Long COVID breathlessness and nerve pain, improved then worse again
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 6 years
- Last post
- Oct 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
Had covid Sept 2020, LH started Oct 2020.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
When I exercise, I am definitely not able to give 100% of what I could precovid
In context ↗ - Now: Relapsed
I honestly feel about 85% back to normal before Covid (Sept 2020) which is great ... almost all of my systems have slowly been regressing
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
Got it mid September 2020. Only symptoms were bad congestion and loss of taste.
In context ↗ - Says they never had: Post-exertional malaise
most of them get way better w exercise and stay better the rest of the day. Reverse PEM
Read from 34 of their posts and comments; links to the 22 this page draws on
Summary
In September 2020 Osprey 76635 had a mild COVID infection; about a month later shortness of breath, headaches and nerve pain began. Shortness of breath never fully cleared, though headaches and nerve pain later subsided. They felt about 85% back to normal in mid-2021, reported new GI symptoms after vaccination, and around month 15-16 developed worsening bloating, later diagnosed with SIBO, that left them barely able to eat. Years on they still reported long-term symptoms from the infection and the vaccine.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Flonase · No change
I had been on Flonase for months and I honestly don't think it was doing a thing so I stopped using it.
In context ↗ - allergy and sinus pills · Helped
I have been taking generic sinus pills and I think they help when they can.
In context ↗ - prednisone · Helped
Doc put me on prednisone in April and I do think it had a positive impact. Only lasted about two weeks
In context ↗ - diaphragmatic breathing exercises · Not said
I have been doing a lot of diaphragmatic breathing exercises for a little over a month or so. It's really hard to tell if they are changing anything.
In context ↗ - Omeprazole · Helped
It does seem like it has helped, but I still experience it sometimes along with gas and diarrhea.
In context ↗ - SMZ-TMP DS antibiotics · Not said
my doctor has prescribed me a course of SMZ-TMP DS 800 160mg antibiotics (Sulfamethoxazole And Trimethoprim) that I am going to start taking today
In context ↗ - Montelukast · No change
Didn’t seem to help me at all
In context ↗ - vitamin B12 · Worse
However, I’ve taken it on three separate trial periods and every time it makes it worse.
In context ↗ - working out · Helped
Really weird for me, I have breathing and GI issues but most of them get way better w exercise and stay better the rest of the day.
In context ↗ - COVID vaccination as treatment · Not said
After each shot I had bad diarrhea and cramping and abdominal pain for a few weeks after.
In context ↗
Approaches: Other drugs and medicines
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 |
|---|---|
| September 2020 | mild COVID-19 infection with congestion and loss of tasteGot it mid September 2020. Only symptoms were bad congestion and loss of taste.In context ↗ |
| October 2020 | long haul began with sudden shortness of breath, then headaches and nerve painI specifically remember sitting on my couch one night when the shortness of breath first struck. Literally hit me like a truck out of nowhere.In context ↗ |
| May 2021 | felt 85% back to normal before slowly regressing againI honestly feel about 85% back to normal before Covid (Sept 2020) which is great.In context ↗ |
| January 2022 | bloating after eating began and got progressively worseI've been experiencing moderate-to-severe bloating from eating just a tiny amount of food.In context ↗ |
| March 2022 | constant chest tightness and breathlessness, worse sitting, lying and eatingThis is persistent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Never fully goes away.In context ↗ |
| May 2022 | nerve pain, headaches and heart problems resolved; breathlessness and congestion stayed18 months later, no more nerve pains, random headaches or heart problems, but SOB and congestion longer.In context ↗ |
| March 2023 | bloating and SIBO worsened until he could barely eatI can barely eat anymoreIn context ↗ |
| October 2026 | still reports long-term symptoms from infection and vaccinationAs someone who has long term symptoms from both the initial infection and later the vaccine, you absolutely know.In context ↗ |
Adverse events
- Corticosteroid pulses“I developed SIBO (small-intestinal bacterial overgrowth) and other similar gut issues likely because of antibiotics (prednisone is the only one I took), and now it's hard for me to eat anything without trouble.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“After each shot I had bad diarrhea and cramping and abdominal pain for a few weeks after.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“They basically went away until the third shot, which I then began developing even more problems.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“immediately upon getting this second dose I developed a new set of symptoms, mostly GI related, that had never occurred in my life before” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- Vitamin B12“I've taken it on three separate trial periods and every time it makes it worse. It also accounts for random dizzy spells/seeming blood pressure spikes that rarely occur normally.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Gut problems
I can barely eat anymore
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
a few of my worst things at the beginning (like shooting nerve paints throughout my body) dissipated and basically disappeared over time
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
18 months later, no more nerve pains, random headaches or heart problems
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
since they diminished, I get them maybe twice a month
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
random bouts of dizziness and blurry vision ... now I seem to have it present the majority of the day
In context ↗ - Loss of smell or taste
Only symptoms were bad congestion and loss of taste.
In context ↗
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