About 2 million people have had covid symptoms for over 12 weeks and 376,000 people have long covid for over a year. It is a debilitating illness and affects everybody differently. From my clinical practice and that of my colleagues, there is a distinctive constellations of symptoms for people affected by long covid.
Some people have ongoing chest pain and breathlessness. Other people have symptoms that are similar to post viral fatigue.
However not everyone can access the rehab and therapy they need to recover from post covid fatigue. Below are five ideas that might help if you can’t get to therapy or are on an NHS waiting list but are struggling with post covid symptoms.
Get referred to NHS services
If you live in Sussex, there is a post covid assessment service, run by Sussex Community Foundation Trust and you can ask your GP for a referral. Experts will assess you and give you advice and signpost you to the right local services. That can include respiratory physiotherapist, neuro rehab and mental health services.
Managing boom and bust
It’s really easy to fall into a boom and busy pattern when you have post covid fatigue. Every day is different and the days when you have more energy it’s so easy to want to fit everything in. But then if you overdo it, then it comes at a cost and the next day you might find you can’t get out of bed.
Take it easy on yourself. Think of your energy like a bank balance and you have to budget the energy you have a spend it wisely according to what is important to you. Think about what brings you joy. Put your energy in to that. What’s the point in spending all your energy into something and bouncing off your overdraft for something that isn’t important to you or you feel obliged to do?
Build up a routine
This is so important. Routines create habits and gives us structure and predictability. This is even more important when post covid fatigue makes your energy levels go haywire. Think about your non negotiables each day. This will be different for everyone. For some people getting out of bed and having a shower will be a win. For others, it will be watering the plants or cooking one meal. You do what you need to do and stick with it until it becomes a habit you can do without thinking about it. Then introduce one more thing a day. Routines give us the foundation to build upon in the journey to recovery.
Push yourself slightly out of your comfort zone
Staying active is one of the best things you can do for your recovery. It might feel hard but your muscles will get weaker if you don’t use them. Getting out in the fresh air and getting some vitamin D (depending on whether the British summer rain holds off) will also do wonders for your mood. Even if it’s five minutes a day then slowly building yourself up.you will see the benefits.
Stay connected
We all need to feel connected. But the last 18 months of the pandemic have pushed our social ties to the limit. Living with long covid can make it even harder to keep in touch with people we love. Other people may not get it if you have to cancel plans at the last minute because you’re exhausted or because your body isn’t playing ball and you’ve got chest pain. Talking for long periods of time can be exhausting and our concentration levels can be affected.
It can be helpful to be honest with other people: tell the you care for them and want to spend time with them but there will be times when you have to cancel at the last minute, and it isn’t because you don’t value their time. By setting clear expectations it means people won’t be disappointed. You can’t guarantee people will understand but by setting boundaries you give other people the chance of showing you compassion.
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