Does COVID Mess With Your DNA?

As more and more are infected with COVID-19, there's a growing group of people who have what's called Long COVID, meaning they still have symptoms for weeks or months after getting sick. While we still don't know for sure the cause of long COVID, there's a growing body of research that long COVID may be the result of the virus messing with people's DNA.
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Sources:
Sources:
Swedish studies:
www.tandfonlin...
clinicalepigen...
www.eurekalert...
US studies:
link.springer....
clinicalepigen...
Norwegian study:
www.nature.com...
General review on long COVID:
www.ncbi.nlm.n...
Other:
www.ncbi.nlm.n...
www.ncbi.nlm.n...
www.improvedia...
www.ncbi.nlm.n...
www.tandfonlin... clinicalepigen...
link.springer.... link.springer....
www.nature.com...
Images
www.gettyimage...
commons.wikime...
commons.wikime...

[@BensBrickDesigns]

I hope something can help Physics Girl soon.

[@ALictorBLOR]

Agreed!

[@MBMCincy63]

I was going to say that! I hope she can recover and be healthy again.

[@aaronmacy9134]

I was hoping SciShow would mention her by name so people could see just how shitty Long Covid can be and so Dianna’s Patreon gets more donations. My heart breaks for her.

[@ashleelarsen2233]

Benadryl is very different from Claritin This was not enough info There is a real trial using SSRI treatment 7:23 Sorry

[@JohnSmith-kf1fc]

​@Aaron Macy me too!

[@bluebirdeyes]

I developed POTS after a cold. This was before COVID-I was on a vacation with friends where we all got sick, and I just never really got better. I'm really hoping that all this long COVID research helps with those like me who have similar (but not COVID-related) cases of post-infection chronic fatigue syndrome. I'm glad there's finally funding and visibility for this type of condition and am hopeful that it'll help us develop more effective treatments once we're able to narrow down the causes.

[@AuntieDawnsKitchen]

I hear you - it’s taken many years for me to recover from a CFS-style pattern after a bout of mono. The total lack of interest in most medical professionals for understanding this cluster of disorders has left the industry with a standing start in helping the many, many sufferers from long Covid.

[@trumpone4443]

How soon prior to late Jan 20? Because Europe had covid in November 19 and didn't even know it. Also all that beginng testing was garbage.

[@Livi_Noelle]

When I was 16 or 17, I had one cold, then another. They triggered viral pericarditis and almost took me out.

[@AndreaCrisp]

I am so sorry that you are dealing with this. Chronic infections are no joke and western medicine, in the US at least, is horrible with helping it.

[@johnnyearp52]

​@@AuntieDawnsKitchen I had Mono in 2011 and had symptoms for 10 years before being diagnosed with POTS.

[@sabikitsune5517]

I wonder how covid may be able to interact with other diseases. Just a single case but: My mother has Huntington's. She was very fortunate and had absolutely no symptoms, she only knew because it runs in the family and she got tested. Back in 2020 the whole family caught covid. Almost immediately after, she began showing symptoms of Huntington's. It makes me wonder if the covid somehow "activated" the other. Of course, this is only a single case and could be coincidence, but I can't help but be curious about the possibility.

[@bunnyben5607]

It's entirely possible. Aging is determined by epigenetic modifications in your cells. Hypothetically Covid could accelerate methylation related aging, which would affect diseases with an age dependent onset, like Huntingtons.

[@AndreaCrisp]

Possible. It's now known that Multiple Sclerosis begins with Epstein-Barr virus. Mononucleosis/glandular fever. Not everyone who gets it develops MS, of course, but nearly everyone with a diagnosis has the EBV antibodies. Covid-19 affects the nervous system and Huntington's is a nervous system disorder/disease. There is just so much we do not understand about the role of infectious disease in chronic illness. I am so sorry that your mother and family are dealing with this.

[@tessat338]

My mom is a very active octogenarian. She and my dad got Covid in March 2020 after coming back from skiing in Jackson Hole, WY. Her mother and grandmother both had A-Fib, but my mom never had it until after she had Covid. My mom has had to be converted (shocked out of A-Fib under anesthesia with a defibrillator) twice. Thankfully, it has worked....so far.

[@A-Known-Enemy]

Two people in my immediate family with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome experienced significant worsening of EDS symptoms following covid. It's tough to say if it was coincidental or not but I'm curious if anyone else has heard of similar cases.

[@lh3540]

There's a frustrating lack of info, but I was reading a study where covid triggered hlab27 uveitis in previously undiagnosed people. But then a lot of people in my vision group never had a rebound. Genetics is weird.

[@PBlague]

Sending love to the PhysicsGirl! Hope she recovers from this unfortunate case as these studies makes us understand how ME/CFS and Long covid work

[@SafeAndEffectiveTheySaid]

Did she get the jab after having been infected because they said "safe and effective'

[@PBlague]

@@SafeAndEffectiveTheySaid the vaccine is for before you get infected... And yes... It is safe and effective if you take it before

[@ex8280]

She's vaccinated. Makes no sense for her to catch it, let alone have Long Covid. I'm thinking she's just faking it. Excuse to go on vacation

[@lw1zfog]

@@SafeAndEffectiveTheySaid how insensitive of you ! 😂 the post experimental guinea pigs would rather not go there thank you very much 🤐

[@georgewang2947]

@@SafeAndEffectiveTheySaid take your unscientific insinuations elsewhere

[@ETBrenner]

Another COVID-concerned person who was wrestling with chronic fatigue issues years before COVID, who couldn't help noticing similarities with the emerging info about long COVID. Thank you for continuing to put out this vital info.

[@InferiorRaven77]

This will definately add to the research about CFS and hopefully a way to cure it in the future 🤞

[@RealityHasAWokeBias]

@@MatthewMcRowan The anti-science crowd just can't wait to jump on someone for being concerned about a virus with real and lasting health effects. Look man, vaccines are quite literally the pinnacle of medical intervention and if it weren't for them, tens of millions more people would be dead over the last hundred years. You might not even be here if it weren't for the polio vaccine. But of course, here you are looking like a fool talking about "jabbies" because you're so content with your own ignorance and stupidity that makes you completely incurious about the world around you. I hope you can work through that one day.

[@spvillano]

@@MatthewMcRowan compared to my blow mitral valve or my daughter who has long COVID, I'll take the shots. Waking up dead kind of ruins one's weekend plans, ya know.

[@ETBrenner]

I did get all the shots and boosters. I totally get the science about the shots too - and that includes being realistic about the fact that they reduce but do not eliminate risk of infection, especially for persons with health/age risk factors such as myself.

[@spvillano]

@@ETBrenner same here. Got a chewed up mitral valve from the virus, can imagine how much worse it would’ve been without the vaccine!

[@EmmaDoty21]

I was 19 and in great shape when I got Covid in June 2022. I had to take the year off college because I couldn’t breathe and had bizarre mental and cognitive symptoms, such as paranoia that convinced me people had come from my hometown 30 miles away to break into my dorm room. In January 2023, I ended up in the hospital for an asthma attack, after which I started on two maintenance inhalers and a rescue inhaler. I never had asthma before Covid. Today, with the three inhalers, I am back to going on walks and bike rides and plan to return to college and my beloved marching band in the fall. I hope my story can bring hope to someone currently suffering.

[@blazewarriorwolf]

That's awful! I'm glad things are better but things like what you went through and are still dealing with should have never been given the conditions to happen. It feels like nobody cares about Covid anymore which is just frightening

[@tesmith47]

The foolish antivax are the enemy

[@erikn.7540]

There might be something to this. My allergist perscribed inhalers to her covid patients to reduce the likelihood of post-covid coughing

[@LeVraiBabaYaga]

Nobody cares about your story because you are just an unknown account on the internet full of lies and BS.

[@Rijndael1998]

i hope you manage...

[@adpirtle]

I had a friend with long covid. Months after his illness he still had a hard time walking to the corner store. He ended up passing away from unrelated illness, but the long covid couldn't have helped.

[@greigger]

I'm sorry for your loss David ❤

[@adoxartist1258]

I have a neighbor with long COVID. He can't walk from his front door to his mailbox in a very small yard. Poor man was exceptionally fit bore he got sick a year and a half ago. He is so depressed. 😟

[@bensoncheung2801]

F.

[@ursaltydog]

Covid affects all parts of the body and multi-organ function. It wouldn't surprise me if these unrelated illness wasn't due to covid having weakened his system.

[@Turtledove2009]

So sorry for your loss of your friend.

[@TheDangersquirrel]

As someone with Long COVID (for three years now!) thank you folks for continuing to make videos about it. The only thing worse than the physical symptoms is the systemic gaslighting as “society” tries to act like things are “normal.”

[@rtd1791]

I like the phrase “systemic gaslighting”.

[@luciakirchhof968]

Yep completely feel you. I'd recommend finding online community of people who still care (like stillcoviding)

[@rk-ve6jy]

U have leg pain?

[@lauryn6037]

i’m so sorry. i’m immunocompromised and endlessly upset and frustrated at how most people have abandoned all concern and critical thinking about covid too

[@Fornax70]

⁠​⁠@@lauryn6037 do you concern yourself often at how blind people manage through life? Do you get frustrated that society doesn’t all behave and live as a blind person has to? People who aren’t immunocomprimised aren’t going to live indefinitely as if they were. We spent the better part of three years with lockdowns and restrictions to protect the vulnerable, now we have a safe effective vaccine to protect people that can’t be questioned otherwise you’re labeled a cooker but that’s still not enough for you.

[@caspenbee]

After covid, I got cholinergic urticaria (hives every time I exercise or get hot). This is consistent with changes to histamine production. I'm on antihistamines and Xolair now. I wish I was part of one of these studies!

[@molassesboii1186]

I also developed long-term urticaria after recovering from COVID in 2020. Still suffering from it until now.

[@issamelissaaa]

Same for both me and my daughter.

[@bentoth9555]

Hopefully more study can reveal how to help sufferers recover. Dianna Cowern, aka PhysicsGirl, has had ME/CFS as a result of long covid for a while now and I worry about her a lot. I miss her videos.

[@Arthera0]

Its so disheartening to see someone with so much passion and energy incapable to do the simplest of tasks.

[@k.taylor3526]

Likewise 😢 I keep up with long covid reporting in hopes that we’ll hear something that will help her. Her support group is amazing, thankfully.

[@luciakirchhof968]

I've also developed ME CFS with long COVID. If you or someone you know has long COVID I'd really recommend looking into this diagnosis and to find patient led online community

[@sandybarnes887]

I was saddened so much when she cut her hair. 😢

[@HatiKeseorangan]

my father and mother and my friends got brain fog after get the covid attack...

[@rhodrambles3943]

What scares me as someone who has had long covid is what we still dont know and what might still be down the line, but it also weirdly makes me optimistic about what we could learn from it. Im under 30 and had no health conditions and was generally active, fit and healthy. I had covid in 2020 before my age group was vaccinated (UK), I suffered heart lesions, lung scarring, nerve damage in my legs, joint problems, developed intestinal colitis, food allergies that I didnt have before and had / have pretty bad long covid for almost 2 years. All of that without being so ill as to be hospitalised. Its kind of wild how much variation it had from person to person and I hope someday we figure out why. It feels like if we can, its going to open a whole new box of medical advancements.

[@FaraFellow]

exact same thing happened to me. got covid for the first time at 16 years old and even though i didn't get hospitalized (because i wasn't able to get to the hospital since the ERs were full) my health has been a nightmare. nothing's been the same

[@05Forenza]

I had covid in early 2020 before much was known about it, and unless you were basically dying, could not go to a hospital for it in the US. I was 30 at the time. I believe I had some symptoms of long covid as I had a decent cough for a solid month after other symptoms went away...and then the cough has stayed with me when I lay down for bed every night. Its not much, a cough or two feels necessary. I also feel like I can't quite put sentences together like I used to. I lose track in the middle of a thought, or totally wrong words come out. I used to be incredibly well spoken and it DRIVES ME NUTS when I can't speak with a larger vocabulary. -- It's interesting that you said you developed food allergies. I hadn't thought of linking it to covid, but I believe it was later in 2020 after I had covid, I realized I could no longer have caffeine and wheat started affecting me quite a bit more than it ever used to. -- I do hope we find some sort of "aha" about covid and can remedy the issues that many of us experienced.

[@mykalkelley8315]

Remember guys, it didn't come from a lab.

[@johnnyearp52]

​@@mykalkelley8315 Either way it is here now.

[@dementiasorrow]

I'm sorry you all got the blunt of long covid. Hope we figure out whats wrong as soon as possible to develop treatments for all the conditions. Seek medical help at university hospitals and report these symptoms to the doctors so they can study your cases and compile as much data as possible. Hope you all feel better soon.

[@hollyw9566]

Long Covid seems to me to be a lot like the chronic fatigue syndrome that I suffer from. It seems to me likely that all of these things are related to the illnesses like shingles that come from a virus that has been inactive.

[@coda3223]

A lot of overlap with MCAS and POTS too.

[@jtjames79]

Thank you for reminding me to get my shingles vaccine.

[@CorbiniteVids]

Oh yeah, as someone who has had long COVID for the last year the main experience is just intense fatigue. And pushing past the fatigue for long enough without a real beak makes you kind of just feel broken. Which sounds a lot like what friends with cf have experienced. I'm really hopeful that research into this can help people with me/cfs too.

[@coda3223]

@@CorbiniteVids Fatigue is the most consistently constant POTS symptom I have, and it limits everything I do. Most ableds don't understand either. They sometimes have a hard time wrapping their brains around the idea that it's more than just tired.

[@TalaAtTanagra]

More than half of people with long covid qualify for an MEcfs diagnosis. Source: Dr. Hector Bonilla, Stanford University

[@Merennulli]

I am so glad that at least some scientists are taking this seriously. It's been frustrating hearing all the political "it's over!" BS and watching funding and public safety be pulled at every turn.

[@Zuraneve]

Especially when you're one of the people suffering from long covid.

[@Merennulli]

@@Zuraneve Exactly. I took all the precautions and did all the things we were supposed to do that I was able to, and stayed COVID free until the CDC guidelines were withdrawn and my workplace followed their "lead". A few months later, I got it, and have never been the same since. I'm so thankful antihistimine made the most debilitating symptoms go away, but I'm still constantly feeling worn out.

[@Merennulli]

@@EnyoStudio You're definitely right to check with your doctor first. I'll expand on my experience with it in case any of this is useful to you: In my case, I used 25mg OTC Benadryl once a day. It took about half a day to start seeing effects and it was mostly stable after about 3 days. My doctor switched me from Benadryl to Zyrtec due to my seasonal allergies flaring up my sinuses, thinking it would do double-duty. I didn't notice any change (neither good nor bad) but she's kept me on it. I discovered they sell both Zyrtec and Benadryl knock-off brands in 365 tablet bottles. I'd suggest getting a smaller amount first to see if it works for you, then going with the big bottle if you end up sticking with it. It saves money and trips to the store. I was shopping in different places when I got each, so I've got Equate (Walmart) Benadryl knockoff and Walgreens Zyrtec knockoff.

[@DonoVideoProductions]

Yeah. Somehow, viruses don't care about politics. Imagine that! I went to a lab for a draw today, and for the first time, nobody had a mask on but me. It's maddening.

[@osmia]

+

[@Tunderage]

Hope there is gonna be more and more research on this topic. I had covid right at the beginning and suffered of long cov for almost 2 years. I was an elite athlete and it took me another year and a half to get back where i used to be. Plus it left me with new allergies and a histamine intolerance as well as paliptations and sleep problems for the longest time. Antihistamines helped against actue histamine reaction and (gen 1) to sleep without waking up anxious. At least the worst symptoms got better

[@rhodrambles3943]

Weird, I had the same thing. Nowhere near an athlete, but under 30 and healthy, had long covid for 2 years and developed allergies I didnt have before and heart problems. Its interesting you mention histamine intolerance, its something I saw online with my symptoms listed but never did get it checked out as I wasnt sure if it was related. Might do so now, so thanks for sharing your experience. Fingers crossed the rest of your symptoms leave too.

[@caleb7882]

That’s really encouraging for me to hear, how much better you’re doing, it’s easy to get hopeless because of how slow progress is.

[@mesamom62]

Waking up feeling anxious could be a symptom of sleep apnea. In particular, for someone young and healthy, central apnea. Basically, your autonomic response to breathe cuts out. I have obstructive sleep apnea, but after I developed long covid I began to have central apnea which outpaced the obstructive. What was once under control is out of control and I have episode whe I am awake. You might want to talk to your doctor about being tested.

[@Tf03]

Omg same!!! Antihistamines helped me too but my inflammation is still horrific!

[@robertmcgovern8850]

I managed to avoid it thru fanatical caution for the first two years, as my wife was going thru aggressive cancer Tx and was immunocompromised. Then I caught it twice in 6 months (Delta and Omicron, probably). First time I got very sick but recovered pretty well; second time the illness itself was mild but left me really struggling to focus or to work more than 6 hours a day. And a bizarre side effect I'd never heard of before experiencing it, tho apparently it is a thing: I am now alcohol intolerant. One small glass of wine & I get violently ill about 15 minutes later. Probably a good thing anyhow, but whoo ... that's some strange business.

[@angelcollina]

I'm so happy about possible Long Covid breakthroughs! I got covid back in March of 2020 when you couldn't even get a test and hospitals were all full. It was terrible. But since then for going on 3 years now I've had Long Covid flareups. It includes everything from being short of breath, to feeling feverish, to extreme lethargy and heart palpitations. I just wanna be healthy again!

[@Richexperience1]

Same here.

[@nevermindme7288]

It's the clotshot

[@Turtledove2009]

@@nevermindme7288 Read the comment again. March 2020. Think. No vaccines then.

[@nightthought2497]

me, a disabled human with risk factors in year three of effective isolation: Yup super tired of hearing about COVID. People ignoring and minimizing COVID, that is. *looks at the hospitalization stats which are identical to the hospitalization stats of the last recorded spike, right before everyone stopped tracking it*

[@osmia]

+

[@Fornax70]

We have a vaccine that’s safe and effective so what’s the issue here…

[@MysteryCorgi_VN]

Thank you for talking about it. For people like me (immunocompromised), it's not over. So my household is still isolating/sheltering in place. I only go out for doctors appointments. Which gets riskier as medical offices are dropping masking (if they hadn't already.) And as everyone is encouraged to stop caring for the sake of the economy, it's gotten more and more lonely.

[@Americanbadashh]

I had to stop checking social media all together for a while. Seeing people I used to admire and respect just stop caring traveling, maskless selfies, it was all just too heart breaking and I'm not even immunocompromised but I know and knew people who were.

[@peggedyourdad9560]

I know someone who has cystic fibrosis and I was extra worried about him during the height of the pandemic, I'm, glad to say he's still fine (aside from the cystic fibrosis). I'm definitely worried for those who are immunocompromised or those who have loved ones that are immunocompromised, especially since that category is a lot wider than most people would think. It includes people with explicit conditions, but also people who are on chemo and people who are on immunosuppressant medications or even medications that have a weakened immune system as a side effect.

[@danparish1344]

Many people have sacrificed so much for years. Saying people don’t care anymore because of the economy is so dismissive. It’s not just the economy but livelihoods, millions of small businesses shut down, the younger generation’s mental health and development, etc..

[@coda3223]

I've found some community in online disability communities that encourage or at least respect masking. These pricks in the comments here make me ashamed of nerdfighteria, just a complete lack of empathy or compassion. Hang in there, you are not alone!

[@danparish1344]

@@mikumoment4943 some people are still trying very hard to shame those wanting to go back to normal life. It’s extremely unhealthy, physically and mentally, for most people to stay locked indoors and isolated. To ask people to do this still is really cruel, empathy goes both ways.

[@soph7167]

Had heart palpitations, lost/warped smell and taste, and fatigue for at least half a year to a year after getting covid. It was rather scary and even now that im better i still wonder if my body/mind is completely back to normal sometimes, though im grateful for what i have.

[@Jibberish18]

I developed lasting heart arrhythmia. Didn’t even know what palpitations were until 4 weeks after catching covid. Now they come and go but never completely leave me. They’re terrifying. Cardiologists call them a “nuisance”. I want to tell them to go have one and see if they think they’re just a nuisance. I also feel like I have a hard time remembering words. Simple ones at that.

[@tammyturowski6703]

And how long after vaxx?

[@caleb7882]

I have severe long COVID. Former healthy uber-athlete, bedridden for months, POTS, chronic fatigue, same story as everybody else. It’s such a strange disease, I know we’re only beginning to scratch the surface. It’s inspired me to go into medical research (I was 17 at onset, now leaving for college) to do my part to help figure out all these forgotten diseases for all the people that got left behind. I have no doubt we’ll figure it out eventually, with enough people who care working hard.

[@ashtonselph8248]

Youll come to realize that the barrier to us understanding epigenetics is precisely the fact that people don't care. The people with money don't pay scientists to do anything that isn't immensely profitable. Its hard to get funding.

[@roiq5263]

Had you been vaccinated prior to getting long covid?

[@The-Skinn]

Were you vaccinated prior?

[@canontheory]

Did you get the vaccine?

[@ThePhilosophicalOne]

Give us your 'cine status, young brother.

[@telegramsam]

i would just be content if doctors stopped dismissing it as a psychological conversation disorder

[@telegramsam]

@@chrisgreene2070 you can't exhaust all medical possibilities after a fifteen minute conversation, but they do it anyway

[@lobstersonskateboards3988]

Or bipolar disorder, in my case. I already was diagnosed with conversion disorder bc of functional seizures, when I developed Long COVID it made everything worse and the doctor just completely dismissed it without barely even a 5-minute conversation thinking I was seeking attention and gave me the bipolar diagnosis on top of everything else in my list. It makes it practically impossible for any doctor to take me seriously.

[@M_Alexander]

​@@chrisgreene2070 too many doctors just don't even try. You either have a common diagnosis or it's in your head

[@epmcgee]

​@@chrisgreene2070 guessing because they don't have enough information isn't a diagnosis, it's negligence.

[@piarateking8094]

@@chrisgreene2070 epilepsy, ms(previously known as hysterical paralysis) and plenty other conditions use to be considered psychosomatic disorders not to mention patients will get dismissed without running tests or only running a basic blood panel, especially if your from a minority demographic

[@phoenixdown3180]

Thank you for this video! I feel pretty isolated as one of the only people I know who still cares, but long COVID, CFS, and chronic illnesses in general are awful Also, shoutout to the SciShow team member who has to deal with comment moderation! Gotta be a tough job on these kinds of videos ❤️

[@peggedyourdad9560]

I absolutely do not envy the mods for these kinds of videos. I can imagine the other videos dealing with anything COVID, or even just vaccine-related, getting a lot of extra special comments.

[@brightknight1965]

My family cares! We feel isolated too but have been taking this seriously for three years

[@CG_Hali]

Glad they are looking into it but it is hard to see how suddenly they take an interest when for decades and still now, there is nothing done for chronic fatigue syndrome. My only hope is that they find a medication that also will work for many of us who have post-viral syndrome. They are doing research on DNA for us as well, but of course it's patients who foot the bill. Didn't participate cause it was $1000 fee :( They could have had a solution already or at least decades of research into post-viral syndromes if they had not ignored ME/CFS.

[@GrumpyOldFart2]

Ummm….that sounds really weird. Usually when you participate in a study, because they need volunteers, THEY pay YOU, even if it’s a nominal payment.

[@dominiquekervyn7777]

Test your thyroïd hormone levels (T3 and T4) for hypothyroidy (better 24 hrs levels in urine than instant levels in blood)

[@tye2492]

I got COVID back in 2021 and have been struggling with the fatigue ever since. It has made my asthma worse, my joint pain has increased and I also deal with hemiplegic migraines. Since contracting what I believe to be long covid, the migraines have increased and my ability to focus on things without losing vision is becoming a daily battle. Thanks you guys, for continuing to bring good information to us.

[@sparklefulpaladin]

Yeah, after a mild case of Covid (mine wasn't even bad enough to go see the doctor), my asthma has flared up way more often than normal and migraines have gotten worse, as well. Hopefully the research continues and can help people like us. Thank you, SciShow for helping bring more information and awareness to everyone, especially in a way that's easy to understand!

[@mitchellcouchman1444]

Did the VAX help?

[@EYTSIRHC1]

I used to get hemiplegic migraines. The first time was scary since it seemed like a stroke. It was annoying.

[@chinookvalley]

Were you vaccinated?

[@tye2492]

@@chinookvalley indeed, my partner is immunocompromised so we need to be really cautious with just going out. up to date on boosters, still mask if i have to go anywhere and I hardly attend any socials that are medium or larger in size.

[@Kittysniffer]

You know I'm tired of hearing about cancer but we don't call cancer fake now do we. Anyone who disregards covid to me is selfish. How about we ask the victims of covid if we should take it serious or not... you know the people who died...

[@Imbalto]

It’s been a year of long COVID to me. Really looking forward to more study on all of it. It’s hard man

[@nothanks9503]

Nobody I know believes that’s a real thing but I had chronic fatigue from an autoimmune condition and just pushed through it before ever since Covid it’s been so much worse but I’m just making it up as far as anyone including doctors are concerned

[@mike15.]

you will get better bro ! i got long covid and brain&nerv damage from covid delta in 2021. took me 1,5 years to recover and now im finally able to work normally.

[@ItsSakuraKeiIRL]

I feel that; its been helpful connecting to others facing similar difficulties.

[@brianwilson7497]

I hear you dude. It's over a year of it for me. I understand the struggle... can't wait to learn more about this and feel good again

[@brianwilson7497]

@@mike15. thanks for this. I'm about there too, 1.5 years and definitely recovering but it's so, so slow. congratulations and i'm glad you're feeling better!! :)

[@UnlimitedFlyers]

Thank you for the continued coverage of COVID in SciShow, SciShow crew. Really appreciate it: you guys were lifesavers at the onset of the pandemic. Please keep up the good work!

[@jamiegould7951]

I kept up general caution a LOT longer than those around me where I live - I still mask up whenever I'm on public transport, or going into most shops (especially food or pharmacy places) but I finally got Covid for the first time in February and pretty much pulled the Long Covid short straw first time. So far being treated for asthma and pacing out my own fatigue, but the epigenetics angle is new to me (and interesting!). One thing I have noticed is that as someone who is on the autistic spectrum those traits got wildly amplified (it was the second thing I noticed after the killer sore throat) with the initial infection. I'm not sure why but it somehow makes sense to me for that to be caused by messing with epigenetics.... thoughts?

[@subspace666]

don't worry to much about epigenetics , pretty much everything flips some switch's in there, its an adaptive system that pretty much changes some settings depending on stress you are exposed to. it would have being very surprising if any virus didn't effect epigenetics. some people with big famines in their family roots in the past are more likely to store fat for example in case an other one comes.

[@CorbiniteVids]

That note about autism is so real cause i have diagnosed ADHD (and probably autism too but diagnosis isn't accessible) and my ADHD symptoms have SKYROCKETED since i caught it

[@sdrawkcabUK]

I have autism and my bs detector staring going off around April 2020. The more mad the NT herd became the more sceptical I got.

[@johnnyearp52]

Supposedly those of us with autism can have a worse reaction to Covid.

[@luciakirchhof968]

* for those who want advice on "pacing yourself out of fatigue" * : graded exercise therapy has been shown to be harmful to people with long COVID (especially if your symptoms match me/cfs) "Pacing" is a management practice which involves a lot of rest.

[@maxmusterman3371]

6:43 If people are 'tired of hearing about covid' then they dont have to watch this video. Your content has a big following base, because we all want to learn. Please dont decrease the info density in hopes of reaching more people, but i trust you guys. keep the knowledge coming! thanks

[@osmia]

+

[@justalittlebawn]

I hope this helps to bring more treatments for both CF and long COVID

[@willmendoza8498]

I was hoping you guys would cover this again. I'd love to see a deep dive into CFS, as well, especially since fellow science communicator, Physics Girl's ongoing struggle with the illness

[@Americanbadashh]

Thank you for talking about this, especially with how you talked about it at the start. People are ignoring it too much, to the point of denial of reality

[@melodyszadkowski5256]

Sadly, that is the way people deal with scary things. That is why Covid got so far. Pretending it didn't exist.

[@osmia]

+

[@GamerXenith]

Thank you for your continued coverage of this! 💜 I've been left incredibly disabled by neurological long covid symptoms and your previous video about studies with antihistamines probably saved my life when I was starting to give up hope. Your videos mean so much to some of us and I want you to know how big of a difference it makes. Truly, thank you ❤

[@astralb.2647]

The only positive thing about long covid is that "normal" people now start to understand chronic illness better

[@hollyw9566]

Truth! I can't believe the shrugging off I get with my chronic fatigue and fibro.

[@lurker668]

What positive about it ? It makes you feel better?

[@youtubeuser6250]

@@lurker668awareness allows people to take chronic illnesses seriously

[@subspace666]

well normal people do not get long covid , if by normal you mean most people. long covid is relatively rare aswell.

[@astralb.2647]

@@lurker668 it makes people view those with chronic illnesses in a less negative light. They often call us lazy or fakers.

[@katec865]

thank you for covering this. I really hope SciShow continues to cover COVID!

[@osmia]

+

[@brightknight1965]

Yes please!

[@stunimbus1543]

Epstein Barr disease also has terrible long term complications for an unfortunate few.

[@johnnyearp52]

Yes, I had it and now have had POTS for 11 years.

[@AeDeeLady]

Thank you for still making vids about covid. I have been dizzy since Feb 2022 when I got Covid as well as chronic fatigue. Hopefully we get answers some day.

[@suhrim6666]

If only they could find a cure for gaslighting doctors who keep insisting this is all in our heads.

[@joels5150]

Long Covid is the thing that worries me almost about catching it. Imagine being debilitated for several months to over a year after being infected.

[@TalaAtTanagra]

Months? Try forever. I got long flu, and now I have MEcfs (like more than 50% of long covid patients). I am mostly bed-bound. I rarely leave my house. It hurts to be outside. Used to be the quantitative lead researcher for an international business consultant, and now I have to use my fingers to add and subtract.

[@dueling_spectra7270]

@@slcpunk2740 You are out of line. Until you experience brain fog so debilitating that it can take you two hours to make a cup of tea, or fatigue so severe that sitting at the table for a half hour to eat dinner with your family leaves you completely depleted, please keep your thoughtless words to yourself. It's not just Rachel who will be hurt by them. It's everyone who have had their careers, their hobbies, their friends, and their quality of live robbed from them by this virus.

[@lh3540]

I basically have long salmonella (theoretically) and it turned my immune system against my irises. Food poisoning. Week feeling like death with arthritic joints. Got over the bone pain, but Surprise! Eyeball arthritis is a thing!

[@Johnnythefirst]

@@slcpunk2740 You seem to be "wasting your time" on youtube as well.

[@RedundantDan]

@@slcpunk2740 So what, people with injuries should just hurry up and die? You seem like a fun and useful person.

[@frey_finley]

I lost my study due to Long Covid, as the heads of the study didn't believe in such a thing existing. Following my Long Covid, I had an unexplained extreme dip in my B12 levels to the point where it caused slight nerve damage, and my vision has been 'creative' with minor hallucinations in the dark. I don't know if these things are related to long covid, but the B12 thing left the hospital staff baffled. I'm glad more people are talking about Long Covid & taking it more seriously. I hope more will be discovered about it soon.

[@B-I-G-N-A-S-T-Y]

What was the study if I may ask?

[@frey_finley]

@@B-I-G-N-A-S-T-Y Shoe Development. The head of the study at the time was an ex GP & ableist in general, and left or had to leave (I don't know) the year after he kicked me off.

[@keithmichael112]

Seeing what happened to Physics Girl was eye opening. Long COVID is a real thing

[@TojiFushigoroWasTaken]

What happened to her

[@keithmichael112]

@@TojiFushigoroWasTaken She got long COVID really bad, she's been out of commission for awhile. Very active KZbinr before that, made good science videos

[@peggedyourdad9560]

@Calen Crawford That's awful, I hope you continue to have a good recovery. Apparently, a fever of over 105 F has a risk of causing brain damage, which could be the reason for the decrease in IQ and difficulty focusing since these are symptoms of brain damage. Good news though, even if there is a drop in IQ after a brain injury, it tends to return to normal after a short while once the brain has adjusted.

[@peggedyourdad9560]

@Calen Crawford That's awful and shame on your parents for not taking you to the ER once your fever reached over 102, especially if you have health insurance either through them or on your own. It is also pretty common to show signs of a learning disability or cognitive disabilities after suffering a brain injury so that tracks as well. It's unfortunate if the IQ decrease does end up being permanent, but there's research showing that the decrease itself is caused by the brain being less efficient after an injury rather than a genuine loss of intelligence. Although, you may experience more difficulty learning new things in the future. Either way, I hope you're still able to live a good and fulfilling life going forward and I hope you never have to go through what you did again.

[@johnnyearp52]

​@Calen Crawford My IQ has permanently dropped a lot too for unknown reasons. I have always had autism. Sorry you are going through this.

[@ianleonard1838]

Ever since I got covid in January if last year, ive had a constant post-nasal drip. Doctors brush it off as allergies. My health has also gone downhill in other ways

[@Rainlitnight]

Ok actually hear me out, go to an ENT and ask if it's a permanent sinus infection. That's totally a thing you can get simply from a cold or whatever, it's pretty clear you have one when getting sick SO HARD when you just get the sniffles (or getting sick multiple times a year with the sniffles that just wont stop.) You basically gotta get your sinuses scooped (if a hearty few rounds of strong antibiotics dont work) but it works. Most docs don't catch it cause they don't care 🙄 but I've helped like 5 friends telling them to go get checked for a permanent sinus infection! 🎉

[@luciakirchhof968]

Thank you for talking about long COVID!! It's so overlooked in society and media especially given its prevalence (about 1 in 10 COVID infections result in long COVID!!). Wearing masks is community care y'all.

[@starscarrednyx]

There's been nerve issues in 20 something health folks after covid. Brain issues, other things, it's so strange. Hope they develop resources for what got going on and how best to treat!

[@fighttheevilrobots3417]

Long covid caused my miscarriage.

[@eltercalpar]

y'all just need more vaccines/boosters, go get it, trust the science 😁

[@AndreaCrisp]

Thank you for covering this! I have MS, plus chronic Lyme and Epstein-Barr virus. EBV is now known to be the one requirement for developing Multiple Sclerosis. I am really hoping that the silver lining from COVID is that the research into Long COVID helps with all of these chronic infection issues. Even some cancer is caused by a virus. There is so much that we don't understand about infectious disease. Because of everything that I am already dealing with, on top of being immune compromised from my medication, I am terrified to get COVID. It's amazing that I haven't yet. Already having EBV, I basically have some of the risk factors that scientists are noticing in people who develop Long COVID. (These factors include being female, high viral load early in the disease, reactivation of the Epstein-Barr virus, type 2 diabetes, and autoantibodies.) I still double mask in public and avoid groups. Others do not understand at all. If you still have your health please take care of yourself.

[@lauryn6037]

i was diagnosed with MS last year! tested positive for EBV antibodies too and i’m very up to date on covid research and i didn’t know EBV reactivation was a long covid risk :(

[@sarahjensen2473]

I recently had an exacerbation of my long COVID symptoms, which I would guess was from exposure to COVID again. I'm on a T-cell modulator, and a few days at a higher dose got me back on track. I have recurrent EBV infections, and an unspecified autoimmune disorder, and got COVID very early on. Doctors not knowing how to treat it makes it more frightening, but this recent experience for me helps me feel more confident that I can respond quickly and help my body before it gets overwhelmed.

[@zebrababy9019]

My sense of smell didnt come back in over a year and after 3 years its still not right. For example, coffee was my favorite smell. After covid, it smelled like wet cardboard. Now it ALWAYS smells burnt

[@Zuraneve]

Coffee is one of my most loathed smells...and it's one of the few things I can fairly reliably smell these days now. I'd trade smelling it with you if I could.

[@ImmortalLemon]

Dude I swear after getting Covid my memory is far more hazy and I get fatigued so much faster. I thought I was just out of shape and depressed but my doctor says my body looks the healthiest he’s ever seen, this is fascinating. I wonder if people can recover from this damage over time

[@charlieangkor8649]

Imagine a 13 Mpix smartphone and 12 Mpix smartphone. Not really earth shattering difference unless you use it for some extreme maximum resolution scientific photography. So if Covid knocks out 10% of your neurons, it jumbles the weights in the synapses which produces partial acute malfunction, but the capability of the brain doesn't really decrease, as long as the knocking out is diffuse and not completely obliterates a single area like in a stroke. So I think as your neural network corrects (updates) those jumbled weights to the experience of reality your mental function will hopefully gradually get back to normal. Your neural network will change anyway due to constantly changine life experiences, the areas which process certain things even slightly drift around the brain with time.

[@imlv2614]

Makes total sense😮

[@Mike504]

Sending love and prayers to Diana (Physics Girl) and anyone suffering with this.

[@highbrass7563]

I got covid in 2021 and I absolutely still am not able to smell. I have been seeing a specialist for a year now. I have 95% less ability to smell, I have used salt rinses and steroidal medications. I have done smell retraining therapy and I have nothing. I smell nothing. I can barely smell gasoline. I can barely smell a campfire. I've had people tell me I'm due for a shower and it breaks my heart because I can't smell. I've had to install natural gas alarms in my house because I'd never smell the scent of rotten eggs. It's so unfortunate. I think it will soon be an Anosmia diagnosis. From the bottom of my heart it tears my apart that I can't smell mom's cooking. Hopefully I'll be able to smell again. We're all different. But. I'm telling you. I don't smell well.

[@Zuraneve]

I used to love to bake. There's nothing like the smell of fresh bread filling your home. The only times my sense of smell seems to return is for things I hate the smell of...like cooked tomatoes or coffee. I just count my blessings that I still have a sense of taste.

[@ta0ta0talicious]

Same here, been like this for 2 years now.

[@highbrass7563]

@@ZuraneveFor sure.

[@johnlarson111]

the youtube channel "physics girl" presenter is going through this now.

[@shenanagizer]

"The good news is scientists are hard at work on solving that". Is that a threat?

[@Dramn_]

what?

[@sweepingtime]

I'm sure that ancient peoples were tired of hearing about the Black Death too, but it was probably something that they had to constantly struggle against and study in their era. It's conceitedness to be tired of COVID.

[@Fornax70]

Well governments and health officials can take some blame for that conceitedness with their over the top heavy handed approach in the first two years. Are war weary people conceited too for being tired of war because people 500 years ago lived through worse wars or worse times?

[@Envrionmela]

I'm 10 months post-infection from COVID. I have some fatigue, but even I still get the changed sense of smell/taste. Hopefully given the early evidence, this might be something that I hope is looked into more.

[@JK_JK_JK]

What is the Covid-related mortality for non-elderly persons with no comorbidities?

[@JoeBigBoi]

"However, in a number of patients adverse reactions to anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines can persist and be severe or even life-threatening and fatal. If adverse reactions last longer than four weeks, one speaks of the long post-COVID vaccination syndrome (LPCVS) in analogy to the long-COVID syndrome." -- NIH I wonder why this is not being touched on.

[@montecorbit8280]

What about "Long Lymes"?? I had Lyme's disease 20 years ago, I'm still having some of the symptoms....the doctors don't even agree if it exists or not. FYI: I'm using modern parlance, since there is no term for us currently....

[@phillipsusi1791]

I read a study back in 2020 before anyone had ever heard of "long covid" that found in many patients, certain genes were being cranked up or suppressed, and many of those that were cranked up helped the virus infect your cells, and the ones that were suppressed seemed like they should help fight it. Some of the genes that were amped up were the ones that caused your lungs to fill with fluid which was responsible for a lot of the deaths. Interestingly, the study noted that there were already medications on the market that were known to counteract these effects, causing the good genes to be expressed more, and the bad genes to be expressed less, and theorized that these could be used to treat covid.

[@thedevilsadvocate5210]

do you remember any of the drugs suggested

[@phillipsusi1791]

@@thedevilsadvocate5210 Not off hand, but I'll see if I can dig up a link to the study.

[@Farorenature]

As someone who has had CFS for a few years and gets no answers anywhere, this gives me hope. A lot of grifters like to prey on me and people like me and it’s rough. I just want my life back. I really hope there will be a way forward one day ❤

[@lh3540]

I got hit with a gnarly case of reactive arthritis after a food poisoning episode. It ended up escalating into what is basically ocular arthritis. The entire pandemic I've been on the extreme defense. I've been saying this whole time that I already had one 'long' virus, i don't need two. I'm literally the only person I know who hasn't caught covid yet

[@lh3540]

And I find this research interesting, but coming from my decades with a 'long virus' autoimmune oddity, I suspect this just ends in 'I don't know, dump steroids on it?' there won't be any answers. Your doctors are going to be stumped. You'll find one doctor that wants a journal paper about you, but the end result is a spin the wheel of steroids.

[@salmahahmed4672]

me too!

[@jess53nz]

I'm so glad all this research is being done. Gives hope to those of us with other post viral illnesses like me/cfs. My life is completely different now, and not in a good way

[@phil3094]

Great video, I learned something new! I'd love to see more videos explaining the other hypotheses re: long COVID such as immune dysregulation, persistent viral infection, latent virus reactivation, and microclots.

[@Derenyx]

A friend of mine had a gluten intolerance that completely disappeared after she had COVID, it's really strange.

[@txoxley]

😨 wish that was me!

[@jolenethiessen357]

Infections of any kind can trigger changes in allergies. So can pregnancies. I have many allergies, and there are always significant changes with major illness or a pregnancy, to the point that my shellfish allergy mostly disappeared for 10+ years (spoiler: it came back worse than ever after my last pregnancy 5-6 years ago and have acquired multiple new anaphylactic ones since then).

[@ChryslerPTCruiser]

It is so important that we keep funding covid research! As someone working in the field, im seeing all the grants to support this kind of work wrap as people stop caring.. please, put pressure on your governments to fund this!!

[@ResortDog]

Just never in China again. Too corrupted.

[@carlyar5281]

I hope that people can point out to governments and other organizations that fund this type of research that there’s an economic benefit. Hundreds of adults who are working age are unable to work because of long Covid, POTS and CFS. To be honest governments make decisions based cost-benefit, so pointing out that effectively treating these conditions will lead to a larger and healthier workforce, not to mention reduced healthcare costs.

[@sulawesi-steve]

What about the jib jab job tho?? There much more evidence that it did more bad than good an yet we stil aren't openly talking about that...... Each to their own with the choice and decision but we should be talking about both sides of this, especially after the last two years of one sided story's......

[@Hi_Im_Akward]

Worth mentioning Diane who makes Physics Girl is suffering from long covid. If anyone is interested in helping her, joining her patron and watching and interacting with her videos can help support her and her family financially. She's really having a horrible time and I worry for her.

[@IceMetalPunk]

I had relatively mild COVID for about a week back in February. Since then, I've had a persistent cough. The best way I can describe it is that it's like my throat is more sensitive to irritation, so that the smallest bit of dust, mucus, or talking too much triggers a cough, when it didn't used to. I'm hoping that'll eventually heal, because it's annoying, but I'm also grateful I didn't end up with much worse long COVID symptoms, like ME/CFS (speaking of which, I hope PhysicsGirl recovers soon!)

[@Zuraneve]

I've had a persistent cough from covid for a year now. On bad days (like today), it means I lose my voice entirely. I hope yours gets better than mine seems to be.

[@IceMetalPunk]

@@Zuraneve 💗

[@jasen963]

People I know not taken the experimental shot that have caught cov but no long cov but then I know people that have taken experimental jab and they have long cov.

[@gl15col]

I had a heart attack out of the blue a couple months after having the 19, and the doctor said it might be related. Got the long covid too, so my life has been pretty crappy last couple years. They should be talking about the connection way more than they are...

[@SkyBums]

You had a heart attack thanks to the vaccine

[@4000YearsAhead]

The vaccine and heart attacks?

[@jvlbme]

Yay, more of the "let's see if we can fix the long term implications of a problem, rather than stopping the problem"-thinking that got us here in the first place! 👍

[@dueling_spectra7270]

Yeah, well, we're sort of in the place where we'd need a time machine to get the glitter back into the metaphorical glitter bomb. I'm just happy not everyone's denying the existence of the long term implications the problem's saddled us with.

[@jvlbme]

@@dueling_spectra7270 I'm not AGAINST this research TOO, but a time machine isn't necessary to stop this. What's missing is WILL, though, and that's even harder.

[@IagobaApellaniz]

I knew it. I'm tired all day. I wasn't before COVID. Thanks for the video

[@hereschica]

Weird how things got to this point with Covid-19 when this whole thing could of been prevented if it was taking more seriously during the first month when we heard about it.

[@Fornax70]

We took it very seriously here in Australia in the early days of the pandemic. Melbourne spent more days in lockdown than anywhere else in the world, almost 300 days in 18 months in fact. We tried to keep it out for nearly two years and ended up pulverising our economy, wearing down the population with lockdowns that lasted far too long with too many ridiculous rules and in the end covid just ran through the country anyway, doing even more damage since people here were so weakened from being locked away for so long.

[@josholt61]

Maybe anecdotal. After having Covid-19, whenever I laugh too hard/much I begin a coughing frenzy. I also get dizzier if I spin around than before.

[@smudge8882]

Thank you for still covering this! I got covid back in December 2019, before anyone knew it was in my area. I noticed my sense of smell was gone, and next thing I knew, I had a bunch of symptoms that were later diagnosed as POTS and MCAS. It's been a very difficult three and a half years for me. The MCAS (an allergic disorder) caused me to become allergic to my Crohn's disease medication, and I haven't been able to find a medication that could keep my Crohn's in remission ever since. (The Crohn's disease is something I developed pre-covid) The Crohn's disease not being controlled then caused me to develop IC/BPS. (One area I have Crohn's is the small intestine, which is responsible for digesting fats. When my Crohn's flares, that causes fat malabsorption, and when fat isn't being absorbed, it causes a big increase in absorption of oxalates. Oxalates are linked to a variety of urinary and reproductive conditions, including IC/BPS). The past few years have been a very intense battle between those four chronic illnesses all being active. When one flares, it causes the rest to start flaring too. It's been an absolute nightmare.

[@Corsuwey]

It wasn't until I heard the update about Physics Girl that I didn't learn about chronic-fatigue-syndrome being part of long COVID. Seeing what she is going through is really heart wrenching. As for myself, I've noticed tinnitus since I caught COVID last year at about this time. Some searches on the Net suggest it could be related. Luckily, it's not bad enough for me to go see a doctor about.

[@Edam-Channel]

I went partially deaf in one ear during Covid and ever since have had a Tinnitus similar to heavy rain in that ear that makes it hard to hear quiet sounds even when it is otherwise silent. It seems ear issue with Covid may be inflammation related.

[@RealityHasAWokeBias]

As someone that is immunocompromised, as well as having lost two family members to covid (both of whom were staunchly anti-vax) I'm very happy to see a video like this one get a lot of traction. Thanks so much for posting and bringing awareness to the unknown effects that this virus may leave you with once it has been overcome.

[@progfox]

​@@Unlucky-Dubeu are schitzophrenic

[@spvillano]

One upside is, long COVID replicates a number of illnesses that seem to have a similar pathology. So, solutions to long COVID would be solutions for things like chronic fatigue and a dozen other orphaned illnesses.

[@BrassPlayr]

@@Unlucky-Dube I can sleep just fine knowing I'm not a degenerate, inbred Republican.😁

[@mehere8038]

@@spvillano hopefully yes. I dont' like the way you say that though with "would be solutions". You can't know that for sure. There will no doubt be at least some people that don't benefit, by presenting it now as "everyone WILL be able to be treated once long covid is figured out" it sets up a situation where people will suffer a lot of harsh judgements & blame later & most with CFS etc have already encountered more than a lifetime's worth of blame! Please be careful with the words you use! Change "would" to "will likely" & I totally agree with your comment, but "would" is wrong

[@lauryn6037]

immunocompromised too (MS) and i understand this so much. i’m so sorry for your losses and i wish people were taking this horrible virus seriously

[@GoddessPallasAthena]

Thank you for this! Some of the things I've been reading from a lot of people about the medical community denying and dismissing COVID is alarming. They don't look into it, ask about it, and have happily stopped taking precautions in medical settings, some, even around the most vulnerable patients. I understand that it's not a pleasant topic and one that's unfortunately become controversial. (I mean, "disease bad, need to prevent infection and spread, has bad long-term effects, need to study and help patients who might be suffering from it" should NOT be controversial!! ESPECIALLY within the medical community). I so appreciate you not only covering it but explaining as well as you can, as the information will keep changing as more research is done and discoveries are made, but it's so important that we NOT forget or ignore this topic.

[@UrbanHomesteadMomma]

They are telling me that I’ve got long Covid… the worst is the regular headaches and fatigue!! I’ve just felt “off” since having Covid. It’s pretty crappy. 😢

[@nothanks9503]

I felt like that since getting the vaccine with Covid it lasted a few days with the vaccine it lasted a few months pretty strange I really wanted to be able to tell everyone I got vaccinated and was fine because I’ll die if people don’t get vaccinated but it’s just not a good vaccine

[@terrafirma5327]

As a long-time sufferer of fibromyalgia and CFS, who also suffered long Covid-19... I am here to share some medical insight with you all. Current research into fibromyalgia suggests that overactive mast cells are to blame for the symptoms. It helps explain why those with fibromyalgia often develop new food sensitivities being as your stomach is lined with an extraordinary amount of mast cells. This means your body is in a constant immune system response to ordinary things... causing pain, fatigue, and other symptoms. This does not mean we have a cure, but that means research is going swimmingly. Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is common with both fibro patients and long term Covid-19 cases. The causes can be varied but it does seem to be related to an overactive immune system as well. The reason we are often considered immunocompromised is because an overactive immune system causes a huge strain on resources and can make you vulnerable to other, very real, infections. Now, whether the reasons for Covd-19 causing CFS or CFS-type symptoms are the same as with fibromyalgia... I cannot say, but the medical community is collaborating with experts from both fields. Hopefully through collaboration we can end up curing both illnesses.

[@coda3223]

If you haven't heard of mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), you might be interested in the similarities that you are discussing, especially since there's a significant correlation of people getting diagnosed with MCAS, POTS, CFS/ME, fibro, and other similar conditions after testing positive for Covid.

[@terrafirma5327]

@@coda3223 I will look into that. I have had fibro/CFS long before I had Covid, it started after I had mono. So in my case I had existing symptoms.

[@johnnyearp52]

​@@terrafirma5327 I have POTS from Mono.

[@terrafirma5327]

@@johnnyearp52 Sorry to hear that, we all have a "traumatic trigger" for our conditions.

[@johnnyearp52]

@@terrafirma5327 Often viruses but not always.

[@MrKingArthurhk]

Can you explain canine tooth growth, cranial elongation, body temperature rise, exponential hair and mail growth? Also, enhanced smell and taste. New allergies to garlic and onions? New symptoms include enhanced hearing that is painful.

[@daphne8406]

I know several people who still suffer from fatigue years after their covid infection 🤔 I really hope more will become known that may help alleviate these symptoms soon! Strange thing is, they all suffer from fatique in different severities 😑 One still can barely leave the bed and is on welfare, another just gets tired much sooner from activities than usual but nothing that prevents a productive life 🤷‍♀️

[@VirtuellJo]

If covid can, mRNA vaccine can too…

[@BabakoSen]

I was tripled vaxed when I got covid, and was supposed to be at the height of my immunity from the 3rd dose. That was a terrifying and miserable 2 weeks, and I had heart palpitations for 4 months afterward. I'm scared to get it again; I've heard that the more times you get it, the more likely you are to get long covid.

[@jolenethiessen357]

I've had covid 3x (I'm also 3x vaxed). I am at high risk for complications, and I've come through okay. So take heart - having it isn't a sentence for long covid. Most people come through okay. People with long covid is a relatively small number, but law of large numbers means it still translates into lots of people suffering.

[@catc8927]

As someone with fibromyalgia (another potential post-infectious illness), I’m watching developments in the long COVID research space with lots of interest.

[@kidmohair8151]

as a wise man said a year ago. "we may be done with covid, but covid isn't done with us"

[@BytebroUK]

Hiya. Interesting, I'm sure that maybe 25 years or so ago I was hearing about "post-viral fatigue syndrome" as a real thing (my late fiancée allegedly suffered from that after a bout of glandular fever in the 90s). From what you were describing of the research, is it not conceivable that all of that COVID and ME stuff you were discussing could possibly be part of the same thing? If so, those researchers need to work together!

[@jeremiahflynn1691]

It is pretty scary to hear about. Who knows, maybe I've had it for months and felt like an empty husk.

[@stankythecat6735]

I locked my husband up in our Hollywood hills home. Even inside the home he wasn’t allowed to leave the master suite. His lung health isn’t the best and I was terrified he would get sick and die. He didn’t catch covid one time. It’s the best thing I have ever completed with my life. We had friends die , some friends were super sick… but he survived unscathed.

[@Louis-kw6yk]

@@Sal3600 even if it's depression, it's still good to investigate the reasons

[@nothanks9503]

@@stankythecat6735 man it must be nice to not have to work I’ll never own a house and Covid further lowered my maximum quality of life even more than that and I’m also likely to die from it even at 26 due to a complex medical history and now lack of insurance too but the official government response is just to act like it’s not real now so that’s nice cost me the job I’ve done since I was 17 and didn’t solve the problem at all best of luck

[@stankythecat6735]

@@nothanks9503 I’m very sorry to hear that , truly I am. I recognize how lucky we were and how many people are suffering from lack of resources.

[@peggedyourdad9560]

@@Louis-kw6yk Especially considering a lot of physician conditions can closely mimic depression.

[@TeamTeddy666]

I had long covid Parosmia from February 2022 until sometime this year (don’t remember exactly when I got way better) but basically for a whole year, my taste and smell was completely distorted and terrible. The first few months were some of the worst in my life and I could hardly eat anything, I remember only being able to eat apples for a few days because it was the only thing that tasted remotely okay. Completely changed my life I feel. I also lost a ton of weight

[@Littaly]

My condolences to anyone suffering from either long covid or ME/CFS. I can only imagine what it's like, but what I imagine is absolutely awful :( Every step towards figuring out what causes it and finding treatment is immensely good news. I for one am not tired of hearing it in the least.

[@maximizedchen6875]

A lot of things can modify your DNA, anxiety can too. Stop wearing mask and live a free life

[@HazeyCazeyTv]

I went from pre-diabetic (since 2003) to full blown type 2 after getting Covid. It’ll definitely change you.

[@jamiegould7951]

went from "exercise induced asthma" with a blue inhaler I used so infrequently they'd expire or get lost before running out, to "you've been sat in the waiting room for half an hour and I can still hear you wheezing from across the room, we're getting you on preventer inhalers and ordering a chest x-ray asap" and also my autistic spectrum traits all got dialled up to 11 - it really does seem to amplify whatever you've already got going on.

[@subspace666]

yea i believe most long covid is other underling issues people had already but were made worse after covid aswell. i recall some with mitochondrial disorders/ problems are greatly effected by covid aswell and might get an other form of long covid. many of those get better with more sunlight / near infrared exposure. they lacked sun exposure in the first place. ( indoors most of the time and very busy)

[@kellyl13]

The timing of this is unreal; I was just diagnosed with COVID-19 last week. I have a chronic disability with respiratory issues, so I have been on oxygen since then even though I have now tested negative twice. My doctor said that could last about a month, but I hope I can get off it soon.

[@WayneDavisDA_ILLESTalive14]

How convenient I was told I have a mutation in my genes and I was wondering if Covid was the reason I couldn’t find much information on it

[@lisastenzel5713]

I am half way through this video... I smell the start of a developement of medication! Which to me is the only true end of the pandemic. I made people getting sick of me, cos I told them: You don't wanna get that sh!t virus! You don't know how your body will react. Also me: being healthy as a horse until the covid infection 10 months ago, now unable to do anything suficiantly

[@ursaltydog]

It explains a lot of why my major organs have had such a time healing from what it did to me early on in the pademic.

[@Americanbadashh]

it does this to everyone sadly, especially the heart

[@ursaltydog]

@@Americanbadashh yep.. my heart, kidneys, pancreas and liver.

[@HexerPsy]

Now a year since my covid infection and still not back to my normal self. Struggled with fatigue for most of the year and still not fully back to my old capable self. When tired, my memory still sucks. It took half a year to slowly build from working half days back up to full time. However this news doesnt bring me hope for the future. The cause might be epi-genetic, but as far as I know there are few medications interacting with epigenetics. There are some that are used in mental health treatments. Some other medicines have epi-genetic changes as side effects. None that I know of that change epigenetics targeted within the whole body. If epi-genetics is THE cure, we are looking at another lengthy drug development process. And its only going to help some who's cause is these specific marker set that the drug interacts with. Given the wide spread issue and the major loss of labor to society - I foresee the drug will be out there within 15 to 20 years time.

[@xEricC1001x]

I had major medical trauma that severely impacted my way of life and was able to get a doctor to take the symptoms and label it ADD coming with a prescription for Adderall. There's a whole ton of cons to research but if your old self doesn't return i'd recommend weighing it as an option. It brought me out of a decade-long-depression created by knowing my brain was half of what it was before the incident I had.

[@adriandominguez2936]

First comment just wanna say love this channel for making science fun and easy

[@B-I-G-N-A-S-T-Y]

Do we have stats on the percentage of people who suffer from long COVID who were vaccinated? I read an article that there's a small chance of the Vax having a positive effect on treating the symptoms. If the boosters are like the Vax then surely they could treat sufferers with them .

[@xEricC1001x]

I knew a couple people who had bad covid before the vax was out. They ran out and got because longcovid sucked. The vax and all boosters and it didn't help, only time did. On top of that most of my vaccinated friends have gotten covid more than the friends who went unvaxxed. They were saying the vax was a miracle from god that practically introduced you to Jesus who would give you 3 wishes to get people to take it for awhile there. That doesn't mean those claims were ever even factchecked by the outlets that came up with/spread them.

[@zionne2716]

Its so not over no matter be it long covid or post vac. So far my country and media coverage in my country is severely lacking in helping those. Just a few weeks ago help got declined to help me/cfs patients despite the numbers afflicted having doubled due to the pandemic.

[@protohale]

Summary: Through the use of epigenetics, cells may modify genetic information without altering the DNA's sequence. The process of marking genes with tags that instruct the cell's machinery to utilize them more or less often is known as epigenetics. The study of epigenetics, which describes how a cell may modify genetic information without altering the DNA sequence, is based on this idea. The kind of methylation that is most known is DNA methylation, which often involves adding a tag to the gene to quiet it down so that it is read out less frequently than it would otherwise. The process of marking genes with tags that instruct the cell's machinery to utilize them more or less often is known as epigenetics. The study of epigenetics, which describes how a cell may modify genetic information without altering the DNA sequence, is based on this idea. The epigenetic impacts of SARS and MERS infections, which are both caused by coronaviruses like SARS-CoV-2, have been studied. Research is beginning to imply that in chronic COVID, alterations to these signals remain even though the body should have dialed them down after infection. A Swedish research team found that the methylation of several genes and gene sets had changed after infection, including those that regulate ACE2, histamine signaling, taste and smell, and histamine signaling. A second research team from the US discovered persistent alterations in DNA methylation after infection, but in completely different genes from those revealed in the Swedish study. Sadly, not all of the research on methylation and extended COVID has been as reliable as was anticipated. Three investigations found no methylation difference between those with protracted COVID and those in remission, adding to the mounting evidence for a connection between long-term COVID-19 and chronic fatigue syndrome. The US-based team discovered a pattern of gene expression that may contribute to the explanation of the rise in cardiovascular events that occurs after COVID-19. The Swedish researchers discovered genes associated with ACE2, which intriguingly supports the notion that following infection, patients acquire antibodies to their own ACE2, which may contribute to the inflammation seen in chronic COVID.