{"id":73907,"date":"2025-08-25T09:37:39","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T15:37:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=73907"},"modified":"2025-08-26T09:44:23","modified_gmt":"2025-08-26T15:44:23","slug":"long-covid-support-group-in-northern-colorado","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/long-covid-support-group-in-northern-colorado\/","title":{"rendered":"Long COVID support group in northern Colorado"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Participating in a support group that addresses a specific illness such as long COVID has been proven to enhance well-being and foster improved outcomes, improving quality of life. Photo: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The medical community still grapples with the mystery of why some people experience symptoms of long COVID-19<\/a>, affecting various parts of the body, from the legs and feet to the stomach, lungs, and brain, while others recover only days after being infected with the virus.<\/p>\n

But one thing is certain: Facilitated support groups tailored toward a specific illness, like long COVID, enhance participants’ well-being, foster improved outcomes and improve overall quality of life.<\/p>\n

In northern Colorado, an informational, discussion, and support (IDS) group has formed to help people struggling with long COVID.

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“Long COVID Information, Discussion and Support (IDS) group”<\/strong><\/p>\n

5:30-7:30 p.m., on the second Tuesday of every month.<\/p>\n

UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies, 2500 Rocky Mountain Ave. in Loveland<\/a><\/p>\n

Longs Peak Conference Room<\/p>\n

To submit topic suggestions for the meeting, fill out this form<\/a>.<\/p>\n

For more info, email: LongCOVIDIDS@uchealth.org<\/a><\/p>\n

Teams link<\/a> to join the meeting remotely.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

“There are lots of patients with long COVID. It is more common than people think,” said Dr. Matthew Light<\/a>, a pulmonary disease and critical care medicine specialist for UCHealth Pulmonology Clinic – Greeley<\/a> and Loveland. “We want to provide a place to discuss long COVID and share symptoms. There is no specific treatment per se (for long COVID), so this group can share what works and doesn’t — bring individual experiences and insights and meld this into what we know in the medical field.”<\/p>\n

“It will be a two-way street of sharing,” he said. “A place to talk about experiences and heal as a group.”<\/p>\n

In Colorado, more than 15% of all adults report having experienced long COVID, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Long COVID Household Pulse Survey<\/a> taken Oct. 18-30, 2023.<\/p>\n

Many people recover from COVID-19 within a few days or weeks. But for others, symptoms may linger for weeks, months or even years. Long COVID encompasses an extensive range of persistent symptoms, including:<\/p>\n

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Michaela Martinez, a registered nurse and clinical educator with UCHealth, and Dr. Matthew Light, a pulmonary disease and critical care medicine specialist for UCHealth Pulmonology Clinic \u2013 Greeley and Loveland, facilitate the long COVID support group in northern Colorado. Photo: UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n