Thread by @ahandvanish, Today marks 7 months of living with COVID symptoms. I still feel [...]

Today marks 7 months of living with COVID symptoms. I still feel like a shell of the person I was, but I thought I'd give some updates on this thread, starting with some positive improvements:

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#longcovid #longhaulers https://twitter.com/ahandvanish/status/1287525539859910657

https://twitter.com/ahandvanish/status/1287525539859910657

At 7 months, I can drive again! I had tried at the 3 month mark and it went disastrously - my processing speed was not fast enough to deal with so many immediate important decisions. I'd also forget that I was driving & have to keep reminding myself out loud

#longcovid

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I'm mostly able to work again, given a lot of flexibility & constraints (working at my own pace and hours, taking days off when needed). I'm working full-time hours on Patient-Led Research & general #longcovid advocacy. I still have days where I wake up not functioning.

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I'm able to walk ~30-40 minutes with no repercussions, as long as I rest afterwards. This is a big jump from June, where one block would cause chest tightness & intense fatigue.

I can play (simple/slow) video games again, after months of them causing cognitive crashes

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My shortness of breath/weird chest tightness feeling is generally much better, with a few exceptions - if I'm around smoke at all, or cooking with spices, or certain types of stress, the "lung burn" immediately comes back.

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Now for the bad: I'm still dealing with a lot of symptoms. The numbness in my neck/arms/hands has worsened, as has the tinnitus & sound sensitivity - I wear earplugs often. Still dealing with dysautonomia, tachycardias, GI issues, fevers, occasional tremors, severe headaches.

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Cognitively: brain injuries are *weird*. 7 months out, it's easier to write but still hard to respond, & extra hard to listen to people in realtime. Conversations are still overwhelming. My executive functioning is still awful & I have to see something to remember it -

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- my house is filled with whiteboards and post-its with reminders to do simple tasks.

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I'm trying to be better about cognitively pacing myself but I still have cognitive crashes regularly - this basically feels like my brain is on fire, and happens from thinking too much, doing too much, or even being exposed to too much sensory input, particularly noise.

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My memory has been slow to improve, but I've had a few moments where I forgot something then remembered it again.

I still don't quite feel "here", though I've had maybe 5 days where I've felt like myself. They're few & far between. I do feel like things are less foggy,

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and I have moments where I really concretely remember things in my past rather than it all being a big gray inaccessible blob.

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A few blood markers have gone back to normal, but some of my bloodwork is still weird, with no real answers or directions forward.

7 months out, I haven't found too much that has helped me, with a few exceptions:

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1) Getting treated for post-viral dysautonomia, particularly compression garments & drinking water with salt/electrolyte tablets nonstop, has helped my heart symptoms.

2) Seeing a neuroacupunturist - she gave me Chinese medicine usually given to stroke patients that...

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...is the *only* thing that has helped the brain fog (find your local Chinese medicine specialist!)

3) Getting help from support groups, esp Body Politic @itsbodypolitic ( https://www.wearebodypolitic.com/covid19 ).
Also from @long_covid & Long Haul Covid Fighters groups (FB).

4) PACING.

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Support Group — Body Politic

https://www.wearebodypolitic.com/covid19

Just want to add that I am incredibly lucky to have received even the treatment I've gotten so far - others, *especially* BIPOC, have to fight harder for the same treatment and recognition. Medical bias is real.

https://twitter.com/auntiecolonial/status/1320465386849140736

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https://twitter.com/auntiecolonial/status/1320465386849140736

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