Long Covid and the return of extreme fatigue

I'm not afraid to admit that when the two strips lit up on my RAT test, I felt a little wave of panic. And who wouldn't, if you have ME/CFS lived experience? I was concerned that covid would send me spiraling back to the early days of my ME/CFS onset; a place I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.

Fortunately, the first three weeks of covid were quite mild. I had a sore throat, accompanied by muscle aches and of course fatigue. Fatigue was the worst issue for me and perhaps in hindsight, should have been my signal that things may get a lot worse.  This was especially relevant considering the fatigue I experience with ME/CFS flares.

Dr Google, self-medication, and eating my way out of Long Covid.

Having read a few articles on 'Dr Google' about the possible inflammatory activity that could be present with covid, I promptly 'self-medicated' by taking antihistamines and anti-inflammatories.  I hoped this would keep my covid mild. 

I also played it safe by lying on the couch watching a bunch of mini-series and avoiding unnecessary exercise. It took about 2 - 3 weeks before I felt 'okish' so I decided to try a short walk around the block. 

The next day I felt pretty exhausted and also noticed something that plagued me in the early days of ME/CFS. This was the sensation of feeling as though I was fainting or encountering a sudden sugar low. 

Easy! Surely I could eat my way out of this feeling? And that's exactly what I started to do. As soon as a wave hit, I would sit, eat and relax. Feeling more confident, I decided to take a quick shopping outing with my sister.

About 15 minutes into it, we met a girlfriend and stopped to chat. And that's when things started to go pear-shaped! We'd been standing for a while when I suddenly felt really unwell. I thought I was going to faint on the spot. 

Was this long covid setting in and if so, what could I do?

Long story short, 12 weeks later I was still busted and shuffling from room to room.  A strange rash erupted around my torso and under my armpits.

I booked into my GP who ran a raft of tests, that you guessed it, returned normal results, apart from my amylase levels.

Was this long covid or had covid ignited my ME/CFS to be the flare of all flares?  

I decided to double down on ME/CFS support mechanisms that seemed to work for me in the past*.

  • Increasing my water intake, supplemented with electrolytes. 
  • Taking an enhanced version of CoQ10 created right here in New Zealand.
  • Taking magnesium and a shot of cherry juice before bed to assist with sleep.
  • Pacing physical activity. Where I may have walked most days, I walk every 2nd day and ensure that my exercise is gentle, not intense.

There's one other thing I've ben doing and will continue to do while I wait for science to solve MECFS. And that's spreading the word about coppered.nz as my way of fundraising for critical medical research.

If you're impacted by MECFS or long covid, please join my movement to help fund a cure, by buying your piece of coppered® jewellery today. All profits are DONATED to organisations focused on solving ME/CFS.

 www.coppered.nz

*Please note The things that worked for me, may not assist you.  I have no proof of efficacy and am not a medical practitioner. I'm simply sharing my experiences. Please ensure that you check with a medical professional before adding anything new to your daily routine, (even supplements), as these may interfere with other medications you are taking. 

Sally Cox, Founder Coppered Company

     

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