Coping with Life after COVID-19

The severity of Covid 19 can vary from very  mild to severe .While  majority of people have mild to no symptoms, few people can present with severe life threatening symptoms requiring Intensive care. People with co morbid conditions like Diabetes Mellitus, Heart problems, Asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease , Kidney problems should be more careful and follow social distancing measures to prevent acquiring COVID 19. Our web page is aimed to help you recover from Covid illness. Covid -19 symptoms can sometimes persists for weeks to months.

While most patients recover completely within few weeks, some of them might continue to experience persistent symptoms including fatigue, shortness of breath, joint pain, chest pain, cough and fever.

As per WHO, recovery time appears to be around two weeks for mild infections and 3 to 6 weeks for severe disease.  We have to remember that regular follow up is required to watch out for heart attack, heart failure, clot in the lungs, lungs fibrosis, stroke and seizures. Many people might develop chronic fatigue syndrome. Returning to baseline health might be a gradual process but don’t lose hope.

 Post Covid Discharge

 General Advice 

Being recently discharged from covid is not an easy task in itself. We have come across patients and their relatives finding it very difficult to cope with life, post discharge from hospital or post covid isolation at home.

Coping with physical and psychological challenges now that you are at home

You may still have physical and psychological difficulties even after being discharged. Although you might feel completely happy and relieved to be back home you might still have breathing difficulties, cough, feeling lethargic and tired. Some of you may still be very anxious, or depressed, or have Post traumatic Stress Disorder (having disturbed sleep and nightmares or flashbacks of your hospital stay or remembering an experience of a covid positive patient dying in the bed next to them).

For some being very unwell in Intensive Care can be a near life -death experience and  having to deal with the after math of a lengthy hospital stay can  drain one emotionally, physically and financially.

ICU patients can present with deliriums, hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that are not there) or delusions (strange beliefs about what is happening in the hospital). They can have difficulty differentiating what is reality and what is not. It can be because of their illness or because of being in an unfamiliar environment, or because of the medicines given to them in the hospital which can make them confused. These symptoms are usually temporary but can be quite upsetting to be understood by the carers, attenders and relatives.

Understandably you will be worried whether you can go back to being fit and healthy as before. Remember right from the time of discharge from the hospital it is going to be  a slow but steady process and at no time should you lose hope. We, the healthcare team are there to provide you with all the support and encouragement to make you as well as before.

Remember to be positive at all times, as it goes a long way in healing.

Make sure you look after yourself too

Establish a Routine

• Prioritize your work schedule/Day to day activities
• Eat healthy food
• Sleep well. Adequate sleep boosts your immunity.
• Exercise daily. Ensure that you are doing 30 minutes of exercise 5-7 days / week
• Speak to your friends and family via phone, video calls.
• Try out a new hobby
• Do yoga
• Watch light hearted shows in television and stay happy and relaxed.
• Arrange appropriate follow up with the doctor via teleconsultation, if you are reluctant to go for in -person follow up.

Be patient, with yourself and your near and dear ones. Remember we are all in this together. Accept the new normal and don’t overload yourself. Consider this as an excellent opportunity to spend quality time with your friends and family.