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Covid

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Original poster

Long covid skepticism

122 replies

Ohalrightthen · 09/10/2020 15:32

According to my doctor father, "long covid" is basically nonexistent in under 18s and over 65s. He was amused by the coincidence that the only people who seem to be experiencing extended symptoms and effects of the disease are those who are "likely to want a decent reason to call in sick to work"

Not sure how much i believe that, but it does seem weird that kids (who've been off school anyway) and retired people don't seem to be getting long covid. Is there a medical reason that it's only affecting people 20ish-60ish?

OP posts:

ikeepseeingit · 09/10/2020 16:16

Wow. I got diagnosed with M.E at 17, does that make it real or not? So glad that he wasn't my dad. I was up every night for a whole year throwing up bile, I couldn't walk up the stairs in one go, or down my road for that matter. My blood tests were fine. I slept 14 hrs a day. Of course, it was all in my head! I was 5 ft 4 and 6 and a half stone. Does that sound healthy? It was all 100% psychosomatic though right?

Long COVID is just another form of post-viral fatigue or M.E. It is real. It robbed me of my chance to get A-levels. It could have taken much more had my parents not taken it seriously.

BexR · 09/10/2020 16:20

what a plonker

TartanSlippers · 09/10/2020 16:21

If you can't even spell scepticism right in the thread title, I'm not going to pay all that much attention to anything else you say, sorry.

IrmaFayLear · 09/10/2020 16:24

I think calling it “long Covid” is a bit a) previous, as the virus has not been around that long to study the effects and b) another “Covid is the only disease” thing.

Anyone who has had flu -real flu, that is - knows that you can feel crap for months. Tired, weak, respiratory problems.

Many viruses can wreak damage on the body, in some cases permanent damage (raises own hand, here). But I don’t think anyone can say they have “long Covid” after a few months or even weeks. It needs repeated x-rays and scans to determine if damage is permanent.

SmilingAloe · 09/10/2020 16:25

@Lurkingforawhile me too. I was incredibly poorly with Glandular Fever and it took me a very long time to recover. I was regularly told my post viral fatigue was depression. Well, yes I was quite depressed, but only because I was so ill and exhausted that I couldn’t get out of bed! I was very happy and active before I got ill and it felt so hurtful and insulting for people to be constantly questioning it.

BiBabbles · 09/10/2020 16:28

These are nasty things to get anyway even if it is the same. With Covid being a new virus, the after effects are still unknown.

As are the many ways post-viral syndrome presents itself. Like I said: "We're complicated creatures and our knowledge of these things is still developing."

People being skeptical (or sceptical) of how the media presents the information on Long COVID, and any science information as it is so often is in conflict with how research is presented, is a good thing. Even digging into how academia and research is being done, great. People getting annoyed at issues with all of it is to be expected.

A doctor who apparently isn't keeping up with that research and buys into already well laid concept that these conditions are just people being lazy isn't.

MintyMabel · 09/10/2020 16:33

You do know the fact he is a doctor doesn’t mean he knows what he is talking about?

At uni, my flatmate’s GP father genuinely believed certain races were incapable of being as intelligent as white people because their brains were genetically smaller.

LadyWithTheNeonSparklers · 09/10/2020 16:46

@Khajit

Isn't post viral fatigue a recognised thing? I assumed long covid was just the same as that.

I think it is but possibly with some additional lung or other organ damage - there seems to be a wide range of symptoms being reported.

I seem to remember an article in New scientist near start of pandemc where experts in ME and post viral fatigue were concerned they'd be an increase in cases with a new virus.

It's still clearly being reasearched - More or less was talking about it this week and their expert seem to think it was looking like a long tail - so less people at 3 months having it than at 6 months but they hadn't got data much beyond three months yet.

Feefifo9 · 09/10/2020 16:47

My auntie (over 65) has long COVID. She hasn’t been to her Gp because she is already retired and her symptoms basically require her to rest more. She would need time off work or adjustments if she was working, but she’s not. Same for children.

Isn’t that more likely than everyone is lying.
I was ill/exhausted for about 2.5months. I count myself lucky that it only lasted that long. It’s not made up

Harehedge · 09/10/2020 16:53

Speaking from personal experience (many medics in the family) they are as opinionated and governed by sentiment as they can get away with being. It really doesn't matter what your doctor father thinks. It's above his pay grade. All he has is a handful of anecdotal data, at best (and clearly is happy to hold that instead of opening the BMJ). He implements evidence based practice, he doesn't create it.

Keepdistance · 09/10/2020 16:54

So why does it make sense to him that covid affects people worse as they age. But that long covid doesnt too?
But anyway covid seems to affect hormones so menopausal women affected. Who also more prone to autoimmunity.
Covid causes thyroiditis for example.
I think the effects vary by person according to what has been attacked.
A lotvof 40yo are picked up at screening with say high bp but not yet treated. It probably just reflects a lot of untreated illnesses.
At 40 your ability to get vit d from the sun also decreases.
65yo arent usually rushing off to work or have young kids and trying to do too much too soon cant help.
Flu affects kids and old people because those in the middle have the best immune system so its probably too good.
Almost as your dad is saying this is the group having to go to work so more likely to overdo it. After being ill in apr i could do hardly anything but if i were a single parent i would have to.

Lindy2 · 09/10/2020 16:55

He doesn't sound like a very good doctor. I feel sorry for his patients if he has that attitude towards illness.

headinthedrawer · 09/10/2020 17:03

6 months post Covid and I am on inhalers and waiting for a chest x-ray to see if I now have lung damage.I wheeze every day.I was perfectly healthy before and have never had asthma.It's not fucking amusing.

Porcupineinwaiting · 09/10/2020 17:14

Your dad's hilarious. If only he were factually correct (quite a few teens with long COVID around).

LynetteScavo · 09/10/2020 17:16

The only person I know with "long Covid" doesn't work anyway, and would very much have liked to have done more over the summer.

Velvian · 09/10/2020 17:32

I hope he's not a GP, but I'd be willing to bet that is.

wildthingsinthenight · 09/10/2020 17:44

I have long covid. 6.5 months now.
It has some strange after effects that aren't usually seen with post viral syndrome.
My worst symptom after extreme fatigue is the terrible pains in my hands and feet with twitching and nerve disturbances.

I find it alarming your dad is a doctor.
I am in a support group for Long covid and there are many parents in there whose children are still suffering months after testing positive

wildthingsinthenight · 09/10/2020 17:46

I have an appointment at a post covid clinic at the blend of this month and will have chest xrays and an ECG because of strange pains over my heart.
It is scary and gets upsetting to hear people say it is just the flu or that long covid is a myth

Lurkingforawhile · 09/10/2020 17:48

My fatigue condition is caused by lung damage (whooping cough) so I have every sympathy with those poor people who have lung damage from COVID. I really really hope that it improves for them in the medium term. If not having a support group and being believed are the most important things for them. Let’s hope most GPs, who are the gatekeepers of the system, behave much better than in OPs DF case.

countdowntofriday · 09/10/2020 17:52

My GP doesn't believe sunscreen reduces skin cancer. Turns out you can be a doctor and still a stupid arrogant tosser.

Harehedge · 09/10/2020 18:09

One of the GPs in my family has a side line in hypnotism. Yes, really. He thinks it is of benefit. Another seems to know absolutely nothing about any childhood ailment that befall his children. And another is very keen on gay conversion therapy. I've lost count of the number of times I've been told breast feeding is an effective contraceptive. Honestly there seem to be no bench marks they have to hit in terms of actually getting it right and they all seem to justify the absence of critical thinking with some weird saying that if you hear galloping it's probably not zebras. I would rather take my toddlers to the vet.

IceFemonLanta · 09/10/2020 18:11

@wildthingsinthenight

I have long covid. 6.5 months now. It has some strange after effects that aren't usually seen with post viral syndrome. My worst symptom after extreme fatigue is the terrible pains in my hands and feet with twitching and nerve disturbances.

I find it alarming your dad is a doctor.
I am in a support group for Long covid and there are many parents in there whose children are still suffering months after testing positive

For the terrible nerve pains in your hands and feet try magnesium. I have both ME and Fibromyalgia and get it a lot. What helps is magnesium supplements taken daily and long baths in magnesium flakes. I also add Epsom salts to the bath. You can buy magnesium body lotion, I have the Better You one to apply once out bath. Also aids sleep. You have my utmost sympathy, life with these conditions is utter hell.

NRatched · 09/10/2020 18:12

'LongCovid' is a thing across all age groups, though kids seem to get off with it. From what I have read it seems not that much different to other post viral fatigue. Just its more important of course right now as its covid.

A doctor finding peoples suffering amusing should not be a doctor tbh.

NRatched · 09/10/2020 18:12

Also I think I technically have longcovid, though I am not suffering as such as luckily the only part thats stayed with me (6 month+ on) is the loss of taste. Starting to think it will never be back tbh

Gingernaut · 09/10/2020 18:13

It's a virus.

Post viral syndrome is a known condition.

A virus which causes blood clots and multiple organ failures will have a significant post viral recovery.

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