Long COVID fatigue and brain fog, now about 90% back to normal after rest and short walks
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 1 year
- Last post
- May 2024
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
among other symptoms of long covid
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I had debilitating levels of fatigue for roughly 8-9 months after getting Covid
In context ↗ - Now: Near normal
I haven’t had a full resurgence of my symptoms yet ... it’s usually back to normal in a day or two
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I had debilitating levels of fatigue for roughly 8-9 months after getting Covid
In context ↗
Read from 7 of their posts and comments; links to the 7 this page draws on
Summary
Ocean 14882 got long COVID in 2022 with debilitating fatigue for 8-9 months, brain fog, headaches, light sensitivity, muscle aches, chest pain, air hunger and heart rate spikes. Pushing to exercise flared it repeatedly, so they stopped working out for about nine months and rebuilt with short walks and rest days. By 18 months out they were about 90% back to normal, working and exercising, though overdoing it still brings mild symptoms.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- post-Covid physical therapy · Helped
Also been to post-Covid physical therapy a bit which has helped a little too!
In context ↗ - focused breathing · Helped
it usually takes me 5-10 minutes of sitting and resting with focused breathing to get back to normal.
In context ↗ - rest / stopping working out · Helped a lot
I ended up not working out for about 9 or so months. ... Rest rest rest!
In context ↗ - short walks, slowly built up · Helped
I started with short walks and slowly built up from there, making sure that I was monitoring my symptoms and taking extra days off between walks
In context ↗
Approaches: Exercise and activity · Radical rest
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 |
|---|---|---|
| mid-2022 | long COVID after COVID-19 infectionI had debilitating levels of fatigue for roughly 8-9 months after getting CovidIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| September 2022 | worst flare: headaches, light sensitivity, chest pain, air hunger, brain fogI was in the middle of probably my worst flare yet just 2ish weeks ago.In context ↗ | Moderate |
| 2022-09-26 | two long walks with no symptoms and no post-walk crashThis weekend I was able to go for 2 (!) long walks outside with absolutely NO symptoms and no post-walk crash!In context ↗ | Mild |
| late 2022 | flare after each attempt to work out againevery time I thought I was good enough to try working out again, boom, another flare upIn context ↗ | Moderate |
| 2023-06-11 | short runs and some lifting without flares after about nine months off exercise, built up from short walksNow I’m able to go for (very short) runs and do some lifting without any flare ups!In context ↗ | Mild |
| 2023-08-05 | rated self 8 out of 10, bad days more like a 513 months out, I’d say I’m at an 8 currently but still have some bad days where I feel more like a 5In context ↗ | Mild |
| 2023-11-18 | about 90% back to normal, back to work and exercise, no flares in over 8 monthsnow that I’m ~1.5 years out from my original infection I’d say I’m 90% back to normalIn context ↗ | Near normal |
| 2024-05-26 | only mild symptoms after stress or hard exercise, back to normal in a day or two with restif I rest and get enough sleep it’s usually back to normal in a day or twoIn context ↗ | Near normal |
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
every time I thought I was good enough to try working out again, boom, another flare up
In context ↗ - Brain fog
light brain fog
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
heart rate spikes with minimal activity
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
mild shortness of breath
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
no paralyzing headaches
In context ↗ - Light & noise sensitivity
no paralyzing headaches, light sensitivity
In context ↗
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