'I was in despair when medical providers dismissed me -- until I found the support of thousands of other COVID 'long-haulers.' realwomenrealstories
When my symptoms first started on March 20, I thought they were allergies. I had a slight cough and mild fatigue and felt a little achy in my back, below the rib cage. My husband and I had been sheltering in place in our home in Texas, and I knew I wasn't consideredI was 59 and in great physical shape. I had no preexisting conditions, was walking four to six miles daily and was working out with a trainer at the gym.
"I'm having trouble breathing," I told the nurse. She inquired about my other symptoms, which included vertigo and light-headedness. But I'd never had a fever above 100.4, so she said I couldn't be tested."I'm a trauma therapist," I replied."I know what anxiety feels like. And I can tell you that this conversation is making me anxious."
I hung up the phone and started sobbing. I was so frightened. When my husband asked what he could do, I told him,"There isn't anything youEventually, I calmed down and got on the internet. I found some deep-breathing exercises posted by a UK doctor, where you got the breath down deep into your lungs. The first time I did them, I was so exhausted I fell asleep for three hours. But they gave me a sense of doingThis was a turning point because I took my health into my own hands.
At that point, I was able to go for walks every day. Sometimes I'd feel winded and severely fatigued. I'd still experience strange bouts of vertigo. The symptoms would come and go, but I chose not to focus on them. When friends asked how I was feeling, I'd say"I'm about 98%."
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