Long COVID
Mild → no benefitIll for 2 years
Long COVID breathlessness, brain fog; diet, nitrate, supplements made little difference
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill for
- 2 years
- Last post
- Jul 2024
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
It's my second year of LC.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
Walking from the parking lot to work makes me feel breathless. I struggle not to fall asleep at my desk.
In context ↗ - Now: No benefit
There's hope for some of it, and these meds really do help, but the brain fog and exhaustion looms over everything.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
It's my second year of LC.
In context ↗
Read from 6 of their posts and comments; links to the 6 this page draws on
Summary
A grad student in their second year of long COVID described summers as the worst: breathless walking from the car park to work, fighting sleep at their desk, and brain fog so bad they could not retain what they read. Nitrate eased a very high resting heart rate and POTS had improved over time. A carnivore-and-berries diet helped a bit; Concerta worsened sleep and supplements never made a big difference. Brain fog and exhaustion remained.
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What they tried
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- nitrate · Helped
I'm on nitrate which is helping with my crazy high baseline heart rate
In context ↗ - SSRI · Not said
Could just be a stomach flu, my SSRI dose, etc.
In context ↗ - Wegovy · Not said
I'm on Wegovy so I don't eat much.
In context ↗ - carnivore and berries diet · Helped
Used to try and maintain basically a carnivore and berries diet which helped a bit.
In context ↗ - intermittent fasting · Helped
intermittent fasting is one of the things that helps
In context ↗ - Gingko · Helped
I have tried Gingko and it helps a bit but wasn't worth the cost
In context ↗ - eliminated coffee · Helped
I've eliminated coffee (which helped)
In context ↗ - Concerta · Worse
I am on Concerta for ADHD anyways but I don't always take it since I have to nap regardless and it messes it up and raises my heart rate and otherwise worsens sleep.
In context ↗ - supplements · Not said
The supplements were getting out of hand I was spending too much and never found a consistent combo that really made a big difference even though for a time some helped and others after.
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. The chart starts 2 years 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | long COVID beganIt's my second year of LC.In context ↗ | Not stated |
| 2024-07-23 | nitrate eased a very high resting heart rateI'm on nitrate which is helping with my crazy high baseline heart rateIn context ↗ | Mild |
| 2024-07-24 | still working as a grad student with brain fog and exhaustionthe brain fog and exhaustion looms over everythingIn context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Antidepressants (unspecified)“Today has been nothing but panic attacks, nausea, and despair. Could just be a stomach flu, my SSRI dose, etc.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta)“I am on Concerta for ADHD anyways but I don't always take it since I have to nap regardless and it messes it up and raises my heart rate and otherwise worsens sleep.” In context ↗ Heart rhythm problems
- Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta)“I am on Concerta for ADHD anyways but I don't always take it since I have to nap regardless and it messes it up and raises my heart rate and otherwise worsens sleep.” In context ↗ Insomnia from treatment
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogBreathlessnessGut problemsHeart symptoms & palpitationsPOTS & dysautonomiaSleep problems
Their words about their symptoms
- Brain fog
The brain fog is so debilitating.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I struggle not to fall asleep at my desk.
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
Walking from the parking lot to work makes me feel breathless.
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
my crazy high baseline heart rate
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
POTS has gotten better over time but is worse in summer.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
Today has been nothing but panic attacks, nausea, and despair.
In context ↗