I was also a runner and very active. June of 2022 (after having Covid in January and March), I woke up one Saturday and felt absolutely horrible, poisoned, fatigued...I felt so bad that I went to the doctor, which I never used to do. I did not get the vaccine because the only vaccinations I have ever gotten were the ones my pediatrician gave me when I was little (measles, etc.) I have had this Sh*t for 3 years now. The doctors knew nothing of Long COVID. I had to do my own research on my own blood work. EBV reactivated, RA Igg, Parvo reactivated, ANA Titer, all these things were foreign to me. I never knew I had Epstein Barre Virus but apparently at some point I did. My PCP sent me to an RA doctor. She was not very nice and even rolled her eyes at me when I told her I thought it was Long COVID. I did not go see her again. So, having seen my PCP several times, I believe she believes it is real, however, prescribed 800 mg Ibuprofen and also another anti-inflammatory (can't even think of the name now...brain fog) but both are bad for the kidneys. Anyway, my shrink has been the most helpful. I take 4 medications in the morning to be able to function during the day. Gabapentin, Vyvanse, Naltrexone and Cymbalta. At one point in 2023, I applied for social security disability. Turned down because I am in graduate school, remotely. I started that journey before I got sick. I am able to do the school work, however, the internship/field placement is a challenge sometimes. Luckily, I am able to do some of that from home. On another note, I am a recovering alcoholic/addict of 7+years. I have been fighting addiction since the age of 14 years old. I finally got sober in 2017 (47 yrs old). I was the healthiest I have ever been with running daily, weights, working full time, living a good life sober. I was heavily involved in 12 step groups and had many people in my "circle." When I got sick, I had to quit my job, although I was able to stay in school and registered with the students with disabilities program at the University. Many people in my life just do not either believe that Long COVID is real or they are just not able to empathize. I feel very isolated. I have always been a person that loved being around others, going places, camping, SCUBA, hiking, etc., and now I do my school work, go to my field placement (16 hours a week) and that is it. If I did not take my meds in the morning, I would not be able to do much. I went through a period of hopelessness, hence the Cymbalta. I get tired of telling people, "I don't feel good," or trying to explain post exertion malaise. I do have hope now. This community has helped me so much as well. I do not feel as alone in this when I come and read what others have found helpful. What I have found helpful is that I remain in the moment or the day. I went to my mother's yesterday, she has dementia. I was there for about 7 hours. I woke up this morning feeling terrible. Emotional as well as physical exertion, I pay for the next day. I can't think about that all the time. I have to just do what I can and feel like doing at the time. I do try and think of things I am grateful for. I have a year of school left and then I will have my master's in social work. That helps my mind. I am still sober, as without that, I would not even be here to write this post. I want to be able to exercise again. I do what I can when I feel like doing it and that is usually about an hour or two after I take my meds in the morning. So, enough about me. I just want to tell you that I relate, hope that you hang in there and to thank all you people in this group that continue to spread hope and kindness.