SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Utah’s COVID-19 long-haulers are finding validation in a new long-term study of COVID-19 symptoms.
The research, conducted through online surveys, studied symptoms in about 4,000 patients in 56 countries.
The researchers found more than 200 symptoms prevalent among participants in 10 organ systems in the body.
Jess Monsen, from Utah, did not participate in the study, but hopes the findings will help doctors and others take their symptoms more seriously.
“I still have relatives who don’t validate that and it’s a big fight,” she said. “That hurts.”
Monsen had positive experiences with doctors at Utah’s VA hospital, but many other long-distance travelers with whom KSL spoke described the doctors as diagnosing their symptoms as anxiety or dismissing them as not serious.
“I have seen many other people struggling and crying because there are so many professionals and providers who don’t believe in them,” said Monsen.
This new study followed the participants’ symptoms over seven months. After six months, the participants more often experienced fatigue (77.7%), post-exertion malaise (72.2%) and cognitive dysfunction (55.4%).
Other common symptoms include brain fog and memory loss, headaches, changes in emotions and mood, elevated body temperature, heart palpitations, shortness of breath and diarrhea.
“Overall, these findings suggest that the morbidity of the COVID-19 disease has been greatly underestimated. Patients have been experiencing multisystem symptoms for more than seven months, resulting in a significant impact on patients’ lives and livelihoods, ”said the researchers.
Monsen has suffered from post-COVID symptoms since July. Some days are better than others.
“It’s like a switch,” she said. “I will have a very good day and the next day, it will be like an exchange and I can’t do anything.”
The study found that almost half (45.2%) of the participants were unable to return to work full time due to persistent symptoms. 22.3% were unable to work.
Monsen has a job that offers flexible hours and breaks when needed. She is grateful to have been able to return to work and support her family, but she knows that she can no longer be as independent as she used to be.
She wants others to see her situation and consider her when making daily decisions.
“When they talk about the loss of independence from having to wear a mask, I’m like, ‘You have no idea of the loss of independence that some of us experience with these long-term debilitating symptoms of COVID,'” said Monsen.
A long distance support group for Utahns was created in June 2020. Since then, it has grown to more than 1,300 members.
If you are suffering from chronic symptoms because of COVID-19, you can find the Utah COVID-19 Long-haulers Facebook page here.