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The Doctor Approved Leggings That Covid Long Haulers Swear By
Samantha Reyes was four weeks into her COVID-19 diagnosis when she sent out a candid tweet detailing how isolating it can be when symptoms persist long after testing positive for the virus. His Tweet quickly went viral, not only because a deluge of compassionate responses poured in from friends and strangers, but because his words resonated with so many people who were silently suffering from the same: a recent study has revealed that up to one in three people who have had milder cases of COVID have had persistent symptoms six weeks after their tests. For Reyes, 29, eight months have passed and she still hasn’t fully recovered. “I never considered this possibility. I imagined being in the hospital and being on a ventilator or being asymptomatic. But living between the two is so much harder than I could have ever imagined, ”says Reyes, who as a reporter was covering the news about the virus when it began to spread across the world in Canada. early 2020. She’s talking to me on the phone from her room in Miami after getting home early from shopping. “I was so out of breath after 30 minutes that I had to leave. It’s really amazing that after eight months some days are still like this. I debated sharing because it felt so personal to me, but I’ve been in my fight with Covid for 4 weeks and still struggle really hard. It was really tough and I can’t believe how much it still affects me. I wanted to share this with anyone who could go through it and feel alone. – Samantha Reyes (@samtayrey) July 22, 2020 Reyes has post-viral syndrome, or “long COVID,” which is the form of the virus that occurs weeks or months after a person has apparently recovered from the initial infection. There are over 100 symptoms associated with a long COVID, the most serious of which include shortness of breath, brain fog, a pounding heart, and extreme weakness. Reyes has them all, plus chronic stomach pain, digestive issues, and bloating to boot. She says her lungs are currently at 60% capacity and likens her sometimes elevated heart rate to feeling “like I’m delusional, even when I’m asleep.” But as taxing as the recovery process has been, Reyes found his greatest form of relief in one rather surprising place: the compression leggings. “They help me the most with my energy. Anyone who [tells me they have] COVID is the first thing I send them and I’m like, put them on. This is advice she received from Dr. William Li, physician, scientist, president and medical director of the Angiogenesis Foundation, and author of Eat To Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Itself. Reyes connected with Dr Li through Survivor Corps, a grassroots movement formed to educate and advocate for recovered COVID patients while connecting them with experts in science and medicine. “What is known is that long COVID is partly due to vascular damage, similar to what is seen in acute illness, but these damage to blood vessels persist. There is also inflammation, a possible autoimmune component, as well as nerve damage, or neuropathy, which is often seen, ”says Dr. Li, adding that anyone who has recovered from acute COVID can be at risk of developing post-viral syndrome. He says that while there is currently no definitive cure for long-lasting COVID, it’s important to take steps that improve your body’s health defense systems for recovery. “Compression tights support circulation in the legs, which can help improve blood circulation which is compromised in a long COVID.” Simply put: compression tights help bring more oxygen back to blood vessels attacked by the virus. For Reyes, that advice ended up being life changing, and she saw the benefits almost immediately after upgrading the wardrobe. “I was finally able to walk, I was finally able to last longer throughout the day. I was able to have the energy to leave my house and work from a desk, not my bed, ”she explains. Reyes recommends an ankle-length pair from the CW-X brand (“compression socks alone aren’t enough!” She warns) and suggests trying a daily supplement of cocoa extract to promote blood circulation, this which she started doing as recommended by Dr Li. While the famous form-fitting fabric is by no means an answer to the physical, mental and emotional challenges long haulers like Reyes face, the temporary relief they provide gave him a reason to be in the least bit more optimistic – a lycra-infused weave, if you will, for every step on the path to full health: “It’s really those little things that are really big things when you get well. ” At Refinery29, we’re here to help you navigate this overwhelming world of stuff. All of our market choices are independently selected and curated by the editorial team. If you purchase something that we link to on our site, Refinery29 may earn a commission. Like what you see? How about a little more R29 goodness, here? Kamala Harris wore Pyer Foam at the inauguration EveLeggings so soft you could live with the most breathable goggles for running
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