Stalled Long COVID Recovery: What helps you get back on track?

@ldropps Laura, I'm so sorry to hear this. It sounds like you're experiencing a very frustrating situation of 2 steps forward and 3 back. I wonder if @tiredmommy @sueinmn @mimi24 @welchllb @rinadbq might have some tips and encouragement for you.

Laura, I'm no expert in COVID, so take what I'm going to say with a grain of salt and do what is right for you. You mention that you've been slacking. Recovery is hard work that requires loads of patience and heaps of routine and consistency. As you start to feel better, it's tempting to let some of your diligence slide. And sooner than you think, symptoms return seemingly with a vengence. I know that is discouraging. But I think there may be a bright side.

1. What you were doing before was working. No matter how small or tedious the lifestyle changes may have been, they were helping. Yay!
2. You know what works and you can do it again. Yay!
3. You're well practised at caring for yourself. The road to getting back to where you were is likely shorter than the first time around. Fingers crossed.

Do I sound like a cheerleader? I'm shouting from the sidelines 🙂 Might any of those 3 pointers be true?

I recommend that you ease up the strength training. Go back to standard , don't double down on it.

I was doing better, feeling good, running 3x a week, and then I had a bad weekend. No idea why - might be due to some new emotional stress in my family. But whatever caused it, I keep reminding myself that it is just an "episode" or "resurgence" and it will pass.

The mental game dealing with post Covid is crucial! And YES, we need cheerleaders! We will come back out on top. We've done it before. The good days outnumber the bad. Let the setbacks come, and then let them go. Remember what helped you get healthy, do it again. And don't overdo.

We can do this!

You’re the 3rd Covid post I’ve answered and let me see if i can help. I’ve had 4 cases of Covid, 3 regular and 1 B variant. The first was the worst, it happened right at the beginning of the pandemic from late May 2020 thru June 2020. Nobody knew much about treating Covid back then and that’s what caused all my problems. My bp was over 200/100 with a heart rate of 115 for almost 10 days. I just wanted to give up but finally pulled thru after 6 week of trying everything. Things got very iffy with different other symptoms happening. From July 2020 till December 2021 minor things popped up, then on December 3rd, I got exposed to multiple patients with Covid symptoms at in the clinic were my doctor is located. Within 48 hours, i was sick again, Covid #2. Lucky it was a mild case but I had all the symptoms. Friday March 10th 2022 and once again I’m stuck by a person coughing their lungs out. I wear a good quality mask at all times because of a nonexistent immune system and being born sickly. Sure enough, by Sunday the 12, Im sick once again with Covid #3. By Monday the 14th, it’s full blown Covid and I’m in agony.
By the middle of April on day 25 of being sick, l lose my sense of taste,days later, I lose my sense of smell. It like a freakin’ nightmare I can’t wake up from. I’m so angry at that woman who infected me, I wanted to rip out her lungs. I’m feeling so badly, I knew I was becoming a long hauler freak of nature. It’s a battle between my body and the bad guys. Death to the end I thought either I’m gonna get better or die!!! By May 1st, I’m getting slowly better, then comes Mother’s Day, since my mother died in 2002, I decided to wait till the next day to go to Walmart. My luck, all 100% bad, I’m wearing a mask, I have since May of 2020, but it seems people no longer have to wear mass in the store, I go shopping and myself and 4 other people were wearing a mask. Sure enough, 2 days later I’m sick, Covid B Variant #1, Covid illness #4, since my doctors forbid me to get the vaccine because it’ll most likely kill me, I suffer yet another illness, a mild one this time. It is now June 16th 2022, I’m so weak, I’ve lost so much weight I can literally rub the “inside” of my rib cage, my heart heart’s trying to pop in and out of tachycardia, my vision is doubled, my bone hurt, my legs feel no pain because the bad guys inside me ate the coating off the nerve killing them. June 22nd, I have to go get 3 MRI’s to find out why this pain in my head hurts do much after having seizures during Covid #1 & 3, a symptom l forgot to mention. Any questions? This has be going on since April 2020, so yes, it can last forever it seems.

Congratulate yourself that you are self-aware that something is changing. That’s really important and great that you are paying attention to what your body is communicating with you.

I’m about 8-9 weeks post acute infection and have been focused on anti-histamine diet. For me, that’s been super helpful and I’m feeling less muscle or nerve leg and arm/hand issues.

All my doctors keep saying be patient. It takes time. And be kind. It’s not a sprint. We are young anymore and our bodies need time to heal. For me, I also needed time to mentally heal from the trauma of having Covid and the symptoms that were moderate. It was stressful for me because I felt terrible and just as one symptom went away another developed. So be kind to yourself and give yourself grace.

I agree that doubling down sounds unsustainable and I would not recommend that. Pace yourself. You got this. And keep seeing and doing check ins with your doctor. My dr was so popular that I booked appointments two weeks out so I always had an appointment on calendar and could cancel if needed, although I never did because I had lingering issues and new things to address.

I wish you continued healing and we are all here to give you virtual hugs. You got this!!! 🥰

Thank you. I need cheerleaders. I saw my primary today to see if there is something that I might be missing. I keep hoping there is a piece of the puzzle that if I incorporate it then I will feel so much better. My doctor thinks I'm back on the right path again with the stretches and resistance band work. I'm just trying to be patient.

It does take time but it’s a systematic approach. Reach out to Dr Munipalli at Mayo. Her team saved my life.

You are NOT alone with your symptoms, duration and with how you feel. IMO, you always want to feel you have someone who has at least as good as handle on this as you do, and that best be a dctor who has focuses on, or has a lot of experience with post covid. Good luck.

has anyone developed IBS after covid and they never had it before?

@healthybon I went from chronic constipation to now having diarrhea more often than not. I don't know if it's IBS or not.

Your not, trust me. Have had it for 11 months. As time goes by, symptoms become less noticeable. You just get used to feeling like you've been run over by a mack truck. On the bright side, dieting has been easy!