‘Long COVID’ symptoms could mean major health problems for vets

[RV_]

Excerpt:

"Researchers believe that tens of thousands of veterans nationwide may be suffering from long-term effects of COVID-19 infection and are urging physicians to more closely monitor their patients for indications of lingering medical problems.

A new guidebook from the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Long COVID Integrated Project Team, publicly released on Tuesday, warns that defining and diagnosing which patients have “long COVID” remains difficult, because of the wide range of signs and symptoms associated with the virus.

But it also emphasizes that medical providers — both within the VA and outside it — need to keep the virus in mind as patients return for regular health appointments and detail complaints that could point to ongoing, serious health problems.

“VA research has led to key findings about Long COVID, including that patients who recovered from COVID-19 were significantly more likely to have heart and vascular disease a year after infection; patients who contracted COVID-19 had a 60% higher risk of mental health challenges one year after recovering; and more,” department officials said in a statement.

The document release came just one day ahead of federal regulators approving new COVID-19 booster shots targeting the newest strains of the virus. Delivery of those vaccines is expected to begin in coming days.

More than 615,000 veterans connected to the VA health care system have contracted coronavirus in the 30 months since the American pandemic began. Of those, more than 22,000 have died from complications related to the illness, with around 5,000 deaths in 2022 alone.

Researchers say they believe more than 40,000 veterans connected to VA health care are suffering from long COVID, based on reviews of department cases.

Past studies have shown that about 2% of coronavirus cases result in lingering health issues more than four weeks after an initial diagnosis. VA patients have been more prone to contracting COVID than the American public because they are generally older and have more underlying health complications.

Other studies have shown that 48% of patients had dizziness or headaches four weeks after contracting the virus, and up to 16% had loss of smell or taste two months later.

VA researchers have been among the national leaders in the long-term effects of COVID-19 infections, with 20 separate long COVID programs established at department facilities across the nation."

More links in the article here:

https://www.militarytimes.com/news/coronavirus/2022/08/31/long-covid-symptoms-could-mean-major-health-problems-for-vets/

 

[Chalkie]

1 hour ago, RV_ said:

More than 615,000 veterans connected to the VA health care system have contracted coronavirus in the 30 months since the American pandemic began. Of those, more than 22,000 have died from complications related to the illness, with around 5,000 deaths in 2022 alone.

Makes me glad I never got into the VA system. That was sarcasm, by the way. While I am not in the VA system I am convinced that I have certain symptoms of "Long COVID". One of my doctors poo-pooed the idea while another was more open to the idea. I am going to email a link to this article to a couple of them.

My primary care and I have been discussing whether taking the booster is a good idea for me. I don't want to get into a pro/con discussion on them. I personally am not sold. I will be taking my flu shot though.

[Kirk W]

31 minutes ago, Chalkie said:

My primary care and I have been discussing whether taking the booster is a good idea for me. 

Even though I have had all 4 vaccinations to date, I too intend to discuss the new one with my primary care physician. I do that for all medical issues.  

[Ray,IN]

Kirk I read on CNBC.com that the new "improved" booster shots have not been through human trials yet, but have been approved for use.

As much as I want to protect DW and me, I'll probably wait until next spring to get that booster shot.

Edited September 2, 2022 by Ray,IN

[Jim & Alice]

Count me in the category of "have had all four vaccinations" and will discuss this new vax with my primary care physician.    I have read where the new vax (Moderna) is very similar to the existing vaccinations, so, while being concerned at lack of Human testing, that at this time is not yet a show stopper.   Of course, this could change...

[RV_]

Jim we have had all shots and booster so far. The Pfizer has also been approved and we have discussed this previously and we both are getting them ASAP likely next week unless a show stopper comes up with the folks getting them before us. I will post if either of us have any side effects.

Safe Travels!

[Kirk W]

On 9/1/2022 at 10:21 PM, Jim & Alice said:

Count me in the category of "have had all four vaccinations" and will discuss this new vax with my primary care physician.   

I was in contact with our primary care physician on Friday and she strongly recommended that we both get one as soon as available to us. Ours was Moderna and she does believe that it is wiser to stick with the same one as in the past, if possible. CVSis here in TX is supposed to be receiving some of the vaccine this next week so I intend to be in contact with them on Tuesday. Their website doesn't yet have anything about getting the latest vaccine. 

[Jim & Alice]

6 hours ago, RV_ said:

...I will post if either of us have any side effects.

Thanks, Derek, for sharing your thoughts & plans.   I will be tracking for follow-up posts of side effects. 

[Jim & Alice]

3 hours ago, Kirk W said:

I was in contact with our primary care physician on Friday and she strongly recommended that we both get one as soon as available to us. Ours was Moderna and she does believe that it is wiser to stick with the same one as in the past, if possible. CVSis here in TX is supposed to be receiving some of the vaccine this next week so I intend to be in contact with them on Tuesday. Their website doesn't yet have anything about getting the latest vaccine. 

Thanks, Kirk, for sharing your investigation & plans.   We too are Moderna.   Our 1st Primary Care Physician checkup (wife) is in a little less than 3 weeks in Michigan.... that's when we should get an answer on vaccination #5.   Like you, not sure of the availability, just soon in the pipeline.   I will post what the PCP recommends.

[LindaH]

We both plan on getting the new COVID vaccine as soon as it is available in our area along with our annual flu shot.

[RV_]

On 9/3/2022 at 9:37 PM, Jim & Alice said:

Thanks, Derek, for sharing your thoughts & plans.   I will be tracking for follow-up posts of side effects. 

We are Pfizer Pfans so may not apply if you are sticking with Moderna. 😉

[Jim & Alice]

8 hours ago, RV_ said:

We are Pfizer Pfans so may not apply if you are sticking with Moderna. 😉

Yep, and we would be sticking with Moderna most likely, but family back in Michigan some are Pfizer... and the kind to be needing some gentle encouragement.

 

[RV_]

3 hours ago, Jim & Alice said:

Yep, and we would be sticking with Moderna most likely, but family back in Michigan some are Pfizer... and the kind to be needing some gentle encouragement.

 

Good luck with recalcitrant family. We'll compare notes.

[Kirk W]

7 hours ago, Jim & Alice said:

Yep, and we would be sticking with Moderna most likely, but family back in Michigan some are Pfizer... and the kind to be needing some gentle encouragemen

We are both Moderna and the same is true for our youngest son's wife & daughter, while he was a J&J person but has had Moderna boosters. His daughter later did get covid and passed it to his wife who shared it with him but none of them were very sick and all were over it in 3 days. All 3 were tested so we know for sure that it was covid. Strangly the daughter who was 21 at the time was most sick of the 3 but none of them seem to have any long term issues. Our 2 older sons & wives both had Pfizer. There are 2 grandchildren that I'm not sure about and 1 in the Navy and 1 in the Army that both are fully vaccinated.

Largest study to date on the effect of vaccination on long-COVID    May 23 2022

Quote

Overall, the study findings showed that the odds of long COVID symptoms decreased after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, with sustained immunity after the second vaccination, at least during the mean 67-day- follow-up period. The results underpin the importance of vaccination to reduce the long COVID healthcare burden.