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When to see a doctor about lingering symptoms
If you still feel unwell weeks after COVID-19, talking to your GP is a sensible step. A little preparation helps you make the most of a short appointment, and a few warning signs always need help straight away.
When symptoms do not go away
Most people recover fully from COVID-19. For some, symptoms carry on or return in the weeks after the infection. Tiredness, breathlessness, muscle or joint pain, headaches, trouble thinking clearly or a changed sense of taste are among the most common, according to the WHO.
The NHS describes long COVID as symptoms that last more than 12 weeks after the infection. The WHO's definition is slightly different: symptoms that usually start within three months of the infection and last at least two months. These definitions help doctors and researchers. They are not a deadline you must reach before asking for help.
If you think your symptoms are lingering, the NHS advice is simple: contact your GP. You do not need to be sure. You do not need to wait until things are severe. It is also worth going back if something new appears, or if a symptom you had is getting worse rather than better.
What your GP may do
Every appointment is different, and what happens depends on your symptoms and history. Nobody can promise a particular test or result. But the NHS gives a broad idea of what to expect.
Your GP is likely to ask about your symptoms, when they started and how they affect your daily life. You may also be offered some checks, for example:
- your blood pressure and heart rate, sometimes lying down and then standing up
- blood tests
- a check of the oxygen levels in your blood
The first aim is usually to make sure nothing else is causing your symptoms, or that there is no complication that needs treating. After that, your GP can talk with you about ways to manage day to day, and may refer you to other services if needed. There is still limited research on treatments, so much of the work is about support, rehabilitation and adjusting your activities.
Preparing for the appointment
GP appointments are often short, and fatigue or brain fog can make it hard to remember everything on the day. Preparing in advance takes some of the pressure off.
A symptom diary is one of the most useful things you can bring. The NHS recommends keeping one. It does not need to be detailed. A few lines a day are enough: what you did, how you felt, how you slept. Over a week or two, patterns start to show.
Before the appointment, it can help to write down:
- A short timeline. When you had COVID-19, how it went, when the lingering symptoms began and how they have changed since.
- Your main symptoms. Start with the two or three that affect you most. Say how often they happen and how long they last.
- What makes things worse. Physical effort, concentration, standing for long, poor sleep. Mention any crash that comes a day or two after doing more.
- The impact on your life. Work, household tasks, looking after others, going out. Concrete examples say more than general descriptions.
- Your questions. Write them down in order of importance, so the key ones are asked first.
You can ask someone to come with you. A friend or relative can take notes, remind you of things you meant to say, and help you remember what was discussed afterwards. If going in person is difficult, ask the surgery whether a phone or video appointment is possible.
Signs that cannot wait
Some symptoms should never wait for a routine appointment. They need urgent help, whether or not you have had COVID-19.
Get help straight away if you have chest pain or tightness, breathlessness at rest or breathlessness that gets worse quickly, fainting, confusion, blue-tinged lips, or sudden weakness on one side of the body. In the UK, call 999. Across the European Union, call 112. For urgent advice that is not an emergency in the UK, call 111.
Trust your instincts. If something feels very different from your usual symptoms, or frightens you, it is better to call and be reassured than to wait.
Work and daily life
Lingering symptoms can make work difficult. Some people need time off. Others manage with changes such as shorter hours, more breaks, working from home or a phased return. The WHO notes that adjustments at work and at home are sometimes needed during recovery.
Talk to your GP about how your symptoms affect your job. They can advise on whether you are fit for work and on what might help. It is also worth talking to your employer, or to the workplace medical service if there is one. An open conversation early on usually works better than struggling in silence until things break down.
Rules on sick leave and adjustments vary from one country to another and from one employer to another. Your GP and your employer are the right people to explain what applies to you.
Between appointments
Recovery after COVID-19 often takes time. Symptoms tend to fade gradually, usually over several months, though the pace differs from one person to another. While you wait, a few habits can help: resting well, keeping regular sleep times and spreading your energy across the week. The page on pacing and rest after COVID-19 goes into this in more detail.
Keep your symptom diary going, even briefly. It will be useful at your next appointment and can show progress you might not notice day to day. The other English pages are listed on the Touche Pause home page.