Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Covid 19 update: a weird and scary new aftereffect


 Hey guys, just checking in to let you know what's going on not only with weight loss but also Covid 19 (coronavirus) recovery. We had Covid 19, with all the trimmings in May. We got the Pfizer vaccine in July. I'm still struggling with exhaustion, depression, metabolism and lethargy. My husband is working to regain his 17-lb (in 10 days) weight loss. So we're what they call "long-haulers" in that it's taken months to shake the effects of Covid 19. And most recently, I discovered a new post Covid surprise that's both weird and scary: hair loss. 

I've been noticing that clumps hair come out when I wash or brush my hair. There are masses of hair on the pillow each morning. I thought it was because I haven't been hungry or eating much. So I Googled "coronavirus hair loss" and sure enough, about one third of us "long-haulers" are experiencing effluvium (aka hair loss). I'm relieved to know what it is, but worried because this may be permanent, says the CDC.  It doesn't help the depression. 

The CDC explained that fever and stress of coronavirus is what causes the effluvium.  Both my husband and I had "revolving door" fevers that came and went for almost two weeks. Fever induced dehydration was a problem and that caused both weight loss and metabolism issues. We're working to rebuild electrolytes, particularly magnesium and potassium. But in the meantime, I keep shedding hair by the hands-full. 

As one of the long-haulers, and not a statistic, I'm lucky. If exhaustion, depression and effluvium are the worst that happens, I can deal. My breathing problems didn't get to full-blown pneumonia, just bronchitis. But the death toll keeps rising. My prayer email box has new Covid 19 cases and losses, daily. Please, get the vaccine. And wear a mask. For the health of it. You're too precious to lose. Love mar.  

https://www.healthline.com/health-news/covid-19-survivors-are-losing-their-hair-heres-why#Hair-loss-among-long-haulers

PS, the short side of my hair isn't from hair loss. It's my new retro punk look, LOL. 

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