SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – COVID-19 “long distance carriers” in Utah find validation in a new study of long-term COVID-19 symptoms.
The research, conducted through online surveys, studied symptoms in nearly 4,000 patients in 56 countries.
The researchers found more than 200 symptoms prevalent among participants in 10 of the body’s organ systems.
Jess Monsen of Utah did not participate in the study, but hopes the findings will help doctors and others take her symptoms more seriously.
“I still have family members who don’t validate it and it’s a big fight,” she said. “It hurts.”
Monsen had positive experiences with practitioners at the VA Hospital in Utah, but many other long-term carriers KSL spoke to described doctors who diagnosed their symptoms as anxious or brushed them off as not serious.
“I’ve seen a lot of other people fight and cry because they have so many practitioners and providers who don’t believe them,” Monsen said.
This new study followed participants’ symptoms for seven months. After six months, participants had the most common fatigue (77.7%), post-exertion (72.2%) and cognitive dysfunction (55.4%).
Other common symptoms include brain fog and memory problems, headaches, changes in emotion and mood, high body temperature, heart palpitations, shortness of breath and diarrhea.
“In general, these findings suggest that the morbidity of COVID-19 disease has been greatly underestimated. Patients have had multisystemic symptoms for over seven months, resulting in a significant impact on patients’ lives and livelihoods, ”said the researchers.
Monsen has suffered from post-COVID symptoms since July. Some days are better than others.
“It’s like a switch,” she said. “I’m going to have a really good day and then the next day will be like a switch and I can’t do anything.”
The study found that almost half (45.2%) of the participants were unable to return to full-time work due to persistent symptoms. 22.3% could not work at all.
Monsen has a job that offers flexible hours and breaks when needed. She is grateful that she managed to return to work and support her family, but she knows that she can no longer be as independent as she used to be.
He wants others to see his situation and take it into account when making daily decisions.
“When I talk about losing independence by wearing a mask, I say, ‘You have no idea about the loss of independence that some of us have experienced with these debilitating long-term symptoms from COVID,'” Monsen said.
A support group for Utahns was created in June 2020. It has since grown to more than 1,300 members.
If you suffer from long-term symptoms of COVID-19, you can find the Utah COVID-19 Long-haulers Facebook page here.