Long COVID joint pain and mild asthma, now back to climbing at 70% on prednisone taper
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 9 months
- Last post
- Jan 2024
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I got Covid again this last April (2023) and the joint paint, along with some mild asthma never went away.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
I'll think I'm mostly ok and can go rock climbing and ride my unicycle. Then it roars back in and I start thinking about renting a walker. Getting out of bed is really painful.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
Down to 6mg prednisone daily and back to rock climbing at about 70% of who i used to be. It's more of an annoyance now. Not crippling anymore.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I got Covid again this last April (2023) and the joint paint, along with some mild asthma never went away.
In context ↗
Summary
Stone 24611, 69, caught COVID again in April 2023 and was left with chronic full-body joint pain and mild asthma. A 12-day prednisone course cleared it overnight, but the pain returned days after stopping. Diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica, they began a slow taper. By January 2024 they were down to 6 mg, back to rock climbing at about 70% of their old level, with the pain manageable.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Prednisone · Helped
That cured all my problems overnight! I was so excited. But a few days after finishing the Prednisone, the joint paint came back as bad as before.
In context ↗ - Ibuprofen · Helped
400 mg of Ibuprofen helps a lot, and 800 is even better...but I hate taking drugs.
In context ↗ - Boron · No change
I did try the Boron and it didn't help.
In context ↗
Approaches: Other drugs and medicines
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2023 | second COVID infection; chronic joint pain and mild asthma beganI got Covid again this last April (2023) and the joint paint, along with some mild asthma never went away.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| July 2023 | 12-day prednisone course cleared all symptoms overnightThey found nothing and gave me a 12 day course of Prednisone. That cured all my problems overnight!In context ↗ | Recovered | Corticosteroid pulses |
| July 2023 | joint pain returned days after finishing prednisone; painful to get out of bedBut a few days after finishing the Prednisone, the joint paint came back as bad as before. ... Getting out of bed is really painful.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| October 2023 | diagnosed with polymyalgia rheumatica, started tapering daily prednisone; back to sports and sleepingI'm mostly back to my old sports and the pain is manageable now. I can sleep again.In context ↗ | Mild | Corticosteroid pulses |
| January 2024 | down to 6 mg prednisone; back to rock climbing at about 70%Down to 6mg prednisone daily and back to rock climbing at about 70% of who i used to be. It's more of an annoyance now. Not crippling anymore.In context ↗ | Mild | Corticosteroid pulses |
Adverse events
- Corticosteroid pulses“But there are substantial side effects from Prednisone so I'm anxious for my body heal up from PMR so I can get off the drug.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Pain & fibromyalgia
All my joints feel like there are knives sticking through them. From my neck to my ankles, everything hurts.
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
the joint paint, along with some mild asthma never went away
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I can sleep again.
In context ↗ - Post-exertional malaise
I'll think I'm mostly ok and can go rock climbing and ride my unicycle. Then it roars back in and I start thinking about renting a walker.
In context ↗
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