for my fellow WPers who feel [or ARE] old and struggling

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I know I've been moaning about this in other threads, but I came down with Long-Haul COVID early last year, and I feel like it's aged me 20-30 years. I'm not exaggerating when I say I'm seriously thinking about getting a cane.

Before that, I've had Sjogren's Syndrome for most of my life, but for the most part, I could deal with it (although ten-hour work days seriously killed me). But I don't know what it's like to not have SJS, so I can't really make a fair comparison.

And it's funny, it seems like it was only a couple of years ago, I was thinking to myself how my health was in the best shape that it's ever been. Between diets and exercise, I had built up quite a bit of muscle and stamina, I was wearing skinny shorts, and showing off my "thigh gap" to my female friends (they did not appreciate how short my shorts were).

Just the other day, we were having a heat wave, so I finally gave in and bought shorts that are four inches wider, so I can actually button them up. I have never been this heavy before. A lot of Long Haulers are losing lots of weight, some are packing it on...I got the wrong end of the coin flip.

when i got it last year, i guess it was merciful with me, i was sick for about a week, malaise for another week. then it was finished with me at least for then. but my hip problems aggravated my back problems and are radiating to other overworked body parts pulling up the slack, caused my stress levels/cortisol to increase, that combo causes weight gain even absent enforced inactivity.

COVID itself was very mild for me, I thought maybe it was just a cold. Mostly, I just had a really bad fever for about a week, and I slept it off. A month or so later, all these other symptoms started popping up, including pneumonia...then maybe another month after that, the articles about long haulers started pouring in, and everything started to add up.

i wonder if it is just genes that separate the long haulers from everybody else?

They're not sure. Some think it might be due to leaky gut or other gut issues, some think it might be re-activation of previous viral infections (like EBV), some think it might be due to auto-immune issues, some think it might be COVID viral persistence and/or the virus breaking the blood/brain barrier, some think it might be due to certain deficiencies in the body, or all of the above?

Last I heard, they found GABA markers or something they can check to see if one is at risk or not.

But right now, it feels like research is at a standstill, I haven't seen any NEW news about it in months. Everything is either "I tried this drug/supplement at this dosage and I felt a lot better...for four days." or it's two-hour long YouTube video interviews with doctors, and I really don't have the time or patience to watch.

i wonder if being on the spectrum is a factor?

Any advice for the road ahead for us youngsters (mid-30s) who are physically fit but are wary of the decades to come? What do you think would've had the most positive effect on your current state? Exercise? Diet? Friends? Money? Regular checkups? Anything else?

First, I'll tip my hat and give hugs to auntblabby and everyone else who contributed here. Ageing definitely sucks and there's no two ways about it. I hesitated to respond because in comparison with others, I'm doing OK. I really can't complain although my last twenty years have been hard physically, mentally, and emotionally.

In my 30s I experienced ongoing, violent trauma which had catastrophic results on my body. I required years of reconstructive surgery, revision surgeries, and the removal of five internal organs. I was allergic to some of the products used in my surgery and my body rejected them, which led to vasculitis, months with waist-to-toe petechiae and purpura (don't google on a weak stomach), and later a cerebellar infarction (stroke) caused by a blood clot. The stroke at age 46 required a year of full-time stroke rehabilitation with Physical Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Vestibular Rehabilitation for balance, and Speech-Language Pathology. For the first year I required a walker with wheels (called a rollator), and then I graduated to a cane. The stroke also left me with severe Diplopia (double vision) so I lost my driving licence for four years. My daughter was away at school and not driving yet so I was alone with no transportation and needed to use Uber for every outing for the better part of four years, including everything from buying milk to bringing home bags full of groceries and carrying them from the Uber with my walker. Uber was ridiculously expensive so I was happy to stay home as much as possible. I did try the wheelchair taxis and accessible bus services but because of my general anxiety, scopophobia, sensory overload, and practical / scheduling reasons I've described in other posts, it wasn't a good fit for me.

As a direct result of the stroke I have high blood pressure and I require three different types of BP meds, as well as an anticoagulant blood thinner, and cholesterol medication to keep me from clotting. I take anti-nightmare medication for my trauma, and it also reduces blood pressure, so technically I take four BP meds. Then an SSRI for PTSD, and ADHD meds for my racing thoughts and hyperarousal, which are also intensified by traumatic flashbacks.

In December 2020 I suffered a second stroke although thankfully, it was much milder. This happened because of a serious and painful bladder and kidney problem which caused my BP to spike, requiring surgery in January 2021. I still have kidney disease because of that situation, and just recently developed a kidney infection last weekend.

My eyesight is horrible but I lost my very expensive glasses at Easter and can't get a new pair until September. I can read computers using old glasses, a lit screen and zoom features, but I can't read books until I get my new glasses. You can only imagine how traumatic that is for me.

What else. Hmmm. I have some arthritis in my right hip. I was born with a heart defect and that causes me to suffer a lot of migraines with aura. It's something about the blood flow? There's a connection but I can't remember how it works. I also have bilateral, 24/7 tinnitus which I can even hear in my dreams. It's likely from my blood pressure, which is the result of my stroke, which is the result of trauma. It's caused a ripple effect through so many areas of my life. My nerves are shot, and I have a very difficult time leaving the safety of home because of my hypersensitivities to sensory input, in particular sunlight and common sounds (misophonia and hyperacusis). If I can stay in my house or a familiar sensory-safe indoor environment like my boyfriend's house, I'm fine. But I'm legally restricted from seeing him at all, indoors or out, because of lockdown.

Overall I think my health is quite good. It's not like I degenerated into this from age. It's all the result of trauma. If I hadn't experienced what I did in my 30s, I have every reason to believe I'd be in very good health today.

I have arthritis in my left knee but a pea green lime ice cream cone helps to keep my mind off it.