From Ironmans to Long Covid: An Athletes Recovery Journey

[@puremaledark8305]

Man, I feel this. My strength has always been resolve and fitness. Having that stripped away has been one hard hit.

[@harryboby7563]

I understand you brother, hold strong

[@Shannon_Robbie]

I used to be a power lifter and an avid cyclist. I've had to give that up due to long covid fatigue and PEMS. I'm slowly gaining back some energy after 2+ years but it often feels like taking one step forward and two steps back. I'm remaining optimistic that I will get back to some form of strength training soon!

[@jacklawrence1580]

You will get back man, slowly progress your activity weekly and know setbacks are on the way not in the way!

[@el_monstruo]

So many familiar things here. Very interesting interview, I always enjoy the ones with former athletes. It's tough to lose who you are and deal with it.

[@calmlittlebuddy3721]

Thank you for speaking out. The only reason people believe me about my long COVID is I had it before anyone even knew it existed (march 2020). Thankfully I am 95% back to normal. I hope anyone still suffering from long COVID eventually find relief and recovery from it. I suffered for 2 years and spent another year slowly coming out of it. I don’t think I could have continued on the way I was. STAY STRONG recovery can happen!

[@clairchetwood9777]

What were your symptoms? I'm 27 months in. It's so rough! So happy to hear you made it to the other side 🙌

[@calmlittlebuddy3721]

@@clairchetwood9777 I had the kitchen sink! Every weird symptom but not all at once. The worst of it was the inability to catch my breath even laying down. I tell folks it was like I was swimming across a lake that never ended. Heart arrhythmia, pain, insomnia, numbness in feet and hands, fatigue, brain fog, severe blurred vision. And when a symptom would go away a new one would emerge. Almost like it was background noise until the scary stuff cleared up. I honestly thought my adult life had ended and my life as a hospice patient began. And it only would improve for a day or two then bam! Worse than before. I’m still processing it. Even typing thing I get tears and start to worry it could come back. Thankfully the times it does come back are no where near as bad or as long.

[@clairchetwood9777]

​@calmlittlebuddy3721 You sound like me. I've had so many symptoms. Was time a great healer or did you do anything to help you recover?

[@calmlittlebuddy3721]

@@clairchetwood9777 I completely changed my diet for about 10 months. Initially for one month I ate mostly cheerios and oat meal with water and green tea. Sometimes a bit of fruit or veggies or plain chicken. Eventually I was able to add a few more things back in. Now I can eat mostly normal again. This was suggested by an infectious disease specialist MD who had seen post viral issue way before COVID. It apparently doesn’t work for e everyone (or people say it didn’t work but didn’t really cut out most foods). Look up the Mediterranean Diet. He said start w that and start small. Pick a few foods and only eat those for a while. Add in a new food every month. If you get worse get rid of that food again. To be clear this is just what worked for me but if you haven’t tried low histamine diets it can help certain people.

[@mariusskrupskis2042]

@@calmlittlebuddy3721 do you have any tips, anything you think helped you? :]

[@wzupppp]

Heavyness has been my main symptom too. I literally feel heavy throughout my whole body. I need to roll out of my bed every morning whereas I used to jump out of it back when I was healthy

[@ttrihe10]

I had long covid/chronic fatigue for over 6 months- did a two day fast and got rid of it- went from zero energy to normal energy - life changing- I attribute it to the fasting eliciting autophagy i.e., cell function clean up/renewal- which a guy won a noble prize in physiology for, so hard science based -I suggest if you got it try it :)

[@ttrihe10]

@@harryboby7563 yeah I ended up non functional for a little over 3months, had to quit my job, was an office job no less…got on utube looking for a solution and watched a Swiss chic telling the same story and she did 4 days and problem solved, so I tried the same - I have backed it up with a couple of 3day fasts this year, always get some heath benefit from them them, but the first one was the big banger from CFS to feeling normal and good again, felt like being reborn lol

[@lando2755]

@ttrihe10 are you able to workout now with no PEM?

[@ttrihe10]

@@lando2755 Yeah that's all gone, usually bike ride an hour a day at the moment - At my worst I quit my job and struggled to walk up a flight of stairs and brain fog so bad I forgot the alphabet. I started with 20hrs a day fasting for a month but it was the first big banger 46hrs which changed everything and got rid of it- literally had energy in my legs to walk up stairs again and just felt good, was a magical moment for me - Backed it up with 40hr fasting fortnightly for the next couple of months and have done a couple of 3 day fasts this year - but yeah, good bye Long Covid/CFS :)

[@wzupppp]

​@@ttrihe10did you do water fasting or dry fasting. And have you fully recovered? I did a 2 day dry fast a week ago and noticed significant energy increase. Now im doing a 3 day fast.

[@annieeefotho]

Did you have anything during the fast - like water? Tea? Ect?

[@katherine.roesler]

Always appreciate your videos of having people in the younger demographic share their experiences, makes me feel seen and heard! I related to so much of this. I can relate especially to the seemingly never-ending long covid recovery. I just want to go on a long walk, swim, dance or do anything again without having a crash after. I simply want move and not worry about what the after-effects are going to be. I also have the same experience of feeling desperate to try anything that will help, that I have read about and I know?... hope? that in hindsight this might be the ultimate blessing in disguise.Thanks to you both !

[@harryboby7563]

Thanks so much for the comment katherine, wishing you all the best!

[@calmlittlebuddy3721]

Similar w me. I did a month of frequent fasting 16 to 48 hours. After a month I could function a limited amount. Enough to build back my tolerance for daily activity. I still get crashes a few months of the year but a week of careful diet usually gets it controlled.

[@deborahbutel2622]

Im the same, allergic to exercise is exactly it. I got Covid June 28, 2022 and has been a horror of up and downs. SO sick after exercise. Slowly getting out of it🤞Such a nightmare though and impossible to explain. Thanks Harry has your PEM gone?

[@harryboby7563]

Sorry to hear Deboarah, still getting some pem also though much better, wishing you all the best!

[@mariusskrupskis2042]

Controversial advice: if you are in shape to do some exercise, but it ruins the rest of your day, I found that doing short burst of exercise for a limited muscle group or even for just one muscle, just before sleep kind of solves it. I dont feel magickly well in the evening anyway so some extra suffering cant kill me :D Just do breaks from this, because sometimes i get to much in to it and i obviously have a crash.

[@clairchetwood9777]

It's not just exersize for most. It's any form of exertion, physical, mental, emotional. How far in are you now, Harry? Are you getting better?

[@ccc2784]

Great interview!

[@harryboby7563]

Thank you!

[@MyFriendPeter]

Great interview I have a very similar story to this. I lived for training and it was my meditation and religion (something I put all my faith and hope in). Even before I started endurance events I loved the outdoors. Now I can't walk more than 500 steps without PEM. I think it's very interesting that long COVID came after the second infection. It would be interesting to know what Craig did differently or what was different witht the secone infection? I explain it to other athletes is that it feels like an extreme BONK that lasts much longer and rest plus food will not make it improve

[@harryboby7563]

Thanks! Sorry to hear but hoping things improve soon. Yes it's strange how it can present/ occur differently at different points

[@nataliefarnworth3913]

Heavy legs has been my main symptom too as well as PEM. 😢

[@robertswinburne3973]

Until last year, I thought this was all just slow recovery from cancer and a stem cell transplant. Now I'm realizing something more is at play. age 56

[@justinf1343]

I'm 52 and have had covid 3 times, and I've noticed my recovery now takes days. In fact I feel quite ill for a few days after rides. No idea if it's due to COVID.