"Long COVID" 2 years on

[Maiden Stone]

"Inside Health" Radio 4, Tuesday 15th March, repeated now, 3.30 p.m., Wednesday 16th March on the topic of Long COVID.
The programme is revisiting some people who suffered from Long COVID after catching the virus in 2020. Their progress has been followed over the past 2 years.
Input from an expert. Ongoing research.
Many similarities to M.E.
"Inside Health" will keep in contact with the interviewees over the next year.   

[roopat]

My daughter has ME and we are all hoping the research into Long Covid will bring this awful condition into the limelight and bring some hope of a cure.


Pat

[LizzieL]

It is terrible that some people have such long term and debilitating effects. And there seems to be no correlation between severity of illness and whether it results in Long Covid. On Saturday I met a friend (in person) only for the second time since March 2020. He contracted Covid in mid March 2020, a few days before the first lockdown. He was in an induced coma on a ventilator for about six weeks. He was given some sort of experimental treatment - antibodies I think - and survived, although it was touch and go for a bit. He was in hospital until mid May, then a rehabilitation centre to learn to walk again. He was extremely lucky and didn't get long Covid despite being so ill. He did have some effect from having the tube in his throat last year, but that doesn't appear so troublesome now. He's 73 and otherwise in good health.

[CaroleW]

My niece’s friend was 53 & a care worker when she contracted Covid in 2020.  She was in hospital for several weeks & needed a wheelchair & other aids when she was finally discharged. 

She suffered extreme fatigue & weakness & it also affected her heart.  She has since had some form of heart surgery.  She still needs a wheelchair when outdoors & uses a stick indoors.   Needless to say - she has had to retire on health grounds which has caused financial hardship

[BushInn1746]

Coronaviruses are not just attacking the lungs, but can also cause harm to the gastrointestinal tract, our GI and digestive system.

Our GI system and gut is also responsible for breaking down the fibre in healthy foods, fruits and vegetables, converting and extracting valuable nutrients from these that our bodies need to sustain life.

Signs can be constipation and stomach cramps or other related GI problems, such as nausea etc. My GI system was left affected and was getting the usual hunger sensation from the stomach at meal times together with feelings of severe nausea. One of the suggestions from Scientists is that the Vagus nerve might also have been left damaged where it joins.

I had constipation with a dry upper respiratory cough early 2020 and still have thirst and nausea. I was later diagnosed with inflammation. According to Hospital Doctors recently it is when the inflammation flares up in my chest that it affects my heart and pulse.

I've also had (AKI) Accute Kidney Injury where my kidney fuction has stopped or been insulted for accute (brief) periods, confirmed by 26 occasional blood tests since 2020.

Immune responses trigger Inflammation. Scientists were claiming that inflammation is the body's clean-up where the dead cells are kicked out, after the battle between a virus or infection and our Immune System.

Inflammation triggered by the immune response is supposed to calm naturally, but it doesn't in some people and runs on and becomes problematic or even an enemy and in some cases causing organ trouble, arthritis or other unwanted health conditions.

Healthy foods, vegetables and fruits and avoiding processed foods, avoiding food containing saturated and trans fats (I was never one for fast food, carry-outs or sugary drinks), along with daily walks and proper rest and water hydration seem to help my body, kidneys, G.I. system and my heart.

https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/foods-that-fight-inflammation

The Hospital Doctor has prescribed a low dose of a blood pressure drug that seems to help my heart beat freely, but longer term I'm also fairly sure that my anti-inflammatory diet and daily anti-inflammatory fruits are also really helping my symptoms too.

The only fruit I need to avoid is grapefruit (which is known to contraindicate with my prescription) and Oranges which are known to be high in sugar.

Take care, Mark