Brain fog to 'jet lag': Comedian shares reality of living with condition that 'people don't believe is real'
He'd experience extreme fatigue, feeling disproportionately tired for an activity he'd just completed, would experience muscle weakness and also had a clear intolerance to alcohol. However, it was only in his late 20s, when Rich from Morecambe was finally given some answers - he had ME.
"A doctor that advised people on ME would say that it's the same thing as an STD - don't write it anywhere or you won't get life insurance," Rich told LancsLive. "It often would just get put down to depression and I was given anti-depressants for a long time." "For me, I do a limited amount of exercise when I can, but they would push it on people with severe ME. On a good day for me, I will go on a short walk, but they say you should do it even on your bad days - exertion triggers fatigue and weakness - some people are bedbound."
As a result, he had to take a break from comedy. However, it was the Morecambe-based West End Playhouse and Spotlight Lancaster that were instrumental in his return to the stage in 2020. Rich was inspired by his friend Hovis Presley, who encouraged him to write a poetry book. "There's a lost tradition of the two, comedy and poetry together," Rich continued.
Rich's first book of poems, Gormless, was published by Chinbeard Books in 2020. He says that "thankfully" they sold out and is now self-published, with his new book of comedy poems, Horsetrousers - a percentage of every book sold is being donated to the ME Association.
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