Spring is here and I don’t know about you, but I'm super excited about it. I love seeing new life after a long cold barren winter, as it reminds me that seasons change and with the changing seasons comes hope and opportunity. Many of us, however, feel like we have had a “very long winter” figuratively speaking, and some feel they are still in it. Such is the case with those with chronic illness or those with persistent symptoms of COVID, as often the symptoms are unrelenting and interfere with quality of life.
As with many common chronic conditions, fatigue is often a common complaint. And this holds true with Long Covid also called Post Acute Sequelae of Covid (PASC). But with PASC, we are seeing many other symptoms that indicate the presence and effect of spike protein (the protein that is thought to cause the majority of problems) all over the body.
One system that seems to be significantly affected by the spike protein is the immune system. In some people this means an up regulation or an increase in function. While this may seem like it would be a good thing, many times it can cause new onset symptoms of allergies and food sensitivity as Doctor Logan referenced in his Doc Spot. The second thing that can occur is autoimmunity which is similar to the first in the sense that it is another case of an hyper-vigilant immune system and mistaken identity. Autoimmunity happens when the body makes antibodies to your normal cells (auto=self). Finally, the third thing that can happen after exposure to spike protein is that the immune system can become unable to keep up with things and fail to work properly. This can lead to many issues including recurrent infections and reactivation of old infections like the Epstein Barr Virus ( EBV) and herpes virus (HSV) to name a few. I often use the analogy that your immune cells are like soldiers on the front line whose job it is to keep the other infections controlled so that they do not cause problems. When your “soldiers” get infected with spike and are “home sick and off the front line” there are fewer soldiers to manage the job and some previously suppressed infections are allowed to increase unchecked. This can lead to increased fatigue and other symptoms known to be associated with those viruses. But any of the manifestations of immune dysfunction noted above (hyper-vigilence, autoimmunity or immunosuppression ) can cause new or recurrent symptoms in a previously healthy person.
Regardless how the spike protein enters your system whether by natural infection or vaccination, the potential for it to go everywhere and cause issues increases with repeated exposure and dose. In other words, the more times you are exposed to the vaccine or the virus, your risk for spike related disease increases.
You may be asking, “what does this have to do with spring and hope?” Just as spring brings an end to winter and new life, we have been passing through the seasons of Covid. I truly believe that we have weathered the Covid “winter” with the previous more deadly variants and we are now in a season of increased knowledge and improved understanding. With knowledge and understanding comes innovation and increased compassion which fosters hope. I call this Covid “spring”.
Scientists and physicians all over the globe are continually expanding our knowledge about how to appropriately diagnose and treat PASC. We have learned from these leaders and are fortunate to have many tools to offer those who are affected by persistent symptoms after infection or injection of the spike protein. These include diagnostic tests and various treatments outlined elsewhere in the newsletter. These are safe and effective treatments and have been helpful in supporting patients through symptoms and recovery.
But I believe the most valuable “treatment” we offer is understanding, compassion and hope. Hope that a new season of growth and improved health is here.
-Dr. Litty
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