Scientific Breakthrough May Illuminate Long Covid, Alzheim, Fibromyalg, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome-'Yuppie Flu'

[appalachiablue]

Daily Kos, Dec. 19, '24. Ed. - IMAGE: Sleeping Cat, 'Chronic Catigue Syndrome.' Not an illness; reportedly, cats average about 15 hrs of sleep a day, divided into numerous bouts of deep sleep or light dozing. Kittens & seniors, as much as 20 hrs.
--------
Spring, 1987: some virus was going around our office, friend circle, friends of friends in the Washington, D.C., area, and seemingly, society at large. At first it seemed like just a mild cold. Unknowingly, I caught it from my supervisor in our poorly ventilated "glass box" office tower.

That weekend while traveling with my BF I began to feel ill. It didn't seem very bad, or we would have cut our trip short. The next week I had to phone in sick. Symptoms were still not extreme, except that I felt SO TIRED. Every morning I would stagger out of bed, phone in sick again, drink coffee, and sit in the kitchen the rest of the day -- unable to muster enough energy to get dressed, cook anything, read the paper, or even go back to bed.

Symptoms were still not extreme, except that I felt SO TIRED. Every morning I would stagger out of bed, phone in sick again, drink coffee, and sit in the kitchen the rest of the day -- unable to muster enough energy to get dressed, cook anything, read the paper, or even go back to bed.

Let alone get to a medical appointment.

In an oak tree, outside the kitchen window of the second-floor walk-up, a pair of woodpeckers were drilling a nest hole. I watched them all day, every day, in a sort of trance state that was actually frightening. If I'd had enough energy to be scared. Meanwhile, my BF had caught whatever it was from me and was also suffering from bad fatigue, though not quite so acutely. In phone calls he reported on friends, and friends of friends, also afflicted.

News media were calling it "yuppie flu," a case of spoiled entitlement, or mass hysteria.

.. Reportedly, at least 65 million people around the globe currently suffer from long covid, even more than the estimated 50 million who have Alzheimers... - Read More + Comments (51)
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/12/19/2292534/-Scientific-breakthrough-may-illuminate-long-covid-Alzheimers-chronic-fatigue-fibromyalgia

[BoRaGard]

1. .

[appalachiablue]

2. Thanks for posting. A relative who's a tough cookie and a lawyer has had fibromyalgia

for years and really struggles with chronic pain and limitations. Medications help but her activity level is still significantly restricted. Sad story, in the 80s I met a young woman, nice, smart and quiet who had chronic fatigue sydrome. Then I heard that she passed away, I never learned why.

[mitch96]

3. I got covid about two months ago and it kicked my ass for about a week. I still go through bouts of tiredness

Then I rally for a few days and then I'm dead meat.. I hope the medical community finds something that works for this symptom...
m

[appalachiablue]

5. You're really having a time, sorry this condition is still impacting you.

I hope experts continue with research to identify and combat Long Covid and other chronic conditions. Thanks for posting and take care.

[mitch96]

6. Tnx pal.. At 75 years old covid was the first thing that really got me. I saw the end of my mortality with this one

I thought I was gonna die..
I've done a lot of stupid shit in my life, should have been dead a few times and I've always had that
"superman" complex. Not so after covid. I would not wish it on anyone..
I'm lucky it did not affect my lungs. I worked with sick people all my life and
now I can totally relate with their situation.. uff.
If I could just stick some extra battery packs on my mitochondria I think I'll be ok..
m

[appalachiablue]

9. Great post and I'll mention your experience to a relative whose spouse

thinks Covid is no big deal. They both had it once, got by luckily and think it's all over with. Not so. Thanks again and take care.

[Alice Kramden]

4. The culprit is neuroinflammation, according to the article

And "neuroinflammation has been shown to factor in long covid, Alzheimers disease, and other chronic conditions." Good prospects for finding treatments - thanks for posting

[appalachiablue]

7. YW, thank you for pointing out that neuroinflammation is key.

[eppur_se_muova]

8. More detail ... cytokines

...the brain produces high levels of cytokines – chemicals that activate the immune system – that are released into the body. When these cytokines travel to muscles, they activate a series of chemical reactions that disrupts the ability of the powerhouse of cells – mitochondria – to produce energy.

...[T]his pathway directly causes fatigue.
***
Most interesting of all, their discovery hints at a possible new treatment pathway. Antibodies that neutralize the cytokines in question are being tested in animals.

In addition, preparations are under way for clinical tests to try and sort out the possible roles in long covid of cytokines and lingering viral particles.