"Post viral fatigue"

Had a cough for a few weeks then noticed a dramatic drop in my aerobic capacity/ability that dropped dramatically in a few weeks and has still not returned ( parkrun times if 25 mins n went to 35 mins and are still the same or worse). High levels of fatigue, not like tiredness. This is ongoing still. I get short of breath sometimes when I try to run, I used to run half marathons in 1:50 and 10km in around 50 mins, 5km in around 25 mins. Now can’t run 5km without walking and takes about 35-40 mins. When I get the fatigue, it takes a few days or a week to recover, lots of general muscle pain, joint pain, brain fog. Had some investigative work done privately as the NHS path was not moving forward. After further recent issues I am trying to get back to my cardiologist and get a cardiac mri.

After 20 months of slowly getting worse since what seemed just a bad cough in Dec 23/Jan24,I asked for a referral as it hadn't been proactively done. Hopefully, I will get to see some specialists with experience of this phenomenon that can help me get back to normal. I asked to be referred to the post viral/ long covid unit at Malvern hospital but so far I don't believe I have been accepted.

I have had many doctors appointments, lots of blood tests, even used my private medical insurance to get referred to a cardiologist and respiratory specialist, all without any ideas so far. After coughing up blood and being told my Troponin levels are raised, I am now booked back in via my private insurance to see the cardiologist again in the hope I can get a cardiac MRI to look in further detail and hopefully find out what post viral has done.