Anyone will with Covid 2+months this year?

[colouringindoors]

Hi. I came down with Covid for the third time this September. Still ill. Trying not to panic that this is Long Covid...

Anyone else had it for a while? Did it clear eventually? If so any advice?

Currently still have major headache, brain fog, fatigue, post exertional malaise, less appetite, zero interest in wine (unusual for me!)

Thank you

Hi @colouringindoors so sorry to hear that you're still unwell. To be honest I was totally floored by it over the summer- probably beyond the 3 month mark and I now feel like I have it again. I'm not testing positive this time though- so it could be something else but gosh I feel shabby like I did before and the emotional symptoms are horrendous!
Definitely the fatigue and brain fog you mention.
But I do feel that this is either a new bout of covid or some other virus and I was more susceptible to any illness as wasn't quite over the summer episode. Very demoralised by being unwell for so long though
This morning I was in bits- mood so bloody low- but my partner tells me that a stack of people are off at his work with something like this today which I have to say I'm quite relieved about- I honestly thought I was having a psychiatric episode!!
Sorry bit of a ramble. I think my point is that I understand your worry about long covid- I felt like that from 2 months onwards with the summer bout- but I did start to come out of it and I'm pretty sure I now have something else- even if it's a new bout of covid- rather than it being long covid per se.
Look after yourself- you were very kind to me on a previous covid thread and I do hope you turn a corner soon- I'm sure you will.

Oh @BustyCrustacean thanks so much for replying, I really appreciate it. Really sorry you're feeling so shit at the moment, sounds horrible.

I've been doing loads of reading today around LongCovid - i find it helpful to understand the biology of different aspects. Also follow a couple of people on Youtube. One guy who's been researching it for years posted this and it resonated with me.

While long covid is definutely a real illness and theres loads of research on different pathologies going on eg micro clotting, histamine response, mitochondria impact, it really made me think that for me there's an element of burnout that maybe has made it so persistent. I had a hugely demanding six months leading up to end of August when a number of things resolved and I could relax. I don't think its a councidence that I caught Covid at the beginning of September...

Anyhow I'm going to do a load of Yoga as part of a long covid programme designed to calm the nervous system and provide some company. Just need to make a plan for my main job (which is physically demanding and I can't do at the moment) and try and minimise all activity for at least the next couple of months...

Anyway that's enough of a brain download!

Oh and there's evidence that Covid/LongCovid impacts on the body's Serotonin levels - which would explain many people's low mood and anxiety...

Thanks @colouringindoors I'll take a look at that. I agree there may well be exacerbating factors- your sheer exhaustion, for example, that could make a person susceptible to a long bout of covid/long covid itself. My partner invariably gets ill once he's finished a stressful period of time at work- it seems like that's happened to you
For me- I've never been right since having my ovaries removed and I wouldn't be surprised if middle-aged women in general struggle more with longer covid due to hormone craziness
I think the yoga's a great idea and seems to be a more do-able exercise than hitting the gym.
I'm frustrated that I can't run though- it's something I've been getting into- primarily to combat my rotten mental health- and I just feel so peed off with bloody illness thwarting me- the mind is actually willing but the flesh is weak!
It's reassuring to know that covid has an impact on serotonin- I think when that's combined with middle age and whatever struggles we are going through, it makes for a difficult time
I'm just chilling now, watching all creatures great and small and desperately wanting to live in the dales where the clean air and minimal stress might ward off these incessant illnesses!!
Stuck in the city for now though :)

Hi @BustyCrustacean how are you doing?

Well I'm now 10 weeks in and still not well. Fatigue, breathless, post exertional malaise, poorer cognitive function.

Taking quite a few supplements 🤞

Hi @colouringindoors thanks for asking after me :)
I'm so sorry you're still not right and I do seem to have some similar symptoms- fatigue and cognitive decline for sure! I'm not breathless and in fact I never was but just feel blah!
I don't know what to think- my sleep isn't great and dreams are horrible but I do wonder whether it's also something to do with having had my ovaries removed -4 yrs ago- and not tolerating HRT well over the years- recently given it up as made me miserable but I'm so knackered now.
But I've had periods of time without HRT in the past and exercise made me feel normal- even if only for a couple of hours but now I just can't reach that stage-which makes me think it's covid. I actually feel quite miserable today so apologies for banging on about me!!
I hope the supplements work for you. I'm currently trying creatine as was suggested in meno forum. I need to exercise to really benefit and am managing sporadically.
I just want to feel normal. I do feel like it's been a slog since covid in late July- I feel things have never really rallied from that point onwards.
Do you feel like you're slowly getting there? Or is it hard to tell?
Thanks again- I'm really touched by your thinking of me :)

I had Covid in the summer and was bedridden for almost 2 weeks while the strongest symptoms (vertigo, fatigue) took around ten weeks to go away. I’d have a better day, do too much and they’d be back. Not as severe as at the start but enough to make have to lie down during the day.

I’ve been feeling back to normal for around 3 weeks now.

I had COVID at the beginning of September and was quite unwell, certainly worse than I was the previous time, but it's the after effects I'm struggling with. I just can't shake it off and have been off work sick ever since as I have a physically demanding job and I am just too exhausted to cope with it. I also find myself doing really stupid things that worry me as if I was at work careless mistakes like that would be so dangerous. My mood is very low as a result which isn't helping.

2triangles that has given me some hope so thank you. I hope that's the same for us all.

@Bornlazy oh sympathies. I work as a seld employed gardener and that's impossible.... totally with you on the stupid mistakes- my brain is nowhere near right.

To keep my mood up I've joined some LC facebook groups and have done a load of research on Twitter as well as following a load of long covid medics on there. I'm trying a load of supplements which help me feel I'm doing something constructive. Happy to share if you'd like. I think the main thing for me is accepting that I need to rest. Bare minimum cooking, tidying, laundry. Schedule in one "outing" a day eg today, acupuncture, another day, shop. I've done some yoga - Adriennes yoga for migraines on youtube is good, gentle.

@2triangles thanks so much for sharing your experience - so glad to hear you're doing better.

@BustyCrustacean you're very welcome. I think doing without oestrogen must be very challenging. I upped mine 4 weeks ago and i think it's helped with headaches. I'd recommend acupuncture, I've had it in the past and it's been very helpful. It's a completely holistic approach for health which feels appropriate for me.

A long covid doc in US has recommend following for fatigue:
Berberine
Curcumin
Nattokinase (sorts microclots common with long covid)
Probiotics
I Was already on last 3 three though lower dose curcumin (anti inflam). Berberine works like Metformin which has had good results in research.
Other long covid people have recommended Taurine and Niacin for fatigue.

I picked up my son's cold last week so a bit worse... but acupuncturist confident she can help me feel better so 🤞🤞🤞