Long COVID
Mild → near normalIll 4 years before improving or writingNeeds ongoing treatment
Long COVID with insomnia, almost back to normal after time and nortriptyline
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 4 years
- Last post
- Aug 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
Yes my covid infection was in April 2021 and my long haul started in late June.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
Yes for about 6 months it was very difficult to walk or maintain my fulltime job but I managed.
In context ↗ - Now: Near normal
Long covid wrecked me for 4 long years before finally letting me get most of my life back. Still have altered taste/smell and still pace myself whenever im working for fear of crashing again but im mostly normal.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
my covid infection was in April 2021 and my long haul started in late June
In context ↗
Read from 101 of their posts and comments; links to the 36 this page draws on
Summary
A 27-year-old butcher developed long COVID two months after mild COVID in April 2021, with anxiety, breathlessness, insomnia and neuropathy while still working full time. He credits time, diet and probiotics, and nortriptyline, which eased nerve pain and helped him sleep. Reinfections and a two-mile run caused flare-ups. After about four years he was mostly normal, still pacing, with altered taste and smell.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
prednisone· Helped a lotprobiotic foods and probiotic supplement· Helpedamitriptyline· Helpedantihistamine· Helpedcompression socks· Helpedinhaler· Helpedomeprazole· Helpedendoscopy with throat dilation· Helped · wore offlymphatic drainage· No changecannabis· WorseSingulair· Worserunning and body weight lifting· Worsedeep breathing exercises· Not saidhot baths· Not saidfish oil· Not saidhigh dose vitamin C· Not saidb vitamins· Not saidone a day vitamin / multivitamins· Not saidmagnesium· Not saidmelatonin· Not saidantidepressants· Not saidstretching· Not saidvitamin injections· Not saidRolaids or Tums· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- probiotic foods and probiotic supplement · Helped
The only thing that's helped me a little is eating probiotic foods
In context ↗ - amitriptyline · Helped
I did take it for nerve pains in my groin for some time ... I think it worked for the most part
In context ↗ - antihistamine · Helped
I just take a antihistamine every day and my breathing feels better but not 100%
In context ↗ - therapist · Helped
Seeing a therapist helped me a ton
In context ↗ - deep breathing exercises · Not said
Hot baths and deep breathing exercises
In context ↗ - lymphatic drainage · No change
Tried it at the start of lm lc cause some of my lymph nodes were swollen. Didn't work.
In context ↗ - fish oil · Not said
I also tried all the supplements like the fish oil
In context ↗ - high dose vitamin C · Not said
high dose vitamin C
In context ↗ - one a day vitamin / multivitamins · Not said
I started taking a once a day vitamin for 3 months or so ... I think it's time helping more than supplements
- melatonin · Not said
I was taking melatonin at night and it was kind of hit or miss if i was able to sleep.
In context ↗ - nortriptyline · Helped
prescribed me nortriptyline which has actually significantly helped
In context ↗ - antidepressants · Not said
messed around with a couple different antidepressants and ultimately stuck with nortriptyline
In context ↗ - getting off social media · Helped
getting off social media and taking a break from longhaulcovid subreddit
In context ↗ - compression socks · Helped
Compression socks
In context ↗ - stretching · Not said
lots of different stretching
In context ↗ - vitamin injections · Not said
I got vitamin injections a couple times thinking it was some sort of deficiency
In context ↗ - cannabis · Worse
At the start of my LC I would try to smoke and it would give me insane anxiety
In context ↗ - inhaler · Helped
Used an inhaler that partially worked and antihistamines.
In context ↗ - Singulair · Worse
Singulair over the course of 3 months made me suicidal ... it didn't do anything for me
In context ↗ - omeprazole · Helped
they've put me on omeprezol which I think has helped some
In context ↗ - antibiotics · Helped
I think taking that along with antibiotics has gotten mostly rid of my sinusitis
In context ↗ - Rolaids or Tums · Not said
Still have to take Rolaids or tums.
In context ↗ - endoscopy with throat dilation · Helped
I had an endoscopy last week and they stretched and dilated my throat. I've actually gotten a little relief from it
In context ↗ - prednisone · Helped a lot
she did prescribe me 40mg dose of prednisone for 5 days and this has been the best 5 days I've had since this nightmare has begun
In context ↗ - running and body weight lifting · Worse
Decided to finally try to run/jog my usual route which is about 2 miles felt great initially but about 3 days later a bunch of my lc symptoms have resurfaced
In context ↗ - resting and pacing · Helped
I'm probably 90 percent better just making lifestyle changes and resting a lot.
In context ↗
Approaches: CBT & mindset · Antibiotics · Pacing · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| late June 2021 | long covid symptoms began about two months after a mild COVID infectionmy covid infection was in April 2021 and my long haul started in late JuneIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2021-09 | anxiety through the roof, stopped going out, but kept working full timeAt my worst my anxiety was through the roof and I didn't go anywhere or do anything for monthsIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2021-10-26 | about 75-80 percent better than at the startI'm probably about 75/80 percent better.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2022-01 | nortriptyline for nerve pain; able to sleep at nightprescribed me nortriptyline which has actually significantly helpedIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| May 2022 | crashed after a COVID reinfection; sore muscles and breathlessness returnedmy muscles have been more sore and my shortness of breath has came backIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2022-07-01 | back to about 90 percent two weeks after the reinfectionI felt like crap for a solid 2 weeksIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2023-05-04 | crashed after jogging his usual 2-mile routeabout 3 days later a bunch of my lc symptoms have resurfacedIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| late December 2023 | third infection flared everything back upthe most recent one being in late December of 2023 which has flared everything back upIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2024-03 | five days on prednisone felt like being his pre-COVID selfthis has been the best 5 days I've had since this nightmare has begunIn context ↗ | Near normal | Corticosteroid pulses |
Adverse events
- Amitriptyline (Elavil), Nortriptyline (Pamelor), Antidepressants (unspecified)“I had a hard time sleeping on it but I think it worked for the most part” In context ↗ Insomnia from treatment
- “everything they put me on either makes my symtoms worse I I just simply feel like they don't work” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Montelukast / Singulair“I would say the worst thing is if I take it too close to bed I get super wild dreams” In context ↗ Side effects
- Montelukast / Singulair“This really messed up my emotions and I saw absolutely no benefits” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Montelukast / Singulair“Singulair over the course of 3 months made me suicidal. Googled it and it has a black box label that I i was unaware of. ... it didn't do anything for me” In context ↗ Suicidal thoughts or attempt
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogBreathlessnessFlu-like symptomsGut problemsHeadaches & migraineHeart symptoms & palpitationsLoss of smell or tasteMast cell (MCAS) & allergiesMuscle weaknessNeuropathy & tinglingPOTS & dysautonomiaPain & fibromyalgiaPost-exertional malaiseSleep problemsTemperature regulationTinnitusVision problems
Their words about their symptoms
- Anxiety & low mood
the main one I have is my anxiety getting really bad
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
needing plenty more sleep
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
shortness of breath/heart palpations
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
my shortness of breath has came back
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
the night sweats
In context ↗ - Flu-like symptoms
currently experiencing about a 4month long sore throat
In context ↗ - Loss of smell or taste
Still have altered taste/smell and still pace myself
In context ↗ - Vision problems
Still have some weird astigmatism from time to time
In context ↗ - Tinnitus
My tinnitus came on strong about month 3 of my long haul
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
my peripheral neuropathy has pretty much subsided and my muscle twitching isn't as prominent anymore
In context ↗ - Muscle weakness
significantly weaker than what I was precovid
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
muscle/joint pain
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
weird tension headaches
In context ↗ - Brain fog
my brain fog cleared up this past month
In context ↗ - Gut problems
i still have flare ups with it and my gallbladder
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
I have mild vertigo but nothing crazy
In context ↗ - Mast cell (MCAS) & allergies
have a lot of food sensitivities
In context ↗ - Post-exertional malaise
still pace myself whenever im working for fear of crashing again
In context ↗
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