'It's crushing, debilitating, never ending:" Doncaster biker, 37, reveals nightmare battle with long Covid

A super-fit cyclist from Doncaster has spoken of his nightmare battle with long Covid, describing it as ‘a never ending battle’ that has left him feeling ‘crushed and breathless.’
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Jon Wright, 37, is still fighting coronavirus after contracting it more than four months ago and says that the virus has left him feeling ‘like an 80-year-old man.’

The railway engineer, who used to go to the gym three times a week and who used to take on marathon bike rides, says he is fighting a daily battle with Covid-19 and gets out of breath walking upstairs and sometimes doesn't even have the energy to make a cup of tea.

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He said: “It is absolutely debilitating, the sense of fatigue and tiredness is absolutely crushing.

Jon Wright, pictured left, before Covid and right, during his coronavirus battle, says he has been wiped out by the virus.Jon Wright, pictured left, before Covid and right, during his coronavirus battle, says he has been wiped out by the virus.
Jon Wright, pictured left, before Covid and right, during his coronavirus battle, says he has been wiped out by the virus.

"I used to bike to Cleethorpes and back, now I get exhausted just going for a walk around the block.”

Mr Wright, who lives in Edenthorpe, has spoken out about his battle to urge others to take coronavirus seriously and not to understimate the damage it can do.

He said: “I wouldn’t want anyone to end up like this, especially young people who might think they will be OK. For me, there’s no end in sight and no treatment, that’s the worrying thing.”

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Mr Wright says that when the first lockdown was announced last March, he stayed at and worked from home, got all shopping delivered, stopped going to pubs and shops and ensured he was ultra careful to avoid infection, adding: “I was worried about the situation. I knew the country was in for trouble

He says he was infected when he was best man at a friend's wedding in September when lockdown restrictions were eased.

He said: “I was very nervous about going, but I didn’t want to let him down.”

A few days after the gathering, he began feeling unwell – but at first, didn’t think it was coronavirus.

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“I just didn’t feel quite right,” he said. “Just a little bit off. The next day, I was struggling to concentrate.

"I was just thinking I was tired or it was sciatica or something. I just couldn’t get myself going.”

After his sense of smell altered a few days later, he took a Covid test, which confirmed the worst – and also saw a deterioration in his condition.

Added Mr Wright: “I was starting to get breathless after the slightest exertion. The fatigue was crushing. I was exhausted.”

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At the end of his period of self isolation, he took a visit to a local garden centre – and was left breathless and exhausted carrying a hanging basket to the cash desk.

He said: “I was having headaches, brain fog, struggling to concentrate and lots of pain. I could barely walk without getting into difficulty. I even developed tinnitus for the first time in my life.”

He also collapsed in the shower after becoming dizzy, has suffered heart palpitations and struggled mentally to come to terms with his diagnosis.

He says his employer has been understanding, allowing him to take time off when necessary and he is continuing to work from home.

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But his GP has told him there is no treatment for so-called long Covid and Jon himself has no idea for how long he will continue to suffer symptoms.

He added: “You can’t describe how debilitating it is. I used to be a very fit and active man, going to the gym three times a week, doing 30 mile bike rides, keeping myself in shape.

"Now I feel like an 80 year old man who gets out of breath going up the stairs. My GP has said I will get better, but I have no idea when.

"Some days I don’t feel too bad, other days, I'm totally wiped out. It’s totally unpredictable. I can’t plan anything. It has absolutely floored me.”

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He also says that while he has no time for people flouting the coronavirus lockdown restrictions, he understands why some people in Doncaster still need to be out and about for work.

“There’s lots of people in Doncaster who don’t have the choice to work from home,” he said. “For some, living on the breadline, its a case of having to go out to work to put food on the table.

"It’s a very difficult position for those kind of workers who are nervous but don’t have the opportunity to be able to work from home.”

He added: “I Have to know my limits now. I can’t push myself like I used to. I’d like nothing more than to be able to get out on my bike again and hopefully it will get to the stage where I can do that.”

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And he has urged Doncaster people to stay safe, stay at home and follow the rules.

"You hear of these anti-lockdown protesters, they are just idiots,” he said. “People need to be really careful and considerdate towards others. They need to realise that it’s not just about themselves and that their behaviour can have an impact on others.

"Down the line, your behaviour could impact on a relative, a neighbour ending up with Covid.”

“The worst thing is not knowing when it will go, or when it will improve. I know there are people in a lot worse condition than me and to some extent, I’ve been lucky.

"But honestly, this has knocked me for absolute six and people need to take it seriously. It has absolutely crushed me.”