May a £7.5k retreat remedy my Covid? After 9 months, VICTORIA BISHOFF was able to strive something

Have you ever tried cryotherapy but?’ my new buddy Mac asks excitedly as he wanders previous me wearing a darkish gray bathrobe. 

‘They put you in a chamber the place the temperature is -110c for 4 minutes. It is nice — though my spouse Dee practically fainted on the way in which out.’

‘Oh wow, that sounds unbelievable,’ I reply eagerly. ‘I am simply off for altitude coaching, the place your oxygen ranges are bounced up and down when you lie in a reclining chair.’

Welcome to Lanserhof, an unique resort within the Austrian Alps the place the wealthy and well-known go to detox. Besides I am not right here to be prodded and poked, frozen and bounced, within the title of wellness or weight reduction.

I am right here to check the resort’s model new providing — its two-week Lengthy Covid package deal, a sequence of assessments and coverings designed to assist victims like me try a return to regular life.

It is estimated that greater than two million individuals have Lengthy Covid in England alone. I caught the virus at first of this yr, earlier than the vaccination roll-out, and spent practically three weeks in mattress.

Since then I’ve battled exhaustion, mind fog, complications and fixed sinus issues. Every time I assumed I used to be over the worst of it and tried to return to life as I knew it, I might find yourself relapsing after a number of weeks and be compelled to retreat to the couch as soon as extra.

It grew to become an infinite cycle of growth and bust, leaving me pissed off and depressing. Often I am very energetic, working and taking part in tennis three or 4 instances per week, however there have been instances over the previous 9 months when simply strolling up a flight of stairs left me shaking with fatigue.

And whereas I am fortunate to be in a job the place I can earn a living from home when I haven’t got the power to commute to the workplace, I’ve felt super guilt about having to lean closely on colleagues through the tough spells. 

And even then, the lengthy hours meant I typically solely simply had sufficient power to crawl into mattress on the finish of the day.

To make issues worse, in Might I additionally developed a situation referred to as parosmia, the place your sense of scent and style is distorted. 

Meals I used to like was all of a sudden repulsive and it grew to become nearly not possible to eat a balanced weight loss plan. Simply smelling a tomato would make me bodily sick.

I misplaced a stone in simply six weeks, depleting my already low power reserves additional.

Lastly, in August, I realised that if I did not decelerate I used to be going to be too sick to attend my very own wedding ceremony on September 8, which had already been postponed twice because of the pandemic.

And so with the help of colleagues, family and friends, I put myself on bed-rest for 2 weeks. The break labored and fuelled by adrenaline (and Prosecco), I used to be nicely sufficient on the day to place in a severe stint on the dance ground.

One other crash appeared inevitable consequently.

There’s at the moment no tried and examined remedy for the syndrome — on-line boards are affected by victims’ tales and ideas, however outcomes differ vastly from individual to individual. 

So after I was provided the possibility to check out the brand new Lanserhof Lengthy Covid package deal, I had my baggage packed immediately.

I used to be prepared to strive something to kick this debilitating sickness, even when it did imply ditching my new husband for per week lower than a fortnight after we have been married.

Based mostly in Lans, a small village round 5 miles from Innsbruck in Tyrol, western Austria, the Lanserhof resort is a cross between an opulent spa and futuristic hospital. 

Surrounded by mountains, meadows and forests, it’s the good location for these trying to escape busy lives.

Its common company come right here for a ‘relaxation remedy’, to drop a number of kilos or get well from burnout, underneath the shut supervision of knowledgeable medical doctors providing each possible remedy, from acupuncture and reflexology, to blood cupping and religious cleaning — in addition to all of the scans and assessments fashionable drugs can supply.

All the pieces concerning the decor, from the calming impartial colors to the underfloor heating within the loos, is designed to encourage rest. And with the likes of Victoria Beckham and Cara Delevingne among the many Lanserhof clientele, there is no such thing as a expense spared. 

Actually, so in style is it with British celebrities, there is a spin-off Lanserhof at The Arts Membership in London.

Padding via the corridors, I half anticipate Marianne Faithfull or Dynasty star Emma Samms, each fellow Lengthy Covid victims, to swish previous me within the their fluffy robes.

However as I sit within the eating room on the primary night of my seven-day taster keep, I begin to surprise what on earth I’ve let myself in for. All of the company are sitting aside on their very own particular person tables, and I am struck by how completely depressing the girl subsequent to me appears to be like.

Often on vacation, dinner instances are a rowdy affair, with individuals laughing and joking as they gorge on wealthy meals and wine. But as I tuck right into a tasty meal of fillet of pike perch with potato slices and greens, the room is silent as company nurse what appears to be like like pale yellow tea whereas popping an assortment of drugs.

I flick via the knowledge booklet entitled ‘power delicacies’ in entrance of me and frantically attain for my cell phone to ship my husband Chris — and several other different associates — a sequence of panicked messages.

The primary a part of the package deal is a gathering with the physician who will assign me a ‘weight loss plan stage’. In case you are on ‘zero’ you obtain only one pot of tea or clear vegetable soup 3 times a day, the leaflet explains.

Stage one consists of an ‘help for insalivation and chewing coach’ — or what you and I’d name bread (buckwheat toast or a spelt roll) — at breakfast, and a potato with linseed oil for lunch.

At weight loss plan stage two, you may have one thing extra substantial for breakfast, similar to quinoa porridge and a protein complement at lunch, which could possibly be a portion of sheep cheese. The Holy Grail that’s weight loss plan stage three features a correct lunch of both fish or meat with greens.

‘Pray for me,’ I textual content Chris.

The subsequent morning, wearing my smartest Sweaty Betty athleisure put on, I nervously enterprise right down to the pristine medical suite the place there are floor-to-ceiling home windows searching onto essentially the most spectacular view of the Alps. The NHS this isn’t, with smiling medical doctors gliding round, wanting like they’ve simply walked off a catwalk.

My physician, Dr Andre Fraidl, promptly seems and ushers me via to an examination room the place he takes a have a look at my medical historical past.

After explaining my mum had died of ovarian most cancers seven years in the past, he appears shocked to be taught I’ve by no means had an ultrasound to ensure I’m all clear. 

This is not going to be the primary time throughout my keep that I feel how silly it’s we don’t spend extra money and time on preventive healthcare somewhat than simply ready till we’re sick and need assistance.

Subsequent he weighs me and takes my blood strain earlier than — a lot to my reduction — awarding me weight loss plan stage three. However even that is no picnic as regardless of getting actual meals for breakfast and lunch, ‘dinner’ remains to be solely a teapot of vegetable broth.

It signifies that after lunch at round noon, my subsequent meal shouldn’t be till breakfast at 7am the subsequent morning — round a 17-hour quick.

The thought appeared bonkers to me at first — and notably merciless given I’ve spent 5 months struggling to eat. Absolutely Lengthy Covid victims needs to be fuelling their physique to be able to enhance power ranges, not ravenous it? 

And I began to surprise in the event that they have been merely repackaging their current remedies to money in on Lengthy Covid.

However upon additional analysis, I’ve to confess the idea behind fasting is convincing.

At Lanserhof, the assumption is that poor weight loss plan is the basis of many fashionable illnesses and {that a} wholesome intestine is essential to restoration. Round 70 per cent of the physique’s defence or immune cells are in your intestine, I am instructed, and giving your digestive system a break can increase your general well being.

In addition to a ‘simplified’ weight loss plan, this implies consuming slowly and chewing every little thing at the very least 30 instances, so it’s simpler on your physique to soak up vitamins, and never ingesting throughout meals to keep away from diluting digestive juices. 

I am additionally instructed to drink heat water with Epsom salts every morning to — and these will not be my phrases — flush out the garbage.

I have to take bitter drops earlier than meals to help the detox course of and acid-base steadiness capsules 3 times a day to even out my physique’s pH ranges.

With my new foul-tasting goodies in hand, I am despatched on my manner with a remedy schedule for the week.

Ordinarily, company fill in a questionnaire about what they wish to obtain throughout their keep and select from a powerful array of assessments and coverings. 

The Lengthy Covid programme sometimes features a therapeutic massage, respiratory remedy, urinalysis to establish infections or kidney issues and private coaching periods.

However as a result of everybody’s signs are so completely different, every plan is tailor-made to the person — notably in the case of train. Whereas I used to be thought-about nicely sufficient to undertake gentle power coaching within the gymnasium, others with extra extreme signs would solely be taken for a brief stroll.

Lengthy Covid victims are additionally provided simulated altitude coaching. In style amongst athletes, this entails briefly decreasing your oxygen provide (hypoxia) after which growing it (hyperoxia). The purpose is to assist cells regenerate, boosting your immune system and power ranges.

Victoria (pictured with Dr Veronika Hoerbst) has battled exhaustion, mind fog, and sinus issues attributable to Lengthy-Covid and was prepared to strive something to kick the debilitating sickness

The expertise is unusually stress-free. After an preliminary bout of tension because the masks is strapped to my face and my finger positioned in a pulse monitor, I spend the subsequent 40 minutes drifting out and in of sleep.

Throughout this time my physique thinks it has moved between sea-level and 4,500 m (practically the peak of Mont Blanc, the tallest mountain in Europe) 5 instances. And I am assured I’ll reap the constructive results for months to come back. 

Different remedies are a bit extra ‘on the market’. Craniosacral remedy is meant that can assist you loosen up by ‘focusing in your private internal rhythm’.

In my case, this concerned a therapist holding my toes for some time, then my leg and arm, and at last my head. However whereas I could have scoffed at first, I felt as if I might been put right into a trance, and actually did really feel extra centred after I stood up after.

It’s this mixture of state-of-the-art drugs with ‘pure’ therapeutic strategies that makes Lanserhof distinctive.

In the event you hold an open thoughts, the probabilities are infinite — which is how I got here to search out myself dancing round a fireplace underneath a full moon with three different company one night after we had burned any damaging ideas scribbled on scraps of paper.

For the report, this fireplace ritual shouldn’t be strictly a part of the Lengthy Covid package deal, however one of many many group actions on supply to all company. 

I did say I used to be prepared to strive something, however it felt a bit too near a scene in Nicole Kidman’s new Prime Video thriller 9 Good Strangers, which displays the darker facet of wellness retreats, for my style.

But it surely’s not all pleased yoga poses, and on day three I expertise what the consultants right here dub the ‘remedy disaster’. My head is pounding, I really feel sick and may’t cease shaking. I am assured this can be a completely regular side-effect of caffeine, sugar and alcohol withdrawal, however I really feel extremely sorry for myself.

Happily, after some lunch to spice up my blood sugar ranges and delicate encouragement from a fellow visitor, Alex, who had discovered me curled up in a chair with my head in my arms, I quickly felt extra energetic than I had in months.

A lot in order that by the top of the week I took off on a three-hour solo hike up the close by mountain Patscherkofel — though I can not say I did not miss my standard rucksack of sugary snacks.

Sadly, there wasn’t a lot assistance on supply at Lanserhof for Lengthy Covid victims with parosmia — largely as a result of there aren’t actually any remedies out there. However the clinic’s restricted menu yielded surprising outcomes.

I had observed a bit enchancment in my sense of scent and style earlier than arriving in Austria, however had been apprehensive about revisiting meals that had beforehand made me sick, similar to tomatoes, peppers and courgettes.

However as a result of the cooks on the clinic don’t use garlic or onions — two smells I can not tolerate — or any wealthy sauces, I discovered I may eat a greater variety of meals than I assumed doable. And it was an actual eureka second — unhappy because it sounds — after I was capable of demolish a whole bowl of tomato soup on day 5.

I used to be all of a sudden stuffed with hope, for the primary time since Covid, that my physique could also be slowly therapeutic.

With a lot about Lengthy Covid nonetheless unknown, it is too quickly to inform if any of the remedies Lanserhof affords will assist in the long-term. However I left feeling far sprightlier and with a recent dedication to start out prioritising my heath.

After all, a keep at this luxurious resort shouldn’t be low cost, and, for a lot of, the hefty price ticket of greater than £7,000 for 2 weeks will probably be prohibitive. 

However if you happen to really feel as determined as I’ve over the previous yr, then maybe it isn’t such a wild thought to splurge on an opportunity to really feel extra like your self and capable of face the world once more.

It is easy now to see that I did little to assist help my restoration and pushed too laborious after I ought to have rested.

And there is no doubt there have been different elements contributing to my sick well being — not least an current again situation which requires me to take immunosuppressant medicine and meant I used to be thought-about weak to start out with. In addition to two years of wedding ceremony stress.

As Dr Katharina Sandtner, medical head at Lanserhof, tells me: ‘You already had points which meant your physique was at its restrict, and so if you received Covid, it was like ‘growth’.

‘We launched the Lengthy Covid programme as a result of numerous individuals have been asking us for assist, however it’s necessary you don’t see Lanserhof as providing this programme and that is it. We have a look at you as a complete and all of your points.’

Among the finest issues about Lanserhof is that it affords you the time and house to offer your well being and wellbeing your full consideration — a rarity for most individuals struggling to juggle all of the calls for of on a regular basis life.

No, I am not cured, however I really feel higher positioned to handle the ups and downs.

As for whether or not this sense lasts or if I am destined to slide again into outdated habits, that is still to be seen — however I am selecting to be optimistic.

Although if I by no means see a cup of pale vegetable broth once more, it is going to be too quickly.

A 14-night Lengthy Covid programme on the Lanserhof prices €8,817 (£7,550) together with lodging. For extra data go to lanserhof.com.