Anyone have long term recovery?

Posted by Laura Dropps @ldropps, Feb 25, 2023

I was positive for Covid for the first time in November 2020. It's been a rollercoaster ride and I believe I'm as well as I've been since then. I am not where I want to be, however and not where I thought I'd be after going to the Mayo. I wish I could even talk to a nurse or my doctor, but I was told I'd have to start at the beginning at the Mayo. So I have an appointment in May with a rheumatologist here at home. Hopefully, something will come of that. Has anyone had close to a full recovery?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

@babsg1

Thank you for your hopeful words. I had Covid in Oct. 2021. Hospitalized, went home with 02 and thought: "ok I am home and I will be back to normal in a week." This is March 2023 and guess it's been 1 long week. I had been a runner and marathoner before I injured my back. I found new ways to stay fit at the YMCA, yoga, pilaties, weights, some low energy cardio classes. plus I have 2 wonderful small older dogs who love to walk. I no longer can do any of these things. I don't feel like myself and haven't since I contacted Covid. Fatigue, malaise, fog brain and other less annoying things. The fatigue and malaise are the worst for me. My PCP doesn't think there is long Covid and will not talk about it. I made appoint with another MD at the clinic and he told me the medicines I was taking were causing the fatigue.
I am in the process of changing PCP clinic. I am so grateful that I survived Covid. Many of the patients in the Covid ICU died before my discharge. I am trying to figure out how to live my life with no energy. All this time with hardly any energy. For example, I have gotten to a place in my life where I can meet a dear friend for coffee. After that I have to return home and take a very long nap. If I try to shop for groceries I have to ask my daughter for help taking groceries out of the car and into the house. I have so much fatigue and muscle ache.
Just recently I walked my dogs a block and a half. They were so excited to go out with me. Before Covid I was energetic, went to YMCA 5 days a week, gardened and worked on the grass, saw my friends. Did so many activities. Yes, I am 75 yet I look a young 60 and feel an old 90. I believe I will get better yet when? It is difficult to accept that I may never be and feel how I did before Covid. I did have the first 2 Covid vaccines before coming down with Covid. Now I am learning to try to pace mayself and accept my limits. Depression has been a problem for me since Covid. Most days I am not sure who I am anymore. I am happy for the individuals who have found hope and are moving on in their recovery. Maybe I am slowly moving on in recovery too yet cannot seem to recognize it?

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Your story sounds a lot like mine. I’m 35 and was very active before and now I have less energy than my 82 year old sick grandma. Was running 5ks and now can’t make it down my driveway. I wish there was more discussion of the neurological issues that make it hard to be around people. Like you said about meeting a friend for coffee and then having to take a long nap. I can only be around 1-2 people at a time and it must be very quiet, and afterwards I’m totally trashed for days. I’m a very outgoing and social person so this has made my friends and family all feel very strange. Like, what kind of post-viral syndrome makes it so you have to live like a hermit because being around more than a few people at once, and maybe only once a month or so, puts you in bed? Reminds me of how Florence Nightengale was after she got the Crimean Flu.

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@kentkemmerling1949

I had COVID 2 months before the vaccine was available and have not been able to walk well since. My balance is terrible and I feel dizzy often. Does anyone else experience this? Also, I was the president of a couple organizations and now am just not able to organize my thoughts well enough to maintain my position. Maybe it is brain fog? Not really sure what brain fog is... can anyone describe what they experience when they say they have brain fog?

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I can’t find the word I’m looking for and /or I’m in the middle of a sentence and suddenly have no idea what I was talking about. It‘s so scary because I’m 72 & feel like I’m have dementia but I was fine until I got Covid.

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@babsg1

Thank you for your hopeful words. I had Covid in Oct. 2021. Hospitalized, went home with 02 and thought: "ok I am home and I will be back to normal in a week." This is March 2023 and guess it's been 1 long week. I had been a runner and marathoner before I injured my back. I found new ways to stay fit at the YMCA, yoga, pilaties, weights, some low energy cardio classes. plus I have 2 wonderful small older dogs who love to walk. I no longer can do any of these things. I don't feel like myself and haven't since I contacted Covid. Fatigue, malaise, fog brain and other less annoying things. The fatigue and malaise are the worst for me. My PCP doesn't think there is long Covid and will not talk about it. I made appoint with another MD at the clinic and he told me the medicines I was taking were causing the fatigue.
I am in the process of changing PCP clinic. I am so grateful that I survived Covid. Many of the patients in the Covid ICU died before my discharge. I am trying to figure out how to live my life with no energy. All this time with hardly any energy. For example, I have gotten to a place in my life where I can meet a dear friend for coffee. After that I have to return home and take a very long nap. If I try to shop for groceries I have to ask my daughter for help taking groceries out of the car and into the house. I have so much fatigue and muscle ache.
Just recently I walked my dogs a block and a half. They were so excited to go out with me. Before Covid I was energetic, went to YMCA 5 days a week, gardened and worked on the grass, saw my friends. Did so many activities. Yes, I am 75 yet I look a young 60 and feel an old 90. I believe I will get better yet when? It is difficult to accept that I may never be and feel how I did before Covid. I did have the first 2 Covid vaccines before coming down with Covid. Now I am learning to try to pace mayself and accept my limits. Depression has been a problem for me since Covid. Most days I am not sure who I am anymore. I am happy for the individuals who have found hope and are moving on in their recovery. Maybe I am slowly moving on in recovery too yet cannot seem to recognize it?

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I am in the same place. I had been in sports all of my life. I am trying anything that might help. I am looking for a support group in San Diego. I would refer in person.

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@denglish19

Yes, I am one year out from being at my absolute worst and I am 90% back to normal. I've been working (nearly) full time since November. You MUST supplement heavily, and normal doctors (and specialists) do not have the information that you need. I'm not trying to be inflammatory, it's just the truth. Many people have recovered from long haul Covid and IT IS possible, but it often takes doing your own research, trial and error for what works for you.

What's interesting for me is that I have to continue heavily supplementing to keep my functioning at this level. For me, it was B-3 (niacinamide, non-flushing) that was the most helpful, along with several amino acids (taurine, choline, tryptophan), NAC, glutathione, and an anti-inflammatory, low histamine diet. But I am still spending $100+ on supplements every month or two, and whenever I finish a bottle and think I can go without them, I feel the difference in my body within a few weeks. So I continue with what works, and I am very cautious about not overextending myself in any way (mentally, emotionally or physically).

I wish you ALL the very best. There ARE answers out there. The Facebook long haul Covid group is an excellent resource. Don't let anyone tell you there aren't answers.

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Who did you see to discover which supplements you needed? Integrative adr?

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@joansmurphy

I can’t find the word I’m looking for and /or I’m in the middle of a sentence and suddenly have no idea what I was talking about. It‘s so scary because I’m 72 & feel like I’m have dementia but I was fine until I got Covid.

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same here, it's one of my symptoms too, it's like my brain has REALLY slowed down alot......i hate it!

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@joansmurphy

I am 16 months long Covid. Am best I’ve been but still have bouts of exhaustion & many foods still don’t taste good. Still building up my stamina. Nervous about the summer because last summer I was so short of breath and not sure if that is from humidity or what. I’d say 75-80% better.

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I discovered a section on The Weather Channel's web page that addresses "Air Quality Index". It is along the right side of the page. It looks at humidity, pollution, pollen and particles in the air. It will actually say "those with heart disease and COPD will be effected" on the higher readings. I am more short of breath and cough with the index is higher than 50. I know that on those days I need to close the windows, turn on the AC and hold off on outdoor activities or I should have my rescue inhaler with me.

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@rinadbq

I discovered a section on The Weather Channel's web page that addresses "Air Quality Index". It is along the right side of the page. It looks at humidity, pollution, pollen and particles in the air. It will actually say "those with heart disease and COPD will be effected" on the higher readings. I am more short of breath and cough with the index is higher than 50. I know that on those days I need to close the windows, turn on the AC and hold off on outdoor activities or I should have my rescue inhaler with me.

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Thanks so much. I will check that out!

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@rinadbq

I discovered a section on The Weather Channel's web page that addresses "Air Quality Index". It is along the right side of the page. It looks at humidity, pollution, pollen and particles in the air. It will actually say "those with heart disease and COPD will be effected" on the higher readings. I am more short of breath and cough with the index is higher than 50. I know that on those days I need to close the windows, turn on the AC and hold off on outdoor activities or I should have my rescue inhaler with me.

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Found it. It’s 39 now which says good. Going to watch it daily. Thank you so much.

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@kentkemmerling1949

I had COVID 2 months before the vaccine was available and have not been able to walk well since. My balance is terrible and I feel dizzy often. Does anyone else experience this? Also, I was the president of a couple organizations and now am just not able to organize my thoughts well enough to maintain my position. Maybe it is brain fog? Not really sure what brain fog is... can anyone describe what they experience when they say they have brain fog?

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Balance was a big issue for me. Physical Therapy gave me exercises that really helped.
This is my brain fog: trouble finding words when talking, loosing track of what I am saying, unable to complete multi-step activity (following a recipe, directions to a new place, making appointments), simple math/story problems, spelling, remembering where the car is parked, getting lost driving, concentration, follow through. IM me if you would like to chat in more detail.

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@joansmurphy

I can’t find the word I’m looking for and /or I’m in the middle of a sentence and suddenly have no idea what I was talking about. It‘s so scary because I’m 72 & feel like I’m have dementia but I was fine until I got Covid.

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Please know you are with so many of us experiencing similar things. Im 60 this month and feel/say the same thing. Havnt read your past but hoping suggestion of sudoku, crosswords, word search easy to find at dollar store and rotate thru one or whatever you can do each day. I found moment you feel tired or symptom then stop. I can go in room now and takes a bit but can recall why Im there now🙃. I so wish the best for you and everyone experiencing this frustration 🌈

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