Steven, 38, tested positive for Covid-19 in November 2021. His only symptoms for the first 10 days were the loss of his senses of taste and smell – so he rang his boss to say he’d be back at work. “On Day 11, I woke up in hospital” Steven recalls. Following several more emergency admissions to hospital by ambulance for severe breathing difficulties, he was diagnosed with Long Covid in early 2022.

As well as needing an oxygen mask and backpack around the house, Steven was having seizures because his brain was starved of oxygen, as well as heart problems and he developed anxiety and depression. “I was sleeping for 16 hours a day” Steven says. “And I was still very fatigued”. He found the hospital rehab team gave him some understanding of what was happening to his body. They suggested that he try the Hope for Long Covid Programme.

Steven found the Hope website was simple to use and the app let him bookmark pages that he found most helpful, so that he could go back to them whenever he wanted to “I was having a lot of brain fog, so that’s a good option”. Doing the course at his own pace let Steven focus on the issues that were most helpful to his particular set of symptoms. “I liked the little self-assessments” he says. “Clicking on the scores. Seeing what’s relevant for me.”

Being able to share his experiences of Long Covid with others who were going through the same type of things particularly appealed to Steven. “There’s a hub of people who are really supportive” he explains. “So if you’ve set yourself a little goal and managed to do it, they’re pleased for you. I’d been locking myself away because of the anxiety and depression. I set myself the goal and went for a 10 minute walk!”

But if what if you hadn’t managed to do your goal? “They were still really supportive. The trainers would keep you positive and focussed. It’s good to be able to encourage other people, too.” Steven is still setting goals for himself since he finished the Hope for Long Covid Programme.

What would he say to someone with Long Covid who’s not sure about doing the course? “I’d definitely recommend it” he says. “When you look online it’s just a jumbled mess of hundreds of people’s opinions. Hope is structured. It’s informed by what science there is.”

And the Hope Programme is still helping Steven “It’s given me something to focus on” he says “and a deeper understanding of why Covid made me feel like I did…..I’m hoping to get back to work soon”.

Steven's Hope Story