We were saying how lucky we’ve been to have had the COVID-19 virus without any symptoms. But we spoke too soon. We’ve been introduced to the mysteries of “long-COVID.”
Two weeks after testing negative for COVID-19, my husband felt like he couldn’t get any air into his lungs. Whenever he tried to stand up, he felt a tremendous chest pressure. We thought it was his heart. It turns out that the COVID-19 aftermath, called “long-COVID,” can be worse than the actual viral infection.
It got so bad I drove him to the ER fearing the worst. They scanned his heart and lungs and told us it was an upper respiratory infection called “long-covid.” I protested to the nurse: ”But he’s had three negative COVID-19 tests, he doesn’t have COVID-19 anymore!”
Patiently, she explained that even with recovered, symptom-free COVID-19 patients, and after testing negative, people are showing up seriously affected in lungs and other organs. This happens weeks and months afterwards. Incredibly, this occurs in 30% of recovered people.
The Mysteries of Long-COVID
Here’s a report on the COVID-19 aftermath and long-COVID from science journalist Shin Jie Yong at Medium.com:
Regrettably, for patients with COVID-19, being released from the hospital or testing negative SARS-CoV-2 does not always mean a full recovery. It’s estimated that 10–30% of cases will turn into long-Covid, where symptoms such as dyspnea (shortness of breath), fatigue, cognitive problems, joint pain, myalgia, and gastrointestinal and cardiac issues persist for a month or more. But in my own research review posted as pre-print, the actual prevalence of long-Covid may be higher than the estimated 10–30%.
Long-COVID and Co-morbidity in Seniors
For my husband Rob, this was a crucial affliction because he has other chronic conditions which could be disastrous (heart disease, kidney failure and a recent diagnosis of multiple myeloma cancer). The treatment? Apparently antibiotics aren’t used, only a medication for his cough and for his heart. It is virus-caused, the virus being COVID-19 which is (supposedly) no longer active in the body.
We are on “wait and see” mode again. His treatment for multiple myeloma has been delayed because the harsh chemotherapy medications could be detrimental. Furthermore, he has to delay a diagnostic PET scan to find out how far and where cancer has spread in his organs. The reason? He needs to be in the machine for scanning for up to two hours and he can’t breathe while lying on his back.
COVID-19 and Long-COVID Effects
If you’ve had COVID-19 and think you’re out of the woods, pay attention. Recently recovered from the virus infection, we’ve been introduced to the mysteries of long-COVID. The damage from the virus is long lasting in a third of recovered patients. I was lucky to not get any symptoms while I tested positive. I tested negative only nine days later. So far, so good. But every time I wake up with drippy sinuses or a cough, I’m paranoid.
Get Vaccinated, but Stay Protected Anyway
Fortunately perhaps, I got my first vaccination two days before contracting the virus. Perhaps (no one knows for sure) the vaccine helped me from ever getting sick. And now I’ve gotten my 2nd shot. I had no reaction from the first one, but boy did I ache a day after the second shot. I felt as if I’d run a marathon and lifted heavy weights, and had night sweats. My knee joints hurt to walk. Today my physical therapist (for my recent shoulder replacement surgery) told me many people who felt nothing after their first vaccine shot, are feeling the effects of the second vaccination shot. But all in all, they were mild and didn’t affect my functioning. Well worth the tranquility of mind it will bring ten days later.
I’m fine today, and looking forward to next week when hopefully I will have 95% immunity to COVID-19 viruses. But like many things we read from the CDC and other experts, things change as rapidly as viruses do. New viruses have evolved and the hope is they will remain vulnerable to the current vaccines; nobody knows just yet.
I’m continuing to keep distances and am following suggestions to wear double masks just in case. What’s been your experience?
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