'Long Covid' / 'Covid Long-haulers'

I have to admit I'm getting pretty sick of having a headache.
0/10, would not recommend.

Here's yet another article, this time a summary of the state of knowledge so far, and the different types of 'Long Covid':

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/15/long-covid-what-we-know-so-far

I suspect it won't be worth posting every article about this going forward, as the basic patterns seem to be recognised now, but here's a study trying to identify who's most at risk.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/21/women-aged-50-60-at-greatest-risk-of-long-covid-experts-suggest

It's still so early in studying this.

So, this is extremely interesting--it seems as if severe COVID-19 cases as well as 'Long COVID' may be driven by auto-immune over-reactions. I think this is potentially very good news for the investigation of auto-immune diseases generally, as it may help shed light on the underlying mechanisms and see more research funding become available for this strand of work, especially, perhaps, for suspected post-viral auto-immune problems such as ME.

Scientists have long known that conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus and multiple sclerosis are driven by the immune system malfunctioning and attacking the body. But less is known about viral infections and their ability to induce autoimmune reactions.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2020/dec/13/autoantibodies-may-be-driving-severe-covid-cases-study-shows

Early days, obviously just one more non-peer-reviewed study, but intriguing, I think.

Hope all those with continuing symptoms have seen them lightening!

So after being sure we had covid earlier in the year, and having been experiencing long covid type symptoms, we’ve both just tested positive for Covid. Lol.

I’m weirdly relived as it makes me think the symptoms of long covid were probably more lockdown related than as a result of covid itself.

Now, fingers crossed I don’t get long covid from actually having covid.

You might have got it twice, there are more and more examples of that happening to people:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-55338875

Hope you don't have it bad and you feel better soon.

Been sweating bullets for the last few days. Achey as fuck. But feeling better today at least.

What's the estimate for how many people have had it in the UK now? Even if it's only 1% of those infected that are susceptible to reinfection, that's still tens of thousands of people.

Confirmed positive tests are around the 1.95 million mark, which is around 2.8% of the population. Actual cases could be around 5x that figure according to a lot of sources, due to large numbers of people only having minor symptoms which they ignore, not bothering to get tested, or simply being asymptomatic.

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jan/28/scientists-liken-long-covid-symptoms-to-those-of-ebola-survivors

A specialist clinic has been opened in Ilford:

General physicians, phycologists, respiratory specialists, occupational therapists and physiotherapists have now been employed at the clinic, where therapies include singing lessons to help retrain breathing.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/surge-long-covid-patients-first-clinic-ilford-east-london-b925216.html

Some new research:

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2021/jun/24/more-than-2m-adults-in-england-have-had-long-covid-for-over-12-weeks-study

Some victims' stories:

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/24/your-body-just-stops-long-covid-sufferers-face-new-ordeals-as-sick-pay-runs-out

A co worker came back to work this week after being hospitalized.
He used to be annoyingly hyperactive, pushing loaded cargo carts around and almost running people over. Very fit, mid thirties.
Yesterday he was pushing an empty cart slowly and gasping. It’s like he has lost 90 percent of his lung function.
We have had two employees die and one is in hospital right now.
I am worried.

Woke up to a message saying my 44 y/o cousin had died overseas from a heart attack. He had lifestyle risk symptoms (overweight but not obese, social smoker and drinker, high stress at work) but he also had long covid issues with breathing and his heart from an infection last year or at the beginning of the year.

Happy freedom day folks. Take good care of yourselves, including reducing stress.

One of my gf’s best friends got covid in March last year along with her entire office. She had a ‘funny tummy’ for nearly 6 months afterwards, then it just cleared up.

BBC urging younger people to get vaccinated along with some Long Covid snippets.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-58301011

https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/32127148/clemson-defensive-end-justin-foster-my-struggle-long-haul-covid?

This is a very interesting article on post-viral conditions generally. I'm mainly interested in this because of the link between post-viral conditions and autoimmune diseases.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/sep/12/long-covid-post-illnes-symptoms-common

Six weeks ago my wife had covid, tested positive for two weeks but has been left very run down ever since. Low energy, struggling to maintain focus, and gets worn out by simple tasks.

Any suggestions on how to improve this?

The advice I have been given is rest as much as you can.
I'll share my experience, in case it's useful anyone.
I had Covid at the start of Feb, was only positive for 5-6 days. Didn't feel too bad at the time.
The following week (when I was negative again), I had terrible headaches, to the point that I couldn't work and just laid in bed for three days.
6 months on I am still experiencing headaches, brain fog, massive fatigue.
A fortnight ago I did a slow Parkrun, having felt quite a lot better for a couple of weeks. I was subsequently very headachey for the whole week and still have a constant, low-level headache now.
Any upright activities (walking/running/standing) seem worse/harder than more recumbent/horizontal activities (cycling or swimming - albeit gently)
I finally had a chat with the GP last week and have been referred to the Long Covid Clinic (whatever that means). I've had a chest xray and more blood tests and I guess I'm awaiting an appointment now.

Do you have any more information about the long covid clinic? My wife had been told she might need to visit one but our GP receptionist was unaware of such places.

I'm afraid not. I didn't know such a thing existed until the GP mentioned it. He only referred me after having had a load of other blood tests a couple of months ago that were inconclusive and it having been 6 months for me.
I do know that the GP said that nothing would be done at all until 3 months after having had Covid, so regardless I think she probably has a while longer to wait yet unless she gets rushed into A&E.
I hope she feels a lot better soon :)

I've attended the Lambeth one at King's. Yes it took 3 months before GP would consider it a chronic condition, and about another 2 or 3 for GP referral to come through, blood tests, x-rays. I had to push GP pretty hard, and they messed up the referral admin, which meant e.g. 3 visits for blood tests, rather than one.

Health position sounds pretty similar to @Quincy, except no real headaches, thankfully.

Clinic is cross-discliplinary team of doctors, respiratory specialists, physios etc. I though there might be psychologists/counselling etc but they referred me back to GP/central services when I asked.

On this point, as @Quincy says (and assuming like me there is no known respiratory damage) the advice I was given at clinic boils down to something like:

'find out what you can do each day (mental as well as physical) and then do significantly less than that'.

Thing is I'd just learnt this the hard way by gradually recovering for about 5 months, then feeling significantly better, and ramping exercise/responsibility/travel up too soon... put myself back by months.