Long COVID
Mild → somewhat better
Long COVID with PEM and cognitive problems, now slowly improving with lifestyle changes
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- Not stated
- Last post
- Jun 2025
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
Going on 24+ months of LC
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
I'm never better than 75% or so on my best days.
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
Slowly improving with various lifestyle changes, etc.
In context ↗ - Began after: stress or burnout
The long lasting crashes/PEM/cognitive symptoms seemingly came 3 years later after pulling all nighters for school/intense workouts and zero rest and recovery.
- Says they never had: Mast cell (MCAS) & allergies
don't seem to have your typical histamine reactions (hives, erythema, sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, etc)
Read from 27 of their posts and comments; links to the 18 this page draws on
Summary
Vale 71241 dates his ME/CFS to 2001, when lasting crashes, PEM and cognitive problems began after overtraining; dysautonomia and broken sleep continue. By 2023 he reported 24+ months of long COVID and says he is never better than about 75% on his best days, slowly improving with lifestyle changes. He tolerates almost no supplements apart from vitamin D/K and omega-3; magnesium caused twitching and feeling off. Low-dose naltrexone helped only subtly, and 7.5 mg left him hungover.
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What they tried
Also tried
LDN· Helpeddeep breathing· Helpedice packs, air conditioning and ice-cold water· HelpedSinus sprays/lavages· No changeSteroid nasal sprays and lavages· No changeantihistamines (any class)· No changeranitidine· No changesupplemental DAO· No changeTrazadone· No changeMirtazepine· No changeSeroquel· No changemultivitamins/isolated vitamins· WorsecoQ10· WorseALCAR· Worseb vitamins (methylated/activated)· Worsemagnesium· WorseClonidine· WorsePropanolol· WorseGuanfacine· WorseAtivan· Worsemelatonin· Worsecreatine· Worsefermented foods· Worse"Ultimate Orange" pre workout· Much worsehigh-fiber and plant-based foods (tofu, legumes, raw vegetables, psyllium, inulin)· Much worsevitamin d· Not saidvitamin k· Not saidOmega 3s· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- Sinus sprays/lavages · No change
Sinus sprays/lavages don't seem to make a difference.
In context ↗ - Steroid nasal sprays and lavages · No change
I was tried on steroid sprays and lavages but didn't make much of a difference!
In context ↗ - vitamin d · Not said
I swear the only supplement I can tolerate is vitamin k/vitamin d..
In context ↗ - multivitamins/isolated vitamins · Worse
Every other supplement, whether it's multivitamins/isolated vitamins, mitochondrial supplements (coQ10, ALCAR, etc) I feel terrible
In context ↗ - coQ10 · Worse
mitochondrial supplements (coQ10, ALCAR, etc) I feel terrible
In context ↗ - b vitamins (methylated/activated) · Worse
Can barely do any b vitamins whatsoever! The methylated forms probably give me the worst reactions
In context ↗ - magnesium · Worse
I also got the same reaction from magnesium after taking it regularly.. twitching of the eyelids and fingers!
In context ↗ - Omega 3s · Not said
aside from Vitamin D/K, Omega 3s, and Magnesium
In context ↗ - antihistamines (any class) · No change
antihistamines (any class) as well as ranitidine, or supplemental DAO, don't seem to improve any symptom even slightly!
In context ↗ - "Ultimate Orange" pre workout · Much worse
was using "Ultimate Orange" pre workout
In context ↗ - Trazadone · No change
I've tried Trazadone, Clonidine, Mirtazepine, and Seroquel in the past with no success.
In context ↗ - Clonidine · Worse
I've tried Trazadone, Clonidine, Mirtazepine, and Seroquel in the past with no success. ... (Clonidine, Propanolol, Guanfacine) and they all made me feel worse.
- Propanolol · Worse
Clonidine, Propanolol, Guanfacine) and they all made me feel worse.
In context ↗ - Ativan · Worse
If I occasionally take Ativan at bedtime for an especially stimulating day, I will stay awake all night
In context ↗ - melatonin · Worse
I can't seem to get melatonin to work for me when I've tried it in the past. I seem to wake up even more often.
In context ↗ - LDN · Helped
LDN seems to help a bit as well with falling asleep.
In context ↗ - creatine · Worse
Made me feel worse for some reason!
In context ↗ - high-fiber and plant-based foods (tofu, legumes, raw vegetables, psyllium, inulin) · Much worse
tofu, legumes, raw vegetables, all types of additional fiber (psyllium, inulin, etc), fermented foods, etc.. all seem to cause less energy
In context ↗ - fermented foods · Worse
fermented foods, etc.. all seem to cause less energy, worse sleep, an incredible amount of bloating and gas, nausea, increased neuropathic pain
In context ↗ - deep breathing · Helped
deep breathing (5 seconds in, 5 seconds out) sometimes helps relax the nervous system
In context ↗ - ice packs, air conditioning and ice-cold water · Helped
staying near an AC, having ice cold water on hand to sip, ice packs on the back of the neck
In context ↗
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | lasting crashes, PEM and cognitive symptoms began after overtrainingIt's felt like overtraining now on a daily basis since 2001.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2023-06-21 | slowly improving with lifestyle changes, 24+ months of long COVIDGoing on 24+ months of LC.... Slowly improving with various lifestyle changes, etc.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2025-06-12 | still symptomatic, LDN helping only subtlyLDN seems to help a bit as well with falling asleep.In context ↗ | Mild | Low-dose naltrexone |
Adverse events
- CoQ10 / ubiquinol, L-carnitine“Every other supplement, whether it's multivitamins/isolated vitamins, mitochondrial supplements (coQ10, ALCAR, etc) I feel terrible - with my nervous system feeling hyper stimulated” In context ↗ Side effects
- Vitamin B complex“The methylated forms probably give me the worst reactions but in general b vitamins don't agree with me.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Magnesium“I also got the same reaction from magnesium after taking it regularly.. twitching of the eyelids and fingers!” In context ↗ Side effects
- Lorazepam (Ativan)“If I occasionally take Ativan at bedtime for an especially stimulating day, I will stay awake all night” In context ↗ Insomnia from treatment
- Melatonin“I seem to wake up even more often.” In context ↗ Insomnia from treatment
- Creatine“Made me feel worse for some reason!” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Low-dose naltrexone“I went far too high on advice from the doctor (up to 7.5mg) the first time and I felt so hungover I had to stop eventually.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Propranolol (Inderal)“I've tried everything that's supposed to block or treat an overactive sympathetic system (Clonidine, Propanolol, Guanfacine) and they all made me feel worse.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Clonidine, Propranolol (Inderal), Guanfacine“I've tried everything that's supposed to block or treat an overactive sympathetic system (Clonidine, Propanolol, Guanfacine) and they all made me feel worse.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Guanfacine“I've tried everything that's supposed to block or treat an overactive sympathetic system (Clonidine, Propanolol, Guanfacine) and they all made me feel worse.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Probiotics and fermented foods“tofu, legumes, raw vegetables, all types of additional fiber (psyllium, inulin, etc), fermented foods, etc.. all seem to cause less energy, worse sleep, an incredible amount of bloating and gas, nausea, increased neuropathic pain....” In context ↗ Gut side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Brain fogGut problemsHeart symptoms & palpitationsNeuropathy & tinglingPOTS & dysautonomiaPost-exertional malaiseSleep problemsTemperature regulation
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
The long lasting crashes/PEM/cognitive symptoms seemingly came 3 years later
In context ↗ - Brain fog
it weans and wanes throughout the day and with it comes brain fog and difficulties concentrating
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
I always have symptoms of dysautonomia
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
Only issue I have is staying asleep. I'll wake up a couple times in the night
In context ↗ - Gut problems
an incredible amount of bloating and gas, nausea
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
increased neuropathic pain
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
I sweat very easily/heat intolerance
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
varying heart rates
In context ↗