I think I have long covid. How do you cope with with work and benefits? What help is out there?

Shelly68

I'm quite sure I'm suffering from long covid. I caught Covid in Oct 2020.
Interested in chatting with people about how they cope, work, benefits? and what help there is.
Off to the doctor again next week with symptoms ? 
TIA x

Tori_Scope

Hi @shelly68 Thanks for joining the community.

I'm sorry to hear that you've been unwell. I hope that the doctor is able to give you some answers or treatment options next week. 

If you think you may be experiencing long COVID, you might like to check out the NHS's advice on 'your COVID recovery', which contains information about long COVID. 

Do you work currently, or claim any benefits?

Shelly68

Many thanks x

Robinbobbin80

Hi, I too have Long covid, 18 months of not being able to function day to day and unable to work. I’m part of a Facebook support group called LongCovid support (45k members) it’s a lovely supportive  place to find others to talk to and has lots of resources too including a sister research group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/longcovid/
If you don’t use Facebook there is a public page too https://www.longcovid.org/

KatB79

Hey there

I'm another long hauler circa 18/19 months severely disabled.

Ask your doc to refer you to community long covid, if they agree this is the issue. They might want to run some blood tests etc to rule out other causes of fatigue.

Depending on how disabled you are, there's universal credit and LCWRA, which is the new ESA. And PIP but apply soon for that as it takes months to be assessed.

The long covid clinic may help you with pacing management etc, depending on your needs. I just got started with my local chronic fatigue service for this (have been fighting to improve the pathway for long covid in my area).

A lot of people do get better after 10 months plus, just some of us aren't and this seems to be the same for ME/CFS aswell. So you should definitely still have hope for recovery yet. Pacing definitely helps! My daughter has seen slow improvement since she started resting properly ?

sunnysideup

Hello I know this is an old post but I just wanted to say hello as I also have long covid (18 months now!) and I think recovery has hit a plateau for me. I wonder how your benefit applications went? I had my telephone assessment for PIP last week 🤞

Alex_Alumni

Hello @sunnysideup how do you feel your assessment went? That's the hardest part over with now, hopefully the wait won't be too long for you.

And in terms of how your recovery is going, do you feel like you're getting enough support at the moment? 

Thanks for posting and sharing your thoughts on this discussion, I'm sure everyone will appreciate you checking in  

elahrairah

sunnysideup said:

Hello I know this is an old post but I just wanted to say hello as I also have long covid (18 months now!) and I think recovery has hit a plateau for me. I wonder how your benefit applications went? I had my telephone assessment for PIP last week 🤞

my partner has post-covid and hasn't been able to work since april 2020.  she is unable to stand or sit up straight for more than half an hour at a time.  she has been declared fit to work by the ESA.  waiting for a tribunal. 

Shaola100

Hi all
I have been diagnosed with long covid since 2020 and am able to do very little. I am also waiting for a tribunal appointment.