Post COVID weight loss

CharlieICURN

So I’m a critical care RN in NJ (an epicenter of the COVID crisis).
I ended up getting COVID at the end of March and holy crap what a nightmare it’s been.
I gained 15 lbs over two months. I’m normally super active but became very sedentary.
I normally cook at home but my colleagues at work were sending me door dash like every day.
I ended up becoming very ill with neurological symptoms of the disease. I spent 5 days in the ICU with viral encephalitis. I feel like it messed a lot with my mind as well.
I’m getting back into the swing of things now and working hard on recovery and losing those 15 lbs I gained.
Stamina is an issue. The fatigue is still alarmingly bad. All I wanna do is sit on my behind.
I’m on Day 6 of a yoga challenge and I’ve been trying to build stamina by walking a lot (before COVID I would take 5 mile walks daily). I’m up to about 4 miles a day now.
I’m back to trying to make food at home.
I was 15 lbs from my goal and now I’m 30 lbs and I’m so disappointed. It’s so upsetting to me. I had lost almost 70 lbs over two years and now I’m so upset by falling back.
Has anyone else had COVID? How has that impacted your progress? How do you manage the fatigue?
My resting heart rate went from 67 to 95. When I go for a simple walk my heart rate climbs as high as 150 and I feel like I’ve gotten a full blown cardio workout. It’s ridiculous.

emmabrookes1

It sounds as though you might be pushing yourself too hard, too soon. I know you want to get the weight back off but you're still recovering

quiksylver296

emmabrookes1 wrote: »

It sounds as though you might be pushing yourself too hard, too soon. I know you want to get the weight back off but you're still recovering

I agree! Be kind to your body, it's been through a LOT!

Baby steps will be your friend. The first baby step I'd make is just trying to nail your daily target at maintenance calories. Your body probably still needs more calories to continue to heal. Then I'd add in short walks, increasing the time as you feel stronger. With a novel virus, it's tough to say what your body needs to completely heal, but pushing too hard too soon can't be good.

MaltedTea

Glad you're recovering and thank you for having been on the front lines for us. My mother is a Canadian RN.

In my job, I've come across HCPs who are now in recovery after having gotten coronavirus. Two so far, so the sample size is small.

In the most recent conversation, the person - a nurse - said she now had a pneumologist as part of her healthcare team. Without sharing her whole life, part of our conversation was about her need to pull back on physical activities. She's an avid cyclist with years of base training but has been advised to not ride this summer. No short rides, no long rides.

So, if you also have a pneumologist or other respiratory specialist (or if you can ask for a referral to one), perhaps check in with them as to your goals and expectations?

Lietchi

I probably had Covid19 (no test to confirm) but nowhere near as bad as you! I had trouble breathing during exercise for a while after healing, but not very bad.
I agree with comments above, you'll need some time to recover fully endurance wise and aiming at maintenance (or a very small deficit) sounds like a good plan while your body recovers.

girlwithcurls2

You're a nurse. What would you tell your best friend? Or a patient who came and shared her experience? It sounds like you're pushing too hard to return to "normal" when you know that pre-COVID normal won't return (at least not for a long while). What do you have to lose by going at this slowly and allowing your body and mind to recover? Yoga is wonderful. A yoga "challenge" might be taking off more than you need right now. Pay attention to your body. Remember what you learned in nursing school, and be your own best friend. You need to be kind to yourself. This has impacted you beyond just getting the virus. You're in a unique situation and deserve an extraordinary amount of grace and time before you should expect to be doing life "BC."

Jstarz1

I am sorry to hear what you went thru but als am so grateful what you are doing for the people in your community....i salute you!!!

ahoy_m8

Wow! You have been through A LOT!! With your medical background you don't need me to tell you this, but take care of yourself. That is the best investment of time and effort you can make right now. The sooner you feel better, the sooner you will return to your pre-Covid activity & routine. Seriously, pushing too hard & slowing your recovery will NOT get you to your goal quicker. This is certainly a case of slow & steady wins the race.

I'm really sorry about the neurological effects, too. Unspeakable bummer. Be kind to yourself & cut yourself slack in that dimension, too. :flowerforyou: