Post COVID Recovery Suggestions

I've been able to have a variety of conversations with COVID survivors now, either in the clinical/medical setting or outside my work environment. Some barely even knew they were sick or merely tested positive coincidentally. Others, as we well know, suffered extensive or life threatening symptoms, nearly escaped death, and have barely begun the long road of recovery before them, yet to see how long lasting the effects may truly be for them. Thankfully, the myriad of ongoing potential symptoms experienced in the recovery phase is becoming more commonly recognized/accepted/identified.

With that being said, I'd just like to share a few suggestions and comments I have gleaned from people in various stages of the healing process. I don't intend to share much medical advice on my blog site, as that is very difficult to do without proper physical assessment and evaluation of each given individual. However, I don't think it is harmful to simply share some of the things people have experienced as part of their journey to recovery after having COVID. Because there is so much to still learn about the virus and it's potential long term effects, I know from personal experience, that hearing about other peoples' experiences really aided me in my recovery process and gave me hope that what I was experiencing may not last forever (which thankfully, it didn't).

The most recent suggestion I have heard from someone who had pretty severe and ongoing symptoms from COVID, but didn't require hospitalization, was that a combination of rest, hydration, multiple supplements, steroids/inhalers, and the right amount of activity was the ticket for her to start turning the corner in the recovery process. This individual had low oxygen saturations at home for an extended period of time, severe fatigue, intermittent elevation of heart rate, and shortness of breath. She had improvement from oral steroid use, but declined again after stopping them. When she was put on an inhaler, intended for longer term use, she was able to start tolerating more activity without becoming as exhausted or having as many severe symptoms. She quickly noticed that the activity/movement and a little bit of "forcing herself" to do more than she thought she could actually seemed to be helping. The next day she realized her lungs seemed to fill more easily and she could do more activity more easily despite pushing the limit the day before. Each day she has pushed herself a little more and has only continued to improve from there! That's exciting news!

This concept does make some sense scientifically and physiologically. The lungs need to fully expand on a regular basis to maintain capacity. Compromised lung tissue can gradually improve and regain function with persistent use. In the hospital after surgery, respiratory therapy routinely ensures surgical patients are using an incentive spirometer to prevent pneumonia and/or lung collapse at the bases. When you are in pain or discomfort (or have extreme fatigue), you naturally take more shallow of breaths. The lung tissue that doesn't get fully inflated is at risk for infection or the tissues sticking together which minimizes the ability of those tissues to properly exchange gases.

I can imagine that the balance between rest and activity in the recovery stage can be very difficult to navigate. Many require the use of supplemental oxygen at home for days, weeks, months or indefinitely. I am not recommending any particular regime. The close monitoring and advice from your personal medical professionals who are most familiar with your history, medical conditions, and current health state are strictly required. I simply wanted to share feedback from one individual about her recovery process.

Some of the other well known symptoms that have been lingering after active COVID infection are more related to neurologic deficits and mental health issues like brain fog, lack of motivation, depression and/or anxiety, and memory difficulties. I recently posted a video blog on this topic if you want more information. One of the biggest takeaways from the research and discussion regarding these symptoms is to be patient with yourself and anyone you might know experiencing them. Progress can be very slow, but I am a living testament (along with many others) that it is possible.

If you've had COVID or worked with patients recovering from COVID (especially past the short term phase), please feel free to comment or share about your experiences, whether here or in a private message. The information can be enlightening and encouraging to those who have witnessed or experienced the ongoing or slow to resolve effects from COVID. I continue to be intrigued by the evolving treatment options and varying outcomes seen with this horrible illness.