Long COVID Clinical Trials, Tirzepatide & Finding the Right Doctor (Dr. Wes Ely & Dr. Julia Moore Vogel)

Welcome to A Friend for the Long Haul - A Long Covid Podcast! This is the last season 4 episode. I'll be taking a break for a few weeks. Season 5 is going to be about friendship, sex, and relationships and I've already lined up a lot of coaches and therapists who have long covid so we can tap their brains and get some insights. I'm so excited about it!

For our season finale, I brought together two lovely people who are actively changing how medicine and research treat chronic illness: Dr. Wes Ely and Dr. Julia Moore Vogel. Sadly, we did have some technical issues and I don't have any video for Dr. Julia, and only got 15 of the 30 minutes of Dr. Ely's audio. Nevertheless, we persist.

Dr. Ely joined me first to talk about whole-person care, what he learned from decades in the ICU, and his work leading the REVERSE-LC trial.

Then, Dr Julia and I dive into what it means to be both a scientist leading research at Scripps, specifically studying repurposed tirzepatide in the Long COVID Treatment Trial-Tirzepatide (LoCITT-T) trial, and someone navigating Long COVID in real time. She shared something early in our talk that hit me deeply: as patients with limited energy, we do not have to spend our precious reserves trying to convince the wrong doctor when we could be looking for the right one.We talk about step counts as real data, pacing without shame, the emotional toll of medical appointments, and the quiet joy of being able to crochet and craft again after years of visual and cognitive limits.

We also get into what it really means to be a "refined badass" when your body is struggling.

Thank you so much for being here with me this season. If this episode brought you comfort or clarity, please share it with a friend who needs to feel seen.

Timestamps:

• 00:00 - The "refined badass" shirt reveal & opening
• 02:03 - Introducing Dr. Julia Moore Vogel & Dr. Wes Ely
• 03:33 - Why human stories matter in medicine & Janet Keith's story
• 06:00 - Julia’s work on the Lockett trial (repurposed tirzepatide)
• 11:53 - Dr. Ely on what doctors miss about Long COVID & infection-associated illness
• 17:57 - Finding the right doctor vs. convincing the wrong one
• 24:35 - What the tirzepatide trial is trying to answer
• 38:17 - How Julia protects her energy and avoids crashes
• 53:28 - Step counts, pacing, and quiet wins
• 56:21 - Crocheting again after years of limits & closing reflections

To support me and my work:

I have an Amazon wishlist that's totally unhinged and has items to help me, our neurospicy and disabled home of 6, and the pup.

Check out my snarky long covid merch shop. I don't keep this money, I filter it into community care and donations to supportive orgs.

Follow me on Instagram, TikTok, or Substack. But the biggest way you can support me listening, sharing, liking, and recommending the podcast. Thank you!