Last year I got COVID, which turned into long COVID.
COVID Timeline
I tested positive for COVID in early August, 2023. The symptoms of my acute infection were very mild.
Over and over again I thought I was recovered and returned to work, got exhausted, and crashed. The crashes would take days of bed rest to recover. Finally I took medical leave and rested 2.5 months. Then I tried returning to work again, but did not have the stamina even for half days, so in January of 2024 I went back on medical leave.
In late June of 2024 it’s like a switch flipped and suddenly I had more energy and my crashes stopped. I am still somewhat cautious, but I’m able to work, walk 2.5 miles every day, and fish for hours in my kayak. I have my life back.
Read more about treatments I believe have helped.
Before COVID
Before COVID I was very active, woodworking with hand tools, mowing my grass with an old fashioned reel mower, kayak fishing, walking 2.5 miles every day, not to mention working every day. During most of my long COVID journey I was only able to do a tiny fraction of what I used to.
Symptoms
I was diagnosed with the chronic fatigue syndrome phenotype of long COVID.
My main symptom was fatigue and post-exertional malaise. Sometimes I also had brain fog, “bobblehead,” and chills. Sometimes when I feel bad my blood pressure is low.
Disclaimers
You may not want to listen to me. I have no medical training and this is just one person’s experience.
However, I hope that writing down my experiences can help someone else. Writing is also a way to rehab my brain so I could get back to work.
I have no sponsors, affiliate links, or other financial interests related to these articles.
Remember I am only sharing my experience. Long COVID looks very different for different people.