Long Covid impacts different people differently. And can start immediately after recovery or much later. Common symptoms include increased heart rate, breathing issues, dizziness, loss of memory, brain fog, depression, anxiety, gastric disturbances, gynaec issues in women, muscle pain, rashes etc. New symptoms sometimes start months later. These are NOT imagined issues or a result of anxiety. Research is still ongoing - here are the latest theories:
Disclaimer: This information has been gathered from many people. May or may not work for you. It is important to have a complete health check-up done before you try out alternate therapies/coping mechanisms. Discuss with your doctor before you try anything. If you have existing health conditions, you need to be cautious.
The Good News: Everything below involves improving your overall health and wellbeing. So you may now start living a far healthier life than before. :)
For high heart rate/breathing issues/anxiety
- If you have heart-rate and breathing-related issues - AND did not find anything wrong in your health checkups, these are the other two common possibilities. Your high heart rate could be caused by some impact to the nervous system or the gut.
Impact to Nervous System
- Find a good yoga teacher who can teach you 1:1. Ask for asanas that work on the vagus nerve, which controls heart rate. Pranayama helps bring down heart rate and improves breathing. There are SOS ones you can learn too. This helped me hugely!
- The basic principle - exhale double or more the length of your inhale. If you inhale for 3 seconds, try to exhale for 6 or more seconds, as much as you can stretch it. Pull your stomach in and keep exhaling, as slow as possible. Automatically your heart rate will come down, and you will feel calmer. It also works because you lift up the diaphragm, which is good for the vagus nerve apparently. Breathe from your chest, not from your nose - open up your chest and fill in air.
- This practice also improved my normal breathing significantly - my normal exhalation is at least 3 times longer than it used to be before. Without me making any effort.
- There are asanas also that help with calming the vagus nerve. Ask for that specifically. If you need the contacts of my yoga teacher, do let me know.
- All of this helps with the anxiety that usually accompanies these symptoms.
- 4-7-8 Breathing: Someone recommended this - quickly brings down heart rate and reduces anxiety. You may have to keep repeating it. https://www.webmd.com/balance/what-to-know-4-7-8-breathing
Impact to Gut- In my case, the turning point was my Ayurvedic doctor identifying that my high heart rate issues usually accompanied a meal. Her theory was that excess vaatha (gas) is produced, which pushes the diaphragm up, which causes the high heart rate.
- Which was true, despite the fact that I did not feel bloated at all. Most often, all I had to do was to have lime soda when the heart rate goes up - and I would burp - and the heart rate would come down miraculously! :) Try this out, harmless. Though you cannot keep doing this too many times a day.
- So she treated my stomach, to reduce the formation of gas - medicines that reduce Vaatha in the body. I took around 4 months of this, she kept varying and tapering down medicines, and completely stopped after that. The symptoms stopped almost completely, with only rare occurrences. I can share her contacts if interested.
For Sleep Disturbances
- Sleep is probably THE biggest factor that can hasten your recovery. Invest everything possible in getting more and better sleep.
- Have two pinches of nutmeg in warm milk at bedtime - helps deepen sleep
- Ashwagandha also helps, at bed time. Tablets, or churnam prescribed by an Ayurvedic doctor. I tried the RV Pundit tablets for a while, and then the churnam.
- Moonbrew Bedtime Latte, for sleep: https://moonbrew.in/products/copy-of-bedtime-latte-beetroot-ginger-pack-of-2-10-off
- A few drops of lavender oil on your pillow when you go to sleep has helped some long-term sufferers. Old Tree Lavender oil on Amazon was recommended by a friend. Put two drops on your pillow. One on the left side and one on the right.
For Stomach Issues
- To supplement what the doctor asked you to take, some home remedies.
- Again, Ayurveda has remedies that work for some people
Gynaecological Issues
- Covid impacts thyroid levels in some people - and so some women don't get periods for many months post-Covid. This has happened to some women post the second vaccine also. Talk to your doctor as to whether to just wait or take medicines/alter diet.
Brain Fog
Medical tests you should do
Diet
- A good nutritionist will help you adjust your diet to improve all the conditions listed above. A lot of health issues have an impact on the gut.
Exposure to Morning Sunlight
Research
Research is still ongoing, across many countries - as working populations across the world have been impacted by long Covid. Google to get the latest info.
Please add comments here/let me know if you have any tips that worked for you. It could help someone else. Thanks!
