Avoiding financial destitution with long Covid

I got Covid in Jan 2022. But before I had gotten Covid I was vaccinated in 2021. My body started changing soon after the shots but at the time didn’t think about it. I had body pains the burning like I’ve never felt. I was diagnosed w Fibromyalgia after the shots and before Covid. I had just left a 25 yr marriage and a lot of changing for me. After being in bed with Covid for two weeks then into a nose surgery more and more I just wasn’t myself. Meanwhile doctor bills were adding up faster than the days turned to night. Then to clinics, procedures, none that were helping a bit. Just kept gaining more symptoms and all tests neg. I had worked at my job basically my entire adult life. Started in 98 and started full disability through my job I paid into maybe July last yr. I knew nothing about any assistance. I charged all my cards up paying doctor bills afraid nobody would see me. Well after I lost control I learned that the doctors mostly all have assistance while your getting back on your feet. Mostly can be filled out online. There are documents to upload such as monthly income from last 6 and 3 months if I’m thinking correctly and pay stubs showing your income. I’m not sure if I could had gotton gov assistance bc I didn’t know to try but I may had been able to get food assistance specially since I was on short term then long term disability. I had a hard time following and keeping up w everything that was always needed from me but Covid has really screwed up my mind and I get really confused and brain fogged a lot and have nobody to help me. Not one friend. I suggest applying for assistance for food, medical bills, health insurance, just anything you can that can help carry you through to I pray is your recovery! I wish I would had known to do all this before I was on totally disability. I had to sell my home I just updated and loved after my divorce. My entire family (siblings, nieces, my own daughter my couple of hat I thought were my best friends even)couldn’t understand how serious My health issues were called me a liar and left me all alone without a friend in the world. To me the world ended and I was left alone. Still today I moved to another state trying to deal with my health and the heartbreak my own family left me to deal with alone. I’m 47 and I’ve never been alone. So depression adds to a lot of the symptoms also. A lot of doctors seem to just repeatedly say that’s why a lot is happening to the body. It has truth but there is things happening to your body. I’ve lost alot of my muscle mass and have constant neurological burning sharp breath taking pain everyday. Heart pultations, migraines, days of sleepless nights, haven’t been able to wear shoes Except if I have to bc my feet burn so bad and get numb. My tailbone feels like it fell on it and that shocking pain does not go away. I have an up and down my spine, my face stays tingly and tongue numb. Then I can’t even talk right. Fingers and hands stay numb and I’m always dropping everything or forget him holding anything.This all started in the first year and a half, I’m at 3 yrs since Covid and 3 + yrs since the vaccines that seemed to be dated right for the oncome of all my symptoms. A old friend I hadn’t talked to in 26 yrs came to visit and he brought me to live with him once he seen how dangerous it was to be by myself after losing balance and falling out of the shower, hitting my head on the toilet and the whole left side of my body hitting the tiles floor hard. Took me like 2 + months for the bruising to go away. If it weren’t for him idk where I’d be or if I’d even be alive. Saying all that to show you that I didn’t think a flu/covid would take me out! I finally left a unhappy 25 yr marriage, was “allowed” to have friends, and was for once able to be my own person and spend time with my family and share and make memories. After 1 yr my life went to hell and nobody plans on this. Don’t let it take more than it already is from you. It will make you feel even worse. It can be devastating dealing with some of the people you have to bc a lot of these workers are lazy but it’s awesome your still able to hang in there, get some help and assistance to help you keep moving forward. If your like me and don’t know the “system” it’s all over the place but you can get help to keep you and your family afloat. Sorry this is so long. I have problem finding words and getting out what I’m trying to explain. I apologize. I hope things get better for you and your healing keeps on healing!

Who is your employer..Sedgwick is terrible..I have had to deal with them in the past...said I did not return their calls , but they did not return mine. Claim examiners were terrible. I am part time so there is no short or long term disability for me.

Keep hoping I wake up from this nightmare. Im 56. I got it 4/20 was hospitalized for a week because of 14 symptoms. On oxygen for 8 months. Am feeling some better from 20 therapies. Still don’t always make it to the bathroom, I skip steps of things, chronic fatigue, migraines, mental health issues & serious cognitive issues. I’ve gotten Covid 4 times. 2 like a cold & 2 pneumonia. All brought back the 14 symptoms. I’m feeling about a third better overall. I’ve spent my 401K (Roth), was getting LTD for 2 years. Denied SSDI. Got an attorney & a long Covid Doctor. Currently waiting on the final decision for LTD. Then I will reapply for SSDI. I had a great job & life. Now I’m similar to a very unhealthy 90 year old. Everyone is sick of hearing about it & gives advice to try different things or say they understand. Pulmonary therapy helped the most, stop before you are fatigued, add a little something every 10 days, blue Gatorade, Vit C, Zinc, Tranont supplements, meditation anti inflammatory diet, therapist, Long Covid doctor & an attorney. I hope we get some real answers. My heart goes out to all of you - I try to think of all the fun I have had - it helps sometimes.

I live on very little, but I'm surviving. I'm unable to work and have applied for SSDI with a lawyer's help. So far I've been denied but most cases are denied at initial application and reconsideration. My lawyer anticipated that I'd probably be denied twice, then will probably get approved once I have a hearing in front of a judge. The whole process can take a couple of years. In the meantime I get $350/mo in General Assistance from the State of MN and $259/mo in SNAP benefits for food. I moved into Section 8 housing so I pay very little in rent. My debt is in collections but they will not be able to collect because all of my income is from the State. My health insurance is through Medicaid and I'm able to get PCA services through medicaid. It's hard, but it's doable!

I’ve got LTD through Principle Life Insurance Company that I have paid into for 25 yrs and didn’t know it but thank god! They have actually been great. I’m only 47 and it will pay me till I’m 64. They also have a company representing me in filing my SSDI. I hear most people are usually denied the first time round but I’m being hopeful bc it’s all I feel I have left to be hopeful about since I feel like my life is over considering everyone in my life left me. That’s hard when your mind keeps getting worse along with your memory and your body just keeps getting weaker.

Thanks for your reply. I am glad that you are getting some help. I am on regular social security so I do not qualify for Social security disability. I am 72 so I am too old for help, and my employer has no short or long term disability for part time employment, so I have still been working but miss a lot of time from work due to all of this. My blood pressure is uncontrolled and all the doctors want to do is throw another pill at me that has more side effects than I am already having. I passed twice in 2024 and had major injuries from those falls, and I sure cannot afford to have that happen again. This Covid virus has taken me down, the fatigue is unreal, I have no social life anymore and stay isolated at home the majority of the time. I am happy for you ..do not give up the fight. Prayers for you. Thanks for your reply.

Hi @armalone. Just a suggestion as Ive found, may be best to exhaust your ltd funds first if you can live off them comfortably. Then you can file for ssdi. Key factor is how many years/money/work credits paid into social security disability system to know what your maximum benefit would be. They can advise you of that and hopefully not less than ltd amount. If you have enough credits, you could live on ltd til about 62 and then file for social security disability allowing for processing time hopefully by 64. This allows you to receive maximum full age retirement social security benefit at 64 and be paid that higher level until no longer disabled or just continue it as of your full retirement age which I believe would be well over 70 by that time. You already paid for ltd policy, this keeps your ss in place to live off of in your older retirement years or available to take as future amendments to the system occur, and hopefully if you had ltd policy to begin with, you also have any type of ira/investment accounts that can continue to grow meantime and add to your quality of life as you see fit. Their 10% early withdrawal penalty etc can be well worth it if earnings and type of account help offset that and bring you joy! Of course, hopefully there will be no need for disability in your future and this is just proactive thoughts. Quickest healing to all🌈

For long term covid try 1) lysine 500 mg twice a day (1000 mg total a day) AND 12.5 mg iodine once a day. Take until you feel better (in about a week) and then take these for three weeks beyond. Limit coffee drinking at this time. You are putting a virus into remission. It resides in your central nervous system and flares up when your body is weak. Let me know how things work out. Susan