26-year-old Fiona Lowenstein assumed her bout with COVID-19 would be mild, as she was young and overall in good health. But her severe shortness of breath caused her to be hospitalized, and weeks afterwards, she began developing even more symptoms. Lowenstein realized she was likely a COVID-19 “long-hauler,” one of the many patients who develop a syndrome of long-term ailments for months after recovering from the virus. She eventually turned to social media and became involved in a forum where she could discuss the emotional and physical repercussions of being a long-hauler. Over 9,000 active members, all with a variety of long-haul symptoms, have now joined a forum on Slack. The group offers a place of support, advocacy, and knowledge for COVID-19 long-haulers.
To read the full article on Women’sHealth, please click here.