Long Covid. A support thread for those who take a while to recover from Covid-19

[Alexandra100]

My main problem is a lack of energy and stamina. I never went into Hospital because my wife is a retired nurse and she gave me "Intensive Care" at home. I am now 80 so I guess that I don't have many years left anyway.

@Kyambala I am nearly 80. I haven't contracted covid, but I certainly suffer from "a lack of energy and stamina" like you. These days at 80 we may well have another 20 years left, so imo we should do our best to enjoy them. Of course you have the wonderful advantage of me in having your wife to care for you. Maybe now she doesn't need to fulfil the role of ICU nurse any more she could switch to therapeutic masseuse, or low(ish) carb dietician or even cheer you up with occupational therapy?
Good luck!

 

[Annb]

@Annb Are you aware of being limited by your lung capacity in everyday life?

It takes very little activity to make me breathless, so I puff and pant a lot. Even a short walk (a few yards) requires about 3 or so minutes of panting to recover my breath. Also breathing is uncomfortable when I lay down - on one side, or the other or my back so I have just taken to sleeping in my big recliner chair in the kitchen and not bothering with bed. Often when sleeping in bed, I have a bad dream in which I am being crushed and suffocated. Then I don't want to go back to sleep in case it happens again. It doesn't happen in the chair. I did think it might be sleep apnoea but I haven't asked a doctor about that - too many other things to be dealt with first.

 

[lucylocket61]

I am still breathless too. My lungs just don't feel like they can inflate properly. I got covid April 2020.

 

[Sugarlisa]

I have been mulling over whether to start this thread for weeks. Much is said here about the risks of dying of Covid being quite low, but not a lot has been said about life after Covid. After receiving lovely support from a poster on another thread yesterday I decided to go ahead and take the plunge and start a thread for those of us who haven't recovered quickly from the illness.

I had Covid-19 back in March and am still struggling. After the 35 days of coughing passed, I declared I was getting over it. How wrong was I?! I still have fatigue, breathlessness, tired limbs, muscle pains, joint pains and my brain just doesn't work as well as it used to. As for BGs, they aren't great either, but I admit I haven't had the energy to test regularly or do anything about them. I was a well controlled T2 before having the virus. I suspect that post Covid my T2 is always going to be a lot harder to control.

Anyhow, enough about me, over to you. How are you? And how are you coping? Let's share our experiences here and maybe we can help one another.

Edit: I have put this thread in the T2 section as I am T2 myself, but please feel free to use this thread if you have another type of diabetes alongside Long Covid, I never meant it to be exclusively for T2s. We're in this together.

I had covid pneumonia and covid diabetes and was hospitalised 4 weeks in a week in icu before going on to covid ward before going onto a chest ward because I was on high flow oxygen and insulin before they changed the diagnose to type 2 and was given meds in nov 21
I’m still breathless since one of my lungs is damaged from covid and the tiredness with poor sleep since I wake up about dreaming from my time on icu thinking I’m coming home to my family but I’ve beaten it and my diabetes type 2 no meds need now unless anything changes when I have my first blood test from given remission

 

[zand]

I had covid pneumonia and covid diabetes and was hospitalised 4 weeks in a week in icu before going on to covid ward before going onto a chest ward because I was on high flow oxygen and insulin before they changed the diagnose to type 2 and was given meds in nov 21
I’m still breathless since one of my lungs is damaged from covid and the tiredness with poor sleep since I wake up about dreaming from my time on icu thinking I’m coming home to my family but I’ve beaten it and my diabetes type 2 no meds need now unless anything changes when I have my first blood test from given remission

Thanks for sharing. I hope your health continues to improve and that your sleep improves too.

 

[Beating-My-Betes]

Hello everyone,

I had covid in the first wave and fell ill on 23rd March 2020.

I now have long covid with a long list of symptoms. I now live with my Partnerin Shetland Scotland as I could no longer look after myself living in Edinburgh.

I know my type 2 diabetes was effected by covid as I felt unwell and had some blood tests, I have brain issues that are effecting my memory, but do remember the digesting me to redo the bloods as he said they were ‘funky’ (new medical term) I redid the bloods and they said they needed to keep an eye on me. Move on a few months and I moved to Shetland, I again had to have my bloods done twice as they thought there was an issue with the lab, again I was told it was high and they needed to keep an eye on it.

The dr I had at the time was beyond incompetent, calling me a week later to see if my long covid symptoms had gone and was shock when I said no! I soon changed doctors and the first one left the practice a few weeks later.

Moving along to last October and I had my boost jag, the first two jags I was unwell for about a week after (this would in no way stop me having more jags) I was called in for my booster and flu jag combined. Well this knocked me on my bum, I was sleeping for 18 hours a day and all my long covid symptoms seemed to increase. In the middle of January I decided I would start doing my bloods, fasting in the morning, before dinner, 2 hours post dinner and then before bed.

I’ve just been in to have a full range of blood tests yesterday (it will take just over a week to come back as they have to go to the Scottish mainland fore some)

I have had type 2 for 9 years though it has been diet controlled on a long term vegan diet (20+ years) I have tried medication but it left me with leg pains and unable to walk. I have had me/cfs for over 20 years but until covid had that under control.

My question would be, does anyone else have high glucose reading? Has it been put down to long covid?

Thank you for your time.

Jayson

View attachment 53188

Welcome to the forum!

Nice to have another vegan. Vegans are like buses, around here. Been waiting for quite a while, then two of you suddenly turn up

 

[Nicel]

Hello. Glad I found this forum post. I’m feeling a bit alone and helpless. Had covid 5 weeks ago and although had 3 jabs and it being my first time I was super poorly with it. The week after I had a bacterial lung infection and having asthma was put onto steroids and antibiotics. I’m still so so fatigued. I work full time and I’ve had to be off sick quite a bit. I’m on holiday now and due back to work on Monday but I’m worried as I can’t manage it. I work from home luckily. I’ve had bloods done. Hba1c 58. Thyroid is quite high but borderline. My serum protein c was 7 so high. The doctors haven’t been much help. I think it’s because they can’t do much maybe. I have a f2f appointment this week with doctor and private healthcare. I want to see a specialist who can help but what kind of specialist can help with this?

Any advice appreciated thanks

 

[KELI]

Thanks for starting this thread, It's helpful to read how others are coping too. I've been battling with symptoms of long covid since I had covid in February 2021. At first I thought it was my seasonal asthma but then had a positive covid test. Symptoms since covid have included shortness of breath, tiredness and exhaustion, burping, anxiety and depression, high blood pressure, painful and hot feet amongst others. Long story short, since having had covid - In May 21 I was still feeling dizzy, tired etc so had a 48 hr blood pressure monitor attached and the result was my bp was high but the GP didn't want to put me on meds back then. I described my symptoms and he said everything I was describing was long covid - no system for diagnosis or treatment back then. In April 22 I finally went long term sick due to my symptoms and anxiety levels since having covid - got put on iron tablets, vitamin D and anti anxiety meds. In October 22 I was told that my lung capacity had reduced by 24% since having had covid - inhalers were changed. In January 23 I got put on blood pressure medication and metformin. Got told that the long covid clinic wouldn't see anyone who was still under the GP. Thankfully, since starting the BP meds the shortness of breath has eased and I can now get upstairs without being out of breath!
Apologies for the essay, just wanted to say stay strong and keep fighting everyone xx

 

[KELI]

Hello. Glad I found this forum post. I’m feeling a bit alone and helpless. Had covid 5 weeks ago and although had 3 jabs and it being my first time I was super poorly with it. The week after I had a bacterial lung infection and having asthma was put onto steroids and antibiotics. I’m still so so fatigued. I work full time and I’ve had to be off sick quite a bit. I’m on holiday now and due back to work on Monday but I’m worried as I can’t manage it. I work from home luckily. I’ve had bloods done. Hba1c 58. Thyroid is quite high but borderline. My serum protein c was 7 so high. The doctors haven’t been much help. I think it’s because they can’t do much maybe. I have a f2f appointment this week with doctor and private healthcare. I want to see a specialist who can help but what kind of specialist can help with this?

Any advice appreciated thanks

There are some private long covid clinics around. Since I had covid in feb 21 I've repeatedly been told by my GP surgery that all they can do is treat the symptoms if that's possible. The rest is a case of coming to terms with it and learning your own limits and living within them. Hope you manage to get some answers.

 

[TriciaWs]

Getting a diagnosis and help with sleep apnoea could make a huge difference to how much energy you have and how you feel - worth bringing this up the to-do-list?

 

[Caprock94]

I had Covid that lasted 3 weeks or so. I’ve felt better the last week or two since, but blood sugar numbers are still running 30 - 40 percent higher. Is this common? How long until they normalize?