Long covid got me good! Here's what I'm doing about it.
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 as someone who's living with ME/CFS. 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 fatigue. Fatigue was probably the worst issue and perhaps should have been my signal that things may get a lot worse.
Dr. Google, Self-Medication & Eating for Long Covid
Having read a few articles on 'Dr Google' about possible inflammatory activity that could accompany Covid-19, I promptly self-medicated* taking antihistamines and anti-inflammatories. I hypothesised rightly or wrongly that this would prevent a spiral into Long Covid.
I also played it safe and lay on the couch watching mini-series and avoided unnecessary exercise. It took about 2 - 3 weeks before I felt 'okish', so I decided to try a short walk around the block.
Unfortunately, the next day I felt exhausted. I also noticed something that plagued me in the early days of ME/CFS; fainting episodes. My solution to this symptom, was to eat. As soon as an episode struck, I would sit, eat and relax. Because I felt confident that I had things under control, I decided to go on a quick shopping excursion with my twin sister.
About 15 minutes into the trip, we met a girlfriend and stopped to chat. And that's when things things began to go pear-shaped. After standing talking for about 10 minutes, the dreaded fainting sensation hit me.
Was this Long Covid and if so, what could I do?
Long story short, I was still busted 12 weeks later and shuffling from room to room. A strange rash also erupted around my torso and under my armpits.
I booked into my GP who ran a raft of tests, that returned normal results, apart from my amylase levels. Was this long covid or had Covid-19 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, which was supplemented with pure 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 ensring it was gentle and not intense.
Coppered® a new fundraising initiative for ME/CFS research
There's one other thing I've ben doing while I wait for science to solve ME/CFS. Because I'm impatient, I wanted to help speed up our progress with finding a cure for ME/CFS. To do this, I've developed a fundraising initiative with a commitment to donate 100% of profits to ME/CFS research.
If you're impacted by ME/CFS or Long Covid, you can learn more about my fundraising initiative here. I'm collaborating with Open Medicine Foundation to ensure that any profits raised, will be directed to credible research.
*Before you go, Please note that 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 seek advice from your 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
