ME diagnosis leaves British Olympic sprinter Beth Dobbin in bed for 22 hours a day

A life sharply restricted

Dobbin says even a conversation, bright light or loud sound can bring on a crash lasting 24 or 48 hours, or, in the worst cases, months. She told BBC Sport the illness has taken away much of her life.

Sitting upright for a long time can also worsen her symptoms, so she prefers to remain propped up in bed. She says this makes her symptoms less severe, but does not make her feel well.

A routine blood test once left her in bed for months afterward. Dobbin said the interview itself might affect her health in 2027.

Symptoms worsened over time

Dobbin says her illness began after back-to-back Covid and glandular fever infections in winter 2021-22. Retrospective tests later showed she had contracted both, though she had not felt unwell with either at the time.

British Athletics doctors found no answers in their tests. Dobbin continued, thinking the symptoms were lingering effects of glandular fever, but her condition deteriorated. At the World Championships, she had a painful throat and woke at unusual times. At the Commonwealth Games, she felt dizzy while running and more sore than usual; after the European Championships, she struggled to stand and spent much of her time in bed.

ME and limited support

ME has no known cure or specific treatment. The illness can involve more than 200 symptoms, including nausea, headaches, poor cognitive function and brain fog; patients may use off-label medication to manage it.

Dobbin waited 22 months for an in-person appointment with a private specialist she found herself, after her British Athletics funding ended. Her mother, Jean, says there is little help available through GPs and that ME remains far behind in research, knowledge, expertise and funding.

Family worries and awareness

Dobbin’s parents and sister Faye were close by during the interview at the family home in Doncaster. Faye described feeling helpless and said she is constantly worried about how Beth is doing and whether her condition could worsen.

Dobbin said her outlook was bleak. She is choosing to speak out because she has a platform and believes athletes are more readily believed than most people.