That Dratted C Word Again…Why Post-Pandemic Health Isn’t exactly Back to Normal
When Covid Doesn’t Go Away: What I’ve Learned (and What Might Be Happening)
Yes, even my partner in crime is tired of me talking about Covid.
We’re very British about these things, aren’t we? When something stressful, uncomfortable, or hard to explain happens in our lives, we often brush it aside. The same goes for inconvenient truths — especially ones we’re sick of hearing, or not yet ready to admit are playing a major role in our lives.
After several years of noticing strange, persistent health issues in myself — and hearing the same from others — I think it’s time we talked more openly about Covid and its after-effects.
Something’s Not Quite Right
I’ve trained athletically for years. I know my body well. When something is off, I know.
I know when my pee has changed in the last 5 years! (I question the health of kidneys) after the first Covid infection
I notice - when I’m suddenly sweating differently.
I question why I’m gaining weight abnormally, out of nowhere, without changes in food or training.
I feel it when fatigue hits like a wall I didn’t expect.
I often track my heart rate when I exercise — and I know when an athletic Zone 2 intensity abnormally feels like Zone 5.
I notice reduced oxygen uptake, random muscle pains, or nerve discomfort moving around my body
Sometimes, I even feel like my core won’t switch on like it used to — almost like a kind of minor paralysis.
And I know I’m not alone in this. This isn’t just ageing!! And yes, ladies it isn’t only - ‘just the menopause creeping in.’
This Isn’t Just Me — And It’s Not in Your Head
Over the past few years — and especially in recent months, I’ve heard the same frustrations from others. People who, like me, used to feel athletically strong, fit, and resilient. But now? We’re seeing a strange rise in cases of plantar fasciitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, or sudden, unexplained pain in the back, shoulders, groin, hips, feet and calves — often accompanied by stiffness or immobility. Even regular physiotherapy doesn’t answer the musculoskeletal issues – even though we think it should.
It might sound random, but it’s happening to too many people to ignore. I mean — how is it that many people in my circles are suddenly dealing with plantar fasciitis or carpal tunnel at the same time? – even those related to others (many of whom might not even be exercising) Before 2020, these conditions were occasional. Now, they’re strangely common.
Even GPs appear oblivious / sometimes seem unsure what to make of it. I’ve spoken to people who’ve felt dismissed, their symptoms brushed off. The physiotherapy isn’t working either – isn’t that cause to question – Is it something else?
But we do have some potential answers. Increasingly, research from outside the UK — especially from Yale Medical Faculties and leading US researchers — is offering important insights that are not filtering through our media or medical culture fast enough.
We all want the NHS to thrive. And yes, I completely appreciate the tireless work of healthcare professionals. But let’s be honest — when it comes to international collaboration and up-to-date dissemination of health, nutrition, lifestyle and medical information, we can be quite slow in the UK. Often, protocols are waiting for ‘evidence-based confirmation,’ but the lived experience of thousands of people is already painting a bigger picture.
And one thing that gets misunderstood a lot is this:
You didn’t have to be seriously ill with Covid to still experience problems later.
Being asymptomatic means having the virus — but not showing any symptoms at the time. You feel totally fine. No cough, no fever, no shortness of breath. You might never even test positive. But that doesn’t mean the virus didn’t affect you. In some cases, people who were asymptomatic — or only mildly unwell, still go on to experience fatigue, brain fog, random inflammation, or weird pains months later. This can be confusing.
Perhaps, don’t be surprised that your body actually has experienced Covid at some point over the last few years.
Long Covid also known as post-COVID-19 condition, is a condition where symptoms persist or develop after the initial COVID-19 infection. It doesn’t always follow a logical pattern — and that’s part of what makes it really unsettling for people, and hard to diagnose.
Understanding Long Covid: 4 Key Theories
Thanks to recent international research (and some AI summarising help), here’s a clearer look at what scientists have discovered - may be happening in cases of ongoing, post-viral symptoms:
1. Viral Persistence
SARS-CoV-2 may linger in the body long after the infection has cleared. Viral RNA or proteins have been found months later in tissues like the gut, brain, and lymph nodes. These fragments may trigger ongoing immune responses and inflammation.
2. Immune Dysregulation & Autoimmunity
Covid can throw the immune system off balance — in some cases, to the point where it starts attacking your own tissues. This is what’s known as autoimmunity: when your immune system mistakes parts of your body (like joints, nerves, or organs) for foreign invaders.
Researchers have found signs of this kind of dysfunction in Long Covid cases and with ME/Chronic fatigue — including elevated inflammation, autoantibodies, and imbalances in T and B cells.
This could explain issues such as joint aches and pains that move unpredictably around the body. In short, the body’s defence system becomes confused — and starts doing harm instead of protecting you.
3. Vascular Damage
This virus doesn’t just affect the lungs, as most media reports suggest — it also targets the blood vessels. Covid-related inflammation of the endothelium (the inner lining of blood vessels) can lead to microclots and impaired circulation. This is increasingly linked to symptoms like chest pain, brain fog, and conditions involving the autonomic nervous system (like dysautonomia).
👉 This isn’t widely acknowledged in everyday press coverage or by standard NHS communications — but it’s a major area of international research.
4. Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction (Dysautonomia)
Some people develop POTS or ‘orthostatic intolerance’ post-Covid. It impacts heart rate, blood pressure, digestion, and energy regulation — leaving people dizzy, fatigued, and struggling to regulate basic body functions.
Other Likely Contributors
These overlap with the above mechanisms, and are increasingly being studied:
Mitochondrial dysfunction → linked to chronic fatigue and reduced exercise tolerance.
Latent virus reactivation (e.g. Epstein-Barr Virus) → stress or immune strain can reawaken these old invaders.
Gut microbiome disruption → the gut-brain axis plays a key role in immunity, inflammation, and cognitive health. There’s also growing evidence that viruses — including SARS-CoV-2 — can ‘pool’ or persist in the intestinal tract, potentially contributing to ongoing symptoms.
Neuroinflammation → possibly behind nerve pain and muscle sensitivity.
ACE2 receptor binding → gives Covid access to a wide range of tissues beyond the lungs.
Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS) → a condition where mast (immune) cells release excessive inflammatory chemicals (like histamine) in response to triggers. This may explain post-Covid flare-ups involving skin rashes, food intolerances, fatigue, brain fog, and systemic inflammation. Some researchers believe Covid may exacerbate or unmask MCAS in susceptible individuals.
If you want to dive deeper, I’d highly recommend this 2025 conversation between the American Health Association and Professor Akiko Iwasaki — a world-leading expert on Covid and Long Covid:
Yale Medicine’s article series on Long Covid is also a brilliant, up-to-date resource:
Finally, if you’ve been diagnosed with Long Covid, ME/CFS, or have experienced post-viral fatigue for some time, I’d also recommend Gez Medinger’s YouTube channel and podcasts. His work is grounded, accessible, and very relatable.
Gez co-authored The Long Covid Handbook (Penguin, 2022) with Imperial College immunologist Professor Danny Altmann, offering practical insights and non-invasive ideas for managing symptoms. There are some useful takeaways — particularly if you’re seeking ways to cope while research continues to evolve.
But I Can’t Exercise Easily Anymore… So What Now?
Unfortunately, I don’t have all the answers. I’ve experienced several of these post-Covid symptoms myself since the pandemic — so if you’re struggling, please know: you’re not imagining it, and you’re definitely not alone!
It’s frustrating when your body changes without a clear cause. It’s even worse when you feel like no one believes you.
That’s why I’ve chosen to speak up — even while the science is still catching up.
If you’d like to hear my perspective, based on first-hand experience, come and have a chat with me. I can share what I’ve personally had to change — what’s helped me feel more in control again. It may not work the same for everyone (and it’s not a substitute for medical advice), but as long as it’s safe and doesn’t cause harm, it’s worth exploring.
While We Wait for the System, Here’s What We Can Do
Let’s focus on what we do have some control over. These are a few things I’ve learned, tried, or implemented myself — mostly simple lifestyle changes that often don’t get the time or attention they deserve in our standard healthcare setting:
Rebuild your immune system slowly and gently — not aggressively, and not by overtraining. Assume it’s taken a bit of a battering over the past few years, especially with recurrent infections and unexplained symptoms.
Eat real, whole, nutrient-rich foods. Cut back on known inflammation triggers like excess sugar, ultra processed food and alcohol. Learn more about histamine-rich foods and how they might be affecting post-Covid recovery.
Get curious about your personal food and drink intolerances, allergies and sensitivities — these may have shifted post-illness, and also with age.
Consider safe, targeted supplementation (vitamins and minerals) — but always double-check with your GP or pharmacist, especially if you’re taking medication, and especially if considering an increase in dosage.
Step away from major stressors — at work, at home, or in your wider life. Don’t underestimate how much recovery needs space.
Be patient with your body when exercising. If you’re naturally athletic, this can be tough — but learning to train with more awareness and to take rest days when needed is crucial.
Final Thoughts: Let’s Talk More About This
If any of this resonates with you, know that you’re navigating something the world is still trying to understand. It’s not over yet – despite us all returning back to everyday life.
And waiting five, ten, or twenty years for ‘official answers’ isn’t realistic — not when you’re dealing with symptoms now.
That’s why I believe we should all have the right to explore safe, non-invasive methods to support our recovery — especially when conventional medical approaches have little to offer us in the short term.
In the meantime, we can talk about it — and we should.
Let’s keep sharing experiences. Let’s listen more closely to what our bodies are trying to tell us. Let’s stop waiting for validation and start taking small, meaningful steps to rebuild our health.
If your GP has the time — or an empathetic outlook — talk to them. Keep them in the loop if you’re changing your approach to exercise, nutrition, or supplementation.
And if you want to speak to someone who gets it from lived experience — feel free to talk to me.
Just don’t carry it all silently.
