Adele Harris

I caught Long covid Sept 21st 2021 from the covid 19 virus. I did not have any vaccines. I lost my job as I literally couldnt move out of bed or my recliner chair. I caught covid 19, 3 times in 2021, I lost my health completly. There was no area of my health that didn't deteriorate. How it began, Wk 1 Caught covid 1st wk had mild cold, did test to confirm I had covid and followed isolation protocols. 2nd wk felt like I was dying, my lungs felt swollen and felt like they were trying to escape through my rib cage. I couldn't breathe tidy and it was painful my back and everywhere. The only relief was sitting with my back supported in reclining chair.(was laid off as there was no light duties I could possibly due at the job I was in) too scared of going into hospital for care as people were going to hospital and dying. Wk 3 This is when all my metal health went to shit and I felt so overwhelmed and like I was going crazy. Anxiety, panic attacks, grief, headaches, apathy for life insomnia etc. Symptoms Head to toe, all over pain and joints stiffness. No head rotation due to stiffness and pain swellings in my neck and my arm pits were flat and not pits anymore. Debilitating brain fog, couldn't think straight at all. Felt like a zombie 🧟 couldn't concentrate, felt overstimulated and the stress and anxiety was through the roof. Panic attacks night terrors racing heart and dark racing thoughts. Emotional numbness or apathy for life as I couldn't do much or move much at all due to all the pain in my body andbrain not functioning. Grief of my lost life and lost old self and old traumas resurfacing. I was an active person beforehand. The mental struggles, had with not being able to do anything useful plunged me into severe depression. Emotions were everywhere. Back felt as stiff as a board and I couldn't move much and if I did move, I experienced crushing debilitating fatigue. It was a struggle to even get dresses it took so long to do so and so much energy. I would crash out and go back to sleep. Sleeping was difficult because of all the feelings of dread and panic attacks and trying to lay in a comfortable position that wasn't as painful. I had to buy new bed, mattress and ergonomic pillows to support my stiff painful neck and put a pillow between my knees to support my aching hips and even then my back would still be painful. The mornings I woke up were full of grogginess and dread setting a foot off my bed due to the pain and crunching bones in my feet. (I was sleeping 12 to 16 hours easily a day) reasons! I believe the crushing fatigue, the debilitaing all over body pain the depression the fear of having to wake up and do groundhog day all over again. Everything hurt including my brain, its like it was frozen every function was difficult. Eyes were puffy and life less, skin was grey palour. I looked and felt like hell. I felt like there was no point in living as I had nothing to live for. No job, no purpose and I couldn't do anything but sit and stare into space. When I did move slowly about, I shuffled my feet felt flat and my legs like lead heavy and painful and cumbersome. I would frequently lose balance and trip and fall. I couldn't stand for longer than a few minutes, due to the pain everywhere. The back pain was excruciating, The pain radiated from my head, neck, upper back, lower back to my hips, squeezed down my legs and down to my feet. Then to add to that the chronic breathlessness, and debilitating crushing fatigue. I didn't have the energy or physical or mental capabilty or willpower to cook or look after myself properly. It felt like a never-ending nightmare. I felt like my sciatic nerve was compressed. I was diagnosed with myalgia and sciatica and postural instability. By gp and physiotherapist eventually. I pushed gp to do vitamin levels testing and found i was severely vit d deficient. I am vit d now for life as prescribed by gp. I was put on antidepressants and HRT as covid also flung me into peri menopausal, so I had the night sweats the itching itching the hormonal imbalance also going on. I didnt know covid 19, back then it attacks the whole body and the nervous system and I was told its just anxiety. I was referred to long covid clinic, where I was hopeful of get answers and help. They diagnosed the mylagia and then swiftly sent me packing with information on pacing. I applied for mental health counselling to help with all my tauma as I was suffering wirh agoraphobia at that point as well as CPTSD. I enlisted myself on a breathwork course thtough job club as they were still trying to get me to work. Even thoigh I could hardly move at all or think clearly. I had to submit sick papers online wkly for job centre and other benefits, for over a year before I was eventually signed off unfit to work. I had to fight for all my benefits, that was an extra massive stressor for someone who was already very limited to being able to think staight. My nervous system needed rest as it was x Compelety stuck in fight or flight mode. I had to ask other people and citizens advice for help. I needed help to fill in forms and deal with bills etc l.. for a time and me fight for pip. Pip was turned down 3 times, due to not having enough medical evidence in my file. Lost diagnoses etc. I had to go to tribunal to get my pip and tell them my story. A person that is that sick shouldn't have to fight that hard for support. Just saying. I already had IBS, raynaulds disease and poor circulation and other health issues before catching covid I believe covid exasperated all those illness too. I hope this story is enough to help Ps there are many mow symptoms just lost my train of thought. I am currently waiting on heart scans and tests as my bp spikes and drops drastically so worried I could have a stroke or heart attack too.