Long COVID
Moderate → somewhat betterIll 4 years before improving or writing
Long COVID with head pressure and cognitive slowing, somewhat better on isotretinoin
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 4 years
- Last post
- Dec 2024
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
less of the stalling I had with my long COVID self
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
Now I can't even focus for 10 minutes, and it's destroying my life. The feeling is like when you dive underwater; everything gets slower, blurrier, and harder to process. I’m in a constant state like this.
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
Right now, I’m still purging here and there, but fortunately, I’m progressing slowly.
In context ↗
Read from 7 of their posts and comments; links to the 5 this page draws on
Summary
Zephyr 15535 fell ill in 2020 with pneumonia, then allergies, gut problems, head pressure, tinnitus, blurred vision and cognitive slowing; they date the worst decline to a first Pfizer mRNA dose. A 15-day water fast gave 60-70% relief and six months of ketosis a 30-40% baseline gain, but symptoms returned. Isotretinoin, started November 2024, brought slow partial improvement that plateaued after two weeks; after a dose increase they report slow ongoing progress.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
15-day water fast· Helped a lot · wore offantibiotics· Helped · wore offImmunace vitamins / multivitamin· HelpedPiracetam· Helpedsteroid-antibiotic eye drops· Helpedlow-dose isotretinoin· Helpedless acidic yogurt· Helpedhigh protein calorie deficit diet· Helpedmelissa tea· Helpedheat compress· No changemethylphenidate· WorseWellbutrin· Worseenergy drinks and coffee· Worsepainkillers and muscle relaxers· Worseallergy medications / allergy pills· Not saidinhalers· Not saidcomplex pre workout· Not saidcomplex protein powder· Not saidFolik acid· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- allergy medications / allergy pills · Not said
I was prescribed different allergy medications and inhalers (including disc-type ones), which I used as prescribed. ... At night time I got prescribed allergy pills for dust allergy lately, so it makes me a bit sleepy.
- inhalers · Not said
inhalers (including disc-type ones), which I used as prescribed
In context ↗ - antibiotics · Helped
more antibiotics and inhaler prescriptions. Once again, COVID tests were negative, but I saw some temporary improvement.
In context ↗ - daily exercise · Helped
I was exercising intensely, pushing myself daily ... started exercising daily ... The lower I go the better I feel somehow.
- 15-day water fast · Helped a lot
starting with a 15-day water fast. During the fast, all my symptoms disappeared.
In context ↗ - strict ketosis · Helped
six months of strict ketosis: no sugar, alcohol, energy drinks, coffee, salt, fried food, or oil ... Ketosis improved my baseline significantly (30–40% improvement)
In context ↗ - methylphenidate · Worse
Methylphenidate, once effective for my ADHD with no side effects, now triggers severe side effects like heart pain, blurred vision, shaky hands, and stomach cramps.
In context ↗ - Wellbutrin · Worse
Wellbutrin caused a severe panic attack for the first time in my life during an important event
In context ↗ - Immunace vitamins / multivitamin · Helped
Immunace vitamins help slightly (5–7%), depending on deficiencies. ... Taking a multivitamin to cover any deficiencies.
- energy drinks and coffee · Worse
energy drinks and coffee initially helped clear my mind but worsened my stomach over time
In context ↗ - painkillers and muscle relaxers · Worse
painkillers and muscle relaxers were beneficial at first but led to worsening issues
In context ↗ - Piracetam · Helped
Piracetam helped memory
In context ↗ - lion’s mane · Helped
other supplements like lion’s mane, ginseng, gingko, bromelain, and L-tyrosine offered small gains (5–7%)
In context ↗ - steroid-antibiotic eye drops · Helped
Steroid antibiotic drops are not helping. ... I gave steroid eye drops another shot, and this time, they’re working
- heat compress · No change
Heat compress doesn't work.
In context ↗ - low-dose isotretinoin · Helped
I’ve been on low-dose isotretinoin (20mg/day) for 11 days now, and I’ve started to notice slow but consistent improvements.
In context ↗ - less acidic yogurt · Helped
Introduced a less acidic yogurt before starting isotretinoin ... now I feel better when I eat it.
In context ↗ - high protein calorie deficit diet · Helped
High protein calorie deficit diet along with daily exercise to lose/ kick toxic waste/fat/spike protein out of my body.
In context ↗ - complex pre workout · Not said
Consuming complex pre workout which contains a high amount of L-citrulline
In context ↗ - complex protein powder · Not said
Consuming complex protein powder which contains a high amount of creatine to heal and grow.
In context ↗ - Folik acid · Not said
Isotretinoin + Folik acid to heal skin/muscle/organ tissue and to lower gut bacteria
In context ↗ - melissa tea · Helped
Usually a melissa tea calms me down so I can suggest that
In context ↗
Approaches: Amino acids and carnitine · Diet · Exercise and activity · Supplements
Their path
What they say at each step doesn’t fit the worst point or outcome above on the severity scale, so the steps are listed as they describe them. Dates are when they posted.
| When | What happened | After |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | pneumonia and pleural effusion while freelancing from homeI unexpectedly developed serious lung issues.In context ↗ | |
| half a year later (2020) | acute illness subsided but developed allergen sensitivity and returning coughHalf a year later, the acute illness subsided, but I developed an extreme sensitivity to allergens like pollen and dust.In context ↗ | |
| 2022 | cough worsened; antibiotics gave temporary improvementOnce again, COVID tests were negative, but I saw some temporary improvement.In context ↗ | Antibiotics (unspecified) |
| after 2022 (undated) | decline after first Pfizer mRNA dose: bloating, cramps, twitches, cognitive declineThings began to unravel after I took the Pfizer mRNA shot, receiving only the first dose.In context ↗ | |
| undated | 15-day water fast; all symptoms disappeared (60-70% relief)During the fast, all my symptoms disappeared.In context ↗ | Extended water fasting (3+ days) |
| undated (before end of 2023) | six months of strict ketosis, 30-40% better baselineKetosis improved my baseline significantlyIn context ↗ | Keto and low-carb diets |
| end of 2023 | symptoms gradually returned and speech comprehension failedbut the symptoms gradually returnedIn context ↗ | |
| 2024 | small bowel infection cleared by medication, bowel habit normalisedmedication cleared the infection, and my restroom habits returned to once a day.In context ↗ | |
| 2024-11-15 | slow improvement on low-dose isotretinoin (head pressure eased, mind clearer, skin and gut better)After day 2, I began feeling slightly better.In context ↗ | |
| 2024-12-21 | isotretinoin effect plateaued, dose raised, daily exercise, slow progressprogressing slowlyIn context ↗ |
Adverse events
- Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta)“Methylphenidate, once effective for my ADHD with no side effects, now triggers severe side effects like heart pain, blurred vision, shaky hands, and stomach cramps.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Bupropion (Wellbutrin)“Wellbutrin caused a severe panic attack for the first time in my life during an important event, something I had never experienced before.” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- “In the early years, painkillers and muscle relaxers were beneficial at first but led to worsening issues.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Probiotics and fermented foods“Some brands made things worse (felt more sour), but I found one that didn’t irritate me, so I stuck with it.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Nitric-oxide boosters (beetroot, arginine, citrulline)“after pre workout consumption (morning time), my skin lesions get pinkish / more noticable, skin surface gets bumpy.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- “Right now, I’m still purging here and there, but fortunately, I’m progressing slowly.” In context ↗ Side effects
- H1 antihistamines (unspecified)“At night time I got prescribed allergy pills for dust allergy lately, so it makes me a bit sleepy.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogGut problemsHeadaches & migraineHeart symptoms & palpitationsMast cell (MCAS) & allergiesPain & fibromyalgiaTinnitusVision problems
Their words about their symptoms
- Brain fog
Cognitive issues: declining attention span, quick disinterest in complex tasks.
In context ↗ - Mast cell (MCAS) & allergies
I developed an extreme sensitivity to allergens like pollen and dust
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
joint pain (especially in the shoulders)
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
Persistent neck and head pressure
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
random heart racing during sleep, and sudden chest stinging
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
loss of ambition and pleasure
In context ↗ - Tinnitus
constant tinnitus
In context ↗ - Vision problems
occasional blurry vision, temporary shaky vision
In context ↗
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