why so many patients stay sick. Dr. David Kaufman joins Dr. Eric Gordon to make the case that these illnesses are better understood as seven overlapping, constantly interacting pathologies: connective tissue disorders (hEDS), POTS/dysautonomia, gut dysmotility and SIBO, mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), autoimmunity, chronic and reactivated infections, and cranial cervical instability. Knowing how to identify them, and in what order to treat them, changes everything.Episode Highlights:Why ME/CFS and Long COVID are virtually the same illness and what that means for treatmentWhy mast cell activation, POTS, and SIBO should be treated before tackling chronic infectionsThe role of tick-borne infections and EBV reactivation as hidden drivers of chronic illnessPost-exertional malaise (PEM) and mitochondrial dysfunction, the hardest piece of the puzzleEarly rapamycin trial findings showing autophagy upregulation may improve fatigue and cognitionEmerging therapies on the horizon: GLP-1 drugs, plasmapheresis, and exosomesListen in to learn more : [0:02:55] Long COVID may be the breakthrough that finally unlocks answers for chronic fatigue illness [0:07:20] Up to 80%+ of patients may have mast cell activation causing widespread, confusing symptoms [0:19:22] Feeling worse on treatment doesn’t mean it’s wrong—it may just be the wrong order [0:41:00] New therapies like rapamycin may help “reset” the body by turning cellular cleanup back onGordon Medical Associates Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://gordonmedical.com/Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/gordonmedical/YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@GordonMedicalAssociatesGordon Medical ForumWebsite: https://gordonmedicalforum.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gordonmedicalforum/Plasmapheresis at Gordon MedicalWebsite: https://plasmapheresiswest.com/About David Kaufman, MDDr. David Kaufman is an Internal Medicine physician whose career has been defined by taking on the illnesses medicine hasn't figured out yet. He spent decades at the forefront of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in New York City, caring for patients and contributing to research at St. Vincent's Hospital when it was at the epicenter of the outbreak. In 2017, he turned his focus to another underserved population, opening the Center for Complex Diseases to treat patients with ME/CFS, dysautonomia, MCAS, tick-borne infections, and related conditions. He is a member of the ME/CFS Collaborative Research Center at Stanford University and an active participant in several national clinician networks focused on complex chronic illness.Learn more https://www.centerforcomplexdiseases.com/💬 Text us your feedback and future show ideas! (Please note we can't respond to texts - email questions to [email protected])Interested in Becoming A Patient?Find out if working with Gordon Medical is right for you. Set up a complimentary discovery call with our new patient coordinator at www.gordonmedical.com.** This information is not to be taken as medical advice. Always consult your practitioner before making any changes to your treatment.