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I had 'Long Covid' or chronic fatigue aged 13-20. I had about two years off school, for some of that time I couldn't walk, would crawl to the toilet. I limped on through A levels and uni. At that time, it was thought it was psychiatric in part. And the advice to get better was..
Exercise! Or graded exercise. You were meant to force yourself to exercise more and more. There was this underlying idea you might be making it up or just depressed. So anti-depressants too. Anyway you can imagine how BONKERS it is to tell someone who can't walk to exercise more
At the time I was desparing trying to get anyone. I remember wailing, 'this is like chucking someone out a wheelchair and thinking they'll eventually walk themselves better if they have to!' and being so upset by being disabled with no cure and not being believed - anyway
This graded exercise thing is BULLSHIT. And today, now a lot of doctors have all come down with long covid or post viral fatigue or chronic fatigue - that graded exercise thing has finally come off the NICE guidelines. And I want to go and give 14 year old me a hug.
Lol because guess what? Graded exercise actually makes it WORSE. Anyway - trust yourself, trust your body, and never let anyone tell you your experience isn't valid https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4356
