Recovering From COVID-19 Could Take At Least 60 Days After Hospital Stay

The road to recovery after COVID-19 for some patients can be a very tough and long one.

According to Dr. Rachel Franklin with OU Medicine, the effects of the virus can linger for at least 60 days after a hospital stay.

"Nearly half of the patients who were hospitalized for COVID-19 in a study in Italy actually reported a worse quality of life after COVID than before COVID," she said.

For some, symptoms can last even longer.

"Most common symptoms are fatigue or shortness of breath,” Franklin said.

Other symptoms can range from a fever, headaches, dizziness, brain fog, irritability, depression and even PTSD.

Franklin said the symptoms can wax and wane throughout recovery and even throughout the day, "usually feel fairly well in the morning and then by midday they feel they have to go to sleep."

"The worst thing we can do is put pressure on yourself or your loved one's that your body can't do right now,” Franklin said.

Franklin said the best things people can do for a speedy recovery is to eat extremely well, get adequate sleep, and slowly begin to workout again.

"There's not much that is more frightening than when our bodies fail us,” Franklin said.

But Franklin said it's all about timing and rejuvenation.

"The point is to restore your body right now, not build your body back up," she said.

Franklin said it's key to be patient with yourself and your loved one's.