In this episode of the COVID Longhaulers Podcast, Patrick shares his story of surviving two COVID infections. His first pre-lockdown infection caused severe lung damage, chest pain, and a new cardiac arrhythmia that he still lives with today. The second infection, two years later, hit him in unexpected ways, triggering intense brain fog, dissociation, and months of debilitating gastrointestinal issues.

Patrick talks openly about navigating medical dismissal, unstable insurance, and the financial and emotional toll of these chronic issues. 

In the second half of the episode [55:27], our host Rush reads a series of real community stories. These experiences showcase how little the general public and healthcare providers truly understand and how far we still have to go in recognising, researching, and properly treating long COVID.

Patrick’s story and these community experiences paint a clear picture of what long-haulers face: life altering symptoms, ongoing stigma, and a healthcare system that often isn’t prepared to help.

You can find a written version of this episode with our sources on substack here. 

The transcript is available here. 

And you can view our glossary here. 

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Please note, that the information provided here is not intended to serve as professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If you have health related issues or believe that you are suffering from Long Covid, please contact a qualified health professional to get the personalized assessment, advice and treatment you need. We will not be liable for any direct, indirect or other damages arising from the use of this podcast. 

The views and opinions expressed by our guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect or represent the views of the podcast hosts or team.