Chris feels like he is riding a roller coaster of physical symptoms and anxiety.
Transcript
There’s no question that I have had a definite triggering of anxiety. That, you know, I didn’t have or wasn’t aware of issues with anxiety before I started feeling these symptoms. But certainly initially when I just had a range of unknown symptoms that I didn’t have any way to attribute them to something my anxiety was particularly bad. You know, I was looking for the one explanation, the one treatment, the one cure … I can have two great weeks where, even if I’m symptomatic, I’m still able to accomplish things and I get in a really good mood, you know, “OK I’m still living with this and it’s not going away but I’m finding a way to manage it.” But then one or two days of high flare-up days where I’m low functionality again, it can sort of send me right back into one of those funks where I get sad and irritable again … It’s a lot of up and down, it’s a real roller coaster. Then the symptoms have been very cyclical, very much a roller coaster and my emotions have followed that as well.
More from: Chris
More content
- Getting Care for Long COVID – ChrisChris was unable to access a specialist long COVID rehab program after a trip to the ED.
- Tests and Investigations – ChrisChris explains why he thinks it's often hard to capture long COVID symptoms at medical appointments.
- Symptoms of Long COVID – ChrisChris has many symptoms but finds POTS to be the most disruptive.
- Complementary and Alternative Care – ChrisChris says "my OT, physiotherapist, and kinesiologist have done an immense amount of positive things for me."
- Recovery and Thoughts About the Future – ChrisChris has hopes of being able to travel again one day.
- Advice to Policy Makers – ChrisChris thinks that everyone should have access to multi-disciplinary rehabilitation.
- Seeking Information About Long COVID – ChrisChris finds that doing research ahead of time makes for more productive medical appointments.
- Support From Employers, Colleagues, and Worker’s Compensation Boards – ChrisChris's employer and colleagues are supportive but he still worries about his professional future.
- Impacts on Work and Career – ChrisChris has a supportive employer but still feels that brain fog is impacting his career.
- Coping Strategies and Self Care – ChrisChris is using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) to get back to some activities in his life.