Long COVID with POTS, brain fog and depression, much better after microdosing psilocybin
- 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
I have been long hauling since November 2020.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I was taking daily 2 hour naps before I started microdosing, and now I almost never need naps.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
mine has improved over a few years, still not doing cardio or working out like I want but I can do things and my energy levels are much better
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I wasn't very sick when I originally got it in November of 2020, but developed long haul symptoms about two weeks later.
In context ↗
Read from 32 of their posts and comments; links to the 18 this page draws on
Summary
An engineer in their early thirties developed long COVID in November 2020, with POTS, palpitations, post-exertional malaise, gut problems, brain fog and 18 months of severe depression. Antidepressants, therapy and ivermectin failed, and COVID vaccines, notably a December 2021 Moderna booster, set them back. Microdosing psilocybin from 2022 lifted the depression and improved their energy; by April 2024 they still could not exercise as they wanted.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- ivermectin · No change
ivermectin will not cure your long haul covid ... It just didn't work
In context ↗ - atorvastatin · Not said
I also did the recommended dose of atorvastatin and fluvoxamine.
In context ↗ - antidepressants (fluvoxamine, fluoxetine, an SNRI) · Worse
the SSRIs (including fluvoxamine) just didn't help with my depression ... just felt worse overall
In context ↗ - therapy · No change
I've been in therapy for 6 months and I can't honestly say it's helped or not
In context ↗ - extended fasts · Helped
I have done a couple extended fasts, and noticed an improvement in my sense of smell. That being said, fasting also exacerbated my dysautonomia issues.
In context ↗ - Diclofenac · Helped
100 mg Diclofenac extended release helps my chest pain quite a bit - better than the other NSAIDs I tried.
In context ↗ - Ibuprofen · Helped
I have had to take 400mg of ibuprofen daily for a while now and keep trying to get off of it, but it's been challenging.
In context ↗ - Meloxicam · Helped
I've had the best success with Diclofenac, Ibuprofen, and Meloxicam, which mainly help the heart palpitations, headache, and some dysautonomia symptoms.
In context ↗ - famotidine · Helped
Have you tried famotidine? It helped my gastrointestinal issues quite a bit, 20 mg twice a day during flare-ups.
In context ↗ - prednisone · Helped a lot
Prednisone has been the most successful of any medication prescribed to me since I became a long hauler.
In context ↗ - alpha lipoic acid · No change
I have also done the alpha lipoic acid, quercetin, NAC, and NAD. ... the only things I really noticed a difference with was the vitamin b and magnesium.
In context ↗ - vitamin b · Helped
I will admit the only things I really noticed a difference with was the vitamin b and magnesium.
In context ↗ - antihistamines · Helped
The main drugs that help me are anti-inflammatories, corticosteroids, and antihistamines.
In context ↗ - psilocybin · Helped a lot
I began microdosing psilocybin. After a few months of this, my depression is gone, and I feel like my old self again.
In context ↗ - COVID vaccination as treatment · Worse
My second vaccine also made my symptoms worse. ... The last vaccine put me down for about 8 weeks before I returned to a decent baseline.
Approaches: H1 antihistamines · Other drugs and medicines · Supplements
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. The chart starts 13 months after onset: the story doesn’t say how ill they were before that. 1 step says too little to place on the scale and is only in the table. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 2020 | COVID-19, mildly ill; long haul symptoms began about two weeks laterI wasn't very sick when I originally got it in November of 2020, but developed long haul symptoms about two weeks later.In context ↗ | Not stated | |
| December 2021 | Moderna booster worsened every symptomIt made me significantly worse, all symptoms including exercise intolerance, brain fog, digestive issues, heart palpitations, and general dysautonomia got worse.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| February 2022 | short prednisone courses improved mood and other symptoms, effects later fadedThe thing that has helped the most is the short courses of prednisone that I did, my mood, temperament, personality, and other symptoms improved quite a bit with only 5 mg per day.In context ↗ | Moderate | Corticosteroid pulses |
| May 2022 | back at baseline after booster, with 18 months of severe depressionI have been doing this for 18 months now, I wish I could say I was any better but the booster shot sent me back to baseline.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| August 2022 | began microdosing psilocybin; depression gone, energy and other symptoms better, no longer needs napsAfter a few months of this, my depression is gone, and I feel like my old self again ... I am far from 100%, but finally improving.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| April 2024 | still improved over a few years, cannot yet do cardio or workoutsmine has improved over a few years, still not doing cardio or working out like I want but I can do things and my energy levels are much betterIn context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Ivermectin“I did get some weird pressure behind my eyes so I dropped the dose to 0.2” In context ↗ Side effects
- Extended water fasting (3+ days)“That being said, fasting also exacerbated my dysautonomia issues.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- COVID vaccination as treatment“My second vaccine also made my symptoms worse. ... The last vaccine put me down for about 8 weeks before I returned to a decent baseline.” Made symptoms worse
- COVID vaccination as treatment“It made me significantly worse, all symptoms including exercise intolerance, brain fog, digestive issues, heart palpitations, and general dysautonomia got worse.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Fluvoxamine (Luvox), Fluoxetine (Prozac)“I tried an SNRI which was not good for my dysautonomia symptoms” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Fluvoxamine (Luvox)“the SSRIs (including fluvoxamine) just didn't help with my depression, and even after a full month or 6 weeks just felt worse overall” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
POTS, heart palpitations, post exertion malaise
In context ↗ - Brain fog
intermittent brain fog
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
I am 13 months in and my primary issues are dysautonomia, fatigue, exercise intolerance, and digestive issues.
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
which mainly help the heart palpitations, headache, and some dysautonomia symptoms
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
which mainly help the heart palpitations, headache
In context ↗ - Gut problems
It helped my gastrointestinal issues quite a bit, 20 mg twice a day during flare-ups.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
trouble sleeping
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I struggled with severe suicidal thoughts and didn't feel joy for 18 months.
In context ↗ - Loss of smell or taste
I also haven't recovered my sense of smell completely, probably about 60%.
In context ↗
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