Side effects

Recovering from COVID is a bit like pregnancy. You can’t consume things you usually love because they make you sick and you feel knackered all the time.

I had the worst morning sickness when I was pregnant. There were many days when the only thing I could stomach was grilled Kraft cheese slices on toast.

When the nausea finally lifted, I was deeply annoyed that I couldn’t eat brie or pate because they weren’t safe to consume during pregnancy. I pined for them, recalling how incredible they tasted on crusty bread during a holiday in France with my ex.

But a weird thing happened once I tried them post pregnancy – they no longer thrilled my tastebuds. It took years before they hit the spot again.

Now, 15 days after getting COVID, I walk to the coffee shop each morning with the dogs for my strong flat white, but I have trouble drinking it. I get to the end of the day and my cup is still half full.

When I sailed on the Southern Swan for her 100th birthday on Monday night, I half-heartedly sipped a glass of wine, but didn’t enjoy it much.

I should be regarding it as a great opportunity to start a health kick, but I’m a bit annoyed that those two pleasures have been taken away from me.

The side effect seems quite common. I went onto a COVID “survivors” page and saw a post about the same issue.

Comments included:

“I tried having a glass of wine the other day. It took me all day to drink it.”

and

“For a few weeks, the idea of drinking made me feel sick. I definitely can’t stomach all alcohol anymore. Dry wine used to be a staple in my life, and now I can’t stand it.”

But no one knows why. There’s a lot we still don’t know about COVID.

Sigh. I miss blissfully sipping pink wine.