Thursday, September 17, 2020

COVID Long-Haulers + My Pitch for Astragalus

The New York Times published a story earlier in the month about COVID "long-haulers," people, such as myself, who continue to struggle months after being infected. The NYT story emphasizes the psychological struggles of long-haulers. 

The story re-posted today by Naked Capitalism, "Thousands of New York ‘Long Haulers’ Struggle with COVID-19 Months After Diagnosis," is much more sympathetic to the plight of the long-haulers, situating them in a larger health crisis that has to date been under-reported rather than shading the story as an example of pandemic mass psychosis.

I can bear witness to the brutal reality of the long haul. For the most part I've stopped walking home from work, choosing the bus instead, because the two-mile uphill climb is too much for me now. My heart isn't right.

After a ridiculously unproductive couple of visits to my primary care physician (and ridiculously expensive, even though I have good employer-based health insurance) I decided to forego further rabbit-holing in the corporate health industrial complex and take charge of my own recovery.

One positive that I can report is the Chinese herb Astragalus. I read online that it helped with myocarditisGerman studies published this summer revealed a connection between COVID-19 and cardiac problems. Astragalus has made a difference. Three capsules taken daily -- one morning, noon and night -- have reduced my nasty and incapacitating arrhythmia. 

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