I feel like I owe you an apology, or an explanation at least. People who know me or whoโve been reading my blog for years know I donโt seem like myself lately, or even sound like the same person.
Itโs a struggle to write, or focus at all some days. Thatโs why I havenโt been sharing daily food diaries like I used to, or able to host a low carb challenge yet this year. *yet! more on that soon (:
This last year has been a serious roller coaster. In many ways, but especially health-wise. Itโs been 11 months actually. I got sick on November 17th 2020 with what was just a very mild case of covid โ until day 4 when it hit my guts, then my whole system went on the fritz after that.
I was strong, lean, active and healthy when it hit me. But everything went downhill from there. I was symptomatic for months. I tried to stay active (anyway) and get back to my normal life, but the slightest bit of energy spentโฆ would tank me for DAYS afterward.
Video: Day 24 with Covid | Video: Day 44 with Covid
* photo: January 2021
I stopped talking about it last winter because of the backlash ๐ณ and because I was so unwell off and on. It became absolutely overwhelming, and detrimental to my recovery.
Itโs time to share my experience though, and what Iโm doing to resolve it (or at least manage it) because A LOT of people are struggling with chronic conditions and various health problems.
Most pain, inflammation, fatigue & health issues can be resolved or at least managed with simple lifestyle changes. So many have achieved RELIEF and better quality of life already.
Iโm one of those people, actually. Iโve done it before โ twice!
The first time overcoming decades of chronic nerve & muscle pain from a back injury (fibromyalgia / sciatica), and again a few years ago with debilitating gut health issues caused by a flu virus.
Being unwell again after years of health freedom ๐คธโโ๏ธ๐ฅฐ โฆ was incredibly discouraging. Iโve been hopeful though, given my past experiences, and try to stay focused on recovery & solutions โ plus grace and gratitude.
I have โlong covidโ which is a version of post-viral syndrome with more complex issues. The symptoms come and go in cycles, so itโs been incredibly challenging to track & manage. Especially with extreme brain fog and fatigue. ๐ฅด But letโs rewindโฆ
*post viral syndrome (โa complex condition that experts donโt fully understandโ) * long covid
โIt is estimated that anywhere from 15% to 80% might experience long covid after recovering, even if they werenโt very sick in the first place.โ โThereโs a whole slew of symptoms affecting a variety of organ systems. No organ system is spared from long covid.โ โsource
On day 6 of covid I had a nervous system malfunction, with all sorts of cognitive issues and neurological symptoms. I got the โhard shakesโ (like Parkinsonโs), experienced hours of โlost timeโ and an extreme cognitive disconnect (scary!), making even the simplest tasks incredibly difficult and confusing ๐คฆโโ๏ธ basic things like taking a shower or turning on the TV.
Then my heart rate shot up to 178 bpm ๐ซ with a hot sweat and throbbing chest, in an obvious cardiac episode. It was bad. It was all very VERY bad, and an intensely scary experience to go through at home alone (in quarantine). I had no idea what was going on.
These โlong covidโ symptoms werenโt known or acknowledged here yet (then). My doctor told me to go to the emergency room, the ER nurse said stay home, I finally went anyway. They said I was fine and โprobably just had anxietyโ and told me to follow up with a cardiologist.
I made more calls, but nobody knew what to do. I was still presenting covid symptoms (for months), even though I was over the actual virus. My immune system seemed stuck on a loop, repeating the same symptoms over and over. No doctors were seeing โsick patientsโ in-office back then (understandably), and just referred me back to ER (Iโd already been). It was a lot to manage in my condition, especially with the cognitive dysfunction.
It was all completely exhausting.
Apparently I exhausted my Drโs office because they stopped returning my calls by late December. Finally in January the hospital administrator sent me a holter monitor to do from home, but then โ nobody knew where the results went. Those records were lost for more than 6 months (mis-filed it turns out). It was a frustrating, nightmarish experience.
I was really sick and very concerned, but couldnโt seem to get any help โ anywhere.
I was just left to manage it alone at home, on my own.
My whole system seemed to be failing. I felt certain Iโd had a stroke, or several. I couldnโt THINK or focus, my vision was blurred, I was off balance and confused. It seemed my heart might give out at any time, my chest pounding and left arm throbbing, me in a hot sweat.
This is what a typical day was like, and still looks like, with frequent spikes in heart rate. This is on an easy day of working at my home office and otherwise napping on and off โ absolutely no โexerciseโ or real physical activity:
Through it all I was calm, in a brain fog, like a zombie state. I felt confused, like I was heavily drugged, which is probably why I didnโt totally freak out.
Most days I forced myself to get up and shower and dressโฆ the way I wanted my body to be found, in case I didnโt get back up. I just kept figuring out a way to make it through the day, one day at a time, week after week.
I couldnโt drive in my condition. I fell several times, but fortunately didnโt injure myself beyond bad bruises. Mostly I just sat still, zoned out, trying to take care of my senior dane and myself.
I made arrangements for him too, in case my heart failed or something. It was just the two of us, and we were both in pretty bad shape. He stuck it out with me, but finally passed away in April. ๐
Those first 5 months were the absolute worst. I couldnโt function. I wasnโt sure if Iโd ever recover, or if Iโd had a stroke, if my heart was permanently damagedโฆ I had no idea if Iโd ever be myself again, or ever be able get to go back to the life I was enjoying so much.
I did everything I could. I rested A LOT. I tracked my vitals, journaled my symptoms, paced myself, sat in the sunshine daily, ate healthy and very low carb โ to not contribute to the obvious inflammatory issues. I tried different supplements, etc etc etc.
I did finally seem to start getting better over time โ slowly.
I had a lot of inflammation, joint pain, water retention and abdominal distention most days โ and even though I was hardly eating, I consistently gained weight month after month.
I noticed slight improvements with every month that went by though. I was even able to start hiking again some late last winter, in the spring, a little over the summer too โ shorter, easier hikes at least.
Just being able to get out again really lifted my spirits!
I really thought I was over the hump at that point. I still had ongoing issues, random symptoms, extreme fatigue, frequent heart rate spikes, etc. But Iโd seen several doctors by then and all of my tests and bloodwork came out FINE. I was perfectly healthy (on paper).
Fast forward to now, 11 months later, Iโm still struggling. Iโve improved A LOT since last winter, but itโs VERY SLOW, and I often have relapses โ and different cycles of symptoms that come and go.
Some days I feel okay. Some days I canโt THINK. Some days I crash, my body feels heavy and fatigued, and I sleep 15 hours. And then some days I feel GREAT! Almost normal evenโฆ
* I love this shirt! It was a gift from JustMadeKeto
I go through these weird cycles of feeling really good, then tank all over again. Right now I have the shakes. I go from overheated to chilled, back and forth. I have morning nausea, almost daily โ and zero appetite most days.
Iโm trying really hard to get it together and get back to my life. I miss it โ terribly. But Iโm also getting through this with grace and patience, focused on recovering โ and still hopeful for a full recovery.
These last couple of weeks Iโve been struggling with focus and energy. Before that I was HIGH energy for a couple of weeks, and finally getting back to work, and back to at least an easy home workout.
Now if I try to do 10 tricep dips, it feels like Iโve already done a hundred and Iโm trying to do 10 more. My body feels like I just ran a marathon or something. Iโm wiped out, easily winded, and โ well, itโs taken me SIX DAYS to write this note.
Someone asked me to describe what Long Covid feels like.
My reply: I feel drugged, beaten and run over.
These are the responses from others in the long covid support group:
I can relate, to all of those. Itโs incredibly hard. ๐ฅบ
I did finally get to see my doctor (in person) and do a third and more extensive bloodwork panel with her recently. We ruled out anything and everything that might have been dormant in my system, or brought on by the virus, including Lyme disease, rheumatoid arthritis, you name it โ given my symptoms overlap with so many other autoimmune disorders.
Everything came back perfectly fine โ again.
Which was a relief of course, but still left me with no answers.
I also finally got to see a cardiologist, just this past week. Yes, after 11 full months. This was my heart rate on Monday morning (158 bpm) doing nothing at all other than brushing my teeth, getting dressed, just the usual morning stuff โ not rushed, not stressed or anything.
My blood pressure, heart rate, etc always test โperfectโ at appointments, btw.
This has become my norm. You can see my fingers are puffy (my rings are tight), and I get aching joints and puffy ankles too โ a lot of inflammation and water retention. Plus abdominal distension, which is incredibly uncomfortable, along with ongoing miserable gut health issues.
Mostly I have a pretty good attitude and mindset about it all. But some days Iโm just sick of being sick ๐คช especially after a string of really hard days. I miss being able to THINK (so much). I love those days where my mind is sharp again. โฃ๐ฏ
This has been a really tough thing. Some days I feel fine and donโt have most of those symptoms, only to crash for days after that. Every time I think Iโve turned a corner, I tank all over again.
The cardiologist said that my autonomic nervous system is malfunctioning, causing this wide range of seemingly random symptoms. Iโm not sure if thereโs a fix for that, or if it can cause permanent damage, but Iโm going in for more testing next month.
Did I mention most of my hair fell out and broke off?
Yeahโฆ ugh. Thatโs a common issue with long covid as well.
I tried EVERYTHING โ all the โquick fixesโ like hair supplements, hot oil hair masks, you name it. I had three BIG bald spots in different areas, the worst one at my crown area.
What HAS worked is time and patience, focusing on โsuper foodsโ in my diet (avocado, salmon, blueberries, yogurt, higher protein, etc), and of course collagen.
Thatโs why you hear me mention โmy collagen coffeeโ in most food diaries.
Iโve doubled up on the collagen, using it twice a day instead of once, and Iโm eating very low carb collagen protein bars most days too. Itโs working. ๐
Hereโs a more recent (kinda dorky) picture of me:
* Iโm wearing easy magnetic lashes โ which are new and fun!:)
I miss being active and positive and fun. (consistently) I miss hiking waterfalls, getting out for nature walks, dancing & rock climbing. I miss hosting our low carb community & challenge too (a lot)โฆ motivating people to get started, inspiring people to stay on track and setting a good example with simple food diaries, easy keto meals and FUN exercise.
I felt like that last food diary post I shared with you was a total MESS.
It was just long and rambling, the photos werenโt great quality, it seemed messy and out of order with pieces & parts of the whole story โ that just didnโt make a lot of good sense. But thatโs me trying to write with zero focus, zero energy, zero appetite. ๐คฆโโ๏ธ
Thatโs why Iโve been more quiet lately.
That, and I feel like what Iโm eating (to get by in my condition) isnโt setting a great example of how I normally eat low carb, or very relevant to anyone else.
This is the post Iโm referring to, the last one I sent you:
Low Carb Food Diary & Keto Meal Ideas
I updated the post some btw, and added videos & recipes that didnโt show up before for some reason.
I said in that post: โIโm not really eating anything that specialโ or whatever.
But the truth isโฆ Iโve stayed consistently keto through all of this the past year, and Iโm continuing to eat very low carb and stay in nutritional ketosis โ to help keep inflammation down and get through this recovery better. So thereโs that. ๐
Hopefully that post gave you some ideas to try at least.
The bread cheese is new to me, and amazing! And I love that version/recipe of chicken salad I shared โ plus the easy crispy baked chicken thighs recipe and the farm egg scramble.
Hereโs what a typical day looks like for me lately thoughโฆ
This is what I ate on Monday, the day I started writing this to you:
I wasnโt feeling well that morning, but had to get up and get ready for my cardiologist appointment. I had a collagen coffee first thing like I do every day, then I had a collagen protein keto bar (2 net carbs) while I was getting ready โ because those help with the mid morning nausea.
Those bars hold me over well as a meal replacement, but if Iโm home and a little hungrier, Iโll often have one of the bars with some almond butter and blueberries:
That makes a quick and easy breakfast โ thatโs also delicious!
I had to rest when I came in from the appointment, then had another (second) collagen coffee โ because Iโve been doubling up on that lately to help with my gut & hair issues.
I finally got hungry later in the day but still didnโt feel well (zero energy and extremely fatigued), so I grabbed a โheat and eatโ keto meal from Evolve.
That made the perfect late lunch! Plus itโs a very simple, healthy meal.
This meal ^ always settles my stomach for some reason, and helps with my digestive issues, so I usually order at least two of those every week.
I get them from the Evolve low carb meal delivery service. My discount code is LOWCARBTRAVELER if you want to check it out: EatToEvolve.us
You can see my review here with a photo tour of their meals. I just order a la carte, straight from the website menu.
Later that night I felt sick and icky again, so when I got hungry I just had a big tablespoon of natural peanut butter. I like Justinโs almond butter too (that brand is super clean, 2 ingredients).
Sometimes thatโs the best I can do, or the ONLY thing that appeals when I donโt feel well. That, or an ounce or so of real cheese, or another protein bar.
Iโm using the Perfect Keto bars because I tested those back when I had gut health issues a few years ago, and also this time around. Itโs one of the few things I can eat even when I feel bad, and theyโre one of few foods that DONโT cause a flare-up for me. So I keep those on hand, always, and use them as a meal replacement a lot. They actually satisfy me and hold me over too, which helps.
I found a secret 45% off page that isnโt showing up anywhere on their website, so I used that to stock up again and ordered 6 more boxes. You canโt beat almost half off!
I ordered another box from Evolve this week too. They added some new meals I wanted to try, like the Pork Chop with Cheesy Broccoli and the Chicken Fajitas with Guacamole โ plus my daughter pretty much relies on those heat & eat meals to stay on track, so I added her favorites too.
I love that you can just order only what you want straight off the website, and just pick your favorites from the menu that week. Thatโs a nice feature I havenโt seen anywhere else!
I wish I was eating more fancy, or had better examples to share with youโฆ
Like this One Skillet Keto Breakfast Hash I used to make that crossed my screen again the other day. ๐ Thereโs videos in the comments of that facebook post too, if you want to watch me cook it and see how I made it.
Hopefully Iโll get over this recent setback or relapse SOON and be able to cook up and share some better ideas and great new recipes with you. I look forward to that.
I actually have a lot of great meal ideas & super simple recipes to finish writing, so Iโll send those to you and post them on my blog as soon as Iโm able. ๐
Thank you for your patience this past year while I navigate my way through long covid, and through solutions & recovery.
Itโs such a complex issue, or whole SET of issues. My autonomic nervous system is totally out of whack, which is what controls your digestion functions among other things, like: heart rate, body temperature, and โ well, a lot of things.
Hereโs a good article that explains it better if youโre interested or having similar issues: Dysautonomia: Symptoms, Causes, Types
Iโm not 100% sure there IS a fix, but I feel confident I can definitely find ways to make it more manageable at the very least. And Iโm STILL hopeful for a full recovery. ๐ Thatโs my goal! xo
Yes itโs been AWFUL, but like I said, Iโm consistently improving. Iโm MUCH better than I was last winter and early spring. Itโs just SLOW and I have frequent relapses or flare-ups.
My immune system is SHOT from all of this, so Iโm super focused on living healthy and staying well โ and not getting sick with anything else while I work on getting back to a good place.
That includes daily sunshine, simple low carb foods, plenty of water, fresh air, exercise in moderation (when I can), lots of rest/recovery (pacing myself), plus focusing on HAPPINESS and my overall well-being and state of mind. ๐
Iโm happy and well, all things considered, and incredibly grateful that I was already working from home, and have had the opportunity to rest and recover, and just ride this out.
Iโm grateful too that I have a lot of outdoor space and sunshine here, which REALLY helps. And that I was already eating โanti inflammatoryโ (very low carb / keto) and know how to help my recovery along through my diet โ like I did twice before.
There are people in my long covid support group that have been much sicker than me, for much longer. Some are stuck in the horrible phase I was in the first few months of this. Many have been in that debilitating state for 17-18 months already, which totally breaks my heart (itโs AWFUL).
So yes โ I feel very grateful to be seeing improvements, and to have come as far as I have over the last year. Especially seeing some people not recovering well, or at all (yet). ๐
I hope they find solutions for the tens of thousands of people (? who knows how many) struggling with this โphantom disorderโ that seems to elude any testing and leaves us all frustrated and exhausted โ and so unwell. Itโs a terrible thing to be stuck on the sidelineโฆ of your own life. ๐
Thank you again. I really appreciate our community hereโฆ
I look forward to getting back to work, back to writing recipes and sharing food diaries, and Iโm hoping to kick off a fun series of year-end mini challenges soon too. ๐
I really appreciate your patience and understanding.
I hope things are well with you.
I hope you are WELL and happy and enjoying this season in life.
I am, regardless of the loss and heartache and illness of this past year โ I am. And Iโm hopeful, which is the greatest thing you can be.
In closing, if I had just ONE thing I would want you to take away from reading this or from my story, it would be this:
Your health is your greatest asset. ๐
Weโre in this togetherโฆ
Let me know if thereโs any way I can support you on your journey, in your recovery process, or with your health & weight loss goals! xo
Iโm having a better day today (finally). Iโm hoping that continues for a few more days. ๐ I love the โupโ days on this crazy roller coaster, lol. Those are what get me by on the really bad daysโฆ waiting for the next easy one! ๐
Best,
Lynn Terry
aka @LowCarbTraveler
p.s. This deal I found on the bars ๐ Perfect Keto Bars 45% Off โBuild Your Own Bundleโ Secret Page โ Iโm not sure how long that will last. It was only up for a short while last time I found it. So if you use the PK bars too, today is a good day to stock up! For everything else, here is the 20% off discount page or use code LYNN20 at checkout for 20% of.
* They have a satisfaction guarantee if you are thinking about trying them for the first time, so youโre in good hands with Perfect Keto. ๐
Hereโs a screenshot of my order this week. Theyโre out of the Birthday Cake protein bars, which are my daughterโs favorite, but I could live on those Almond Butter Brownie bars. ๐ฅฐ๐ซ
That was a GREAT deal on the bars. ๐ Plus the free keto brownie mix, which Iโm pretty excited about!




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Discount Code: LOWCARBTRAVELER

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Hi Lynn ~ I know youโve probably exhausted as much knowledge, recommendations, doctors, etc. as possible. Iโll add one more to the list. See if a guy named Joel Greene who wrote โThe Immunity Codeโ makes sense in your journey. His approach is like none Iโve seen. You can find him at realjoelgreene on Instagram or Veep on Facebook.
Good luck in your healing journey.
Thank you, Dawn! I have limited focus, vision and comprehension most days โ with blurred eyesight and pretty serious cognitive dysfunction โ but I research anything & everything in the few hours Iโm able here and there.
As for this book, the reviews are not that great on Amazon, here: https://amzn.to/3eaWorv Hmm. What would you say is your primary takeaway from this book and his work? Thank you again!
Iโm so sorry you having all these issues, your heart rate is definitely scary high,
I pray that you will fully recover from this horrible virus.
I look forward to any and all post from you.
Please keep us posted on what the doctor find when they do the tests.
We care about you so much.
Thank you so much, Patty. It concerns me too. Iโm back on a heart monitor again now, and have an endless line-up of appointments for various tests with various specialists. (joy & fun, lol โ blah). ๐ So far nothing has shown up or come out of the tests, which is the norm for things like post-viral syndrome and autoimmune disorders โ unfortunately. xo
Lynn, I have been following you for several years, well before you started Low Carb Traveler. You could recognize me as NC old Guy on Instagram. Anyway I really sympathize with you as I know you are vibrant, well spoken, successful young woman that has always been healthy. It has to be terrible for you but know that we can get through the hardest things life throws at us. I know this because my wife recently died of bile duct cancer that she fought for 2 1/2 years. I was with her every step of the way and just prayed that I could take her suffering away. When she passed I still prayed with her and I have found that though the time has been short, I will get through this. Just like you will get through a this ordeal, keep the positive attitude and know that I will be praying for you. Please keep us updated.
Thank you, Rick. I am so sorry to hear that you lost your wife. She was very fortunate to have you there with and for her. What a beautiful thing that is. Wishing you comfort and warm thoughts with the wonderful memories you shared. xo
Hi Lynn,
I am so sorry to learn that you have had such a struggle recovering from Covid. Thank you for describing your symptoms in such detail. They are scaryโฆ I am sure that what you have written about how you have been dealing with them will help many people fighting long Covid. I hope that your health will keep improving steadily. I admire your optimism and dedication to making yourself better and sharing what works for you. Keep getting better, and most of all, keep up that warrior spirit of yours. You are an inspiration!
Thank you, Galina. And thank you for the link you sent me awhile back โ very much appreciated. ๐ I miss our business chats & brainstorming. I hope you are well! xo
I hope you are doing better Lynn. Have followed you for years and love all that you are showing us. Prayers for you.
You certainly donโt need to apologize. What a terrible ordeal you have been dealing with. I hope that your journey towards getting well will get easier. Take care of you and donโt worry about stuff.
Good to see you back again, and I wish you the best in recovering your health, Health and attitude is everything. I have been following you since 2014, and I wish you the best , I myself kept on the low carb diet and been maintaining my low weight for going on 5 years, and here in Oregon our Health departments and doctors only talk about Covid, and it is also where we truly donโt go in for our normal visits, in fact they encourage no doctor visits, you see a nurse who relates a condition to the doctor. I think that will be our future, unless you pound them for a couple of months to see a โdoctorโ.
Hugs, Bonnie Whitworth
PS thanks for the emails on what is happening
Glad you are hanging in there. Sending you love and light. Healing takes time, and if people have issues with that, thatโs on them.
Thank you for so authentically sharing your struggle. I know a little of your history, and I know how much you have overcome! I pray this will soon be one more victory to add to your long list! Your attitude is amazing and inspiring, Lynn. Keep sharing!
I pray each day you feel more like your previous self! Take care of YOU!!!!
Lynn, I knew you have been struggling for quite awhile but J had no idea to this extent.
Please Lord, I hope you finally have the worst of this Long Covid ordeal behind you.
PLEASE donโt let others negative comments keep you from the ones that love you and have been by your side for years ( me, lol)
I admire you so much and I love it when your daughter is with you!
So sorry for this difficult journey. It sounds very hard and challenging but I admire you for keep getting up and fighting it. Prayers for a healing of your body.
I am so sorry to hear about your past year. I have been following you for 5 yrs and you have always been an inspiration to me! My thoughts and prayers are with you.
So glad I saw your post this morning. I had covid back when they were just beginning to talk about it. I thought I was crazy, I even had to quit working because I was so exhausted I could not do it anymore. I feel all your symptoms, it helps to know there is a reason for it, like I sad I have felt like life is hopeless. Some days I canโt do anything, just going to the store exhaust me and puts me under for days. Thank you so much, this gives me hope that maybe it will get better. God bless you and help you recover. Sharon
Thank you Sharon. Iโm so sorry to hear youโve been going through this too. I had a spell in the late Spring and over the summer where I really thought I was over the hump, but then had a series of relapses and am still just having to take it one day at a time.
I totally understand what you mean. Any little thing I do that requires energy, or even having โa good dayโ โ requires DAYS of recovery. Iโve cut out anything and everything I can. I do all of my shopping online, for example. Or sometimes Iโll do a curbside grocery pickup, but still place the order online. Little things like that save a ton of time and energy โ which is in short supply already. ๐
I do find it helps A LOT to eat sugar free, gluten free, very low carb (keto) โ basically an anti inflammatory diet, given so many of the symptoms are rooted in inflammation.
Youโre not crazy though, and youโre not alone. There are so many neurological and nervous system issues post-covid that are wreaking havoc on our bodies. There are MILLIONS with longcovid right now in the United States alone, so hopefully they will find solutions for usโฆ and soon! xo
Itโs late to say after all youโve been through, but my wife and I will pray for you in earnest. Peace to you, my friend.