MATHI REDDY '''How to Get Help With Long Covid'''

It’s been more than four

weeks and I still haven’t fully recovered from my Covid-19 infection. Do I have long Covid?

Not necessarily. Doctors say some people take longer to fully recover from a viral ill- ness but eventually do with- out needing any kind of spe- cialized care. There is no standard defi- nition of long Covid. Some doctors say if you’re still feeling sick four to six weeks after Covid-19 you should see your primary- care doctor. Common long Covid symptoms can include cognitive issues, a racing heartbeat when you change position and extreme fatigue, particularly after physical or mental exertion.

What if I’m still not

feeling better after three months?

This is the time frame when you might want to look for a long Covid clinic or find a doctor who is familiar with long Covid and has treated other patients.

What kind of doctor

should I see?

There are more than 60 hos- pitals and healthcare systems that have started long Covid clinics and programs, accord- ing to Becker’s Hospital Re- view. Survivor Corps, a long Covid advocacy group, also has a list of centers, as well as “Covid-friendly” doctors. A good primary-care doc- tor will refer you to special- ists based on your symp- toms. You want to find someone with experience in treating postviral illnesses, recommends Lauren Nichols, vice president of Body Poli- tic, a patient-advocacy group. Another helpful kind of doctor is an immunolo- gist, who can perform more- detailed and granular blood work, she says.

What tests and screenings should I ask my doctor

to do?

Most clinics conduct blood work to look at indicators such as blood counts, vita- min levels, virus reactiva- tions and inflammatory markers. Many centers also do pulmonary function tests, echocardiograms and EKGs to look for lung or heart ab- normalities.

Physical-therapy evaluations can also be useful. Patients experiencing brain fog can undergo standard neuropsychology or cognitive tests.

When will I recover?

There is no hard data on re- covery trajectories; patient re- covery paths vary. If you’re sick beyond three months, full recoveries aren’t the norm, but some patients report improvements in their symptoms over time. New symptoms can occur and old ones can come back. Recovery isn’t linear, Mrs. Nichols notes. “People need to be aware of the roller-coaster effect which you can have with this disease,” says Kristin Englund, an infectious-dis- ease physician at Cleveland Clinic who started the long Covid clinic there last year. A doctor should keep investigating persistent symptoms.

- You had Covid-19 weeks or months ago, yet you still aren’t back to normal.

- You can’t exercise the way you used to do. You’re depleted after a day of work. Or you may have unusual sensations, like a racing heartbeat when you stand up and difficulty concentrat- ing at times.

Could it be long Covid?

And if so, how can you find out and get the medical care you need? A s many as 23 million Americans are affected by long Covid, a March federal government report esti- mated, which occurs when people experience persistent and often worsening or new symptoms more than a month after a Covid-19 in- fection. Even those who had mild cases with their initial infection can experience symptoms weeks later. Many people find it diffi- cult to get care, with doctors dismissing symptoms, not knowing what to do or even giving damaging advice, pa- tients and doctors say. For now, there is no cure for long Covid, but finding the right doctors and tests can give you a better chance of improving and learning to manage your symptoms. Here are care-seeking strategies long Covid doctors and patients recom- mend.