Thread by @LucyBaileyUK

I haven’t posted about #Longcovid in a while. The truth is I’ve been getting better in the last 6 months, but I’ve been scared to post about it in case it’s only temporary and I relapse. But now, 2 years and 8 months since I first got covid, I’m doing so much better. 1/

I’ve been working full time for 4 months and I am RUNNING. I’m on week 5 of Couch to 5k 😄 I can go out and see friends, and I don’t have to worry about getting too tired. I have got my life back ❤️ 2/

I still have low-level muscle and joint aches quite often, and I don’t have the energy I used to. I’ve changed careers to accommodate my lower energy levels (I’m now working in data and loving it!🤓). But my fatigue has lifted and my other symptoms have gone. 3/

I wish I had the magic cure to explain why I’m feeling so much better, but I think it’s probably a combination of things. I am taking Amitriptyline, which I was originally prescribed for headaches but seems to have coincided with an improvement in my other symptoms too. 4/

I also got into a very good habit with resting and pacing, which I found beneficial across the entire 2.5 years I was sick - my relapses usually coincided with me overdoing it. #StopRestPace was my mantra. 5/

I also tried to relax and minimise stress as much as possible - not easy when you can no longer work and are trying to navigate the UK benefits system - but I found that finding low-energy activities I enjoyed and prioritising my wellbeing seemed to have a positive impact. 6/

Regarding exercise, I’ve been VERY careful about starting and building up activity again. I didn’t start exercising until I was in the stage of my recovery where I felt like my body was ready. It’s hard to describe, but I didn’t decide I was ready - my body did. 7/

I started with very gentle swimming, then walking, then eventually running. I built up very very gradually, always leaving 3 days rest between to check for #PEM, and leaving longer breaks if I started getting warning signs of over exertion. 8/

I say this because I still believe it’s important to avoid exercise if you’re experiencing any kind of PEM. Incidentally, I have been surprised at how good my fitness levels are after 2.5 years of inactivity - which doesn’t lend much credibility to the deconditioning theory 👀 9/

I owe a debt of gratitude to #pwME #MEcfs #LongCovid communities & @LongCOVIDPhysio @PhysiosForME @long_covid @LongCovidSOS to name a few. There are far too many Long Covid groups to list now, which shows the scale of the problem but also the tenacity of the patient community ❤️