Post Covid exhaustion - please help

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I first tested positive 24 days ago and had a cough, snot, headache and exhaustion for about 2 weeks. I’m a single parent and couldn’t get my dc to school during this time so it was pretty hard work.

I’ve been testing negative for a week now but I am still just beating exhausted. I was supposed to be taking dc on holiday last Friday but cancelled as I genuinely do not feel safe to drive the 90 minutes to the airport. During the school holidays I’ve been taking them out for a couple of hours in the morning and then coming home and falling asleep for 3/4 hours. Absolutely dead to the world sleep, yesterday I came in and just lay down on the sitting room floor and fell fast asleep still in my shoes and coat for 2 hours. When I wake up I don’t feel any less tired. I’ve spoken to my GP and had a blood test but I’m not anemic and I’ve just been told it takes time to get over.

My house is an absolute disgrace. I have to sit down on the toilet to brush my teeth as I’m too tired to stand up, I was sitting down in the shower but I nearly fell asleep and now stand up but need a 20 minute lie down afterwards.

I’m at the end of my tether. I have no help. I can’t do anything and my children are basically being neglected as they’re being stuck on screens for hours while I’m fast asleep.

Has anyone else had this? Did it fade? When? Anything at all that I can do?

Hopeful bump

It’s up with a friend today who had it a few weeks ago and was absolutely floored by it - she’s upper fit so was a real shock. She said today she’s still a bit tired but pretty much back to normal!

I was reading another thread today and it looks like you need to assume 4-8 weeks recovery. My husband tested positive nearly three weeks ago and is still really tired but I can see he is very slowly getting better. You need to rest as much as you can right now, don't worry about the house and screens. Hopefully with the children back at school you will find you start to feel better.

OP I feel your pain, though I'm not as bad as you by the sound of it and tested positive about 2 weeks ago. I am soooo tired and happy to crawl into bed as soon as I can after tea. I feel like I'm about 90 !!!
I have however experienced this sort of exhaustion once before, after flu about 10 years ago. It lasted for about 4-6 weeks after the initial infection so fingers crossed there is light at the end of the tunnel. I think the only thing you can do is rest lots, eat as well as you can, stay away from alcohol and try not to over do it.
In my mind this is what convalescence looks/feels like - something that you only see in old films, but that is sadly lacking in modern life.

@LeftFootForward I was reading something earlier about Florence Nightingale spending several years in bed after she got ill and all I could think was how lucky she was. I bet she got laudanum too and had a wonderful time.

Ha ha, I'm not sure I'd fancy several years in bed but maybe a few weeks in a 5 star spa/convalescence place with fantastic food, beautiful peaceful countryside and a few health massage/treatments to realign my chakras 😊😂

How old are dc?

Can you let their school know?

@Lemondrop2 the school have been absolutely useless. Dc are 9 and 6 and have been given 8 days unauthorised absence as I was unable to get them to school as I was testing positive. I wasn’t allowed to drop dc2 at the gate or collect him from the gate, it had to be from the classroom door and if any other parent was to walk him out to me they would then not be allowed into school property for 3 days until they had tested negative as they had interacted with someone with Covid. It’s all absolute rubbish.

Hi, I'm sorry you've been hit so hard by post viral fatigue. I was exactly like you after Covid. My body just wasn't making energy and I need so much sleep. I had to sit down a lot too as standing was so hard and made me feel dizzy. I was very fatigued and off work for 3 months but am now 6 months post infection and about 50% recovered. It has been a gradual process and the house has been a tip until recently, but I am recovering, slowly but surely.
Everything I've read, and what my GP told me is you have to rest as much as you possibly can, for as long as you possibly can.
Vitamins probably won't help, but won't do any harm and will make sure you're not deficient.
Also, research pacing yourself. It means you should have rests between everything you do, and always sit down to do a task if possible. Try to expend as little energy as possible. Move slowly, talk quietly etc Get the kids involved with the laundry for example.
Also, the long Covid clinic recommend keeping your heart rate below 90-100 beats per minute at all times. That seems to have helped me.
Mostly, rest as much as you can and don't try to "push through" the fatigue.
Ask for help from anyone you can think of and try to get the kids to do any jobs around the house you think they would manage.
You may recover fully in weeks but it could be a few months.
Look after yourself 💐

@Budapestdreams thank you, it’s good to hear I’m not the only one affected. I feel like I’m just wading through treacle everyday at the moment and my head is constantly fuzzy.

Once the dc are back at school again I’m planning on having a couple of weeks of just staying in bed the whole time that they’re out of the house. I’m not working at the moment thankfully so there is that at least.

Sorry you're feeling so poorly. My fatigue wasn't so bad but I found I got dizzy/brain fog/ache all over if I did too much. After 5 weeks I still have back ache and get breathless doing a brisk walk but I'm a lot better than I was even two weeks ago so hopefully it'll happen for you too.
As an aside your DCs school seems crazy, I'd contest any fine. DS had it the same time as me, but they were not only happy for DD to attend they expected her to. And were happy for DH to collect when he wasn't also positive.

I had it a month ago and am still shattered. Usually I exercise a lot and eat healthily and everyone describes me as 'energetic' and 'always on the go'.

I hate it.

What I have found helpful is CoQ-10 - a friend who had long covid recommended it and I bought the max strength one from Boots and definitely noticed a change in my energy levels.

Interesting about the heart rate thing @Budapestdreams - I did a lot of reading and it said some exercise was good, so I went for an hour's swim and felt EXHAUSTED afterwards! But I'm miserable not exercising, and all my clothes are getting tight and I feel crap.

Eating blueberries, drinking green tea, dark chocolate - these are all good for fighting inflammation and it's inflammation (apparently) that causes this exhaustion. I def feel better the healthier I eat. Also red wine!

Hope you perk up soon OP. I am gutted to have been hit like this. I know it could have been worse, but still I feel pissed off to be taken down like this when I generally consider myself pretty healthy.

I would also recommend coenzyme q10 and also nicotinic acid (flushing form of niacin/ vitamin b3). There seems to be a lot of data suggesting covid interferes with NAD production and both of these help to replete your NAD energy stores. You could also try vitamin D and B12 in case you have become deficient in either of these as a result of your infection.

Thank you @JS87 I have ordered some on your suggestion

Thanks, will look at those. I did wonder if it was worth contacting the doctor to get my bloods checked but as I'm slowly improving feel like I'd be wasting their time.

I had it mid February. It took 6 weeks for the major exhaustion and brain fog to clear. I still get very tired if I overdo things.

@Jules912

Thanks, will look at those. I did wonder if it was worth contacting the doctor to get my bloods checked but as I'm slowly improving feel like I'd be wasting their time.

@Jules912

I really don't think they will think you're wasting their time.

Twice I've said to medics that I was "really sorry I feel I've wasted your time" (when the result ended up okay) and they were really keen to reassure me that I wasn't and it was right to check things out.

My GP did my bloods which were also fine. However, a lot of the exhaustion, dizziness and feeling weak did feel a lot like anaemia, so it's a good idea to rule that out. They also check thyroid functions as having an underactive thyroid can leave you very lethargic.
Both thyroid problems and anaemia can be treated so GPs always think it's worth checking.

It's horrible, OP, I sympathise. I was off work about 6 weeks, (had Delta back in October).

I really didn't get much better, still struggling with breathlessness if I walk up the stairs, and a racing heart. Fatigue, muscle weakness. I don't recognise the woman I am now, as I can't do anything 🙁I did go to the GP and had a comprehensive set of bloods, which found issues with my thyroid. I'm seeing an endocrinologist today.

Who knows if it was caused by Covid, but if you aren't getting better after a month or so it might be worth seeing your GP.

I'm glad I came across this thread! I'm also struggling with exhaustion after having covid last month but anyone I know who's had covid had no issues with tiredness. Work is extremely busy and I'm having Red Bull every day to get through the meetings. I understand people saying you should take it easy but surely for most people that isn't possible.

I know what you mean about having a fuzzy head and feeling like you're wading through treacle. I feel exactly the same and I hope it passes soon. Does caffeine help? I'm finding I need a LOT of it to make a difference but it does do something at least. I hope you feel better soon.

I came on the covid board for much the same reason. I'm reasonably fit, and full-on symptoms only lasted a day or two. But I feel so dispirited to be tired after the slightest exertion. I just fall asleep. And the constant brain fog just wears me down. This is a week after testing +ive.

I've found my people. Here too 😞

I tested neg 2 weeks ago, but still have symptoms: a cough, sore throat, hoarse voice, headaches, feeling like I have a hangover all the time. And just sooo tired.

I have an important work event to run on Saturday and I just don't know how I'm going to deliver. I'm just knackered.

@MaMaLa321 @Flippydip
I'm similar and so is my DH. Now on day 11 / day 10 and now fairly symptom free apart from both having real exhaustion. Have talked to at least 6 people we know who've had it / got it recently and all say they felt exhausted for 2-4 weeks after infection ☹️

Trying to take it really easy and rest, but it's very slow going and frustrating at the moment.

I've taken some useful tips from this thread, namely to rest, not push my heart rate up (I hate not exercising but when I have done it, I have been wiped out for a day or two, so I'm stopping for now), and to take CoQ-10 and nicotinamide (I take a supplement I found on Amazon called TruNiagen).

Given B vitamins are cited, I'm also have a piece of toast with LOTS of Marmite on it every day. And I'm having a bath with magnesium salts every time I remember.

I'm drinking lots of green tea, eating dark chocolate and blueberries. And trying to cut back on the crap.

I'm five weeks on from when I first got ill and am definitely getting more energy back, but it is SLOW!

Sleep when you can, and give yourself a break is my advice.

I did see the doctor, and he was lovely and said that sometimes it does just take this long to recover but so long as I'm improving, no matter how slowly, I should eventually get better. He recommended resting as much as possible, and to do gentle exercise like walking but don't push it.