Understanding Long COVID: What Every Patient Needs to Know

Michael Brode, MD, a board-certified internal medicine specialist and the Medical Director of UT Health Austin’s Post-COVID-19 Program, explains what long COVID is, which symptoms are associated with long COVID, and who is more likely to experience long COVID.

Video filmed and edited by: Shriya Alli

[jhammy]

As a fellow MD, unfortunately suffering from Long Covid since 2021, sincerest thanks for the presentation. It is well overdue to have other MD's acknowledge this horrible disease. It is still far from having mainstream acceptance in the medical community, but you are helping that cause!!!

[CS-xszw]

I’m in my mid 20s. I was in my best physical and mental shape ever. Just got my pilots license, I was riding a high I’ve never before known in life. All my dreams and plans were finally going to work!

Two weeks later I got covid. My life has never been the same since. I am 7 months on. I have half the energy I used to. Most days I am too tired to really do all that I need to go get better in my life. I am mentally not the same sharp mind I once was. But I think more than anything else I lost the confidence that made me who I was. Hard to be confident when you body sweats 24/7 like you have a fever. I’m not religious but I pray often that this goes away. I just want my life back. What I had before. I never realized how lucky I really was to just be normal. I’m so tried, I just want it to stop.

[kakhipudhi]

'Believe the patient'. Thank you.

[Gina-dnxm]

What the doctor said is true; post vital conditions have been around for a long time. It's too bad that the medical establishment has ignored the post viral patients in the past, even pushing them off as being psychological in nature.
Now that thousands of people have come down with long covid, suddenly the medical community is paying attention. The years lost on progression are sad. We could have been further ahead if attention, which would have been paid to chronic lyme, chronic fatigue, and reactivated Epstein Barr.

[cw-rtfc]

I'm sitting here crying right because this is literally my life right now 😢

[teripeterson]

Ive been diagnosed with CFS/Post viral fatigue syndrome from a Rheumatologist Dr after having Mono/EBV in 2020! Havnt worked since 5/21.
Still waiting on getting approved for SSDI.
Living with ME/CFS IS NOT REALLY LIVING
THANK YOU FOR FINALLY TELLING THE WORLD THAT THIS ILLNESS IS REAL

[andyac]

6 months in, still struggling with fatigue, brain fog and chest pains, 5 month's ago i felt like my body was shutting down...blood pressure was of the dial and i had a feeling of impending doom.

[theresar]

I finally feel heard and seen. I got hit hard with covid summer of 2022, prior to this I was super active and healthy, since I am a changed person, both mentally and physically, I can no longer walk up a set of stairs, severe depression. I'm currently on a medical leave because I can no longer work. I'm 37 female. Its crazy. And no doctor listens. Thank you so much for the work you are doing on this.

[omCi]

People have already lost their houses and jobs. When will this be considered disability so we can get some help?

[MissHellable]

Coming up on 4 years since first infection, long covid started a few months later. Was healthy before, now have PEM, POTS, inflammation and neuro issues. Glad to see some progress in the research, but as mentioned in comments, it really needs to be considered a disability.

[baazooka]

This guy is an absolute BRO of an MD, from long covid patient going on 3 years. Thank you.

[darlasue]

Great description! This is spot on for my symptoms of long covid. I've been in all 3 frameworks as time moves on. I'm still trying to recover almost 3 years later.

[bikeaddictbp]

Great video, thanks for putting this out there. It is just short of 2 years since omicron got me. Your descriptions of the fatigue and related issues are spot on. A few months ago, I started exercising again (and I couldn't really do so prior to that, due to "energy crash" - been through a few of those). I am now at a point of walking 30 - 60 min per day, and just getting back on my bicycle. For others going through this ... there is hope ... start doing things and get a feel for how much you can do without having an "energy crash".

[matthewstreacker]

I rarely hear doctors with this level of detailed knowledge or openness in America.

You’re here for every patient and sound like the doctor to hear everyone’s concerns instead pf the type that says “oh you’re just whining” and ignores the patient’s needs

[ylvaeriksson]

This should be spread around the world to all medical doctors! Even if we do not yet have a cure or a clear duagnostic tool, we DO have proof that the fatigue and nervous system problems are real issues, not something that we patients creates by being afraid of the symptoms, wich most doctors I have met seems to think. It is NOT ”all in your head”!

[elizagray]

many of us have severe lung and heart damage and we WERE NOT hospitalized. In winter/spring March 2020 we were refused care, not tested, not admitted to hospitals . told we had anxiety. This is well documented the damage those of us who werent hospitalized have

[HurricaneQueen]

Thank you so much for making this video because I am in the process myself right now of trying to make things work with my job, and I’m so thankful for my employer who continues to stand by me in a world full of heartless ones. Please continue to educate the public about this as well as healthcare providers of all kinds because this disease deserves a cure too!! My heart goes out to everyone who is suffering with this like me! We got this!🎉❤

[boodrowwilson]

Have long covid for 3 years and wonder if im even going to be able to work or what's going to happen to my life at this point.

[jesusislife]

Thank you for addressing this issue. I have been suffering from long covid since 2022 when I was sick with covid for 4 weeks. My life has changed drastically. To the point where I was not able to speak because I forgot what to say when I am speaking with someone. I am suffering from dislexia, I never had any issues spelling words, this has made my job very hard, thank God for the spell check. I hope more doctors become aware of all this symptoms. All this happened after Covid. Please believe the patient!!

[puremaledark]

Pretty much hit the nail on the head. At least, as best you can. I tried everything under the sun to get better and the only thing to make a difference is time.