I fear the answer is not so much that there is not much help, but rather that the demand for treatment of the lingering effects of long Covid are overwhelming our medical systems. I truly believe we are seeing far more aftereffects than anyone anticipated, and they are more varied, long lasting and resistant to easy fixes than anyone predicted. The latest report is that getting repeated Covid infections increases the possibility of lingering effects.

Current estimates are that anywhere from 10-25% of Covid survivors are feeling noticeable symptoms - many for over a year. With over 100 million cases since 2020, that means 10 to 25 million people suffering new health issues. If just a fraction are affected severely enough to seek help, that is millions of new patients.

Keep in mind that many of these symptoms defy diagnosis, or don't respond to typical treatments, or even just are hard to pinpoint or describe clearly to providers. Every week and month, the dedicated people treating all of you struggling survivors are finding new techniques and treatments, but there are still many unanswered questions and a shortage of people with the time & resources to pursue research.

And with all of this going on, people still need to be treated for the usual conditions and diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, pregnancy, cancer, injuries....and the providers are burning out from the hours and stress. My primary provider was recently "allowed" to cut her work week to 50 hours because her own health is precarious. Everyone is waiting record times - measured in weeks or months - for their health care now. You need only read post in some of the other discussion groups on Connect to see how widespread this problem is today.

I am writing this not to minimize what long Covid sufferers experience - my formerly healthy, active 40 something daughter has been suffering for over 2 years, and we are just noticing in the past month or so that she is beginning to regain some of her stamina, but she is still unable to multitask, or to go back to college for her next degree. Just pointing out that, while it seems we have been at this forever, Covid has been in the US less than 3 years - an optimistic time to research, test, report and implement medical care for a newly identified condition or disease is 5 years. The fact that treatments are already being formulated, and that any post Covid clinical care is available is pretty remarkable. Now we just need more health care practitioners to do it.

I truly sympathize with each of you who is experiencing these awful and seemingly endless symptoms. I would love to wave a magic wand and heal everyone, but I lost it about 50 years ago. Please hang in there, continue looking for help from your primary, and from each other here on Connect. Whenever I find something promising, I try to post it in the appropriate discussion.
Sue

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