What tools, practices, methods, dietary changes, supplements, specialists, medications, or other life adjustments are you finding most helpful in your journey with long Covid?
I definitely get lost in all the stories in the Slack group, and that’s not always good for my mental health, so I think this is a great idea.
I’ve definitely simplified my diet, cutting out most heavily processed, junk type foods. No alcohol, no red meat, just occasionally chicken. Dairy at a minimum, and mostly just hard cheeses. Lots of salmon and shellfish, whole grains, nuts, fruits, and veggies. Soups and curries of many varieties are currently on the menu most days. Fresh ginger, garlic, and turmeric are staples in the kitchen to fight inflammation.
I’m meditating a lot, especially on bad days. I find that it really helps my migraines.
I was diagnosed with CFS last month and the neurologist recommended rest, so I’m currently on a 6 week leave from work. While it is a financial drain for us, it’s made the biggest difference in how I feel. Most days I do not need a nap anymore. I can get a few things done around the house each day. I eat better because I have more time to rest while cooking. I also have enough energy to use my recumbent bike for a few minutes each day.
I do take a few supplements that I think help. CoQ10 for the brain fog. Quercitin, Claritin, and Pepsid for the antihistamine properties. CBD oil for anxiety. Melatonin to improve sleep.
I also find a lot of relief from my POTS symptoms by keeping well hydrated and increasing my electrolytes.
I get massages every other week and I find that really helps with my muscle soreness and tension as well.
Love this, I am doing much the same as you Lisa. Other things that are helping me I think -
Trying to eat between 10am - 6pm in order to give my gut a break over night, apparently good for immune system too! But within these 8 hours I am eating healthy and plenty of nourishing foods, nothing super strict just no alcohol and not much sugar.
Trying to meditate an hour a day lying down (sometimes split up into 3 20min sessions) to give brain and body a rest.
I have tried so many supplements it is hard to know what if any have actually helped! But electrolytes and fluids make a difference to my headaches for sure.
I've also shifted the timing of my eating so that it's from about 10 am - 6 pm. I'm not sure if it's helped with long covid stuff for me, but I'm surprised by how much I like it. It feels good to give my body a break from metabolizing food!
Thanks so much for this Lisa! I also have been keeping off slack for similar reasons to a lot of you, but it's so great to get all this positive input here.
I can add to the mix that I've been doing really basic breathing exercises for about 40 min/day (in 10 min segments). 4 seconds inhale and 6 seconds exhale for a few minutes here and there seems to really have helped my HR.
Meditation has also been a huge help - I started doing 20 min at least twice a day a few months ago when my insomnia had reached really unbelievable levels, and in a few weeks things really turned for the better (not "normal" yet, but much better!). It's also reduced the anxiety flushes I've felt, as I think it's really doing tangible work on calming my nervous system.
I've similarly been on an anti-inflammatory diet, which cleared up the majority of my GI issues.
As for supplements, I take a lot and don't really know what's helping, but I did notice real improvement in my shortness of breath when I added turmeric and Co-Q10.
And then of course, hydration and rest are huge. I have found less TV usually means less vertigo, so I'm really going deep into podcasts and knitting.
Thanks so much to everyone else that's shared - I just signed up with Corona Cafe recently after months off of Slack, and it's really nice to connect on a much smaller more positive scale to other folks going through this.
I really appreciate this post, Lisa. I used to frequent the slackline but found I was being thrown about too much by every *amazing miracle* supplement/stretch/binaural beats audio file/you name it. I realized that it'd probably be better for my morale to just stay consistent on what I knew was working for me. I also found the language of x days of infection or x days recovered/symptom-free just wasn't working for my mental health either.
Personally, I've found a lot of healing through going "back to basics": focusing on sleep, eating nutritious foods, finding ways to connect, getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night, and supplementing where I know I'm deficient (I don't eat seafood, so seeds and omega supplements are a must). I also found The Lady's Handbook for her Mysterious Illness informative and strangely healing. Also, I know this isn't a good strategy for everyone, but once I was somewhat better and sure I wasn't contagious, I found returning to work good for my routine and mental health. I've also stopped obsessively googling my symptoms and started to appreciate the ways my body has healed, even if it's not the total healing I desire.
I also read and loved The Lady's Handbook! In addition to being beautifully written and really funny in some parts, it opened my eyes to the reality that many, many thousands of people were already going through some version of this experience before us (unknown and prolonged illness, medical gaslighting, ups and downs, etc.). I'm really glad you've been able to return to work, Grace! Like you say, it isn't possible or advisable for everyone, but I can imagine that it is a big morale booster.
Yes, exactly! I’ve learned so much from reading the experiences of folks with disabilities and chronic illnesses throughout this experience, and I feel I’ve stepped into a deeper empathy through the process. Ramey gave words to a lot of what I’ve felt but couldn’t articulate, but she also helped me realize that the suffering has an entire language.
I definitely get lost in all the stories in the Slack group, and that’s not always good for my mental health, so I think this is a great idea.
I’ve definitely simplified my diet, cutting out most heavily processed, junk type foods. No alcohol, no red meat, just occasionally chicken. Dairy at a minimum, and mostly just hard cheeses. Lots of salmon and shellfish, whole grains, nuts, fruits, and veggies. Soups and curries of many varieties are currently on the menu most days. Fresh ginger, garlic, and turmeric are staples in the kitchen to fight inflammation.
I’m meditating a lot, especially on bad days. I find that it really helps my migraines.
I was diagnosed with CFS last month and the neurologist recommended rest, so I’m currently on a 6 week leave from work. While it is a financial drain for us, it’s made the biggest difference in how I feel. Most days I do not need a nap anymore. I can get a few things done around the house each day. I eat better because I have more time to rest while cooking. I also have enough energy to use my recumbent bike for a few minutes each day.
I do take a few supplements that I think help. CoQ10 for the brain fog. Quercitin, Claritin, and Pepsid for the antihistamine properties. CBD oil for anxiety. Melatonin to improve sleep.
I also find a lot of relief from my POTS symptoms by keeping well hydrated and increasing my electrolytes.
I get massages every other week and I find that really helps with my muscle soreness and tension as well.
I'm glad you can take some time off of work, and I hope that it continues to help you heal. Also, I'm coming over for dinner! ;-)
Love this, I am doing much the same as you Lisa. Other things that are helping me I think -
Trying to eat between 10am - 6pm in order to give my gut a break over night, apparently good for immune system too! But within these 8 hours I am eating healthy and plenty of nourishing foods, nothing super strict just no alcohol and not much sugar.
Trying to meditate an hour a day lying down (sometimes split up into 3 20min sessions) to give brain and body a rest.
I have tried so many supplements it is hard to know what if any have actually helped! But electrolytes and fluids make a difference to my headaches for sure.
I've also shifted the timing of my eating so that it's from about 10 am - 6 pm. I'm not sure if it's helped with long covid stuff for me, but I'm surprised by how much I like it. It feels good to give my body a break from metabolizing food!
Thanks so much for this Lisa! I also have been keeping off slack for similar reasons to a lot of you, but it's so great to get all this positive input here.
I can add to the mix that I've been doing really basic breathing exercises for about 40 min/day (in 10 min segments). 4 seconds inhale and 6 seconds exhale for a few minutes here and there seems to really have helped my HR.
Meditation has also been a huge help - I started doing 20 min at least twice a day a few months ago when my insomnia had reached really unbelievable levels, and in a few weeks things really turned for the better (not "normal" yet, but much better!). It's also reduced the anxiety flushes I've felt, as I think it's really doing tangible work on calming my nervous system.
I've similarly been on an anti-inflammatory diet, which cleared up the majority of my GI issues.
As for supplements, I take a lot and don't really know what's helping, but I did notice real improvement in my shortness of breath when I added turmeric and Co-Q10.
And then of course, hydration and rest are huge. I have found less TV usually means less vertigo, so I'm really going deep into podcasts and knitting.
Thanks so much to everyone else that's shared - I just signed up with Corona Cafe recently after months off of Slack, and it's really nice to connect on a much smaller more positive scale to other folks going through this.
Thanks for inspiring this post, Laura! I think without our email exchange, I wouldn't have posted this, but now I'm so glad I did!
I really appreciate this post, Lisa. I used to frequent the slackline but found I was being thrown about too much by every *amazing miracle* supplement/stretch/binaural beats audio file/you name it. I realized that it'd probably be better for my morale to just stay consistent on what I knew was working for me. I also found the language of x days of infection or x days recovered/symptom-free just wasn't working for my mental health either.
Personally, I've found a lot of healing through going "back to basics": focusing on sleep, eating nutritious foods, finding ways to connect, getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night, and supplementing where I know I'm deficient (I don't eat seafood, so seeds and omega supplements are a must). I also found The Lady's Handbook for her Mysterious Illness informative and strangely healing. Also, I know this isn't a good strategy for everyone, but once I was somewhat better and sure I wasn't contagious, I found returning to work good for my routine and mental health. I've also stopped obsessively googling my symptoms and started to appreciate the ways my body has healed, even if it's not the total healing I desire.
I also read and loved The Lady's Handbook! In addition to being beautifully written and really funny in some parts, it opened my eyes to the reality that many, many thousands of people were already going through some version of this experience before us (unknown and prolonged illness, medical gaslighting, ups and downs, etc.). I'm really glad you've been able to return to work, Grace! Like you say, it isn't possible or advisable for everyone, but I can imagine that it is a big morale booster.
Yes, exactly! I’ve learned so much from reading the experiences of folks with disabilities and chronic illnesses throughout this experience, and I feel I’ve stepped into a deeper empathy through the process. Ramey gave words to a lot of what I’ve felt but couldn’t articulate, but she also helped me realize that the suffering has an entire language.