Posted on 05/17/2024 6:51:23 PM PDT by ducttape45
Good evening Freepers.
I wanted to share a few prayer requests with you. I don't normally post things like this for me as I try to keep some aspects of my life close to the chest, but I wanted to share these as they continue to be things that I am dealing with, some of them for quite some time.
First off, Long Covid. As many of you know, I retired from my job in Apr 23 because of Long Covid. I was infected with Covid 19 in February 2022, but in Nov 22 I developed Long Covid. I initially recovered from Covid and was on my way to what I thought was a full recovery when Long Covid hit me, and hard. Nov 2022 to Apr 2023 were very difficult months, and Long Covid has stayed with me since then, and although it's not quite as bad as it was, I'm still disabled. What I got hit with was a combination of chronic fatigue, extreme nausea, insomnia and dizziness/confusion. While the fatigue and nausea are not as bad, I still suffer with all of those symptoms. It's only by pacing myself, resting and eating very bland foods that I am able to get by. And that leads me to my next request.
Second, Insomnia. That aspect of my condition has been extremely rough. From Nov 22 to Apr 23 I was taking a fist full of drugs in order to sleep. I did not put in a full day’s work that entire timeframe because of the Long Covid, and not being to get a good night’s rest made things worse. Even though I was taking those drugs my days were still hard to get through. It’s a good thing I had over 400 hours of sick leave. It came in very handy.
When I finally retired I tried to get myself off those drugs but it proved very difficult. I was basically addicted to them by that point and trying to go “cold turkey” was not a good idea. It wasn't until late December that I finally hit upon a game plan to get rid of the sleep meds but it's taking this long to play out.
With the assistance of a VA counselor helping me with my insomnia, I was able to reduce my intake over the months until, just this week, I finally stopped taking the sleep drug, Temazepam/Restoril, altogether. When I started taking that medication, I was taking 30 MG capsules. I was able to reduce that to 22.5 MG by Nov/Dec 23, then to 15 MG in Jan 24, then 7.5 MG since March. Just a couple of days ago I stopped taking it altogether. But it wasn't without assistance from the VA counselor helping me modifying my sleep patterns that I was able to do so. He’s also had me keep a diary to chronicle the entire process. HOWEVER, I now have to give my body time to adjust and hopefully get my sleeping pattern on track again. With each reduction in medication it normally takes about two months to re-regulate my sleep.
Third, Retirement. Since I retired I've been trying to get various aspects of my retirement in order, but there have been bumps along the way.
1. OPM had to adjust my retirement because they didn't calculate it correctly when retired in Apr 23. It took about two months but it finally got fixed. However, I was short changed in that my retirement pay is $200 less than I was quoted before I retired. The GRB website the government uses was not accurate in how it calculated my retirement. I come to find out that I did not have 30 years of total government service, but instead had 26 years and 8 months. They neglected to tell me that almost 4 years of temporary employment didn't count towards my time. GRRRRRRRR.
2. Social Security and VA disabilities were applied for.
SS denied my in February of this year, after a wait of over 6 months, and I hired a SS disability lawyer to appeal my case. It's ongoing.
The VA is another matter entirely, and honestly, I am extremely angry at the VA because they continue to deny appeals to get my disability claims approved. For instance, even though they now admit that military service caused hearing loss and tinnitus, they won't overturn their previous denial from 2006. The lawyers I hired to file the appeals have received three denials since summer last year. So in addition to being denied in 2006 and 2011, that's now five total denials on that one condition alone. And there are others.
The lawyers are trying to figure out what to do next, but I know what I want to do, and that is fire off a letter to the VA expressing my anger. The department in the VA that deals with disability claims no longer works for the veteran. They actively work against them, and I really want to express my outrage to them.
4. Retirement location. I really need to move from where I am. The housing I’m in is old military housing and is not in good shape. I would like to move to better housing but of course housing, whether one rents or owns, is priced through the roof. If either, or both, of the disability claims get approved I'll bring in more funds, but I could be waiting for several months, if not a few years, for that to happen. I am on a waiting list for senior apartments in West Lafayette, IN. That location would be ideal because I would be real close to my daughter, but the waiting list is extremely long and it could be years before there is an open unit. I’ve been trying to locate other places to move to but it’s difficult to get out since Long Covid reduces my endurance, and Google Maps doesn’t do a good job in keeping its database updated.
Whew, that took longer than I anticipated to type out. I know that is a lot to take in, but those are the areas I really need prayer for. I appreciate the time you took to read all that. Thank you and God bless you all.
I guess what happens with PEM is, if i understood it right, that ATP (which is the body’s energy source that feeds the mitochondria I guess, which ate the powerhouses of the body) get depleted or reduced, and do not recover or get replaced quickly like in normal people.
Normal folks can work hard for days on end, and their “inner battery” (or rather their stores of energy) get a bit tired, and get a good night’s sleep and be recharged @ 100% He next morning.
People with chronic fatigue always wake up with a “battery” that is only recharged about 1/4% no matter how much sleep they get. They go out and work, and that slips even lower than 1/4, and it takes days just to get back up tO the usual crappy feeling of being just 1/4 recharged.
It’s kind of like operating with a battery that is on itS last legs- it will only charge up just so much, and will drain very quickly, and takes a long time to recharge again.
I guess thouh the ATP replenishment is the key tO understanding the whole chronic fatigue. There are supplements that are supposed tO help “boost ATP production” but i have not found success with any of them. Very frustrating condition. Especially when you know that your body is in good shape otherwise, and ready to go, but can’t beczuse of the condition.
The doctors at the medical office I use are not "studied up" on Long Covid and its many nuances, and the VA wants to ignore it completely. One of my sisters, who is an NP, thinks of me as a Covid conspiracy nutcase. I'm thankful, though, that my personal doctor has recorded in my medical records that I suffer from Long Covid, and that it caused me to be disabled. We even used that diagnosis to get a private school loan forgiven, so she has been very helpful.
But yeah, PEM is nothing to mess around with. I rest and pace myself, and that has helped me. But if I push it, it'll hit me every time.
A family member had undiagnosed long Covid for nearly a year - just thought he was burned out. SEVERE insomnia (restless, fitful sleep - maybe 4 hours total a night), short of beath, weak/malaise, TERRIBLE brain fog.
Finally friends insisted he see a psychiatrist (yes, I know, but this one was legitimate ...) who diagnosed Long Covid and referred to a doctor who had treated dozens of people (including many physicians).
Doc put him on paxlovid for two weeks which cleared viral fragments, ivermectin for a week, for sleep which worked wonders but with weight gain, lots of fluids, and referred to a pulmonary rehab doctor for significant lung problems.
Vastly improved within a month and totally back to baseline after about three months. Just one case and empirical (that is, no standard of care or true consensus protocols yet), but the Covid doc said nearly all his patients recovered.
Hope that helps, best of luck, and prayers!
Meant to say ... *low dose mertazipine for sleep ...
I can definitely relate to the insomnia, weakness/malaise and brain fog. Thankfully Covid never got into my lungs during the initial infection, and I think much of that goes to the fact that the hospital let me use my CPAP machine while I was admitted with the Covid and pneumonia, and they pumped oxygen through it as well. They also treated me with Remdesivir, which I didn't find out until afterwards could have been harmful, if not fatal. I think that goes back to medical facilities doing the bidding of the federal government and keeping treatments that would work better away from those infected. They also wouldn't treat me with monoclonal antibodies. But they did treat me with a host of antibiotics and steroids which helped me get over the Covid and pneumonia.
Unfortunately, when I developed Long Covid, no one here locally knew how to treat it. They practically stuck their collective heads in the sand. The VA was the same way. When I called them and asked them if they had any Long Covid treatment plans they said nowhere in the country does the VA have anyone researching Long Covid and possible treatments, no matter what their promotional material says.
No one here at the medical practice I use will prescribe Ivermectin. I had to go out and buy it myself from an overseas source. Even though my local doctor has Long Covid listed in my medical records as a disability, that's about the extent of their efforts. At least she gave me doctor's notes and medical excuses to use sick leave for six months until I retired, but they have done nothing to actually treat it. When I got VA medical approved, those doctors wouldn't talk about it either. They did refer me to a psychologist for my insomnia, which has helped, but that's really about the extent of their efforts. Overall, I am very disappointed with the VA, with an exception for the psychologist. He's been good.
If I knew of a medical practice in Indiana that treats people with Long Covid, I would have asked for a referral. But I know of none here. I'm tempted to ask you what doctor your family member saw. Maybe they know of someone near me who treats Long Covid. :-)
This has been a long, tedious process these last 18-19 months. I've made some strides, yes, but overall:
1. I still cannot exert myself physically,
2. still suffer brain fog and dizziness,
3. cannot eat any spicy foods due to constant nausea,
4. am not completely over insomnia,
5. and now I've just been diagnosed with asthma.
I started receiving treatment for the asthma from my private doctor, but I'm waiting on test results to see if the local pulmonologist will change up my medications. So I have that to thank Covid for as well, though again, the local doctors willfully refuse to make that connection.
So that's about where I am now. I sit at home while I await the outcome of SS and VA disability claims and while I wait for an opening at a senior apartment complex in West Lafayette, IN so I can be near to my daughter.
I appreciate your kind words and your prayers. Thank you.
Placing you on my daily prayer list.
Thank you.
How are things going for you these days?
Any resolution for some of these problems?
I talked to my daughter yesterday about future housing options and since there is nothing imminent on the horizon that I'm not going to stress over it. It doesn't mean I won't be searching, but I'm going to try and not get worried if nothing pops up in the near future.
My problems aside, however, I got a message from my sister in Indianapolis. She said that my mom fell this morning and fractured her hip. They are taking her in for surgery to insert a rod and screws to stabilize it. I'm afraid, though, because she's 87, in ill health, and I really wonder if she'll come through the surgery. I'm going to post this update on the prayer list.
A broken hip at that age does not bode well.
Even if the surgery is successful, recovery will be difficult.
I hear ya. I’m on pins and needles right now. I just just got feeling inside, a feeling of dread almost. I’m wondering if she’ll even come out of surgery.
My mother is out of surgery. Turns out she broke her leg, the femur. They put a pin in the upper femur near the hip joint and one above her knee to secure a rod they put down the middle of her femur. Will be an hour before my sister will be able to see her.
I’ll be praying for her and you.
Thank you. My sister says mom is awake and talking, but doesn’t understand what’s happened and wants to go home. Kinda normal for her, really. She’ll be there in the hospital for at least three days, maybe longer.
Continuing to pray for your health and many needs...
I guess it depends on the person and need.
Thank you for your prayers. I took nattokinase in the past but I don’t know that it did anything for me. I may not have taken a large enough dosage. How much do you take on a daily basis? I may try it again. Again, thank you.
Remdesivir...
That’s what gave you Long Covid. Doctors gave it to my dear friend without her knowledge. She has developed numerous maladies since...
She is taking Ivermectin (horse paste) I take it too. Make sure it is the paste, not the gel. Dosage is about a pencil eraser size, but I use a little more.)
This may help you. (It worked for my vaxxed son.)
https://www.twc.health/products/long-haul-formula?ref=4a4HY6mNGvea0y
INSOMNIA...
Put a bar of IVORY SOAP between your ankles.
It helped my 90-year-old father, who had restless leg syndrome. The nurses in the hospital laughed, but now they keep a bar or two in the nurse’s station.
One more thing...
ransomnote has devoted herself in researching Covid-19 since it hit. She may have answers to Long Covid.
She always answers FReepmail.
Stars & Stripes Forever
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.