Hannah first developed Covid symptoms in July 2021 when she came back from a nightclub. At first, Hannah thought the symptoms were from her endometriosis, but when she had a high temperature for eight days, she realised it was Covid. After self-isolating, Hannah went to the gym but found that she could only lift 60kg, instead of the 95kg she was able to before she isolated. Hannah was experiencing fatigue and became breathless moving from her room to the kitchen, despite having a high level of fitness from swimming before she had Covid.

Even before having Covid, Hannah had anxiety, but she felt that it worsened since she developed Covid symptoms. Hannah’s anxiety is mainly focused around health but not exclusively Covid, as she found the thought of throwing up makes her very anxious. One of Hannah’s Long Covid symptoms is feeling nauseous “all the time,” and she takes medication for this. However, Hannah might go onto antidepressants if she doesn’t feel less nauseous by December – when she has a job opportunity abroad. Hannah is nervous about starting a 9 to 5 job, as she can’t rest during the day and catch-up later like she could when she was at university.

Hannah doesn’t remember the first time someone said she may have Long Covid, but she thinks it might have been her mum – who is a psychotherapist. Despite having Long Covid, Hannah didn’t want to apply for the support her university offered, including more time on exams, because she wanted “to be treated fairly and no different to anyone else.” She feels the same about telling other people about having Long Covid, and she doesn’t want to be seen as a “drama queen.”

Through a Long Covid clinic, Hannah had been referred to four Long Covid workshops but found them unhelpful, as they assumed that she didn’t have any medical knowledge about her body – despite her degree in neuroscience. Hannah also felt that the workshops were targeted at older patients and found it hard to relate. She felt that the workshops were more like a lecture than a conversation, which made her angry.

Despite her anger at the Long Covid workshops, Hannah felt that her GP was “amazing… lovely” because she “listened to the fact [she was] knowledgeable.” Hannah feels that more knowledge is needed to distinguish Long Covid from other conditions with similar symptoms. Hannah has received doses of a Covid vaccine since having Long Covid and doesn’t feel that she’s experienced relapses or had a strong adverse reaction.