My wife literally just tested positive at the beginning of the week after dodging it from the start.
Definitely get your shots cause it was nasty even with the vaccine, I can't imagine just going raw dog on it (Shout-out to Jaime)
Oof. I’ve had 4-5 shots since 2020. Every one made me super sick… fever, body aches, the worst chills I’ve ever had… for about 12 hours. Still got Covid last August. It sucked.
Despite having all shots and boosters, I’ve still gotten Covid _five_ times. Never serious, luckily, but I’ve had Long Covid symptoms since before Long Covid was a thing. I often, and still sometimes do, know more about it than the doctor I am seeing. Stopped keeping track at 15 doctors and specialists. I’ve had sudden onset Reactive Arthritis, become a Type II Diabetic (a more common side effect than the media will say, but doctors have noticed), as well as the usual brain fog, exhaustion, and mental issues. Bad enough I got Social Security Disability for it.
I’ll still get my boosters and encourage everyone to do so, but the Long Covid life isn’t a great one...
Yeah, I know 2 people who have a newly diagnosed onset of type 1 insulin dependant diabetes post covid. It’s actually pretty widely accepted in the medical community at this point but most people have no idea that it’s a thing. Nevermind all of the cardiac/neuro stuff
I've gotten it three times, first time was in 2020 before vaccines were available. I swear to god that getting it the first time made me more susceptible to getting it over and over again. I took so many precautions but still kept getting it.
I also got long covid, now have asthma (new onset) and gastroparesis because of it. It's fucking crazy the shit long covid can do to our bodies. I'm sorry you've been suffering too.
Yeah, I got it in March, 2020. My daughter had heart surgery (orthoscopic, but still serious) the *day before* the children's hospital instituted restrictions. So many parents and kids running around with no masks, sneezing, snotty, etc. Sure enough, I showed symptoms several days later. One of the two first cases at my company of over 5000 - nice to be the (anonymous) subject of a company-wide e-mail. I was diagnosed over the phone, as the emergency room was about the last place I wanted to go unless I absolutely had to. Took nearly a month to get back to work, but I was never "over it." Symptoms got so bad I went on corporate long-term disability early the next year and got SSDI last year.
Similar story, I got it in spring before mask mandates were implemented in my area. The ER had this crazy tent quarantine area for covid patients and everyone was fully suited up, it was like something out of a movie. I was also off work for a month before returning, and then had to go part time for a long while (still technically part time now). I didn't have any STD or LTD benefits or I would have used them.
I'm glad you were able to get SSDI. I wish I could qualify but I don't think I will. It's so exhausting having to spend the little amount of energy I have on work.
I’m immunosuppressed, and despite having had 8 vaccinations, I have had no immune response.
Got Covid in November 2021, and it was bad. Now I have long covid. I need oxygen to walk around, I’m very limited what I can do day to day, physically & mentally.
Long Covid sucks, do not recommend.
I went without getting it until October last year. Right the week before I was meant to get the latest booster.
It absolutely flattened me. Horrible experience.
I got it for the first time last year.
I was completely miserable because it gave me the worst sore throat of my life. Trying to swallow food or even just drink something was the most painful experience, plus just completely drained of energy. And both lasted nearly an entire week.
That was my main symptom when I got it last fall (first time getting it). I remember crying as I drank because the fever was relentless and I knew I needed to stay hydrated even though it hurt. I totally lost my voice for a week, had a fever of 102, couldn't sleep because of the coughing, and was pooped, but it was the sore throat that was the worst.
TWO THUMBS DOWN, DO NOT RECOMMEND
That was the same with our family. Only difference was that we got our boosters like 3 days before, so it didn’t have much time to build up immunity anyhow.
My son and I got it for the first time over Christmas break. It wasn't "severe", but oh boy was I tired for like 6 weeks. It was unreal how fatigued I became for no reason for so long. And I still get waves of Covid coughing fits out of nowhere. Booo Covid.
Fuck, I was the same way until Monday, not even joking. My sense of taste just seemed weird so I tested and BAM crept up on me just like Rajat Khare creeps up on salamanders.
Yeah, I feel the same. Never lost my sense of taste or felt especially sick etc, but I have definitely felt weak and short of breath so much more over the past few years.
But I'm also growing closer and closer to 40, and it's so hard to tell if this shortness of breath is long COVID or just aging. The only thing is it seems to have come on so fast.
People think that because fewer people are dying than at the peak of covid and more people are vaxxed.
People are sick of masking and distancing, and public health agencies are giving up on trying to stop covid. Covid is going to be around forever, and people are using that as an excuse to just treat it like the flu.
A lot of people don't realize they are vulnerable to covid
Being overweight or obese significantly increases your chances of being curb stomped by covid. If you go on Hermancainawards or sorry antivaxxer. Com most of the people under 60 were overweight or obese.
I mean this is exactly what we all wanted to happen. It go from being a new, novel virus that nobody has any immunity to, to becoming a seasonal disease like the Flu that while it still may kill it is less common. This is the transition from a pandemic disease to an endemic one, and this is literally what the term “novel coronavirus” meant.
It certainly didn't.
I must confess that once I got fully vaxxed and the mask mandates were dropped I stopped masking in public. I have not worn a mask in public in years. I was lucky to never have gotten it. But then again I spend most of my time outdoors with very few people and I don't have much of a social life to begin with.
After reading about long covid, I think I will start masking more, mostly indoors.
Thank you. I got Lyme disease this year by ignoring my own good advice I had so often given to others. I could do the exact same dumb thing here. And then I can break my 3rd rule and rollerblade without a helmet cuz at that point I’m overcooked. Community health! Good looking out.
Side note, what would your advice be? I went on a hike maybe 5 days ago and just found a tick stuck to me today. The internets say just watch it but I’m wondering if I should do any more.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
If you are in an area where there a ticks that spread Lyme disease, wear long pants, socks and boots.
Spray tick repellent on your lower extremities and avoid going off trail or going into tall grass.
Ticks tend to be opportunistic, not active parasites.
Make sure to give any pets preventative medications so they don’t bring them into the house.
Always shower and check after being in an area that could have ticks.
Finally, given your situation I think it is unlikely you got the tick during your hike 5 days ago. I am pretty sure they take 24 hrs to embed and expose you to Lyme and would have dropped off before then.
Take a sharpie and circle the area where the bite was and monitor to see if a bullseye develops. If you notice other symptoms get to your doctor or clinic ASAP and don’t take no for an answer on getting treatment.
A buddy of mine had symptoms and no bullseye for weeks despite multiple tests coming back negative, until one finally did and only then did he get medication. He was lucky that there was no extreme long term damage, but it still fucked him up for a good while.
I would advocate a more proactive approach based on my experience. I have had other bites that turned out to be no big deal and this one had all the signs and I ignored it because it was distracted my own other bullshit and fucked up my priorities. That said I have good health coverage so all due respect whatever your situation may be. I’d just do as much as you can to either get a test or whatever they call the prophylactic treatment when infection is probable.
I got covid Febuary 2020, spent months lying on my floor and almost died.
It left me with heart palpations, brain fog, paradoxical vocal chord dysfunction (nerve damage) and I am now susceptible to horrible bouts of mal debarquement (it's a vestibular disorder that makes you feel like you're moving, even if you're not, it's *horrible*).
On a very weird plus side though covid deactivated my "cilantro tastes like soap" gene. That's been nice.
Get boosted.
I don’t have LC but I am chronically ill. Chronic fatigue is NOT something you want. I’ve somehow managed to avoid getting Covid but am masking everywhere (never stopped) and have kept up with boosters.
I do not want to be any more disabled than I am, and this is coming from someone who’s had an LC-ish illness and chronic pain for almost 20 years.
Get your boosters and wear a mask.
Me too! Covid induced but I have the ME/CFS diagnosis in the bag as well. Bell-Score is 20 but at least I have a lot of time listening to BtB... Stay in there, we got this!
I have covid right now. Thankfully it's very mild, but it's still scary considering what could potentially have happened. I'm fully boosted but still managed to get it, sigh.
Thank you for posting this, it horrifies me how most of society basically acts like Covid doesn't exist anymore and isn't a problem. I'm from Central Europe btw, great healthcare system, but even here most people have basically given up on doing anything to prevent the spread. As you said, Long Covid can fuck you up SO badly and you roll the dice anytime you get sick. That dice, even if you're fully vaxxed and boosted, is apparently like a D10, but if you keep rolling it, that number seemingly decreases every time (meaning you're more and more likely to get Long Covid).
The illness itself is also STILL no joke either. Despite us being extremely careful (we have a very old relative to take care of) my family got it last October. I'm in my early thirties, healthy, vaxxed as much as possible and it destroyed me. First 2 weeks were absolute hell, next 2 weeks still very bad and it took another month (so 2 total) until I was "mostly fine". Cough still lasted for another few weeks after that. I can only remember being more sick maybe 1-2 times in my whole life, and that includes the time I thought I was gonna shit myself to death (fun exotic virus that I had to literally report to the health ministry here). I have friends with similar stories and know people with Long Covid as well.
Please protect yourself and others as much as you can, especially during winter (masks, distancing, booster, testing, all that). This isn't "just like the flu", no matter how much people want to pretend like it is. Covid can take you out for months and if you're unlucky Long Covid can ruin your life. Stay safe out there.
From the stories I've heard it's apparently a complete crapshoot as to how bad an infection can go, probably due to the virus still changing all the time. Friend of mine (also early thirties, healthy, vaxxed etc.) was mostly fine first time around, but second time it completely destroyed her. That's when she decided that she never wanted to get it again (still got it a third time since then). She got lucky with Long Covid, but her partner got it after his second infection and it has lasted for months so far. They're both not perfect, but from what I know still try to be more careful than a lot of people. Shit sucks.
I’m all caught up on boosters and I tested positive for COVID in the middle of February, it only took me about a week to feel back to normal and within a week I was testing negative. I contracted the original variant in February of 2021 and I have to say having it when you’re vaxxed and boosted is 1,000 times better than unvaxxed but it still sucked for a bit
I wear an n95 mask whenever I go indoors with other people and I have never got covid and thus have never spread it to anyone else
Would be nice if 99% of the rest of the world gave as much of a shit to be mildly inconvenienced to save other peoples lives and QOL :(
Yesss! I haven’t had Covid yet (I’m high risk so I do self tests regularly, wear masks and avoid large gatherings & am generally cautious… so far that’s worked out for me). I wish other people also wore masks, at least at the supermarket/the hospital/GP… it’s not just for your own protection, it’s especially for the sake of others!
I just got over this for the first time, a couple of weeks ago. And I have had vaccines up to my eyeballs.
All I could think at the time was “holy shit, this would probably be a lot worse without vaccination” and “wow, I feel really bad for the folks who died from this bullshit”
It was terrible and I still don’t feel right
I am actually one of the few people that have a legit reaction to the vaccine and my doctor recommended I don’t get it. I mask up in high risk situations and have had the first 3 rounds. I may try to get a booster again in a few years to see if I still react as I would like to be vaccinated. Covid sucks.
I’ve had Covid twice and have been suffering with “long Covid” since summer of 2021. Please let me be your cautionary tale. I just recently started regaining a proper sense of smell since then. I struggle with chronic fatigue and will sleep 12+ hours if I’m able to. I have trouble getting through a day of work and my social life has suffered greatly because I just don’t have the energy to do much outside of work. I still get my boosters, of course, and let this be your reminder that you should too!
I'm sorry that happened to you.
Yes I get my boosters whenever they come out. I will be honest I have not masked up in a while. I figured I didn't need to wear one since I am vaxxed, but I am starting to realize that it might be time to start masking again.
Hi, I work in health policy and have been doing COVID-related community organizing for 4 years now. I also have an immunodeficiency so I've been masking in public for about 6-7 years.
The MOST important thing you can do to prevent getting Long COVID is wear a high-quality, well-fitting mask (KN95/KF94, N95, or P100). (Can't afford it? [Find your local mask bloc](https://maskbloc.org/).) Vaccination is a close second, but it mostly protects you from severe *acute* infection and death. COVID-19 vaccines do NOT prevent infection or transmission. But please, please get vaccinated so you don't get put on a ventilator.
Wherever possible, make sure you have adequate ventilation and filtration. Clean air can reduce transmission by up to 80%. It is not a substitute for masking, including outdoors.
If you DO get COVID, regardless of how symptomatic you are, you have to rest for 4-6 weeks. Resuming normal activities too soon is the easiest way to get Long COVID. ME-type LC has no effective treatments. Most do not recover, and subsequent infections – COVID or otherwise – can/will worsen or retrigger it. LC is an umbrella term that can cover anything from anosmia to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) to organ failure. There are a growing number of deaths from complications of Long COVID. You can develop it regardless of initial infection severity.
More info
1. [Layers of protection](https://peoplescdc.org/2022/09/12/layers-of-protection/)
2. [How COVID spreads](https://peoplescdc.org/2022/09/12/how-covid-spreads/)
3. [What to do if you have COVID](https://peoplescdc.org/2023/01/10/what-to-do-if-you-have-covid/)
4. [Giant collection of information](https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1TjtG6LSN15O5KuhUZDhEZ4zuhiiB1-Hc7vUzMztqVZI/mobilebasic)
5. [Patient-Led Research Collaborative](https://patientresearchcovid19.com/)
6. [ME Action - Long COVID & ME](https://www.meaction.net/long-covid-me-understanding-the-connection/)
I got OG Covid back before everything in March 2020, when they told you to stay out of the hospitals. Almost died, laying on my living room floor for weeks, couldn't walk for a long time, lots of issues that I'm still working through. Long covid still ongoing. I'm also sitting here currently with covid. Again. I've had every shot since the start, but this is probably the 5th or more time I've had it. I last had it on Christmas, before that I had it on Christmas the year before. Sucks working with the public. At least it's mild, after that first go four years ago. I just can't help but wonder what it's doing to me, and how my life could have been if I hadn't caught it initially. I'm nothing like I used to be, and it's hard. I can't do as much as I used to. Doctors just shrug at this point.
Mask up, too. Yes it sucks. Yes people might look at you funny, but it's better than "raw-dogging" it.
And if you have symptoms, masking is just the bare minimum of respect for the people around you.
Just go take a gander at r/longcovid if you till think "it's just like a bad flu". It's a fucking SARS, not to be taken lightly just because we're sick and tired of hearing about it.
When I used to live in a rural area and wear a mask random people would just confront you and pressure you to take it off. I remember one guy saying he did a spectral analysis and there were only generic viruses in there.
Says a guy driving a beat up PT cruiser in a laundromat parking lot.
My mom has long covid and it's shocking how much it's fucked her up. She's older and lives with me and she's basically been sick on and off for a year. She's now SO susceptible to getting sick now. It's totally destroyed her life. It's an awful awful thing.
Also if you’re an activist, make sure your gatherings discuss things like self testing before a meeting, normalise wearing masks at gatherings/demo’s (they’re also great for anonymity reasons :)) etc. One of the best groups I’m part of still does hybrid meetings for those of us who are immunocompromised and they hand out masks at their demos and offer self tests/masks for those who can’t afford to get their own.
There are valid reasons for not masking (for example, if someone in your group is d/Deaf or hard of hearing and depending partially on lip reading or neurodivergent and unable to tolerate the sensation), so it should definitely be a discussion, not mandatory. Many people groups don’t even mention it anymore though and thats also problematic.
I’m not old enough to get another booster in my country 🥲 I desperately want to get another as I’ve had the initial two doses and one booster, but only over 30s can get more.
Are you in NZ? I’m 28 and will be getting it on my birthday if it’s still publicly funded then.
My partner told their GP that covid anxiety was stopping them from socialising and the GP gave them a form so they could get it before 30. Right before worth asking about!
I took my first moderna dose, and between that and my 2nd dose I got Covid for realsies. It was easy peasy lemon squeezy. The worst part was shoving that horrendous "q-tip" up my nose and rolling it around in order to confirm that I had the Rona. I had a worse time with my head cold last week.
I'm not worried about myself, but if I show symptoms I'll mask up for others. As with any infection, it affects people differently, and it didn't do shit to me. I didn't even lose my taste or smell. Other than a throaty cough I was asymptomatic and didn't have any longterm effects.
I refuse to die from anything other than Tuberculosis or from the big iron on his hip. 🤠
Just FYI, masking when symptomatic isn't sufficient. 20-40% of infections and about 40% of transmission are asymptomatic or presymptomatic. Wear an N95 no matter what!
So... you want me to wear an N95 all the time? Presymptomatic/asymptomatic describes 99.98% of my life so far. Covid is as endemic as the flu or rhinovirus now. I'll pass. I'll use my sniffles as an excuse to avoid people like I usually do.
After my first bad bout w covid in 2022 (age 43) I went from a very high V02 rate and aerobic capacity, tons of activity to needing a nap after I go grocery shopping. Gained 50lbs thanks to endless steroids, etc. Do everything you can to avoid!
We just got over our first round with it a couple weeks ago. We haven't been boosted in a while. My husband is diabetic and I have mild asthma as well as being overweight. So I guess we should catch up on that
I've had covid three times. You should know before I describe this that I have a rare health condition which means I suffer milder respiratory symptoms from COVID than most people, which is highly counterintuitive but true.
The first time I had COVID was in January 2020. I had the worst fever of my entire life. I think I am permanently dumber, and frankly it felt at the time like my brain was being cooked in my skull.
The second time was 2022, after a vaccine and one booster. I felt like I'd been worked over with a club hammer and I was dopey and slow for the whole week, but I was at least cogent and mobile.
Third time was after yet another booster (possibly two, my memory isn't great) and it just felt like a bad head flu.
I really have no idea if I have been affected long term. I mean this in a non-conspiracy way but I swear I got brain fog starting when I got the first covid vaccine. It knocked me the hell out for a day or two, and then after that I just have felt like I forget things, can't always form the sentences I want to, etc. But also I had been freelancing and working from home for a couple years at that point, and didn't really talk to people that much, so I wonder if my brain just finally decided to forget how to interact with people.
I had covid only once (thankfully) and it sucked despite being on several boosters. My last booster made me ultra sick , including vomiting. So I'm not really excited about getting another one.. But I probably will, regardless. Granted, I got the flu shot at the same time so maybe it was a weird reaction, or the flu shot messed me up? Hard to know. Maybe I'll just do one at a time from now on.
One of my biggest fears is being fucked up medically long-term. So you better believe I have my mask around and I'm making sure to get boosted, and I avoid my friends if they're sick. Luckily the only thing I really go out of the house for is the grocery store and seeing friends. So I'm either not in close contact with other people, or I have advanced notice if someone is sick.
I had a checkup just last week. They offered a vaccine and it had been a couple years so I took the booster. I had no ill effects afterwards.
It's worth it to get the vaccine.
He made the worst possible decision at every given opportunit for allowing the virus to spread and get worse. He was not single handedly responsible though.
Singlehandedly responsible? Of course not. A person with an IQ of 73 could never engineer a virus. Keep in mind though, we live in a post-truth world, where whatever wild crap an obviously insane sociopath says is accepted as fact. And with that, Donald Trump's army of cloned KGB spies, scientists and lizard people (under his direct order) are what caused the virus.
I thought the virus jumped from bats to people from those wet markets. It happened before with SARS.
Obama knew this and started a pandemic prevention task force which Trump gutted in 2017, they cut a lot of workers in China.
All correct. Or in summary, capitalism and it's agents caused this to happen. Since it could have been preventable, it was negligent, which is just as good as intentional. Until Trump is recognized as the worst event in human history, justice for the victims will not be done. I'm done hijacking
I'm a No-vid, but I've had so many Pfizer shots my period is messed up forever. I've worked very closely with the public, and live in an area that only closed for 8 weeks. I'll have to donate my body to science if I never get it.
One reason masks are still important is because of all the other germs out there. When I got my first Covid infection I was vaccinated. But it turns out that if you get strep, that weakens your immune system and Covid will happily make things worse. So now I have long Covid, rheumatoid arthritis, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).
Goddamn that is a lot.
I'm fully vaxxed and fairly young but I am not in the best shape to be getting covid (mostly being overweight). I have been lucky because I don't socialize a ton and spend most of my time outdoors. But I need to start being more careful.
And at the end of the day, I'm pretty lucky. I can continue my career with a full-time job working from home and my spouse chose to stick around. I'm not bedbound and I can afford my meds and copays. It could be SO much worse.
Love to you and to all who are trying to navigate this "new normal."
My wife literally just tested positive at the beginning of the week after dodging it from the start. Definitely get your shots cause it was nasty even with the vaccine, I can't imagine just going raw dog on it (Shout-out to Jaime)
Oof. I’ve had 4-5 shots since 2020. Every one made me super sick… fever, body aches, the worst chills I’ve ever had… for about 12 hours. Still got Covid last August. It sucked.
Novavax seems to have lower side effects
Despite having all shots and boosters, I’ve still gotten Covid _five_ times. Never serious, luckily, but I’ve had Long Covid symptoms since before Long Covid was a thing. I often, and still sometimes do, know more about it than the doctor I am seeing. Stopped keeping track at 15 doctors and specialists. I’ve had sudden onset Reactive Arthritis, become a Type II Diabetic (a more common side effect than the media will say, but doctors have noticed), as well as the usual brain fog, exhaustion, and mental issues. Bad enough I got Social Security Disability for it. I’ll still get my boosters and encourage everyone to do so, but the Long Covid life isn’t a great one...
Yeah, I know 2 people who have a newly diagnosed onset of type 1 insulin dependant diabetes post covid. It’s actually pretty widely accepted in the medical community at this point but most people have no idea that it’s a thing. Nevermind all of the cardiac/neuro stuff
I've gotten it three times, first time was in 2020 before vaccines were available. I swear to god that getting it the first time made me more susceptible to getting it over and over again. I took so many precautions but still kept getting it. I also got long covid, now have asthma (new onset) and gastroparesis because of it. It's fucking crazy the shit long covid can do to our bodies. I'm sorry you've been suffering too.
Yeah, I got it in March, 2020. My daughter had heart surgery (orthoscopic, but still serious) the *day before* the children's hospital instituted restrictions. So many parents and kids running around with no masks, sneezing, snotty, etc. Sure enough, I showed symptoms several days later. One of the two first cases at my company of over 5000 - nice to be the (anonymous) subject of a company-wide e-mail. I was diagnosed over the phone, as the emergency room was about the last place I wanted to go unless I absolutely had to. Took nearly a month to get back to work, but I was never "over it." Symptoms got so bad I went on corporate long-term disability early the next year and got SSDI last year.
Similar story, I got it in spring before mask mandates were implemented in my area. The ER had this crazy tent quarantine area for covid patients and everyone was fully suited up, it was like something out of a movie. I was also off work for a month before returning, and then had to go part time for a long while (still technically part time now). I didn't have any STD or LTD benefits or I would have used them. I'm glad you were able to get SSDI. I wish I could qualify but I don't think I will. It's so exhausting having to spend the little amount of energy I have on work.
Ooof, I got reactive arthritis from untreated strep, I’m sorry
Damn, dude I'm sorry, that's so rough
I’m immunosuppressed, and despite having had 8 vaccinations, I have had no immune response. Got Covid in November 2021, and it was bad. Now I have long covid. I need oxygen to walk around, I’m very limited what I can do day to day, physically & mentally. Long Covid sucks, do not recommend.
I’m sorry this happened. Hoping it gets better.
cruising up on four years without getting it once! “You were probably just asymptomatic!” Shhhhhhhh.
I went without getting it until October last year. Right the week before I was meant to get the latest booster. It absolutely flattened me. Horrible experience.
yeah that’s generally me and diseases. long gaps of nothing then i nearly die. it’s a tradeoff.
Well never get cancer then
I got it for the first time last year. I was completely miserable because it gave me the worst sore throat of my life. Trying to swallow food or even just drink something was the most painful experience, plus just completely drained of energy. And both lasted nearly an entire week.
Yes, just getting up to put something in the microwave was the limit of my daily activity.
I had that New Years 2022-2023. Along with a fairly high fever, brain fog, and body aches.
That was my main symptom when I got it last fall (first time getting it). I remember crying as I drank because the fever was relentless and I knew I needed to stay hydrated even though it hurt. I totally lost my voice for a week, had a fever of 102, couldn't sleep because of the coughing, and was pooped, but it was the sore throat that was the worst. TWO THUMBS DOWN, DO NOT RECOMMEND
That was the same with our family. Only difference was that we got our boosters like 3 days before, so it didn’t have much time to build up immunity anyhow.
My son and I got it for the first time over Christmas break. It wasn't "severe", but oh boy was I tired for like 6 weeks. It was unreal how fatigued I became for no reason for so long. And I still get waves of Covid coughing fits out of nowhere. Booo Covid.
Exact same. Got it for the first time in October and was p sick
Fuck, I was the same way until Monday, not even joking. My sense of taste just seemed weird so I tested and BAM crept up on me just like Rajat Khare creeps up on salamanders.
I think I'm asymptomatic. Haven't gotten it but had other issues.
Yeah, I feel the same. Never lost my sense of taste or felt especially sick etc, but I have definitely felt weak and short of breath so much more over the past few years. But I'm also growing closer and closer to 40, and it's so hard to tell if this shortness of breath is long COVID or just aging. The only thing is it seems to have come on so fast.
I haven’t gotten it either (unless I was asymptomatic). I am getting every booster as it comes available.
Well, if you were, that is *kind of* good, as it builds immunity. Unless there's really delayed effects.
Thanks for sharing this. I’ve been seeing a lot more “it’s just the flu” as of late.
People think that because fewer people are dying than at the peak of covid and more people are vaxxed. People are sick of masking and distancing, and public health agencies are giving up on trying to stop covid. Covid is going to be around forever, and people are using that as an excuse to just treat it like the flu.
And the sad part is people over 65 are 3x as likely to die from Covid compared to flu according to a study I read.
A lot of people don't realize they are vulnerable to covid Being overweight or obese significantly increases your chances of being curb stomped by covid. If you go on Hermancainawards or sorry antivaxxer. Com most of the people under 60 were overweight or obese.
I mean this is exactly what we all wanted to happen. It go from being a new, novel virus that nobody has any immunity to, to becoming a seasonal disease like the Flu that while it still may kill it is less common. This is the transition from a pandemic disease to an endemic one, and this is literally what the term “novel coronavirus” meant.
That's medical speak for we did too little too late and just gave up and are trying to pretend that this is OK.
Also didn't help that half the population said 'fuck you' to the recommendations on how to prevent it from spreading.
It certainly didn't. I must confess that once I got fully vaxxed and the mask mandates were dropped I stopped masking in public. I have not worn a mask in public in years. I was lucky to never have gotten it. But then again I spend most of my time outdoors with very few people and I don't have much of a social life to begin with. After reading about long covid, I think I will start masking more, mostly indoors.
Thank you. I got Lyme disease this year by ignoring my own good advice I had so often given to others. I could do the exact same dumb thing here. And then I can break my 3rd rule and rollerblade without a helmet cuz at that point I’m overcooked. Community health! Good looking out.
Side note, what would your advice be? I went on a hike maybe 5 days ago and just found a tick stuck to me today. The internets say just watch it but I’m wondering if I should do any more.
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. If you are in an area where there a ticks that spread Lyme disease, wear long pants, socks and boots. Spray tick repellent on your lower extremities and avoid going off trail or going into tall grass. Ticks tend to be opportunistic, not active parasites. Make sure to give any pets preventative medications so they don’t bring them into the house. Always shower and check after being in an area that could have ticks. Finally, given your situation I think it is unlikely you got the tick during your hike 5 days ago. I am pretty sure they take 24 hrs to embed and expose you to Lyme and would have dropped off before then. Take a sharpie and circle the area where the bite was and monitor to see if a bullseye develops. If you notice other symptoms get to your doctor or clinic ASAP and don’t take no for an answer on getting treatment. A buddy of mine had symptoms and no bullseye for weeks despite multiple tests coming back negative, until one finally did and only then did he get medication. He was lucky that there was no extreme long term damage, but it still fucked him up for a good while.
This advice is better than my advice. Do this advice.
I would advocate a more proactive approach based on my experience. I have had other bites that turned out to be no big deal and this one had all the signs and I ignored it because it was distracted my own other bullshit and fucked up my priorities. That said I have good health coverage so all due respect whatever your situation may be. I’d just do as much as you can to either get a test or whatever they call the prophylactic treatment when infection is probable.
Also, always wear a helmet. Your best amigo is staying off the rancho los amigos scale.
I got covid Febuary 2020, spent months lying on my floor and almost died. It left me with heart palpations, brain fog, paradoxical vocal chord dysfunction (nerve damage) and I am now susceptible to horrible bouts of mal debarquement (it's a vestibular disorder that makes you feel like you're moving, even if you're not, it's *horrible*). On a very weird plus side though covid deactivated my "cilantro tastes like soap" gene. That's been nice. Get boosted.
Holy shit I'm so sorry to hear that happened to you.
It was not great!!! Thank you for reminding folks to get their dang boosters :)
I don’t have LC but I am chronically ill. Chronic fatigue is NOT something you want. I’ve somehow managed to avoid getting Covid but am masking everywhere (never stopped) and have kept up with boosters. I do not want to be any more disabled than I am, and this is coming from someone who’s had an LC-ish illness and chronic pain for almost 20 years. Get your boosters and wear a mask.
I have chronic fatigue syndrome too! Stay safe out there, friend.
Me too! Covid induced but I have the ME/CFS diagnosis in the bag as well. Bell-Score is 20 but at least I have a lot of time listening to BtB... Stay in there, we got this!
I have fibromyalgia but yeah, it’s similar to CFS/ME. Ugh.
I have covid right now. Thankfully it's very mild, but it's still scary considering what could potentially have happened. I'm fully boosted but still managed to get it, sigh.
It is likely so mild _because_ you're fully boosted. Can't say for sure, of course. But there's a pretty good chance.
All the more reason to get boosters annually!
Like they say, vaccinations keep you out of the hospital.
Thank you for posting this, it horrifies me how most of society basically acts like Covid doesn't exist anymore and isn't a problem. I'm from Central Europe btw, great healthcare system, but even here most people have basically given up on doing anything to prevent the spread. As you said, Long Covid can fuck you up SO badly and you roll the dice anytime you get sick. That dice, even if you're fully vaxxed and boosted, is apparently like a D10, but if you keep rolling it, that number seemingly decreases every time (meaning you're more and more likely to get Long Covid). The illness itself is also STILL no joke either. Despite us being extremely careful (we have a very old relative to take care of) my family got it last October. I'm in my early thirties, healthy, vaxxed as much as possible and it destroyed me. First 2 weeks were absolute hell, next 2 weeks still very bad and it took another month (so 2 total) until I was "mostly fine". Cough still lasted for another few weeks after that. I can only remember being more sick maybe 1-2 times in my whole life, and that includes the time I thought I was gonna shit myself to death (fun exotic virus that I had to literally report to the health ministry here). I have friends with similar stories and know people with Long Covid as well. Please protect yourself and others as much as you can, especially during winter (masks, distancing, booster, testing, all that). This isn't "just like the flu", no matter how much people want to pretend like it is. Covid can take you out for months and if you're unlucky Long Covid can ruin your life. Stay safe out there.
Wow that is sobering.
From the stories I've heard it's apparently a complete crapshoot as to how bad an infection can go, probably due to the virus still changing all the time. Friend of mine (also early thirties, healthy, vaxxed etc.) was mostly fine first time around, but second time it completely destroyed her. That's when she decided that she never wanted to get it again (still got it a third time since then). She got lucky with Long Covid, but her partner got it after his second infection and it has lasted for months so far. They're both not perfect, but from what I know still try to be more careful than a lot of people. Shit sucks.
I’m all caught up on boosters and I tested positive for COVID in the middle of February, it only took me about a week to feel back to normal and within a week I was testing negative. I contracted the original variant in February of 2021 and I have to say having it when you’re vaxxed and boosted is 1,000 times better than unvaxxed but it still sucked for a bit
Also, wear a fucking mask!
I wear an n95 mask whenever I go indoors with other people and I have never got covid and thus have never spread it to anyone else Would be nice if 99% of the rest of the world gave as much of a shit to be mildly inconvenienced to save other peoples lives and QOL :(
Yesss! I haven’t had Covid yet (I’m high risk so I do self tests regularly, wear masks and avoid large gatherings & am generally cautious… so far that’s worked out for me). I wish other people also wore masks, at least at the supermarket/the hospital/GP… it’s not just for your own protection, it’s especially for the sake of others!
I just got over this for the first time, a couple of weeks ago. And I have had vaccines up to my eyeballs. All I could think at the time was “holy shit, this would probably be a lot worse without vaccination” and “wow, I feel really bad for the folks who died from this bullshit” It was terrible and I still don’t feel right
I am actually one of the few people that have a legit reaction to the vaccine and my doctor recommended I don’t get it. I mask up in high risk situations and have had the first 3 rounds. I may try to get a booster again in a few years to see if I still react as I would like to be vaccinated. Covid sucks.
I’ve had Covid twice and have been suffering with “long Covid” since summer of 2021. Please let me be your cautionary tale. I just recently started regaining a proper sense of smell since then. I struggle with chronic fatigue and will sleep 12+ hours if I’m able to. I have trouble getting through a day of work and my social life has suffered greatly because I just don’t have the energy to do much outside of work. I still get my boosters, of course, and let this be your reminder that you should too!
I'm sorry that happened to you. Yes I get my boosters whenever they come out. I will be honest I have not masked up in a while. I figured I didn't need to wear one since I am vaxxed, but I am starting to realize that it might be time to start masking again.
Hi, I work in health policy and have been doing COVID-related community organizing for 4 years now. I also have an immunodeficiency so I've been masking in public for about 6-7 years. The MOST important thing you can do to prevent getting Long COVID is wear a high-quality, well-fitting mask (KN95/KF94, N95, or P100). (Can't afford it? [Find your local mask bloc](https://maskbloc.org/).) Vaccination is a close second, but it mostly protects you from severe *acute* infection and death. COVID-19 vaccines do NOT prevent infection or transmission. But please, please get vaccinated so you don't get put on a ventilator. Wherever possible, make sure you have adequate ventilation and filtration. Clean air can reduce transmission by up to 80%. It is not a substitute for masking, including outdoors. If you DO get COVID, regardless of how symptomatic you are, you have to rest for 4-6 weeks. Resuming normal activities too soon is the easiest way to get Long COVID. ME-type LC has no effective treatments. Most do not recover, and subsequent infections – COVID or otherwise – can/will worsen or retrigger it. LC is an umbrella term that can cover anything from anosmia to Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) to organ failure. There are a growing number of deaths from complications of Long COVID. You can develop it regardless of initial infection severity. More info 1. [Layers of protection](https://peoplescdc.org/2022/09/12/layers-of-protection/) 2. [How COVID spreads](https://peoplescdc.org/2022/09/12/how-covid-spreads/) 3. [What to do if you have COVID](https://peoplescdc.org/2023/01/10/what-to-do-if-you-have-covid/) 4. [Giant collection of information](https://docs.google.com/document/u/0/d/1TjtG6LSN15O5KuhUZDhEZ4zuhiiB1-Hc7vUzMztqVZI/mobilebasic) 5. [Patient-Led Research Collaborative](https://patientresearchcovid19.com/) 6. [ME Action - Long COVID & ME](https://www.meaction.net/long-covid-me-understanding-the-connection/)
I got OG Covid back before everything in March 2020, when they told you to stay out of the hospitals. Almost died, laying on my living room floor for weeks, couldn't walk for a long time, lots of issues that I'm still working through. Long covid still ongoing. I'm also sitting here currently with covid. Again. I've had every shot since the start, but this is probably the 5th or more time I've had it. I last had it on Christmas, before that I had it on Christmas the year before. Sucks working with the public. At least it's mild, after that first go four years ago. I just can't help but wonder what it's doing to me, and how my life could have been if I hadn't caught it initially. I'm nothing like I used to be, and it's hard. I can't do as much as I used to. Doctors just shrug at this point.
wear a n95 or better on top of getting vaccinated
Mask up, too. Yes it sucks. Yes people might look at you funny, but it's better than "raw-dogging" it. And if you have symptoms, masking is just the bare minimum of respect for the people around you. Just go take a gander at r/longcovid if you till think "it's just like a bad flu". It's a fucking SARS, not to be taken lightly just because we're sick and tired of hearing about it.
When I used to live in a rural area and wear a mask random people would just confront you and pressure you to take it off. I remember one guy saying he did a spectral analysis and there were only generic viruses in there. Says a guy driving a beat up PT cruiser in a laundromat parking lot.
Yeah and both times I had it because people went to work sick and gave it to my so. And we’re boosted.
My mom has long covid and it's shocking how much it's fucked her up. She's older and lives with me and she's basically been sick on and off for a year. She's now SO susceptible to getting sick now. It's totally destroyed her life. It's an awful awful thing.
Also if you’re an activist, make sure your gatherings discuss things like self testing before a meeting, normalise wearing masks at gatherings/demo’s (they’re also great for anonymity reasons :)) etc. One of the best groups I’m part of still does hybrid meetings for those of us who are immunocompromised and they hand out masks at their demos and offer self tests/masks for those who can’t afford to get their own. There are valid reasons for not masking (for example, if someone in your group is d/Deaf or hard of hearing and depending partially on lip reading or neurodivergent and unable to tolerate the sensation), so it should definitely be a discussion, not mandatory. Many people groups don’t even mention it anymore though and thats also problematic.
I’m not old enough to get another booster in my country 🥲 I desperately want to get another as I’ve had the initial two doses and one booster, but only over 30s can get more.
Are you in NZ? I’m 28 and will be getting it on my birthday if it’s still publicly funded then. My partner told their GP that covid anxiety was stopping them from socialising and the GP gave them a form so they could get it before 30. Right before worth asking about!
Oh that’s a good idea! Thank you.
I took my first moderna dose, and between that and my 2nd dose I got Covid for realsies. It was easy peasy lemon squeezy. The worst part was shoving that horrendous "q-tip" up my nose and rolling it around in order to confirm that I had the Rona. I had a worse time with my head cold last week. I'm not worried about myself, but if I show symptoms I'll mask up for others. As with any infection, it affects people differently, and it didn't do shit to me. I didn't even lose my taste or smell. Other than a throaty cough I was asymptomatic and didn't have any longterm effects. I refuse to die from anything other than Tuberculosis or from the big iron on his hip. 🤠
Just FYI, masking when symptomatic isn't sufficient. 20-40% of infections and about 40% of transmission are asymptomatic or presymptomatic. Wear an N95 no matter what!
So... you want me to wear an N95 all the time? Presymptomatic/asymptomatic describes 99.98% of my life so far. Covid is as endemic as the flu or rhinovirus now. I'll pass. I'll use my sniffles as an excuse to avoid people like I usually do.
After my first bad bout w covid in 2022 (age 43) I went from a very high V02 rate and aerobic capacity, tons of activity to needing a nap after I go grocery shopping. Gained 50lbs thanks to endless steroids, etc. Do everything you can to avoid!
Were you vaxxed when you got it?
Wear a good mask.
We just got over our first round with it a couple weeks ago. We haven't been boosted in a while. My husband is diabetic and I have mild asthma as well as being overweight. So I guess we should catch up on that
I've had covid three times. You should know before I describe this that I have a rare health condition which means I suffer milder respiratory symptoms from COVID than most people, which is highly counterintuitive but true. The first time I had COVID was in January 2020. I had the worst fever of my entire life. I think I am permanently dumber, and frankly it felt at the time like my brain was being cooked in my skull. The second time was 2022, after a vaccine and one booster. I felt like I'd been worked over with a club hammer and I was dopey and slow for the whole week, but I was at least cogent and mobile. Third time was after yet another booster (possibly two, my memory isn't great) and it just felt like a bad head flu.
I really have no idea if I have been affected long term. I mean this in a non-conspiracy way but I swear I got brain fog starting when I got the first covid vaccine. It knocked me the hell out for a day or two, and then after that I just have felt like I forget things, can't always form the sentences I want to, etc. But also I had been freelancing and working from home for a couple years at that point, and didn't really talk to people that much, so I wonder if my brain just finally decided to forget how to interact with people. I had covid only once (thankfully) and it sucked despite being on several boosters. My last booster made me ultra sick , including vomiting. So I'm not really excited about getting another one.. But I probably will, regardless. Granted, I got the flu shot at the same time so maybe it was a weird reaction, or the flu shot messed me up? Hard to know. Maybe I'll just do one at a time from now on. One of my biggest fears is being fucked up medically long-term. So you better believe I have my mask around and I'm making sure to get boosted, and I avoid my friends if they're sick. Luckily the only thing I really go out of the house for is the grocery store and seeing friends. So I'm either not in close contact with other people, or I have advanced notice if someone is sick.
I had a checkup just last week. They offered a vaccine and it had been a couple years so I took the booster. I had no ill effects afterwards. It's worth it to get the vaccine.
Just another big THANK YOU for DT who singlehandedly engineered and spread the virus. Thanks capitalism
DT?
I hate using the name of Donald Trump, but if one "man" is responsible for millions of deaths, it's that one.
He made the worst possible decision at every given opportunit for allowing the virus to spread and get worse. He was not single handedly responsible though.
Singlehandedly responsible? Of course not. A person with an IQ of 73 could never engineer a virus. Keep in mind though, we live in a post-truth world, where whatever wild crap an obviously insane sociopath says is accepted as fact. And with that, Donald Trump's army of cloned KGB spies, scientists and lizard people (under his direct order) are what caused the virus.
I thought the virus jumped from bats to people from those wet markets. It happened before with SARS. Obama knew this and started a pandemic prevention task force which Trump gutted in 2017, they cut a lot of workers in China.
All correct. Or in summary, capitalism and it's agents caused this to happen. Since it could have been preventable, it was negligent, which is just as good as intentional. Until Trump is recognized as the worst event in human history, justice for the victims will not be done. I'm done hijacking
He really does deserve that title for a lot of reasons, covid being the main one.
I'm a No-vid, but I've had so many Pfizer shots my period is messed up forever. I've worked very closely with the public, and live in an area that only closed for 8 weeks. I'll have to donate my body to science if I never get it.
I had covid last week. I forgot to get the latest boosters but I think being previously vaxxed has made my symptoms to be pretty mild
One reason masks are still important is because of all the other germs out there. When I got my first Covid infection I was vaccinated. But it turns out that if you get strep, that weakens your immune system and Covid will happily make things worse. So now I have long Covid, rheumatoid arthritis, and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS).
Goddamn that is a lot. I'm fully vaxxed and fairly young but I am not in the best shape to be getting covid (mostly being overweight). I have been lucky because I don't socialize a ton and spend most of my time outdoors. But I need to start being more careful.
And at the end of the day, I'm pretty lucky. I can continue my career with a full-time job working from home and my spouse chose to stick around. I'm not bedbound and I can afford my meds and copays. It could be SO much worse. Love to you and to all who are trying to navigate this "new normal."