Kristin Talks About Having Long Covid | Kitchen & Jorn
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- čas přidán 12. 09. 2024
- Chronic illnesses wooooooooo!
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Video edited by: Oliver Rogue
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Channel art by: Sarah Day (sarahdayarts.com)
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No fatphobia allowed today! Be good my babies! ❤❤❤ Are you also affected by this? Let's talk muffins!!!
I have a very big horrible blood draw that I have been putting off for months (because blood draws now give me panic attacks), and it's because I bruise INSANELY easily now due to Long Covid. Exhaustion and bad breathing are still bad :( Solidarity and love, Kristin
My mom and I both got Covid in December 2020 as well, I wore my mask and she barely left the house at all but Covid in the LA area during that month was INSANE, I distinctly remember checking the infection rates at that time and during the week that we got it there were a quarter of a million confirmed cases, so I can't even fathom how many people actually had it at that time. I was also "lucky" to have a "mild" initial case but now legit every time I feel bad/don't get enough sleep/eat like garbage for a few days my Covid cough comes back, and last week my mom likely had a mild heart attack as a result of her long Covid issues, so the virus is definitely no joke! Hope yours doesn't last forever! ❤🩹
Oh my gosh, my sister is dealing with the heart rate thing right now after having Covid and trying to figure it out. I hadn't heard of anyone else talking about that happening after covid. I'm going to get her to watch this video so she doesn't feel alone in this. Thank you guys for talking about this
Have long COVID on top of other disabilities and I already had chronic fatigue, so that's loads of fun! Whyyyyyy is noone taking this seriously? Still. So damn frustrating that there is pretty much no support.
I am always up for talking muffins, just for the record. 🧁 🧁 🧁
The amount of emotional validation and support Jen is giving 🥺
That’s a good friend!
We all need a Jorn in our lives
This is what I wanted to say too! I’m so sorry you’re suffering Kristin but to see Jen’s support brought me to tears. Chronic illnesses can be invisible and to have someone not only say they see you suffering and they are here for you, but to acknowledge that it IS hard and not to discount it was incredible. May you find answers and treatments soon, and may you both be surrounded by blessings.
😭😭😭
I know! I keep thinking, I need to be a good friend like this!!!
I developed a heart condition from Covid. I'm young - 23 - and generally healthy. I think the hardest thing for me has been people either A) not believing I am high risk / have a disability, or B) make fun of me for it. I get a lot of "wow, aren't you a little young to have heart disease?" What's the point of saying that to someone? Anyone can be sick at any age, and all that comment does is make me feel badly about all the things I can't do now, instead of celebrating that I survived a bout of Covid when I might not have.
People are thoughtless so often. There are genetic disorders that cause heart disease in children, even, so they are ignorant. Sorry you have this going on.❤
You should say exactly that to the people who ask you that question, make them uncomfortable, why should you make THEM feel better?
Invisible disabilities are valid!
What I really think people need to understand is that this can absolutely happen to anyone. Even young, healthy people like you. I have a friend who was a marathon finisher and wound up with a severe heart condition. She had to move, because she couldn't climb stairs anymore. Anyway, I just want you to know that there are a lot of us out there who believe you, and this is something that needs real forefront attention.
As a congenital heart patient I feel you on that!
Having invisible illness is both a blessing and a curse 🫤
jen is literally the most understanding friend ever
Her interpretation of Kristen running actually had me in stitches
Yeah, it looks so cute 🥰
and then Kristen laughing, oh my god, I would happily watch a loop of just that.
My unhinged laughter drew my 5yo into the room, who then insisted on multiple rewatches. Relatedly, if you have any tips for explaining the concept of a "sex migraine" to a 5yo ... lmk!
Thank you Kristen, I needed this today. I regularly feel like I’m living in an alternate reality than the majority of Americans. I have lost access to most spaces now and just aren’t able to go do really anything anymore because no one is wearing masks. I wish we could care even a tiny bit about the people around us, and I wish our government cared even a tiny bit about protecting us. I finally caught Covid after 3 years of living how most people only lived in 2020. Luckily I’m 4xVaxxed but I still caught it outside because a family member who failed to tell me she had a cough. Had she told me I would have had us take rapids or I wouldn’t have seen her that day.
Everyone PLEASE of you have stopped wearing a mask in public spaces, it’s not too late to start doing it again. If you have ANY SORT OF symptom - isolate until your symptoms clear and you can be sure you do not have Covid. If you can’t isolate do not leave the house without a N95 respirator and please TELL the people around you about your symptoms so that they can make decisions about weather or not to be close to you.
This is scary and dangerous and it’s not a personal choice - your actions effect everyone!
Yes! I agree with everything you have said. I have continued to wear N95's everywhere, only unmask around immediate family members and we all rapid test weekly. I too, finally caught Covid this year after 3 years of mostly isolation. I have no idea how/where I got it. But I will continue all my precautions, while everyone around me has given up masking and precautions and just calls it the flu. It sucks when others don't care about protecting anyone. People are blind to how dangerous this disease can be. Denial is powerful.
I feel like I'm living in an alternate reality too! I am so tired of how everyone seems to be ignoring that the pandemic is still an ongoing pandemic. I am so sad that I still have to live like a hermit and basically go nowhere because I'm the only one wearing a mask anywhere these days. And I'm so resentful of that, that the erasure of higher risk people like myself who do not have the luxury of ignoring the pandemic are forced to stay home, whereas if people were considerate of others, I could be living a more normal life. And I'm so sick of family and friends who are constantly gaslighting me about the possible severity of covid!
🩷🩷🩷🩷
I ended up catching it from my son who is in high school and I was actively sick for a month and I ended up being sent to the ER by my doctor. People keep telling me that it’s great that I caught it because now I am immune…but that’s NOT how that works. Now I have a huge ER bill that I can’t pay and more testing to deal with.
it's like this is the biggest, most important group project of our lives, and nobody is willing to do the work to actually get a good grade. it sucks. sending love your way, and a reminder that we're not as alone as we feel.
I appreciate you all acknowledging that COVID is still around and affecting so many people! My partner and I have yet to fully come out of isolation and sometimes I feel like we’re the only ones who are, but it’s so important to keep up precautions so we and others don’t have to suffer from these long term, debilitating effects.
Kitchen, I hope that your long covid resolves/you find the right treatments. Wish you all the best! ❤
You're not the only ones. I'm a legacy pain patient. I'm immunocompromised. I don't go out much. I have a chronic wound and so that keeps me from a lot of things as well. I have been ill for 18 yrs.
You're not alone... but it can certainly feel like it when watching media or even friends and family online. I live in a city where people are still masking at events in decent numbers... not nearly enough. But people are also chill about people masking, or wanting to dine outside, or not go to an event because of COVID. I have enough crap I'm dealing with health-wise that adding even just a short bout of COVID would mentally do me in... and the thought of long COVID, well, I can't deal. I'm about to head to a big conference as part of my work and will be one of a tiny contingent of mask-wearers... and I'm okay with that.
You’re not alone!
Just echoing that you’re not alone!! Right here with you
Same! Still following precautions (always masking indoors, avoiding indoor dining, avoiding unnecessary risks) and planning to keep it up until things truly become safer, whenever that is!
As someone who has ME/cfs (Myalgic encephalitis) and POTS I’m so sorry you’re having to go through this. A lot of us from this community predicted what would happen when the governments didn’t take things seriously. ME and long Covid share many similarities and a large percent of long Covid patients will qualify for an ME diagnosis. I hope you don’t mind me saying this. You’re really brave for sharing this but I’m glad you have. Talking about it is important so thankyou. ❤
The ME bit being shoved under the rug by the media is what gets me the most, honestly. There's this often severe illness that we've known about for 50 years and yet have no treatments for because no studies are being done and patients are getting dismissed as psychosomatic. What an absolute nightmare. Wishing you well!
Another ME/CFSer here! And POTS, T1D, hypothyroidism, on the EDS spectrum, and more. 🦒💙💖💗💝
@@martinenotmartini9935 it definitely gets swept under the rug. It’s been known about decades and has been stigmatised and trivialised so much. There’s a lot of politics behind it all. Not sure about you but I’m from the UK. The psych cabal definitely latched onto it helping to further spread misinformation and stigma. Misogyny in medicine is also a factor. It is a topic I could probably talk about in length. Thankyou, wishing you well too.
@@andreahultman8272 hi! I also have EDS/hypermobility, there seems to be a lot of conditions that often end up together. I really wish it was all taken more seriously, chronic illnesses etc.
It's very frustrating how long covid is being seen as a legit thing but ME/CFS (a thing often triggered by viral infections and having near identical symptoms to long covid) is just continued to be ignored. Like, oh you have long covid, that's real. You have long mono? You're just attention seeking. I keep hoping the attention being brought to long covid will bring attention to CFS, but somehow literally no one is connecting them. It's incredibly frustrating.
I got POTS when I was 19 years old and I’m 31 now. I was on increasingly higher doses of beta blockers for 11 years and my heart rate was still out of control often. It totally ruined my quality of life and I couldn’t do so many of the things that I used to love. I tried a bunch of medications and remedies; I even went to the Mayo Clinic trying to find help. Just recently I was diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia, they gave me two iron infusions, and my heart rate is like perfectly fine for the first time in 12 years. Everyone is so different and iron deficiency may have nothing to do with your high heart rate, but I thought I’d share. No harm in asking for a ferritin blood test to check your iron storage! Hope you start feeling better soon ❤
Kristin- my friend experiences POTS and if she lays with her feet elevated it helps to bring the heart rate back down. Hope this helps! Thanks for sharing your story💜
When you said about "public health trauma" I felt so seen. I didn't know that was a problem for anybody else. I am terrified of having hypoglycaemia in public and embarrassing myself.
As someone who has suffered from chronic migranes for the last 14 years, I feel you. Fortunately there are some treatments and drugs that can alleviate symptoms and mitigate severe severe crises
It was stunning for me (as someone who has had chronic migraines since puberty) to watch someone describe anew the profound effect it has on your life.
"I couldn't do anything. For days. And I never knew when it would hit, or how to stop it. And you just hope it ends or go to the hospital".
And this seems perfectly commonplace to me. I couldn't remember the lack of them well enough to compare it to.
Until I saw a neurologist 5 months ago, and got on the right prophylactic. HOLEY BALONEY. It's indescribable the relief, not only from pain, but from the dread and anxiety that you carry from knowing your life could be interrupted at any time with no recourse.
If you get migraines, and you are fortunate enough to be able to see a neurologist? Don't wait anymore. Do it right now. If you can't right now? Get someone to help you ASAP. You are not less for getting help, and you deserve to live your whole life. I waited almost 20 years - I empathize with the very real reasons you have had to wait, but if you're worried it won't be worth it? It so is.
I recently found out that one of the newly confirmed things that helps migraine sufferers (though they don't know exactly why yet) is accupuncture. I was surprised but then sort of not because well, it's such an odd treatment and yet is very effective for an odd range of things you'd never think would be affected (for me it was, of all things, persistent hand/arm numbness and lower back pain from an injury - both things I hadn't expected to be treated when I decided to try accupuncture on a lark).
Kristin you are not alone. Our stories are scarily similar. I had mild dysautanomia that became intolerable after covid and donating blood. I'm diagnosed with POTS now but i'm waiting to have my tilt table test. I also have adhd and autism and it is so hard. I feel you on the struggle to manage five million chronic illnessess at once. Thank you for making this video ❤❤❤❤❤
I came by the POTS via the EDS route and I feel you ❤❤
POTS crew! I’m also EDS adjacent, as my hypermobile joints aren’t on the Beighton scoring test thingy. But I sublux more than my sister does, and she has hEDS. Bonkers, right??!!
@@andreahultman8272 same here! My sister and mom have eds but don't meet the criteria 😂
Paused mid-video to see if someone had already dropped the POTS bomb, and look at this little club! My neurologist (that was the last in a very very long string of doctors) immediately clocked me for potential POTS and it was such a relief because while I've not had Covid yet (fingers crossed!!) I've had the POTS symptoms since childhood.
I'm the kind that doesn't pass out so I flew under the radar and was labelled attention seeking. Now, slowly going on 30, my dysautonomia suspicion is finally being taken seriously and eval is underway , though I'm still looking for a new rheumathologist that might be willing to further investigate the source of my hypermobility. Wouldn't be surpised if it was the classic hEDS, POTS, and MCAS combo for me. (You know, on top of the Fibro, IBS, AuDHD, migraines, PTSD. Call me Steve Rogers I've got so many issues.)
Currently on medication for NONE of this because I think my doctors secretly hate me but maybe a year from now things will be at a point where I can take the stairs again and my heart rate won't be at 160bpm at the grocery store.
Also to end this, here is the obligatory please wear your masks PSA because I've not been to places other than home, work, doctor's offices/hospital, and the grocery store since 2019 in an effort to avoid infection. It really shows you who doesn't care about your health/life and I gotta say, it's Very lonely over here.
My POTS and other symptoms related to my hEDS have become so much worse since I got sick last year. I now sweat through my sleep clothes regularly without any relationship to the temperature in the bedroom. I get faint faster, I reach near syncope when stretching and occasionally lose vision during these moments. It's so frustrating and I had only just started to understand my symptoms.
Ahh, I've dealt with long covid for two years now, and it can be debilitating. I spent a whole 8-9 months struggling to leave my house. I saw a dozen doctors and specialists and it felt like a never ending hunt for treatment. I appreciate y'all talking about this so much, because it's really easy to feel like you're going crazy since so few people talk about it.
I wish you the best in healing
Same! It's so nice to read these experiences here.
Much love and healing to you both!❤
Thank you so so much for sharing and bringing attention to this. How little effort we’re collectively putting into avoiding Covid infection in ourselves and for the sake of those around us is BONKERS to me.
Guys we must protect Kitchen and Jorn at all costs
In general society dost not seem to think immune compromised ppl are worth protecting. I'm already disabled. I have had covid 3 times. 4 shots. I still makes up not just for me, but for others.
Agreed! How are people not more scared? How are people not more motivated to act to prevent this?
I really don't get how we went from doing all the things to protect each other and now it's "well, if you're vulnerable, wear a mask, I'm not because I have a life to live." I cannot understand that switch to "it's all about me" and I don't think I ever will.
@@TheSeatedView Yes 😢
My single most significant post-Covid symptom has been fatigue. Having Covid the second time also triggered my blood pressure to spike out of control, but I got medication for that.
The post-Covid fatigue though, affects everything I do to one degree or another. It’s made it harder for me to keep up with the pace of my job, and to compensate for the fatigue, I focus most of my energy on work, and give myself very little energy for anything else.
I've never put my experience into words before, but wow if this also ain't me - sending you solidarity x
Thank you for speaking up about this and advocating for masks. I feel like I’m the only one still wearing one, and like I’m being gaslit for still caring about the pandemic. I haven’t gotten sick and I’d like to keep it that way! It’s not over just because people are tired of talking about it. I recognize numbers have gotten better, but it’s still out there, it still affects people, there’s still more to learn about it and things we could do to protect vulnerable populations. I’m glad you’re continuing the conversation on your platform. Your experiences are important.
I got sick twice while wearing a mask with everyone else masked 😩😩 That's probably why lots of people have given up on the masks because they had the same experience as me.
The constant gaslighting is so frustrating. I too feel like I'm the only one wearing a mask. I mask everywhere and ended up catching it, but I'm still not going to stop masking. If I can prevent catching it again I will. We have no idea what multiple infections are doing to our bodies. This is a new disease and I'm not gambling with my health. People who give up masking and precautions are weak, and sheep just believing the government lies instead of doing their own research. Just because they say the pandemic is over doesn't mean covid is over.
I feel the same way. I am the only person masking anywhere. I don’t like to..the masks give me anxiety and hot flashes…but the month plus that I was sick with a handful of “rare” COVID symptoms is not something that ai care to repeat. Everyone around me keeps telling me that it is great that I caught it because now I am immune…but that’s not how that works. Now I have a huge ER bill to pay and more testing this Summer.
@@faeriesmak It sucks but if covid is here to stay then it will become impossible to avoid if you want to live a "normal" life.
@@joanna0988 I didn't avoid it. I ended up getting it recently and ended up in the ER.
I'm glad you're being seen by a cardiologist. You definitely sound like your heart is like mine 😥. I was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. I really hope you keep us up to date. ❤
Thank you so much for being public about your long COVID and chronic illness. As a society, we seem to have decided that we don't want to deal with thsi anymore, but COVID doesn't care. As someone who is immunosppressed and disabled, I am still masking and mostly not seeing people I care about - yes, on year 3. And everyone seems to think I and others like me should get a grip. We need to talk about it more often and this video is an important part of that conversation. I'm so sorry you are dealing with this, it's a nasty illness. Wishing you all the best. 💙
Thanks for commenting. It’s nice to see other people in the same boat. Things are still difficult and I don’t expect to even get back to “normal”.
@@faeriesmak even if there ever again is a "normal," I intend to keep wearing the mask. I used to get sick every 2-3 months, be sick for weeks, and have my entire life and health disrupted. Now? I haven't had a cold or the flu or anything else for three years. I like it that way!
@@TheSeatedView Same here. I had not been sick since 2019 until my son brought COVID home from school.
@@faeriesmak did you get through it OK?
@@TheSeatedView I am not sure yet. I was sick for a long time, ended up in the ER, and still have to do a stress test that I have scheduled for this Summer.
Thank you all SO much for talking about this, advocating for masking, and reminding people covid isn't over!!!! Found out same way cloth masks aren't the best at protection, surgicial ones give better protection, and KN95s and especially N95s protect you the best if you are able to get them!! Hope the cardiologist is helpful and you get some answers❤
Part of becoming more chronically ill is the grief of "not having the life you used to have", I feel you Kristen, and I'm so sorry you're going through this. 💜
Worrying about losing control of your body out in public is such a real and hard thing, on top of it often worrying about if you’re going to do something that flares up those symptoms when you had been previously coping okay. It’s just a lot for anyone to deal with on top of being physically unwell 😢❤
It sounds like POTS and that's a not uncommon long covid symptom, so hopefully you can get a clear answer. You talking about being afraid of losing control of your body in public made me think of people with service dogs that can warn it's about to happen so you can sit down and take some meds before you lose control - if this persists, it could be an avenue to explore.
I can't imagine how frustrating it must be, Kristin. You did everything you could to protect yourself, but you got covid because it was not taken seriously enough by the government and therefore the public at large.
I am so scared of getting long covid. I have never had a covid infection and I hope to keep it that way. A terrifyingly large percentage of covid cases result in long covid. I wish this pandemic had been handled more responsibly by the people in charge, and I have been having a hard time dealing with the feeling of despair it gives me to know it didn't have to be this way.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TALKING ABOUT COVID, COVID is definitely not over and many of my disabled friends are fearing for their lives and for the lives of others. I am so relieved that you are talking about it, we are some of the only people who mask up still and its hard to watch and not feel alone. Seriously, thank you so much.
As someone who has also lost control of their body in public before, I totally know the fear, Kristin. I have epilepsy that's controlled by meds but one day last year I forgot to take a dose and had the biggest seizure I'd had in 5 years in the middle of a museum. It was embarrassing and terrifying, and I struggle with PTSD from that. I was terrified for months to go out in public, or even be home alone.
Jen was so comforting in this video. As someone who doesn’t have this kind of support it was refreshing to hear! 🥹 Kristin I wish you nothing but the best on your health journey! ❤
You two have no idea how comforted i feel hearing you say how serious you still take covid. Bc, it often feels like a lot of ppl don't care about it AT ALL even tho it still affects ppl who are (chronically) ill/have disabilities/have long covid etc. and now i feel hugged and understood. Thank you so much! ❤
Kristen, i wish you all the best for getting more of your health issues sorted and being able to better take care of them. ❤
To all of those who have been affected by long covid (directly/indirectly), to those who still isolate due to illness, to everyone who has lost a loved one...
Im so sorry youre going through this. Hugs my friends. If yall ever need to vent, hit me up! Here for all of you❤
My mom has been having identical issues and symptoms since having Covid. Please keep sharing your experiences!!medical professionals have really let us down so far in the search for answers and her life has been extremely impacted.
I suffered from really terrible and pretty frequent migraines all through elementary, middle, and high school. Mine come with auras so I can't even see for an hour plus when they first come. Migraines are incredibly debilitating, so my heart totally goes out to you Kristen!
I've learned my triggers super well - like lack of sleep, low light conditions, strong scents, certain foods and intense exercise. I kept a migraine journal to try to decipher my triggers to help minimize them. I also learned what things help me to avoid getting migraines in triggering situations, like drinking a ton of gatorade. I also went to a neurologist who prescribed rizatriptan which helped to lessen my migraine symptoms. I kind of grew out of my migraines and I've been migraine free for 5 years now!
Sending warmth and sympathy. I am disabled and have a few of these issues, and it sucks. And with the agoraphobia, so many people (even professionals) don't know how to react when the fear ISN'T irrational. Thank you for speaking about this, and hoping that you and others with these issues get the help needed.
Long COVID has ruined my quality of life. I already had a debilitating neuralgiform headache disorder, but I could work abound that (with accommodations). Then COVID got me-I ended up in the hospital with a then-rare strain. Got POTS; in stress test, my heart rate climbed from resting at 120 to almost 190 in 22 seconds. I was a pretty fit person beforehand. Now I can barely leave my apartment without feeling like I’m having a panic attack. My headaches gave me scent issues, but now it’s crazy. My eyes are stupid sensitive now too. I don’t talk about myself a lot, but hearing my internet buddy Kitchen share made me cry and feel like I needed to get this out of me. Like you said, I’m afraid of being in public alone, there are times I get so tired I feel like I’m going to drop. The most challenging part has been reminding myself it’s okay to enjoy good days and feel up to doing things; being okay 1 day out of 14 doesn’t mean should feel guilty for not being at work.
Anyway-anyone who is not feeling well, I hope you have a good day tomorrow. ❤
I feel like covid fundamentally altered the way our bodies react to things that we used to be able to absorb or deflect prior. We won’t know how or why until years of research have been done. Wishing you the best.
Yes!! I don't have any new issues after covid but it made my existing issues worse.
Yep! I had covid a year ago, and thought everything was fine. Last month I got a flu of some sort (don't have health insurance so didn't get tested), got better but had a lingering cough. Then two weeks later caught a cold and it combined with the cough and turned into bronchitis, which I am only now just feeling better after antibiotics, a bunch of other meds, an inhaler, and most of my money lol. And of course I woke up today with worse allergies than I have had before. I just want to breathe normally lol
I had hyperthyroidism several years back and it causes racing heart. Even years and years later, I still struggle with anxiety around exercise. I remember that fear of going out in public, and I still have the fear of losing control of my body. I see you, I hear you, and I feel you. I hope you get everything sorted and are feeling better soon
Thank you for sharing Kristen! This fellow chronic illness patient hears you and thanks you for acknowledging that Covid is still a threat to many. My Covid experience was traumatic, triggered my Crohn’s, and caused new health issues. Thank you for using your platform to bring light to this❤
Really appreciate ya'll talking about this. More and more research and info is coming out about just how common this is and how serious this is, people need to be aware and keep masking.
Yes! Keep masking!
Jen is so supportive and validating and her impression of kristen making kristen laugh was great and made me laugh 😊
People should understand that it’s important to take note that depression is also a risk factor with relation to COVID-19.
so is ADHD! if you have either of those, you're a "high risk" population for COVID-19 and should be masking with an N95! (i was BAFFLED when i found out depression and ADHD made you a high risk person bc i didn't realize that kind of stuff affected your immune system/your body's response to illness, but hey, i'd rather be safe than sorry!)
words cannot express how impactful and validating this video was for me- as someone who is also experiencing long covid symptoms and without the support of medical professionals in my area ("too young", "too healthy" to experience this, etc.) I've felt very lost and confused in my "new body" with trying to figure out how it functions and how I need to take care of myself differently. your video was the first I've seen to actually talk about everything, even the things that I hadn't realized were symptoms...
also the support y'all have for each other reminds me of the support my queer & trans disabled friends and I have for each other- so much love and understanding
❤️ thank you so much for opening up about this. i’m 21 and my life hasnt been the same since i got sick december 2021. sending so much love and thanks for this. reading through these comments has me feeling things, i love all of you and we can do this ❤️ i hope those feeling alone out there find the still coviding groups and the people out there who still care, you’re not alone in this ❤️ thank you so much again
I haven’t finished the video yet but I wanted to comment and say that I have never related to something more. I haven’t gotten covid but I get migraines and up until a few months ago I’d have incredibly painful headaches for 25 out of 30 days in a month. I also suffered through it because it’s a headache and I thought there was nothing I could do. Sometimes I would be incapacitated. Long story short: I went to a bunch of doctors to find out that I have eye issues that cause my brain to work extra hard and that causes me pain. (I’m going through treatment). ❤️
I had prolonged shortness of breath and racing heart after COVID which aggravated my anxiety. It was debilitating for 7 months and I’ve recently been able to get it under control and I’m feeling much better. I hope the same for you. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Long covid from 2020 here as well! It was so so rough in the beginning when things were even less clear, but I Feel You on the lack of clarity even now. It's incredibly hard when people are really wanting covid to be in the past - I want that as well, more than anything! But masking up (with respirators), using air purifiers, and taking care of each other is what's going to get us through. Wish big organisations would see the light on it!
This is so relatable. I had covid in January of 2021, then again in December 2022, and that second round kicked my ass. I didn't feel very sick either time, but the second infection left me with chronic fatigue that has majorly affected my life. I've had persistent headaches, frequent dizzy spells, brain fog, chronic joint pain, and increased heart rate, as well. All of it together has caused me to leave work early at least once a week almost every week for several months, cancel or alter plans with friends, miss family gatherings, and cut back on most of my hobbies.
I am lucky enough to have a very understanding group of managers at work and a reputation for being knowledgeable and reliable, but it is still retail, and it's not guaranteed that I'll even have those same managers by the end of the year. I'm hoping to eventually get a diagnosis of something a bit more solid that I can use to apply for additional accommodations in the event that my conditions continue to surprise me with debilitating days and someone isn't quite so empathetic.
a big thank you to kristin for speaking about her experience! long covid is not taken as seriously as it should be but i'm glad to hear she's gotten some treatment. LC's not going away and i super appreciate the effort in making sure it's talked about!
p.s. if you had to choose between "the hottest girls online" and "put that thing back where it came from or so help me" for a channel subtitle, which are you voting for?
I caught Covid 3 times! I worked as ece educator and front line worker and worked throughout the pandemic. My centre was at a hospital and of course we caught it. The first time , in was 2021 and twice in 2022. I took all the precautions (mask goggles , the works). I got pneumonia and kidney infections as a complications for the first time. The vaccine made the two following Covid incidents much milder. At hospitals, there are outbreaks. The fatigue lingered for months afterwards but it got better. It was rough few months but came the other side stronger for it. Follow migraine sufferer but had it before Covid. Naproxen is my friend lol
Thank you so much for sharing your story❤
I suffer from ME and severe POTS (bedbound, can only sit upright for short amounts of time). ME has been ignored for decades, but 'luckily' it's been getting more attention with the people suffering from long covid now. Because it is basically the same thing (lingering symptoms after illness).
I hope your symptoms will dissipate as much as they can and/or you can handle them the best way you can❤ it's hard to have a chronic illness at any level and the uncertainty sucks
Was absolutely terrified when Jen started running with a glass of water fully expecting them to have it fall out of her hands and shatter on the floor that very moment
May we all have as supportive and incredible friends as Jen 🥺
Thank you for opening up about your experience with Long Covid, Kristin. Most people have "moved on" and stopped taking any precautions when in reality Covid is still around and people are still getting infected every day, and some are dealing with disability or even dying from it. I hope with all my heart that you will feel better soon. ❤
Thank you so much for sharing and speaking about this. I have had severe long Covid for 10 months, which for me is presumably ME/CFS. I am bed bound and for most of it was unable to even be on screens/ read/ talk/ brush my teeth. I have improved so much and for me, much of my improvement had to do with working on my nervous system through somatics and lots of other things (including meds etc). But there is no singular long Covid and as many ways of healing as there are folks suffering. It’s the hardest thing I’ve ever done. So, if you’re reading and this is you too- I see you. You’re doing great. Just keep going. Thanks again for sharing, Kristen. It’s really invaluable.
I am mostly recovered from long COVID today, but I was sick for almost 2 years. At the time, I struggled to find the words that would illustrate just how hopeless and demoralized I felt about the experience. I felt like I lived on a different plane of existence from others-one where I was wading through a foggy swamp. Just in case either Kristin or Jen see this-I appreciate the compassion in this video. Also, EMDR therapy helped a lot with my long COVID agoraphobia. And sensory aids (ear plugs and sunglasses) helped lessen the stimuli my brain had to sort through.
I havent watched in a while but I saw this and just HAD to click! I’ve been sick for about 3 years now with neurological,homebound from school and blahblah hearing someone else talk about it is so comforting and just lovely. Much love !!
It was so validating to hear Kristen talk about the POTS-like symptoms, especially their fear of something happening in public. My heartrate has always been fairly sensitive to movement, but right around a year or two after I had COVID, it suddenly got WAY worse with no apparent trigger. Especially living in Texas and being on SSRIs, I basically just can't do anything outside during the summer because I can't stay hydrated enough, and dehydration + heat seems makes it worse. I hope you got or are able to get answers!
Maybe now health professionals will start treating long covid as though it’s a real thing…
Long covid sucks!!
Hope you’re ok Kristen 🖤🖤🖤
They won't sadly. There are already articles out about healthcare professionals not being equipped enough to deal with all of the long-Covid patients. They can't even deal with the patients who the same health issues, but didn't get them from Covid. It's making the healthcare system (at least in America) even worse. 😞
They are starting to recognize it, every Dr I have come in contact with thinks it's real, and there is a movement for long C to be considered an SSDI worthy disability. There is hope.
@@florindalucero3236 I've got a majority of long Covid symptoms despite never having had Covid. I'm not getting anywhere. It's all just "rest and do the best you can". It's infuriating. The most recent article I've read about long Covid patients not getting the help need is from this month. Nobody's saying it's not real, I'm saying there's no additional help.
Forgive the unsolicited suggestion, but just wanted to share how helpful thiamine (B1) supplementation has been for people in my life struggling with long Covid. My best friend was dealing with a similar, debilitating constellation of post-Covid symptoms - POTS, migraine, chronic fatigue, brain fog, etc. - for months on end. Megadosing thiamine helped her immensely with all of these. Covid (as well as sugar, alcohol, hormonal birth control, acid reflux meds, injury, illness, even sunburn!) can cause your body to either need more thiamine or absorb less of it. And while this deficiency appears to be increasingly common as a consequence of the pandemic, doctors often don't test for it because the inexpensive tests aren't very good and deficiency is normally assumed to be rare. Good news is that thiamine is a B vitamin so it's both pretty affordable/accessible, as well as water soluble (you pee out any excess, making it hard to take too much). That said, definitely still ask your doctor if it's safe for you, as it can interact with certain meds.
I love that you guys made it clear that masking works and is important even with Kristen's valid frustration around it not being 100%. I'm still crossing my fingers with my kn95s 🤞
I truly cannot thank you both enough for talking about this. I truly relate to Kristen so hard it’s wild, I’ve been trying to deal with what I believe is POTS, all while trying to balance a million appointments, the appointments are hard to make and remember because of my ADHD, and overall my health anxiety has skyrocketed. It’s truly so nice to know that I’m not the only person dealing with all of this💓thank you guys
Jen, what a friend! So much genuine empathy, even I feel supported by it! Thanks very much for sharing, I wish you (both & all) a calm uneventful day 😊
Thank you so much for sharing this! People need to be talking about this!
Thank you for making this video! As someone who got COVID back in June 2020 and is still plagued with long-COVID, it was refreshing to remember I'm not alone (which honestly happens sometimes). I think the toughest part (and I'm glad Kristin is seeing a neurologist as mine has been the most compassionate provider I've dealt with in the last 3 years) is not knowing if and/or when this new phase of my life may end!
Thank you Kristin for talking about what you experienced. I do not suffer from long COVID but I too have a fear of losing control of my body due to health issues. It sucks but you talking about it makes me feel I'm not alone. And thank you Jen for supporting Kristin and being so supportive. I love this channel so much
I’m so glad that Kristen and Jen can work from home and have a flexible work environment. I will watch every single one of your videos if it means that you both are supported and that you feel secure in your future.
I'm late to the party, but I'm right there with you on a LOT of this! I probably have POTS and have had way more frequent migraines since COVID, and it means so much to me to see other folks talking about this experience. THANK YOU!
As someone who is currently struggling with a high heart rate and trying to get answers. This made me feel validated and not alone thank you
I have tachycardia due to a medication side effect of a medication that keeps me alive so I can't stop taking it. They tried beta blockers but they dropped my already normal blood pressure to dangerous lows so I had to stop them. SO many doctors have said my average heart rate range of 110 resting to 170 active "isn't that bad" and "shouldn't be stopping you from exercising and being active" infuriates me. It's really hard to walk dogs, or even lift laundry and walk down the stairs when it makes me light headed and makes my chest feel tight. This really validated my problems the way doctors never have.
Ok. So. I'm sitting here crying because I have literally the exact same symptoms. I'm waiting on the docs to schedule my tilt test. Done the heart monitors. All of it. My heart does the exact same thing. I'm good for like 5 minutes and then it goes from 78 to 140. It's exhausting. And it honestly makes you feel like you're crazy. Hearing someone else going through the same thing makes me feel soooo validated. I'm not crazy. It's not in my head. It has been debilitating. Thank you. Thank you so much.
Thank you so much for sharing. I’m so sorry that this happened to you. I have panic disorder which migrated into agoraphobia and that in itself is a lot to handle, so I can only imagine how challenging having multiple illnesses is, especially considering how they can connect to one another. I hope your cardiologist is able to give you some answers and help.
I’m sad that you’re suffering but I’m so appreciative of you speaking up, as many folks don’t seem to understand that there are lasting effects that we know of plus more we might not understand yet. COVID is still around and it’s still important to not only protect ourselves but to make our communities safe for those who are compromised. Lots of love!
Kristin talking about losing control of the body causing agoraphobia has made me realize something about my own social anxiety. I have depression and thankfully I've had it under control for several years now, but for a long time it wasn't obvious when I would feel bad vs feeling REALLY bad. Maybe I became scared of going into public because my mood was so unreliable. After isolating during the first few years of the pandemic, any tolerance I had built up being around others had deteriorated!! I'm doing a lot better now with the social anxiety because I'm going to therapy and slowly increasing my exposure, but I still have hard days where I can't leave my house or even my bed. Anyways, thanks for talking about it and making me feel less alone. ❤
Thank you for sharing! I had 5 chronic illnesses pre 2020 and I was barely holding my life together and I considered myself disabled and I worked only part time due to health. I was super cautious during the height of covid. I got the vaccine and 2 boosters and I still mask up most the times I am going to be around more than 1-2 people. In 2022 my husband and I decided it was time to take a vacation we had originally booked for April 2020, and had to cancel reservations for credit. The credits were going to expire if we didn't use them. I caught COVID on that trip, despite getting boosted a month before and masking the whole time I was in public. Maybe I got it from the airport, who knows. But I was badly ill for 14 days, my husband was on the phone with my doctor and had orders to take me to the hospital if my O2 dropped any further. She only didn't recommend I go to the hospital because my small rural town hospital was already overloaded.
I was extra tired for 3 months after, and my asthma went from a minor issue of over exercise or bad allergies to a daily problem. I used to use an inhaler once a month or so, now it is emergency inhalers AND steroid prevention inhalers used daily. A pulmonologist took X-rays and almost a year out I still have scars in my lungs from the COVID infection.
I had to quit the job I had been working despite my other illnesses because I was a museum tour guide and I could no longer give tours without gasping and using the inhaler by the end of my rounds and feeling like I was gonna collapse at the end of the day. I was also diagnosed with just over the line A1C diabetes, whereas my blood sugars had been healthy only 8 months before. I know the lung issues were COVID, and I suspect the pancreas issues may also be related. It is all VERY stressful and I have been unable to find a new job that I feel confident I can do with my new limitations. I wish there was more support and awareness socially of the impact.
i love your dress, kristin!! as a chronic migraine sufferer, the injectables and daily meds are a lifesaver when you find the right ones. i’m so glad you shared your story! POTS is also seen in a lot of ADHDers too!
I was basically bed bound for around 8 months and have severe immune system issues now that I'm still trying to solve because of long covid. I see you ❤
Thank you for sharing and using your space to talk about something so important! Like you said, I think it is important to have a sort of public record. I get why people want to pretend like so much of covid never happened and we're all back to normal, but that's really not the case. Thank you for keeping the conversation alive and extending it beyond acute infection.
As someone who struggles with POTS, it definitely sounds like that's what you're dealing with. Be prepared for the tilt table test, it will be terrible but it's a neccesary evil. If your doctor doesn't bring it up to you, ask them about Corlanor. I take 5mg a day and it has helped manage my symptoms and allows me to actually do the things I want to do without having to worry about my symptoms very much. Good luck, and I hope you're able to gain some closure and start treating your symptoms.
Long hauler here! Mine started with migraines too!
So happy your primary told you it sounded like long Covid so early on. Where I’m at No doctors will touch that subject. I have to leave the state to go to a long Covid clinic.
Wishing you all the best!
Long Covid is soooo evil! Going from completely pain free to constant joint pain from Rheumatoid Arthritis basically overnight was my personal Covid gift. 🙃🙃 Also, migraine solidarity! It is the WORST. Thanks for making this video!!❤
Thank you for this video! I appreciate your candor, and especially you advocating for masking. ❤ The love and care between you two is palpable and so great to see. Keep taking care of yourselves and each other.
Thank you so much for sharing! I got covid in march 2022 and have been ill ever since. I now meet the criteria for ME/CFS and kind of moved in with my parents again (still have my student accomodation, but don't live there anymore). For me what's been tough is how quickly other people move on. Friends don't check in anymore and people seem to get annoyed that I'm "still" sick. The online community is what keeps me going :)
Kristen, much love your way ❤ thank you for being transparent. I've struggled with agoraphobia for the past 18 years. So I'm incredibly grateful for your transparency, you're helping to end the stigma.
Why did it take me so long to see this video?! It was so affirming 😭 I’ve been dealing with long covid for 2 years now and brand new chronic migraines were a part of that. Thank you for sharing this 💜💜
Botox for migraines was life-changing for me. I'd had migraines for 2 decades, the beta blockers and PRNs stopped working for me, but the botox injections have been so so helpful. 1-3 migraines a week to ~1 migraine a month, amazing tbh.
this video couldn’t come at a better time. i started showing covid symptoms today and i got it from my sibling who tested positive. after 3 years of doing everything i can, getting the vaccine, wearing masks, i still got covid. and it sucks even more bc i technically didn’t even do anything to get it. i didn’t go out to eat in public or go to a party. i simply just live w someone who contracted it. it’s annoying tbh but it’s also comforting and bittersweet to hear your experience
I hope that you have very, very mild symptoms with no complications. I am getting over having had it after being VERY careful, not going anywhere for years, masking when everyone stopped as well, I caught it from my high school aged son who picked it up taking the pre ACT in a room full of coughing kids. I ended up in the ER. It was not fun.
@@faeriesmak thank you! i’m sorry to hear you got it too and had to go to the ER :( i hope you’re feeling much better now!
I haven't had Covid (that I know of), but as someone who has seizures (still figuring out what causes them, woo!), hearing you speak about being afraid to be in public makes me feel less alone. I've had a seizure in a grocery store where I completely loss consciousness and was convulsed. Thankfully I was with a family member who helped me out (I don't remember leaving the store-it takes awhile for me to recover after a seizure.), but I'm terrified of going into a store alone, and even of shopping with a friend.
Anyways, I appreciate you talking so openly about tough stuff like this, so, thank you! :)
Never had COVID, but worked in retail in the open public, been there for 8 years and served the crisis hit.
I experienced the same heart rate issues as Kristin that have since been diagnosed as orthostatic hypotension, instead of POTS, which is what I thought I was experiencing. So glad that I am able to control my symptoms via lifestyle and diet changes, but I know that's not the case for everyone.
I have had migraines for going on 14 years due to a medication that i take for epilepsy. It took me nine of those years to do anything lasting. Really, it was my neurologist (of 11 years at that point) telling her intern that patients with chronic migraines just normalize the pain and accept it as a part of their lives for me to evaluate what I was(n't) doing. Suffice it to say that I couldn't get five minutes into this video without stopping to defend you. I had migraines at least four days a week prior to my injections. I still have them 4-5 times a month, but my quality of life is so much better. Migraines are brutal and it's hard to think straight when you're in pain. Way to go, Kristen, for meeting with a neurologist less than a year in.
It's hard to see someone you love in pain, so props to Brie and Jen for being supportive, too.
I’m sorry you’ve been struggling. I hope your cardiologist gets things figured out for you so you can enjoy those walks again! ❤ also, love the top! 🌺
Hearing about your experience is so helpful since you talked about not having enough energy, especially MIGRAINES! I want to say THANK YOU! It's so helpful to hear experiences unfiltered by time and I hope for the best for you!
I had COVID last September and was SO tired for a couple of months… I’m so thankful that it’s mostly passed and isn’t anything more than that. I remember being so scared that it was going to fuck up my lungs- I’m a music major who is primarily a wind player, lungs are extra important. Sending all the love and answers your way
Hello! I do research on chronic pain and I am so sorry you are experiencing this. Just remember that long covid has very similar symptoms to other conditions like ME/CFS or fibromyalgia, and these communities are dope if you ever need someone to vent to, to help feel less alone, to feel validated, for ideas and recommendations. Also, its unfortunate, but drinking alcohol may not help. Good luck, I love the whole kitchen and jorn team, you are all amazing!
Today was hard in terms of mentally dealing with being disabled and immune compromised in a pandemic. This feels so validating to watch and I’m so happy y’all still take it seriously because so many content creators I follow seem to have quietly resumed “life as normal”
Thank You!!! My boyfriend is really struggling. It has to be LOng COvid, but the doctors are so clueless about it, that he's not getting help. SO sorry you're dealing with this!
I'm going to watch this later as I'm feeling panicky about the topic, but THANK YOU for discussing this❤. I just got a letter that the CFS/M.E. clinic I was referred to because of long covid has been suspended, so I'm really depressed right now. I will definitely come back to this video when I'm in a better headspace ❤
I love learning that Jen is "the mean one." I LOVE HER EVEN MORE NOW!!!
Thank you for talking about this!!!!! Sending love and I hope things get easier soon. I'm so proud of everyone who is talking openly about these issues, and also everyone taking measures to protect each other x
First of all, I love this channel. I, too, experienced a very mild case of Covid and it effected my sense of smell for over a year and it made running very difficult because it felt like my lungs were on fire. I think at some point, though, you realise that you can help relieve the symptoms by challenging yourself. I began smell therapy and I would continuously smell things that smelled different. Pungent smells that I did not smell routinely all smelled the same until I actively sought out those smells to "re-remember" what they used to smell like. As for my lungs, I had to start from doing activity I could and then build up from there. Now I am back to my normal self. I think there is this notion that there is not anything you can do and for me, I just had to challenge myself. I would suggest doing things that are raising your heart rate and just experience it until your body begins to normalize. You can't just wait to get better. I know this might cause me to seem like I am trolling and I do hope you get better regardless.
i can't tell you how valuable and validating this video is and will continue to be. more people need to know about this. thanks for sharing with us!
for realsies the combination of humor and compassion y'all approach things with is a joy and a gift, thank you for making things!!
My granddaughter has POTS and the minute you started talking about the symptoms that was the first thing I thought of. It sucks. I hope you find a resolve for your issues soon. Take good care.
i've had pots for about 6 years and it got significantly worse after i got covid last year,,, i was hospitalized because my pulse was hitting 175 and it was miserable. :c i'm not a doctor and i know there can be negative side effects so take this with a grain of salt!!! but as someone who was already doing all the pots treatments long before covid, taking oral hydrocortisone literally saved my life (in the sense that i can now walk for more than 30 seconds). maybe mention it to your doctor! it isn't great to be on long term so some doctors are hesitant about prescribing it, but as a last resort, it is SO SO SO helpful (at least for me)!!
I gained lots of mystery symptoms with Lyme disease, and it was undiagnosed for two years. I absolutely feel the agoraphobia. I’ve never had that, and now I get nervous in even simple situations. Going to dinner is so hard! I absolutely feel that