Chris finds that doing research ahead of time makes for more productive medical appointments.
Transcript
I’ve been trying to strike a balance between finding enough information to feel like I’m able to go to appointments with specialists that don’t really understand a lot about long COVID or related conditions yet but are obviously experts in their field. So I want to be able to bring logical, reputable information to them and sort of try to get them to wade through it … Once I was comfortable enough saying, “I have long COVID” or, “I have POTS,” I think it changed the nature of my discussions with a lot of both specialists, and when I went to the emergency room, because I have been three times in the last six months because it – I’m coming at them with a little bit less of a random array of symptoms that could easily be, you know, a panic attack or something else. I’m sort of giving them a starting point, you know. “My cardiologist and physiotherapist have said I have POTS. I have been accepted to a long COVID rehab program. So I have these things and they affect me in this way. And now today I’m having this particularly bad flare that I can’t control,” for example and it’s made for more productive discussions with medical professionals, I think.
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- 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.