Reader Responses to Do You Have Long Covid?

As someone suffering from post Covid chronic fatigue, I am troubled by the diagnostic criteria presented in “Do You Have Long Covid?,” which are wholly inadequate. Severe fatigue is a debilitating condition and should be enough for a Long Covid diagnosis in and of itself.

After being sick for two years, I cannot understand why there is not more long Covid political action.

Over the years, I generally have had normal blood pressure—somewhere in the 120/70 range. I was recently diagnosed with high blood pressure—185/119. I’m now on blood pressure medication. I spoke to my pharmacist and another patient who was picking up a prescription, and both have had the same thing happen to them and loved ones. I have also had well-controlled scalp psoriasis, which recently exploded into full bloom again. The pharmacist suggested that whatever triggered the blood pressure spike could have been the trigger for the psoriasis bloom as well. As far as I know, thanks to a healthy immune system, I have not had Covid, so I wonder if these recent developments could be a result of the shots.

I contracted Covid in July 2023. A mild case that was soon resolved. I had some post infection symptoms; fatigue, head pressure, and shoulder pain. The fatigue and head symptoms ended after about four months. The shoulder pains got much worse making it difficult to lift my arms above my head. In December, I received steroid injections in my shoulders. The shoulder pains went away overnight. In addition, wrist pains went away as well overnight. I have psoriasis which my dermatologist said was exacerbated by Covid. My psoriasis has disappeared. I use a C-PAP. The AHI’s went from 2 per hour to 1 or 2 a night immediately after the steroid injections.

I had a serious case of Covid in the Spring of 2020. I still have no taste or smell and some weakness continues. No one seems to know what to do.

The criteria shown in the chart are wholly inadequate. After contracting Covid last Spring, I have been left with severe chronic fatigue that has had a major impact on my life. This debilitating symptom should be enough for a long Covid diagnosis in and of itself, but this chart only counts that as 1 point out of a necessary 12. Add on the post exertional malaise I experience, which is also debilitating, and I’m still only at 8 out of 12. Publishing this is a disservice to people like me who are suffering from long Covid but will have a harder time getting diagnosed if these criteria are accepted by the medical community.

I have suffered from long Covid since my initial infection in 2022. After being sick for two years, I cannot understand why there is not more long Covid political action, especially around physician education and increasing drug trials. The current estimate from the CDC is that 30 million Americans have developed long Covid. These numbers will increase after the current JN1 strain is finished with us. Why do we not have any viable treatments yet? Please let us know how the community at Brown is pushing for policy and research on this issue.