Long COVID with headache, palpitations and brain fog, somewhat better after amitriptyline
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 18 months
- Last post
- Apr 2024
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
A lot of the long-covid symptoms seemed to follow and I can only suspect covid in the absence of a positive test.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
There is a baseline pain around 5/10 which will go up to 10/10 where I just lay and wait till it goes back down a bit.
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
Becoming a bit better, they’ve went from constant to more on set, and typically lower pain during the day but not gone. Feeling more like a rollercoaster these days.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I can only suspect covid in the absence of a positive test
Read from 19 of their posts and comments; links to the 12 this page draws on
Summary
Lake 61182 fell acutely ill in October 2022, suspecting COVID without a positive test, with a constant headache, neck and shoulder pain, palpitations, GI trouble and brain fog. Amitriptyline 10 mg from April 2023 may have helped; significant improvement by month eight, though a treadmill run caused a crash. Headaches persisted and nausea was rough around month 11; at 18 months oxygen bar sessions gave a small boost.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Amitriptyline · Helped
Seen a significant improvement in some of the more debilitating symptoms ... May also be a lot of help from Amitriptyline
In context ↗ - Magnesium · Not said
Magnesium, probiotics, L-Glutamine, Vitamin B, D along with high dose Omega 3
In context ↗ - Avoiding alcohol and caffeine · Not said
have avoided alcohol & caffeine for the most part
In context ↗ - Meditating / trying to relax · No change
Something that didn’t work for me was meditating or trying to relax a lot.
In context ↗ - Pacing · Not said
Exercise is something that really needs pacing ... pushing any activity because you feel even a bit better isn’t a good idea
In context ↗ - Upper body workout with light weights and treadmill run · Worse
tried a little bit of an upper body workout with some light weights ... crashed pretty hard
In context ↗ - Blexten · Worse
when I took Blexten I felt as if my sinus & head felt a bit worse
In context ↗ - Resting · Not said
Neck & shoulder pain ... I didn’t do much for it except resting
In context ↗ - Time · Helped
I’ve seen a bit of a shift but it took time ... time is a healer
In context ↗ - Ibuprofen · No change
I’ve done the Ibu/amitrip/paracetamol route and even tried metamizol
In context ↗ - Metamizol · No change
even tried metamizol
In context ↗ - Heartburn relief tablets · No change
I’ve tried some heartburn relief tablets as well as dieting but can’t seem to figure it out
In context ↗ - Oxygen bar sessions · Helped
definitely getting a little bit of something (energy boost, relaxation)
In context ↗
Approaches: Tricyclic antidepressants
Their path
How ill they were on the ME/CFS severity scale, estimated from what they describe at each point, with time counted from when the illness began. Hover or tap a point. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| October 2022 | Fell acutely ill: vomiting, GI issues and a sudden, all-consuming headache; persistent headache, neck and shoulder pain, palpitations and brain fog followedIn October of 2022 I very acutely got sick, with vomiting, GI issuesIn context ↗ | Moderate | |
| May 2023 | Significant improvement in headache, neck pain, heart palpitations and brain fog after amitriptyline started in AprilSeen a significant improvement in some of the more debilitating symptoms such as headache & neck pain, heart palps and brain fog.In context ↗ | Mild | Amitriptyline (Elavil) |
| May 2023 | Crashed after light upper-body weights and a harder treadmill runAlso did a harder run on the treadmill 2 days ago and crashed pretty hard.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| August 2023 | Headache constant again with no relief and unbearable bouts of nausea at 11 monthshave had a persistent headache since with absolutely no breaks or relief.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| April 2024 | 1.5 years in, still has bad symptom periods; oxygen bar sessions give a small energy boostcurrently 1.5 years in, have started doing short sessions at an oxygen barIn context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Meditation, yoga, breathwork“being still and thinking about having these symptoms was driving me insane” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Bilastine (Blexten, Bilaxten)“when I took Blexten I felt as if my sinus & head felt a bit worse” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
Also did a harder run on the treadmill 2 days ago and crashed pretty hard.
In context ↗ - Brain fog
Brain fog started to disappear a little bit before I took this
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
brain fog/light-headedness
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
neck & shoulder pain, sore body
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
have had a persistent headache since with absolutely no breaks or relief.
In context ↗ - Gut problems
I keep having really rough bouts of nausea that are unbearable
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
Seen a significant improvement in some of the more debilitating symptoms such as headache & neck pain, heart palps and brain fog
In context ↗ - Tinnitus
tinnitus, sinus swelling with post nasal drip
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
Definitely feeling the irritability & mood swings.
In context ↗
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