Long Covid Fatigue - Exhausting Physically and Mentally

My provider is going to reevaluate me in two weeks, but she is saying I can't perform my job as a nurse any longer and will possibly do medical retirement. We will see in two weeks. I am always so exhausted and my migraines are horrible among other symptoms that come and go and my memory is sometimes worthless. I feel like my family is suffering the most because I am not the same. At all. Thank you for your comment and the article.

I understand the frustration with having to retire from nursing job sooner than planned. I had to quit work one day as a nurse so I could take care of my dad who ended up in hosp with influenza and pulmonary fibrosis. without the stress of work, hopefully you can focus more on you and ur recovery to be there for ur family.... and yourself. I'm sorry u got covid. my daughter is a dental hygienist and returned slowly last week to her job. she was discharged with 02 in January and is just now able to get the consult with pulmonologist and start pulmonary testing.... as covid resulted in pulmonary fibrosis... she's only 37.

Since I have had COVID-19 12/24/20 I still feel exhausted. Sleep does not help. Today when I woke up I feel like I have been run over by a truck. Some days are worse than other. Does any one else have this problems.

OMG, yes!!!
I don't have fatigue. Fatigue is staying up too late watching Netflix. I have profound, overwhelming, incapacitating, leaden exhaustion with muscle PAIN (not aches), severe headache, nausea, loss of appetite, chills. Sports drinks with sodium and potassium replacement somehow really helps. I use Propel or Gatorade, sugar-free. The powder is much less expensive than liquid & is by the crystal light and kool-aid powders in the grocery store. LOTS of water/sports drink, like 16 oz every couple hours. I usually just have to go back to bed, even an hour after getting up, in a very dark & quiet room. Hot baths feel good on the muscles.
I have this when I do too much 1-2 days before. Limiting myself to 2-3 hours of brain/thinking/concentration a day and no more than 2 hours physical activity (bathing, cooking, laundry, grocery shop, errands, walking, standing) helps to decrease the frequency, severity and duration of these episodes. When I know I have a 'hard' day coming, I do very little the day before and don't put anything on my calendar the day after.
It is hard to explain to others because I look normal. Look up "The Spoon Theory", it describes this well.

It helps to know I`m not alone. I`m still on oxygen and still get short of breath w any exertion but I`m trying 10 months after my hospitalization. I sometimes think it might be easier if we had an explanation on our foreheads! It sounds as though you have figured out how to deal w your condition and function to the best of your ability. I`ll have to take a page out of your survival guide and apply to my life. Learning from each other and support are important tools. It feels as though my life is divided into before and after covid.

You hit the nail on the head with this. At work everyone says oh just do some exercises it will help build you back up. I try to explain anything strenuous will take me out for days up to a week. It really helps to see I am not alone.

I thought I was going crazy until I heard someone else talk about the same things-you are NOT alone. The only people I have found who understand what I am saying are those with chronic fatigue syndrome. Others think I am not trying hard enough. This is a great explanation: https://butyoudontlooksick.com

@sheila1946 You are far from alone. I've heard this from many people including people who have had COVID more recently with the new variants.

We both had COVID about 5 weeks ago. My partner who has always been very active with bicycling, weightlifting, and hiking experiences fatigue on a daily basis. When he decided to mow the lawn the other day he needed a long nap afterwards. That was never the case before COVID. His symptoms during COVID were worse than mine were too. He has an annual physical exam coming up and plans to discuss this with his family physician.

You are not alone. I have had chronic fatigue from Covid for the past year and a half. I am very slowly getting better after learning to pace my activities and take daily naps. After meeting with CFS specialists and blood tests, it turns out that Epstein Barr virus was reactivated with Covid. I had mono in college, 36 years ago, the EBV that caused the mono laid dormant all these years until I got Covid Dec 2020. I am happy to understand why I have had this long Covid and hopeful that the anti viral, Valtrex, will put the EBV back in its sleepy spot. I’ll let you know if the anti viral helps, it’s been a few weeks.

The emotional divide between pre and post-covid is a giant crevasse to hurdle over. Some days I fall, others I can move forward with the help of this site, counseling & connections made through a zoom covid support group. I am still adjusting to my new normal after 20 months. As an ER nurse I worked with countless people who didn't survive-especially in 2020. Sometimes simple gratitude that I can wake up, brush my teeth, get dressed, drink coffee and look out the window puts my thoughts in a better direction.