I remembered this old post from a different discussion - doctor's story with LC. The "radical rest" bit stuck with me as it seemed the way forward with LC.

"emo | @emo | Feb 28 7:04pm

I haven’t personally experienced this pattern (I got long covid after getting covid in 2022, and I was vaccinated), but one of my doctors had a similar situation as you.

She got COVID in 2020 before a vaccine was available, it was a mild case, and she got long COVID. She got well enough to return to work, but then had debilitating fatigue, brain fog, she used to be excellent at mental math and now struggles with it, has short term memory issues, had to see a pulmonologist, etc.

I see her quite regularly, including when she had to take a medical leave and now she’s one of the specialists on the long covid team at the medical center where I’m a patient…she’s shared bits and pieces with me over time, especially after I got COVID, and that’s how I know this.

She has improved, or at least, she returned to work, though she still had the brain fog and cognitive slips. I believe she takes medication, though our conversations aren’t to that depth. She has shared with me that she had to take “radical rest” to recover and now she has to adhere strictly to pacing her activities. I remember when she first returned it was with limited patients, and now she only works during specific times of day. But not everyone has the luxury to do that.

I figured I’d share her story though if it helped to know you’re not alone and she did get better."