# #40 Symptom connections in ME/CFS, Long Covid, EDS & Fibromyalgia - Orthostatic Intolerance, pain, PEM & MCAS

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/make-visible-chronic-illness-explored-7015207/40-symptom-connections-in-me-cfs-long-covid-eds-fibromyalgia-orthostatic-intolerance-pain-pem-mcas
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/make-visible-chronic-illness-explored-7015207/40-symptom-connections-in-me-cfs-long-covid-eds-fibromyalgia-orthostatic-intolerance-pain-pem-mcas.md
Podcast: [Make Visible: ME/CFS, Long Covid, POTS, EDS, Fibro & MCAS Explored](https://stenobird.com/podcast/make-visible-chronic-illness-explored-7015207)
Published: 2026-08-07T18:51:28+00:00
Episode link: https://madevisible.podbean.com/e/40-orthostatic-intolerance-pain-pem-mcas-connections-in-mecfs-long-covid-eds-fibromyalgia/
Audio file: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/si8xzwicgzmrci2b/Visible_S1_Ep40_Review.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/make-visible-chronic-illness-explored-7015207/episodes/40-symptom-connections-in-me-cfs-long-covid-eds-fibromyalgia-orthostatic-intolerance-pain-pem-mcas
Duration seconds: 3885

## Resource

PEM, POTS, MCAS, EDS: are these conditions more connected than we think? Five leading researchers explain the hidden biology linking ME/CFS, Long Covid and fibromyalgia, and what it means for how these illnesses are treated. For decades, people living with ME/CFS, Long Covid, fibromyalgia, EDS and other complex chronic illnesses have faced too few answers. But research is giving us a clearer picture: many of these conditions share the same underlying biological processes, even when they carry different diagnostic labels. To mark our 40th episode, we’ve revisited some of the most illuminating conversations from across the series to explore these recurring themes. Drawing on decades of scientific research and clinical experience, our guests examine what’s really going on in the body. Dr. Nancy Klimas explains disrupted homeostasis and why these conditions often need a multi-system approach. Peter Rowe explores orthostatic intolerance (OI), blood flow, and the connection between hypermobility, EDS and ME/CFS. Lucinda Bateman discusses chronic pain, overlapping conditions and treating comorbidities. Todd Davenport unpacks post-exertional malaise (PEM) and what exercise physiology reveals about the body’s response to exertion. And Theoharis Theoharides breaks down mast cell activation (MCAS) and the wide range of symptoms it may explain. Emily Kate Stephens and Gez Medinger reflect on what this growing body of research means for anyone living with complex chronic illness — and why understanding the overlap could change how these conditions are managed and treated. Feedback? Email podfeedback@makevisible.com makevisible.com | @visible.health

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