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The doctor-approved leggings, along which long guards swear
Samantha Reyes was four weeks into her COVID-19 diagnosis when she sent out a candid tweet outlining how isolating it can be if the symptoms persist long after they have tested positive for the virus. Her tweet quickly went viral, not only because a flood of compassionate reactions from friends and strangers flooded in, but because her words resonated with so many people who quietly suffered the same thing: A recent study found that as many as one out of every three people with milder cases of COVID experienced persistent symptoms six weeks after their tests. For the 29-year-old Reyes, eight months have passed and she has not yet fully recovered. ‘I never considered this possibility. I imagined that I was in the hospital and in a ventilator, or that I was asymptomatic. But living in between is so much harder than I could have ever imagined, ‘says Reyes, who as a reporter broke the news about the virus when it first began spreading around the world in early 2020. She’s talking to me on the phone from her bedroom in Miami, after she came home early. ‘I was so excited after 30 minutes that I had to leave. It is truly incredible that some days after eight months are still like that. I debated the part of bc. It feels so personal, but I’m 4 weeks into my battle with covid and still struggling. It was very difficult and I can not believe how much it still affects me. I wanted to share it with everyone who goes through it and feels alone. – Samantha Reyes (@samtayrey) July 22, 2020 Reyes has post-viral syndrome, or ‘long COVID’, which is the form of the virus that develops weeks or months after a person has apparently recovered from the initial infection. There are more than 100 symptoms associated with long COVID, the most severe of which are shortness of breath, brain fog, a racing heart and extreme weakness. Reyes had it all, plus chronic stomach pain, digestive problems and bloating. She says her lungs currently have 60% capacity and compares her sometimes elevated heartbeat to a feeling that I am making noise even when I am sleeping. ‘But just as the recovery process was, Reyes found her greatest form of relief in a rather surprising place: compression leggings. ‘They help me the most with my energy. Anyone who [tells me they have] COVID, this is the first thing I send them, and I want to put it on. ‘This is a tip she got from dr. William Li, Doctor, Scientist, President and Medical Director of the Angiogenesis Foundation, and author of Eat To Beat Disease: The New Science of How Your Body Can Heal Self. Reyes connects with Dr. Li by Survivor Corps, a grassroots movement formed to educate and advocate for educated COVID patients while connecting them with experts in the field of science and medicine. ‘What is known is that long COVID is partly due to vascular damage, similar to that seen in acute diseases, but this damage to the blood vessel continues. ‘There is also inflammation, a possible autoimmune component, as well as nerve damage, or neuropathy, which is often seen,’ ‘explains Dr. Li and adds that anyone who has recovered from acute COVID is at risk of developing post-viral syndrome. He says although there is currently no definitive treatment for long COVID, it is important to take measures that improve the health immune systems of your body. “Compression tights support circulation in the legs, and this can help improve blood flow which is compromised in long COVID.” Simply put: Compression tights help bring back more oxygen to blood vessels that have been attacked by the virus. For Reyes, this advice was ultimately life-changing, and she saw the benefits almost immediately when she upgraded the straight wardrobe. ‘I was finally able to go for a walk, and I was finally able to last longer through the day. I could have the energy to leave my house and work from a desk and not my bed, ‘she shares. Reyes recommends a single-length pair from the brand CW-X (‘compression socks alone are not enough’, she warns) and suggests trying a daily supplement on cocoa extract to promote blood flow, which she says according to Dr. Li’s recommendation began to do. Although the famous form-fitting material is by no means an answer to the physical, mental and emotional challenges faced by long-distance watchers like Reyes, the temporary relief they offer has given her reason to be a little more hopeful – ‘ a lycra- an armor, if you will, for every step on the path to full health: ‘It is really these little things that are really big things when you recover.’ At Refinery29 we are here to help you explore this overwhelming experience world of things. All our market choices are independently selected and compiled by the editorial staff. If you buy something that we link to on our website, Refinery29 can earn commission. As you can see? How about a little more R29 goodness, here? Kamala Harris wore Pyer Moss during the inauguration night. Leggings so soft you could live in them The most breathable face masks to run