Maybe you thought you had COVID and was never tested because it was not available or accessible at the time. Or perhaps you have ruled out early symptoms like allergies, a common cold, or seasonal flu. Due to a variety of factors, there are many COVID survivors whose initial infections have never been confirmed. And, unfortunately, many of them still suffer health complications as a result.
Long-distance syndrome, formally known as post-acute COVID syndrome (PACS), consists of men, women and other gender identities of all ages who still show symptoms several weeks to months after their initial infections. Denyse Lutchmansingh, MD, clinical leader of Yale Medicine’s Post-Covid-19 Recovery Program, explains that while “symptom complexes vary from person to person,” there are a few in particular to watch out for. Continue reading to see what they are– and to ensure your health and the health of others, do not miss these Clear signs that you’ve had the coronavirus.
Shortness of breath is one of the most identifiable symptoms of an initial COVID-19 infection. And, Dr. Lutchmansingh notes, it is also the one that continues for long-haul trucks. John Hopkins Medicine explains that shortness of breath is when you feel that you cannot breathe enough or that your chest is tight. In post-acute COVID syndrome, it can happen at any time, even when you are lying in bed or sitting on the couch.
Another common symptom of COVID-19 and post-acute COVID syndrome is fatigue, according to Dr. Lutchmansingh. According a recent long distance study, this type of extreme exhaustion is the most common reported by the group, experienced by 58 percent. “It is present even after 100 days of the first symptom of acute COVID-19,” explained the researchers. The symptoms seen in post-COVID-19 patients resemble chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), “which includes the presence of severe disabling fatigue, pain, neurocognitive impairment, impaired sleep, symptoms suggestive of autonomic dysfunction and worsening of global symptoms after minor increases in physical and / or cognitive activity ”, they explain.
Many long-haul trucks experience “exercise intolerance,” according to Dr. Lutchmansingh. These first three “are the most commonly reported and present significant obstacles to returning to normal activities,” she explains. This condition is also called polypnea, and the same survey reported that one in five long-haul trucks experiences difficulty breathing after exertion.
Dr. Lutchmansingh points out that “The symptoms of post-acute COVID syndrome are multisystemic and generally include cardiovascular symptoms.” One of the most prominent is chest pain, experienced by 16% of long haulers according to the survey. According Mayo clinicsudden, sharp chest pains – also known as pleurisy – can indicate that the lung walls are inflamed. This can signal pneumonia or other types of infection.
Another cardiovascular symptom of long-distance syndrome is heart palpitations, reveals Dr. Lutchmansingh. THE Mayo clinic describes them as “feeling like having a heart that beats fast, throbbing or pounding.” According to the survey, 11 percent of long-haul trucks experience heart palpitations. “Stress, exercise, medication or, rarely, a medical condition can trigger them,” they explain.
There are also a number of neurological symptoms reported by long distance users. Dr. Lutchmansingh specifies that having trouble remembering is one of the biggest complaints.
Another neurological sign that you may have already had COVID is if you are struggling to find the right words. The Mayo Clinic explains that the medical term for this is aphasia, a condition that steals the ability to communicate. “This can affect your ability to speak, write and understand language, both verbal and written,” they write. Although it usually occurs suddenly after a stroke or head trauma, “it can also gradually arise from a slow-growing brain tumor or a disease that causes progressive and permanent (degenerative) damage.”
If you are stuttering more than normal, it may be a neurological manifestation of post-acute COVID syndrome, says Dr. Lutchmansingh. Many long-distance trucks report having developed a new stutter.
Dr. Lutchmansingh highlights another neurological symptom present in the initial COVID-19 infections and in the post-acute COVID syndrome: impaired taste and smell. According to some studies, some people still struggle with these senses several months after the initial infections.
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If you are suffering from any of the above symptoms and believe that you may be a long distance farmer, contact your primary care physician immediately. Remember that many doctors have not yet been informed about post-acute COVID syndrome and you may have to defend your health. There are also post COVID clinics popping up across the country, equipped with specialists, so if your regular doctor doesn’t want to treat you, consider contacting them. In addition, many long haulers have found solutions in online support groups, such as Survivor Corps on Facebook, a group of more than 153,000 people who identify themselves as long haulers. And to overcome this pandemic in the healthiest way, do not miss these 35 places you’re most likely to reach COVID.