Long Covid Hope Podcast

In this episode of the Long Covid Hope podcast, Sarah meets with Hisaka, a psychologist based in Houston Texas, USA, about her full recovery from Long Covid. After catching Covid in January 2021, Hisaka developed Long Covid, with dysautonomia being one of her main grouping of symptoms. She learnt about an experimental therapy - Stem Cell Therapy - and decided to try it for herself, which led to an immediate drop in symptoms. After three private treatments, Hisaka gained her full health back and is now back working full-time and helping other long haulers. Stem Cell Therapy as a treatment for Long Covid is now in two clinical trials and we look forward to seeing the results.

Disclaimer: **Please note that we are not medical professionals and this does not constitute medical advice. Always speak to your doctor or medical practitioner before starting any new treatments, supplements or beginning a new exercise routine.**

Trigger Warnings: discussion of severe disability, extreme health costs, experimental treatments and their potential limitations

Links mentioned (A-Z):

Join Sarah, Long Haul Yogi, live for her Thursday Zoom Yoga for Long Covid classes, or for her Monday in-person class in Sheffield, UK. Or catch on in your own time, on the OnDemand Series on Subkit ( www.longhaulyogi.subkit.com ) and Insight Timer. All links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/longhaulyogi

In this episode of the Long Covid Hope podcast, the podcast that aspires to tell the more hopeful stories of people with Long Covid, Sarah is joined by Jackie Baxter, of the great Long Covid Podcast. Jackie comes on the podcast to talk about her full recovery from Long Covid. Jackie shares her acute Covid and Long Covid journey, and in particular the breathwork she practiced to help her with her symptoms. We also discuss Jackie's major contribution towards the Long Covid community with her podcast, how she has managed to host a podcast despite the Long Covid symptoms, and the milestone she passed of 100 episodes a little earlier in the year. Congrats on both your recovery and this amazing milestone Jackie! We look forward to seeing what you do next with the Buteyko teaching qualification.

Links mentioned (A-Z):

Join Sarah, Long Haul Yogi, live for her Thursday Zoom Yoga for Long Covid classes, or for her Monday in-person class in Sheffield, UK. Or catch on in your own time, on the OnDemand Series on Subkit ( www.longhaulyogi.subkit.com ) and Insight Timer. All links can be found here:⁠ https://linktr.ee/longhaulyogi

In this extra special episode of the Long Covid Hope podcast, Sarah is joined by Merel and two members of the Long Covid Kids Choir, Caitlin and Clara (and Caitlin's mum Lorna). Merel talks about her experience with her acute Covid infection and Long Covid, in particular her respiratory symptoms and the effect that had as a professional musician and singer. We discuss how she started up the Long Covid Kids Choir, what wonderful activities the choir gets up to and the support this provides for the children who take part. The Long Covid Kids Choir is now a part of the Long Covid Kids charity, which does such great work to support families with poorly children. And last but certainly not least, Merel invites two members of the choir - Caitlin and Clara - to share their own experiences of Long Covid. Please listen to the end to hear from them.

A big massive thank you and hugs out to these two lovely girls who were brave enough to come on the podcast! And we're sure all of the listeners will agree that we sincerely hope that Caitlin, Clara and all children with Long Covid and other chronic conditions get the full support and treatment that they need. We wish that they all can recover their health - and soon. Our hearts go out to all of these children and their parents. If you are moved by this episode, please consider donating to Long Covid Kids charity: https://www.longcovidkids.org/donate

This episode features extracts from two wonderful songs performed by the Long Covid Kids Choir:

- 'When We Celebrate', composed by Lin Marsh, arrangement by Merel van der Knoop for King Charles' coronation

- 'Winter Fantasy', composed by Jill Gallina

Trigger Warnings: chronic illness in children, medical gaslighting, traumatic experiences

Links mentioned (A-Z):

Long Covid Kids Choir: https://www.longcovidkids.org/service-page/lck-choir
Long Covid Kids - Symptoms: https://www.longcovidkids.org/long-covid-kids-symptom-gallery
Long Covid Kids - What is Long Covid: https://www.longcovidkids.org/what-is-long-covid
Long Covid Kids - What is PIMS: https://www.longcovidkids.org/what-is-pims

Our Unhappily Ever After short video: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RiIambG8vs0⁠

Join Sarah, Long Haul Yogi, live for her Thursday Zoom Yoga for Long Covid classes, or for her Monday in-person class in Sheffield, UK. Or catch on in your own time, on the OnDemand Series on Subkit ( www.longhaulyogi.subkit.com ) and Insight Timer. All links can be found here:⁠ https://linktr.ee/longhaulyogi

In the first episode of Season 2 of the Long Covid Hope podcast, Sarah meets with Lorrie Rivers, who has both recovered from several years of severe ME/CFS, as well as fully recovering from her Long Covid experience from 2020. Lorrie shares her journey with ME/CFS and fibromylagia and how after recovering and spending several years working to help others with ME/CFS, when she caught Covid she noticed it felt very similar to her. She used the tools that she teaches to others, and managed to restore her health within a year. In this episode, we also discuss the Triology Healing Codes by Dr Alex Lloyd and Lorrie offers a mini healing codes session to listeners during the episode.

Lorrie is the founder of the annual Holistic Health Summit for Long Covid and ME/CFS - where Sarah found out about much of the healing tools that helped with her own recovery from Long Covid. Lorrie also is a health coach and now has her own podcast. Full details are in the links below.

Disclaimer: **Please note that we are not medical professionals and this does not constitute medical advice. Always speak to your doctor or medical practitioner before starting any new treatments, supplements or beginning a new exercise routine.**

Trigger Warnings: medical gaslighting, traumatic experiences

Links mentioned:

Lorrie's Living from Inspiration website: https://www.livingfrominspiration.com/

Holistic Health Summit 2023 (free in July, purchaseable lifetime access after that): https://living-from-inspiration.mykajabi.com/schedule-2023-holistic-healing-summit-for-long-covid-and-me-cfs

Holistic Healing Podcast on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BD_IrS7jgKU

Join Sarah, Long Haul Yogi, live for her Thursday Zoom Yoga for Long Covid classes, or for her Monday in-person class in Sheffield, UK. Or catch on in your own time, on the OnDemand Series on Subkit ( www.longhaulyogi.subkit.com ) and Insight Timer. All links can be found here: https://linktr.ee/longhaulyogi

The Season One Finale episode of the Long Covid Hope Podcast, the podcast that aspires to shine a light on the more hopeful stories of Covid-19 long haulers. In this episode, we hear updates from the Season 1 participants as well as a huge great thank you to everyone who took part. This podcast wouldn't exist without its wonderful and generous interviewees! Sarah attempts to summarise what has happened in Season 1, and reads out some heart-warming listerner feedback. We then look forward towards Season 2, where things are going to get bigger, better and even more inclusive and diverse (hopefully!) In Season 2, we would love to speak to Long Haulers outside of the US and UK, and are also eager to include some vaccine injury stories. If this sounds like you and you would like to contribute, please email Sarah at [email protected]. Sarah also says some words of thanks and appreciation for Body Politic and the Slack community that was a lifeline to her and so many (link to join the new space on Discord in the links below). Lastly, Sarah shares some of her favourite podcasts on Long Covid and some other topics, and then attempts to briefly describe how hopeful the research landscape is looking. This episode ends with an upbeat song extract - word of warning if you listen to podcasts as you go to sleep or rest!

Can't wait for Season Two? Join Sarah, Long Haul Yogi, live for her Thursday Zoom Yoga for Long Covid classes, Monday in-person class in Sheffield, UK. Or catch on in your own time, on the OnDemand Series on Subkit ( www.longhaulyogi.subkit.com ) and Insight Timer. All links can be found here:⁠ https://linktr.ee/longhaulyogi

Disclaimer: **Please note that we are not medical professionals and this does not constitute medical advice. Always speak to your doctor or medical practitioner before starting any new treatments, supplements or beginning a new exercise routine.**

Time stamps:

(00:00) Season 1 Summary and updates on Interviewees

(19:00) What's coming in Season 2

(26:30) Hearing from our Listeners

(29:00) Farewell to Body Politic Slack - and thank you!

(32:30) Podcast recommendations for Long Covid and other topics

(37:00) Brief discussion of research landscape for Long Covid and related conditions

(40:00) Sarah's reinfection update

(48:20) Hopeful message to all listeners - Keep the Hope Alive!

Links mentioned:

Long Covid Podcast: https://www.longcovidpodcast.com/

Long Haul Yogi:⁠ https://linktr.ee/longhaulyogi⁠

Insight Timer free meditation app:⁠ https://insighttimer.com/⁠

Poly Bio Research Consortium: https://polybio.org/longcovid/

Featuring an extract from the song 'Don't Stop Believin'' performed by Journey. All rights reserved by Columbia Records.

Brief Update from Sarah: Following my Covid reinfection I am still in recovery from a significant ME/CFS relapse, and haven't been able to record the final episode of Season 1 yet. It will be coming...as soon as I have the capacity to do so.

I would like to take this moment to say a huge thank you to everyone who has listened to this podcast and shared it. I appreciate how limited many long haulers energy is for consuming content like podcasts, so I am truly honoured you have used your spoons here. I hope it has been worthwhile to you. I am very grateful to receive many kind words of support about how listeners have found this little podcast-that-could. If you would like to share anything with me (including any expressions of interest in being a valued guest for Season 2), feel free to reach me on Twitter or Instagram at @longhaulyogi, or you can also email me at [email protected]. I'm going to be sharing some feedback I received in the final episode.

Take care everybody - and please keep yourself safe from reinfection! xx

In this episode of the Long Covid Hope Podcast, the podcast that aspires to shine a light on the more hopeful stories of Covid 19 long haulers, we’re talking with Charlie, an actor and photographer living in London. Charlie is a first waver who had a difficult time with Long Covid, but has since fortunately recovered his health and returned back to fitness and exercise in a big way.  Charlie is doing an amazing thing to raise awareness and raise funds for the Long Covid SOS charity: he's about to leave on a 17 day hiking expedition in Nepal! Charlie, with family members Tony and Howie, are going to the Himalayas from the 4th April and are taking part in a guided walk at high altitude which finishes at the Everest base camp. We'll be hearing it in Charlie's own words, but going to the Himalayas is a life long dream of his, and this trip is a once in a lifetime opportunity- all in the name of Long Covid SOS and Long Covid Awareness!!

I'd like to make a quick statement about the safety of what Charlie has decided to do. As many other long haulers have been, I was initially rather concerned for Charlie doing this, particularly since he had a Fatigue based version of Long Covid. However, each of us know our own bodies better than anyone else, and if he feels like he has recovered enough and trained enough without any PEM episodes, then honestly all power to him. This isn't a normal undertaking for most people, but we have to appreciate his family background as mountaineers, and his level of fitness prior to catching Covid. As we've heard countless times now on this podcast, Long Covid has often struck the people who are the most active and fit in society. Charlie is one of those people. Recovering from Long Covid can inspire you in many different ways - for me I started a yoga for chronic conditions venture and this podcast - for Charlie it is this sponsored walk for the Long Covid SOS charity. So let's all stand behind him and support him in this endeavour, and please donate to Long Covid SOS if you have the funds to do so, they do amazing work for long Haulers here in the UK. Best of luck to you Charlie!!!

Disclaimer: **Please note that we are not medical professionals and this does not constitute medical advice. The Long Covid Hope Podcast or Sarah, Long Haul Yogi does not endorse any treatments described in the podcast episodes. Always speak to your doctor or medical practitioner before starting any new treatments, supplements or beginning a new exercise routine.**

Trigger warnings: medical gaslighting, difficulty obtaining medical care, depressive thoughts.

Links:

Charlie's Just Giving Donation Page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/longclimbforcovid

Charlie's Instagram Climb for Long Covid: https://www.instagram.com/climb_for_long_covid_/

Charlie's article in the Guardian, Sept 2020: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/13/i-was-infected-with-coronavirus-in-march-six-months-on-im-still-unwell

Charlie's challenge on Long Covid SOS website: https://www.longcovidsos.org/post/charlie-s-challenge-to-climb-to-everest-base-camp-to-raise-funds-for-long-covid

Long Covid SOS Charity: https://www.longcovidsos.org/

Wim Hoff Method: https://www.wimhofmethod.com/