Long Covid moan

[TheLetterZ]

I had (suspected as no tests) Covid last March, felt truly horrible and was close to calling for help but could manage to speak and lips weren’t blue which was the requirement at the time.

Long Covid just won’t go away! Went to see doctor about it in August and ended up on blood thinner for a month, chest ct and x-ray and ecg, which all came back clear. Gradually the chest pain cleared and whilst still not normal energy levels not feeling floored either.

I was feeling better over Christmas so thought I would do some light exercise to try and regain some fitness. I did the Joe Wicks 10 minute workouts which left me really out of breath and now the sore lungs have returned (could be coincidence?). It feels like something is pressing down on my chest and there is a tight band around my ribs, under my boobs, making it hard to take a deep breath. And the tiredness is back.

I’m taking a duvet day, snuggled up with the dog, reading and flicking though MN. But feeling sorry for myself and a bit worried. I’m only 43 and couldn’t even do a 10 minute old person workout!

How long is this going to go on for? What is the best to do to aid recovery? Anyone else in the same/similar situation?

If you are on fb search for Long Covid Support Group 33,000 people all saying the same thing. Hope you feel better soon.

Thanks I will look it up.

It is just so frustrating.

Anyone else fancy a long Covid moan?

I really don’t mean to be offensive here but are you sure this is just not you being really deconditioned? I started exercising again in December after nearly 18 months of nothing (hyperemesis pregnancy & then newborn) & god, I thought I was going to die 😂 I couldn’t breathe, my chest hurt for days as did my muscles! But I plodded on & fitness is returning a little now! Still knackered though!

@TheLetterz I am exactly the same. Suspected Covid in March left with chest pain and shortness of breath for months. I spent months not even being able to go for a walk if it involved a hill. My chest would burn feel tight and my lungs would feel too small. Previous to being ill I ran and did HIIT so I was very fit. Chest xrays clear. I have just managed to start exercising very gently. As long as I do very light short cardio I am OK. I have appointment with the post Covid clinic in March (was originally Jan but...). I feel for you it's horrible and frightening along with minimal medical help.

@MoirasRoses not offensive at all, but not sure what to do about it. Cutting my husbands hair with clippers left me out of breath!

Do I rest up as lungs hurt or try to push on?

@Kitcat122 sorry you are feeling the same (but also reassuring). How did you get referred to long Covid clinic? I’m wondering if I should go back to doctors but know they are incredibly busy (understatement) at the moment.

I don’t have long COVID but I do have a chronic illness that causes pain and fatigue. If I have a flare, I immediately lose all strength and resilience and have to build up from scratch.

I think you probably are deconditioned if you haven’t done much exercise since March. That’s not a criticism at all, it’s just what happens. I don’t know what Joe Wicks workout you tried but his all seem quite intense to me, I definitely wouldn’t be able to do even 10 mins. I would start with something non cardio like yoga. It looks easy but it does really help you build up strength over time. Try Yoga with Adrienne, she seems very popular. Hope you feel better soon.

You have no confirmation that you had Covid. Your tests have come back clear and you state you have long Covid?

Maybe try easing into exercise instead of doing a YouTube workout.

@Newt432 there was no testing for Covid unless you were hospitalised. I had all the symptoms but didn’t need to go to hospital (I could still talk and lips hadn’t turned blue). The symptoms just didn’t go away. Blood test 5 months showed increased risk of clotting, which is not uncommon in long Covid, hence the blood thinner.

GP I saw said suspected long Covid. So I’m going with it is a reasonable assumption.

And yes I am very deconditioned, which is why I was trying the Joe Wicks for seniors workouts but once this flare up has eased off I will try something else. Any recommendations for easing into exercise?

' It feels like something is pressing down on my chest and there is a tight band around my ribs, under my boobs, making it hard to take a deep breath. And the tiredness is back.'

Sounds like you could have an atypical chest infection . Ring Gp? they sound more acute symptoms ..these are my exact chest infection symptoms every time . I'm not saying it's not long covid , but just sounds it's more acute .

I was refered by my GP. I bugged my GP as I am 45 and was previously very fit. To me bring felt breathlessness and with chest pain and very high blood pressure needs further investigation.

Being left with breathlessness *

Sympathy OP.

My cousin (very fit, mid 20s mountaineer) and her nurse boyfriend had it in March -
he is still in hospital and she's had to move in with her parents because she can't make it upstairs yet. These two are fitness fans so people thinking it's just being de conditioned or lazy don't understand it at all (but doctors don't seem to either yet).

I don't have any advice other than just taking each day at a time.

(As I'm here though, I was wondering whether you're still eating normally as I'd like to send my cousin a cake (she doesn't do flowers!) and I want it to be a surprise so can't ask her...)

I wasn’t super fit, nor super unfit, probably somewhere in the middle and no exercise since March has definitely had its toll. But it I agree it isn’t just that.

I don’t think it is a chest infection as this is exactly how it felt in the summer but if it doesn’t improve I might give my gp a call to check.

As for food, yes I have been eating normally if not a bit more than I should given lack of exercise.

@Newt432

You have no confirmation that you had Covid. Your tests have come back clear and you state you have long Covid?

Maybe try easing into exercise instead of doing a YouTube workout.

Covid denial alert!

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it is a duck.

This person is pretty likely describing long covid, which is why their DOCTOR suspects it too.

OP - see your doctor and ask for more support.

I know someone who has been diagnosed with long covid. No testing available in March when she was ill but confirmed antibody test in Aug and again in October. She is permanently exhausted alongside other symptoms such as breathlessness, hair falling out and digestive problems. Luckily her doctor is sympathetic and she has been referred to a long covid clinic. OP please push your gp for referral and I really hope you get to grips with it. My friend also has low vit d and b12 which doesn’t help.
PPs who are being dismissive please try to understand that long covid is very real and very debilitating.

NICE have published a long COVID guideline - might be worth having a read and getting your GP to see what is available in your area.

Me too, OP. I had it in March, just before lockdown. I was briefly hospitalised though sent home as my stats were too good. I spent March and April in bed and it was July before I really felt "well".

I'm my chest is the one thing that's still not right. And, like you, I cannot exercise at all. I'm a former gym bunny, so nothing at all to do with fitness. I bought a treadmill before xmas, and where before i'd run for miles, if i now walk more than 3mph for more than ten minutes, my airways tighten and I'm breathless for hours. The cold weather isn't helping either. My airways, throat and nose burn when it's cold.

I've seen a respiratory specialist twice and there's nothing they can do...apparently! I've managed to get my Dr to prescribe me inhalers this week, so let's see what they do!

One thing that has helped me immensely is turmeric in high doses. My chest improved greatly after i started the pills. But I reckon there's airway damage that won't every fully mend itself. Though i hope i'm wrong. A friend had pneumonia a few years ago, and it took her over a year for her chest and breathing to be normal again. Perhaps we will be the same.

But that's the problem - the unknown. It's such a new virus that no one knows what the long term effects will be.

I've seen that Long Covid clinics are being setup throughout the UK, so that's my next step. Maybe you could enquire about it, too?

Rheumatology will test you to see if you had it.

@inquietant 😂 funny. I’m not a Covid denier. I’ve had it myself in December. Confirmed by testing. I’m pro vaccine etc

But do believe that there is going to be a whole host of people that claim long Covid with no evidence.
Almost like everything is long Covid now 🙄

[quote Newt432]@inquietant 😂 funny. I’m not a Covid denier. I’ve had it myself in December. Confirmed by testing. I’m pro vaccine etc

But do believe that there is going to be a whole host of people that claim long Covid with no evidence.
Almost like everything is long Covid now 🙄[/quote]
Except as the OP said - their doctor also suspects long covid.

You denied the OP's story with no grounds.

It is very common for people to say 'I know covid exists but I think x aspect is exaggerated' - this is called covid minimisation, a close relative of out and out denial.

I had covid mid October and still have some issues related to covid. Got a weird feeling when I breathe like a flutter or ruttle it's an odd one to explain. This past week I did a couple of walks and some light exercise and I've had a flare up with the joint pain. I've got a phone appointment with the asthma nurse and doctors next week to go over the last of the lingering symptoms. Pre-covid I walked 15,000 steps a day and exercised 4 - 5 times a week.

I too had Covid last March. The gp thought so at the time. I was running 5k a day but now I darent risk it as chest pain resurfaces. My x ray was clear too but x rays are primitive. Probably need a scan tbh.

I feel your pain. I'm sick of it. I caught a cold at Christmas and that put me back in bed when it wouldn't have otherwise done.

I do also get a little bit fed up of people who haven't gone through this saying 'are you sure you are not just unfit?' Ffs! We are not fucking idiots!

Glad its not just me I feel like I could scream some days. I have times when I wonder if its in my head yknow? I've not been back to work since October (education) and the agency I work for have made the decision to furlough some staff but not all I've got a feeling its because I've not been in work which isn't a fault of mine. I just wish I knew what the weird thing is when I breathe I can mention it to the asthma nurse. Hoping the doctors might be able to help with the joint pain too 🙏

DD has had Long Covid since May. She's now been diagnosed with PoTS and while that might not apply to everyone with LC, I do think Covid has triggered a form of dysautonomia in a whole raft of people. DD is now under a private cardiologist who has prescribed her Ivabradine which has resolved her dizziness and chest pain. Before then we found that her chest pain eased off with aspirin and made it more tolerable.

I find it abhorrent that anyone might think someone would make up having LC. What perks do they imagine they are getting from that? I often find that people who believe the worst in others are just showing you their own standards.

I had covid in October, confirmed by a positive pcr test done in hospital.
I wound up in hospital due to breathlessness, chest pains, dangerously high blood pressure, etc.
I was off work for 7 weeks before returning in a reduced timetable for a while.

It is now 3 months on and I still struggle. As I'm CV and due to my specific role I am working from home. Tbh I'm so great FIL to be able too as I can spend longer sat down as walking around too much makes me breathless and increases chest pain.

I still suffer from fatigue, breathlessness, chest pain, some nausea, and my blood pressure remains high despite medication. Infact I started a second medication for that this week.

As an indirect result of covid, I was unable to take my arthritis injection medication for 3 weeks - this in turn triggered a flare up which left me with swollen joints and immense pain, often switching joints on and off over the weeks. This week I managed to get a steroid injection which I hope will settle that all down.

The trouble is the arthritis flare ups also increase pain and fatigue so half the time I've no idea whether it's that, long covid or more.

I need to get some gentle exercise and it will hopefully help, but the flare ups and the ongoing issues is really restricting this. It's like a vicious circle that's hard to break, but I definitely can't risk my joints during a flare up regardless.

I had pneumonia which hospitalised me about 11 years ago (pre arthritis diagnosis) and I remember the post viral stuff lasting ages and tbh even then it was almost a year before I felt back totally back to normal. So I do hopefully see that it will go eventually,