'It's just water to me': Regina man still can't taste, smell due to long COVID symptoms

Kyle Hlavsa tested positive for Covid-19 on Dec. 14 2020. (Luke Simard/CTV News)

A Regina man is still dealing with the effects of COVID-19 more than two years after testing positive.

Kyle Hlavsa tested positive for COVID-19 on Dec. 14 2020. He dealt with symptoms of the virus including fatigue, brain fog, and loss of taste and smell.

Now two years later, Hlavsa has not regained his sense of smell or taste.

He said living with the symptoms has been difficult.

“The first couple months were really challenging,” Hlavsa said. “I tried to distract myself as I was trying to eat.”

According to epidemiologist Nazeem Muhajarine, long-COVID is often diagnosed when a patient still experiences symptoms three months after contracting the virus.

“There's no other reason that doctors can pinpoint, why you are experiencing these continuing difficulties, limitations, and health challenges then we strongly suspect that it is that post-COVID condition,” Muhajarine said.

Hlavsa insists his cravings have been the most difficult to deal with.

“It's satisfaction,” Hlavsa said. “If anything, I feel worse because then it clicks in like, oh, I can’t taste that and it just hurts a lot more.”

Hlavsa and his family worry the symptoms may never go away and the 20-year-old may never get his sense of taste and smell back.

“My hopes keep dwindling as time goes on because it's already been coming up three years,” Hlavsa said. “Third Christmas I can't eat that gourmet turkey supper.”

Hlavsa’s father Rob said despite the set backs, his son has put forth a positive attitude.

“Of course as a parent you're worried about their mental health how they're doing,” Rob Hlavsa said. “He's been a trooper, always positive, and always upbeat.”

Since the virus is still less than three years old, studies on long-COVID are just beginning to take place.

A pre-report was released in December by the chief science advisor of Canada regarding post-COVID in Canada.

According to the report, 1.4 million people who have contracted the virus said they experience symptoms three months later or longer after their infection.