Hello everyone,
I got COVID in the fall of 2022 and was smart enough to run 10k daily as soon as I recovered. Since then, I've been struggling with Long COVID.
Here's a brief summary of my illness journey from when I got Long COVID until now:
Fall 2022 - January 2023: Got COVID, felt bad for about 4 weeks but didn't calm down much (took some painkillers, etc.). I started living normally again as soon as I was well, which includes life with young children, running 10k daily, etc. I got more and more tired over the next months but just kept going.
February 2023 - June 2023: Went to the doctor and was told to stop exercising. Diagnosed with "post-viral fatigue," but all blood tests were perfect. I thought taking it easy for a few weeks would make me better. It didn't. I got worse. I mostly stayed in bed, my brain stopped functioning (forgetting words, couldn't discuss things, etc.), withdrew socially, and couldn’t do anything. It was tough.
July - October 2023: My brain finally started working again, but otherwise, there were few changes to my condition. Had some tough days here and there but mostly managed not to think too much about my situation and took it one day at a time.
November 2023 - February 2024: I was recommended to Marianne Svanevik, and she set up a treatment program for me. Before the year was out, I had many good days in a row without crashes or symptom increases, and I felt I was on the right track. I got hope!
March - April 2024: I followed the program as best I could but did too much several times (mainly related to being with my two young children) and my progress was limited. Marianne and I agreed that I should go away alone again to speed up my progress.
May - August 2024: I made big progress in May when I was alone in Madrid for a while. Suddenly, I could walk almost twice as fast and twice as long without feeling bad and with a low pulse. I could use my brain more and felt happier. In June and until we arrived in Tønsberg, Norway, in mid-July, there was little progress, but there I got even better and could, for the first time during this process, say that I "feel strong!" for several days in a row. Of course, that feeling led to me doing too much and feeling bad again, but as I write this, I'm back at a level where I feel strong and hope to be 100% healthy by the end of the year!
What I currently tolerate best is using my brain, while I tolerate physical activity and anything that increases stress levels (young children, driving, flying, negative discussions, pressure/deadlines, etc.) the least.
Since February 2024, I've been working with Marianne to document her method so that many more than just me can benefit from it. Here's our Free Guide For How to Recover from Long COVID.
Good luck to everyone who's struggling. Long COVID is a real pain, but we can all get our lives back eventually! ❤️🙂 🚀
Bjarte
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