Intensivist Pulmonology (LONG COVID) Part 1 with Dr. Wes Ely

What is Long Covid? Is it real? What does it feel like? Do you have it? And how do you cure it? With fatigue and brain fog, you don’t want to spend hours scrolling through conflicting opinions. So we’ve got you covered with the wonderful and highly-respected pulmonologist and intensive care physician and Long Covid expert, Dr. Wes Ely.  So tuck in, breathe deep and let’s load you up with true facts about what Long Covid is, how it differs from other post-viral illnesses, variants and Long Covid risk, why people say it’s not real, advice for caregivers, changing opinions in medicine, similarities to HIV, treatment options, auto-immune issues, POTS, post-exertional malaise, the best way to prevent it. Next week: Part 2 with even more info.

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A donation went to the Critical Illness, Brain Dysfunction, And Survivorship (CIBS) Center


Links to things we discussed:

Immune markers of post-vaccination syndrome indicate future research directions | Yale News 

ACTRIMS 2025: Ketogenic diet alters immune cell function 

‘We’re losing decades of our life to this illness’: long Covid patients on the fear of being forgotten

Post-intensive care syndrome (PICS): recent updates

Strengthening Partnerships to Address Infection-Associated Chronic Conditions

"The Spoon Theory" from But You Don't Look Sick by Christine Miserandino 

Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)

A Long COVID Definition: A Chronic, Systemic Disease State with Profound Consequences (2024) 

Infection-Associated Chronic Illnesses (2023) | HealthData.gov 

The Flu Pandemic of 1918 | National Archives 

An Unwanted but Long-Known Company: Post-Viral Symptoms in the Context of Past Pandemics in Switzerland (and Beyond) 

Post-viral sequelae of COVID-19 and influenza - The Lancet Infectious Diseases 

Clinical features, pathogenesis, and treatment of Guillain-Barré syndrome

Systemic corticosteroids for management of 'long-COVID': an evaluation after 3 months of treatment


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Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee

Managing Director: Susan Hale

Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth 

Transcripts by Aveline Malek

Website by Kelly R. Dwyer

Theme song by Nick Thorburn