I began talking about long Covid again last week. I had been trying to avoid having to take antibiotics again, having had at least seven batches since early July (it might be eight, I am losing count). But by the weekend it was obvious that this was not working and I was being flaked out again by the quite painful and noxious sinusitis I have been suffering. This morning I was prescribed the next batch and spent much of the day feeling quite unable to work.
I may not be posting much over the next couple of days. For once I might take the advice to rest. Sorry.
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Don’t worry about taking time out to recover. Your health is the most important thing. Very best wishes, Richard.
Sorry to hear about this Richard. Sinusitis is horrible. Get well soon.
For once I might take the advice to rest.
This does make you wonder what the point is of the NHS system of health care compared to the two most obvious European alternatives where people (low incomes excepted) are incentivised to take more responsibility for their own well-being.
Sweden with its higher co-payments or Switzerland with its social insurance model being the two models I’m thinking of. I mean if people of reasonable assets and intelligence are going to ignore NHS advice the majority of the time then you have to wonder if the NHS model is no longer fit. This isn’t 1948.
I have no idea what you are talking about
The advice to rest is not from the nhs for a start
@ Freemann Dyson
What the absolute Jimminy f*ck are you on about? People are already at least encouraged to take responsibility for their own well-being. Especially with the absolute joke of a social safety-net we have left after a nice 12 years of Tory callousness.
I’m currently going through a health scare that I could not have avoided, regardless of any extra responsibility taken, and let me tell you: the medical bills I would have accrued already, without the NHS, would have ruined me and my wife. And just FYI – I would estimate that I lie within the top 10% – 15% of the nation, fitness-wise. Born out by results at running races (already self-selecting for fit people), Strava times, etc…
So no. How about you go and pedal your “marketise health care” bullshit somewhere else, or preferably, not at all.
F*ck me! I agree that there is a conversation that needs to be had around health care, but this stuff does not come into it!
And you’re right, it isn’t 1948, but what the bloody hell has that got to do with the price of fish?
Richard – I hope you feel better soon :). Rest up and take care.
I apologise for the amount of swearing, but sometimes… it’s the only way I can find to express what I want
Swearing is sometimes appropriate
Your blog posts are always valuable but, at the moment, you need to get properly well. I can’t see much changing in the political/economic world in the immediate future that would require you to abandon your rest. It’s regrettable but true that no-one in Parliament seems to take any notice of your common sense insights anyway. Take care of yourself for now. Best wishes.
Please look after yourself Richard and put yourself and your health first for a while. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Dear Richard Murphy, please take as much time as you need to get over this horrible infection. Rest, rest, rest! And when you’re done resting, please only resume your work slowly. Don’t rush straight back into doing loadsastuff immediately!
I speak as an ME/CFS patient of over 30 years. It really isn’t worth the risk of rushing back to work, please please please make your return slow as you may need.
I hope you feel a lot better very soon. Best wishes from Liverpool.
Thanks
Hi Richard. I had Covid right at the start and at that time a recent history of nagging upper respiratory tract infections and sinus problems. Come September 2020 seven months later after antibiotics etc. my sinuses were still problematic and my URT was suffering as a consequence.
I decided to ‘dry’ my sinuses (as the source of the mucus) up. I took these. https://www.boots.com/boots-pharmaceuticals-decongestant-tablets-12-tablets-10174509
Packet and a half.
Not pretty for sure, Ghostbusters slime.
Since then my sinuses have been OK.
I’m not a Dr etc. Might be worth considering.
Hope you get well soon.
Thanks
Sorry to hear you are suffering so badly. There are some pressure points that can actually relieve the blocked sinus, I’ll post a link to your Twitter or Mastodon page tomorrow. It sounds quite heavy to be taking so many antibiotics, probably temporarily relieves it. I now have some very nasty cold which resembles Covid symptoms, though home testing is negative. I’m drinking lemon water, it really helps with the cough and I take it for asthma,it is amazing how it relieves lung problems, might it help with sinusitis?
Certainly worth taking a look online for advice, crazy but, because many people can’t afford proper healthcare in the US, there are many youtuber doctors and some are quite good, once you weed out the quacks.
Do look up for pressure points meanwhile it might help.
Garlic kills nasty bugs too, I plonk it in water with turmeric, black pepper, olive oil, honey and other spices like cinnamon. It’s a very nice drink anyway.
All the best. Oh and your GP could put you down to see a specialist, ask them if it doesn’t clear up.
Ps, garlic concoction with hot water, not cold.
Pay that person no mind, Richard. He’s trying to provoke you when he knows you’re unwell and in no position to debate with him. Do take some ‘down’ time and let the antibiotics kick in. Long Covid is no fun, and does take a long time to recover from. Take care, and feel better soon, hey? We really appreciate all you do, but you’re not the Duracell Bunny.
Thanks
Dear Duracell Bunny ,
Please take it easy for a while . And the image of one of my favourite blog posters as that rabbit will keep me chortling all day . (And with all all those antibiotics pay attention to repairing your gut microbiome. )
Good for you Richard.
Recharge your batteries. You’re going to need them. Having had both a Covid and flu jab 3 weeks ago I’ve had a runny nose ever since but consider that I’ve got off lightly.
Get well soon. Rest, relax and recharge the batteries.
Craig
Thanks
Richard
Get Well soon
While I haven’t been ‘bad’ since I had Covid, it seems to have had some effects, in particular running out of puff in the evening so you are not alone
As you’re a self-confessed workaholic, no doubt a period of ‘drying out’ would do a power of good!
The old saying about rest being good medicine. Take care of yourself.
Actually, I work hard but I have never thought myself a workaholic
I know how to take time off
But thanks
Here we have a glimpse into the world’s future. How will we cope when most people are like this?
Good question
I don’t think you need apologise for being unwell.
Take the rest you need to be well again……or whatever else helps. Don’t beat yourself up: the Covid will do that.
Rest up, Richard. We’ll need your common sense and plain speaking even more in the coming months. Wishing you a good rest and improved health.
I’m sorry to hear you’ve got the Long Covid problem back again and wish you a speedy and complete recovery. Be like a cat: when you’re not actually resting, you should be practising resting to improve your technique!
Amusing
Hi Richard,
Your experience is interesting, if not very nice.
Long Covid and ME/CFS are closely linked, perhaps even variations on a theme.
ME sufferes who had courses of antibiotics described the same feeling rotten when on them. It’s known as Herxeimers effect & caused by the die-off of the bugs the antibiotics are attacking. Drink plenty water to help flush them out of your system. However the intermittent use of antibiotics against ME/CFS does not help sort the problem. It needs a very long course of antibiotics – something not readily accepted by the UK medical fraternity. It’s not something I’ve seen discussed about in connection with Long Covid but what you described sounded very familiar.
Rest is also very important, not necessarily doing nothing. but learning to read your own body and resting when it tells you to rest – not easy but essential to the process of recovery.
Noted. Thanks
Best of luck Richard – hope you are back on an even keel soon.
I have been working with a discussion group trying to understand covid and its aftermath and arguing for a ‘vaccine plus’ strategy (everyone vaccinated plus appropriate mitigations,- filters, masks, etc. ie a public health approach, rather than the present ‘let everyone get infected’ non strategy).
As your own experience suggests, ‘getting infected to acquire immunity’ or ‘vaccines do everything’, as promoted by the disinformation networks – and apparently influencing at least some in government, is a disaster, and a good deal of the reason we have so much excess illness and a buckling NHS.
There seems to be evidence that if it’s sinusitus and fatigue, you should be gradually getting better over time, but I think there are medics who are focussing on long covid if you continue to be affected.
I am told that I am likely to get better after six months….but that is an average
The logic is that our cell’s ability to fight illness recovers after Covid after that time
“Not post much for a couple of days”? For heaven’s sake man, take a complete break for a week, or however long you need. You have earned it. We’ll still be here when you are better.
I find it hard not to write
Doing nothing is itself a discipline. Learn to meditate. I recommend getting a Sensate. I wouldn’t be without mine.
Second all the good wishes and advice on here,Richard – particularly Jan’s hilariously apt cautionary image. Ken’s advice isn’t just amusing; it is also wise, as any professional actor could tell you. Real relaxation does require practice – especially for the driven among us. My late partner, an actor and playwright, knew the wisdom of this as an actor even as she found it difficult to observe the advice as a compulsive writer. We are complex and wonderful people – and you need preserving!
Thanks
Get well soon Richard.
As my mum used to say, “You’re at a dangerous age. Slow down!”
I hope I am at a dangerous age
Rest well, ignore the tw@ttersphere (it’s dying anyway) and recover quickly
I can only endorse what most others have already said. Take the time to get better. Like everyone else, I look forward to your posts very much, but see no reason why you should feel the need for a daily update. Wishing you a full recovery, however long it takes.
Still flaked out today to be honest but feeling this pm as though it may be getting better.
Surprised by how fierce this time has been. I look forward to the day my body can finally fight this one off for good.
You’re a force of nature, but remember to not push too hard with recovery. You’ve helped me understand the political economy more than anyone else. Long Covid comes in many forms, my daughter who was super fit in 2021 is still struggling with long covid after catching Delta, it has affected her cardiovascular system.
Thanks
I am generally very fit
I have never had anything like this
Get well soon, Richard. Your country needs you.
Just rest, get better, and think how much more you will be able to do if you take a little bit of common sense advice.
Best wishes get better soon. John
Thursday, and I am a bit better. The brain fog created by sinusitis and the drugs given for it is reduced by a lot of sleep. I have done a couple of blogs this morning. But please do not speedy responses on moderation: that’s used up the available energy for now.
go well richard the country can’t progress without you
I think that somewhat overstates th8ngs, but thank you
Richard, thanks for all the posts you make on this blog – they are a welcome read every morning and I like all the discussion that follows, good and bad although I don’t know how you can stand some of the bad stuff!
Please take it easy and perhaps take time to catch up on reading the books that you have recently mentioned but haven’t yet read – now is the time to catch up!
Not this week! My brain has been fogged. Novels ate this week’s fodder