Long COVID
Moderate → much betterIll 3.5 years before improving or writingNeeds ongoing treatment
Long COVID head pressure and insomnia; Ambien and nicotine patches helped some
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 3.5 years
- Last post
- Oct 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I have been dealing with long Covid since January, 2023.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
Dizziness subsided after 6 months (I was not able to drive a car with the dizziness).
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
This is the best I have felt in 3 ½ years. I still have tinnitus and disrupted sleep but it is getting better. The headaches and head pressure are almost gone.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I caught Covid while travelling through an airport in February of 2023
- Says they never had: Anxiety & low mood
I do not have anxiety but the amitriptyline really helped with the head pressure.
Read from 323 of their posts and comments; links to the 74 this page draws on
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Summary
Trail 92105 caught COVID in January 2023 and developed neurological long COVID: head pressure and headaches, head buzzing and some ear ringing, loss of taste and smell, and severe insomnia. Supplements gave mixed results; antihistamines did not help and dried their eyes; most sleep drugs caused grogginess, though Ambien helped; Paxlovid did nothing and nicotine patches helped head pressure slightly. Amitriptyline did not help, and low-dose naltrexone worsened symptoms.
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What they tried
What they credit
LDN· Helped a lot · mainlactoferrin and colostrum· Helped a lotthiamine (B1)· Helpedmelatonin· HelpedGABA· Helpedliquid cod liver oil and a 3-6-9 blend· Helpedlipoflavonoids· Helpedmagnesium· HelpedB complex· Helpedniacin (B3)· Helpedsulbutiamine· Helpediron supplement· Helpedacetyl-l-carnitine· Helped
Also tried
trazodone· Helpedmeclizine· Helpedmirtazapine· HelpedAmbien (zolpidem)· Helpedl-theanine· Helpedcholine & inositol· Helpedvitamin B5· Helpedgingko biloba· Helpedcold water immersion· Helpedcranial sacral massage· Helpedomeprazole· Helpedamoxicillin· HelpedPEA· Helpedglycine· Helpedtryptophan· Helpedred light therapy device· Helpedprobiotics (LGG/Culturelle, Bifidobacterium longum/Align)· HelpedPQQ· HelpedEpsom salt (magnesium) baths· Helpedmorning sunlight· HelpedAllermi nasal spray· Helpedice packs and cold packs· Helpedcold, dark, quiet room· Helpedpunctal plugs· Helpedprednisone· No changeCBD oil· No changeH1 antihistamines (Allegra, Zyrtec, levocetirizine, Benadryl)· No changeH1 antihistamines (Allegra, Zyrtec, levocetirizine, Benadryl)· No changeH1 antihistamines (Allegra, Zyrtec, levocetirizine, Benadryl)· No changeH1 antihistamines (Allegra, Zyrtec, levocetirizine, Benadryl)· No changefamotidine· No changeB12· No changeramelteon· No changeluteolin· No changequercetin· No changeastaxanthin· No changeaspirin· No changel-lysine· No changeotovent· No changePaxlovid· No changeCoQ10· No changebenfotiamine· Worsegabapentin· Worsemolnupiravir· Worsenicotine patches· Worseinfrared sauna· Worseblack seed oil· Worselevocetirizine· Not saidnattokinase· Not saidserrapeptase· Not said5-HTP· Not saidMetronidazole (Flagyl)· Not saidAmitriptyline (Elavil)· Not saidIsotretinoin (Accutane)· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- thiamine (B1) · Helped
I have been taking high doses of thiamine since May, 2022. I think it really helps with long covid neuro symptoms
In context ↗ - benfotiamine · Worse
I do not do well with benfotiamine. It makes my headaches worse than they already are
In context ↗ - melatonin · Helped
2.5 mg. melatonin helps. Lower doses of melatonin are more effective than higher ones
In context ↗ - GABA · Helped
Sometimes I take GABA (not gabapentin) in the afternoon and it has a mild calming effect with no drugginess or grogginess
In context ↗ - liquid cod liver oil and a 3-6-9 blend · Helped
After 3 weeks my dry eyes resolved 90%
In context ↗ - lipoflavonoids · Helped
These are the things that have helped me: ... anti-inflammatories such as lipoflavonoids
In context ↗ - gabapentin · Worse
Things that did not help me or worsened the symptoms: gabapentin
In context ↗ - trazodone · Helped
I cut it into 1/4s so I am taking 12.5 mg nightly. It seems to be helping me
In context ↗ - prednisone · No change
What has not helped me: gabapentin, amitriptyline, trazodone, ramelteon, LDN and prednisone
In context ↗ - CBD oil · No change
I should also say that I tried lavender and CBD oil and they did nothing for my sleep
In context ↗ - LDN · Helped a lot
I started taking 0.5 mg. of LDN two weeks ago. All of my symptoms improved dramatically
In context ↗ - H1 antihistamines (Allegra, Zyrtec, levocetirizine, Benadryl) · No change
I have tried all of the antihistamines-both H1 and H2 blockers ... None of the antihistamines have helped me
In context ↗ - meclizine · Helped
Early on I did try meclizine and it alleviated the dizziness in about 2 hours
In context ↗ - famotidine · No change
I have tried all of the antihistamines-both H1 and H2 blockers
In context ↗ - B12 · No change
I have been taking B12 for months and I still have long covid symptoms
In context ↗ - mirtazapine · Helped
Mirtazapine helps me as well. I don't take it every day and only take a tiny amount
In context ↗ - Ambien (zolpidem) · Helped
The only one that worked without side effects was ambien
In context ↗ - l-theanine · Helped
These help as well as the prescriptions
In context ↗ - B complex · Helped
I take B1 HCl (1,000-1,500 mg. per day), magnesium glycinate, B2, B3, B12, and a super B complex. These are helping the most
In context ↗ - niacin (B3) · Helped
Vitamin b3. This is flush niacin and I take 50 mg. and get a mild flush at this level
In context ↗ - luteolin · No change
I went through a whole bottle (Swanson). It did not help me
In context ↗ - quercetin · No change
including NSAIDS, luteolin, quercetin, vit. C & bioflavonoids, gingko bilboa and astaxanthin. None of them helped
In context ↗ - gingko biloba · Helped
Gingko biloba and citrus bioflavonoids help but it takes time
In context ↗ - astaxanthin · No change
gingko bilboa and astaxanthin. None of them helped
In context ↗ - lactoferrin and colostrum · Helped a lot
I have tried many supplements and I have to say lactoferrin had the most profound effects
In context ↗ - levocetirizine · Not said
What I am taking right now but too early to tell: levocetirizine
In context ↗ - aspirin · No change
I have tried aspirin, ibuprofen, and acetaminophen for head pressure and nothing helped
In context ↗ - nattokinase · Not said
I do like the nattokinase
In context ↗ - serrapeptase · Not said
What I am taking right now but too early to tell: levocetirizine, 81 mg. aspirin, nattokinase, serrapeptase
In context ↗ - molnupiravir · Worse
I developed severe headaches and diarrhea that subsided 48 hours after I stopped the drug
In context ↗ - nicotine patches · Worse
I tried nicotine patches twice and the heart palpitations kept me up at night. I stopped the patches
In context ↗ - l-lysine · No change
I take 500 mg. per day of l-lysine. So far no effects one way or another
In context ↗ - sulbutiamine · Helped
The sulbutiamine seemed to help with the head pressure
In context ↗ - cold water immersion · Helped
I have tried cold water immersion and it does help
In context ↗ - infrared sauna · Worse
I was in for 20 minutes and started to get dizzy
In context ↗ - otovent · No change
It does open up your Eustachian tubes but it did nothing to help my head pressure
In context ↗ - cranial sacral massage · Helped
I have also found that cranial sacral massage is helping
In context ↗ - omeprazole · Helped
I have been taking it for years (20 mg. per day) and it's the only thing that relieves my acid reflux
In context ↗ - amoxicillin · Helped
I had some amoxicillin on hand from a previous tooth infection and started taking it. The pain went away within 24 hours
In context ↗ - PEA · Helped
It calms glial and mast cells and is an analgesic
In context ↗ - 5-HTP · Not said
I have not noticed any benefits yet but I will keep taking it as I have not had any adverse effects from it
In context ↗ - glycine · Helped
This is what I have been taking one hour before bedtime
In context ↗ - tryptophan · Helped
This is what I am trying now and it is effective
In context ↗ - red light therapy device · Helped
I have been using it for about 7 days and I think it is helping
In context ↗ - Paxlovid · No change
I took Paxlovid exactly as prescribed and it did nothing for me. No side effects and no improvement
In context ↗ - iron supplement · Helped
I take lactoferrin every day and a 25 mg. iron supplement every other day. It's helping
In context ↗ - probiotics (LGG/Culturelle, Bifidobacterium longum/Align) · Helped
I also take probiotics but I don't know if they are helping-they don't hurt
In context ↗ - PQQ · Helped
PQQ for head pressure
In context ↗ - CoQ10 · No change
I have taken CoQ10 in the past and it had no effect-positive or negative
In context ↗ - black seed oil · Worse
I bought a liquid version and I really cannot take the taste
In context ↗ - Epsom salt (magnesium) baths · Helped
One thing that has helped me are magnesium baths. They help me sleep
In context ↗ - morning sunlight · Helped
I also take a short 15 minute walk in the morning in the sunlight (no sunglasses) to regulate my sleep/wake cycle
In context ↗ - acetyl-l-carnitine · Helped
the supplements they list that I think have been beneficial to me are ... acetyl-l-carnitine
In context ↗ - Allermi nasal spray · Helped
I have been using this for about a week and has stopped my dependance on oxymetazoline
In context ↗ - ice packs and cold packs · Helped
ice packs on the base of my skull when it gets really bad
In context ↗ - cold, dark, quiet room · Helped
What is helping me now is sleeping in a cold, completely dark, quiet room
In context ↗ - punctal plugs · Helped
Punctal plugs from my ophthalmologist help preserve the tears in my eyes
In context ↗ - Metronidazole (Flagyl) · Not said
I had the unfortunate expereince of being poisoned by an antibiotic, metronidazole, in February, 2022. I had neurotoxic symtpoms (dizziness, head pressure, ear pressure, and numbness around my mouth and in my hands).
In context ↗ - Amitriptyline (Elavil) · Not said
It helped a little with my sleep but made my eyes very dry.
In context ↗ - Isotretinoin (Accutane) · Not said
I took it many years ago. It dries out oil glands. Now I have extremely dry eyes that nothing can fix.
In context ↗
Approaches: Amino acids and carnitine · Supplements
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2023 | long COVID after positive COVID testThen in January, 2023 I tested positive for covid and added insomnia, headaches and lack of taste and smell to my list of symptoms.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| mid 2023 | dizziness subsided, could drive againDizziness subsided after 6 months (I was not able to drive a car with the dizziness).In context ↗ | Mild | |
| mid 2023 | GI symptoms and head pressure calmedI took it for about a week and my IBS-D calmed down and my head pressure calmed down.In context ↗ | Mild | Lactoferrin and colostrum |
| March 2024 | head pressure relieved by amitriptylinemy head pressure went away which I did not anticipateIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| September 2024 | headaches returned after tapering amitriptylineI tried tapering off last week but the headaches/head pressure came back.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| August 2025 | headaches gone after six months of amitriptyline, then tapered offToday I just realized that I have not had a headache at all for the last two months.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| April 2026 | LDN started, all symptoms improved within daysAll of my symptoms improved dramatically. I started noticing improvement after 3 days.In context ↗ | Mild | Low-dose naltrexone |
| October 2026 | head pressure, tinnitus and sleep better on LDN, weather flare-ups remainIt has helped with head pressure, tinnitus and ear pressure. I still get flare-ups when the weather changes but the overall direction has been positive.In context ↗ | Mild | Low-dose naltrexone |
Adverse events
- Metronidazole (Flagyl)“I had the unfortunate expereince of being poisoned by an antibiotic, metronidazole, in February, 2022. I had neurotoxic symtpoms (dizziness, head pressure, ear pressure, and numbness around my mouth and in my hands).” In context ↗ Side effects
- Metronidazole (Flagyl)“The worst was chronic extreme dizziness, nausea and lack of appetite. I could not drive for several months and lost a lot of weight.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Molnupiravir (Lagevrio)“I tried molnupiravir a couple of days after I tested positive for COVID in January, 2023 and I developed severe headaches and diarrhea that subsided 48 hours after I stopped the drug.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Low-dose naltrexone“I tried LDN for 2 weeks at a very low dose and it made my symptoms worse.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Low-dose naltrexone“I then decided to increase to 2.0 mg. It was too much and resulted in nausea and increased headaches.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Low-dose naltrexone“Taking it at night gave me insomnia.” In context ↗ Insomnia from treatment
- Trazodone (Desyrel)“It made me very groggy and feeling druggy the next day.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Trazodone (Desyrel)“Trazodone just hits me the wrong way. It makes me groggy for 24 hours after I take it but does not help me sleep.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Amitriptyline (Elavil)“It helped a little with my sleep but made my eyes very dry.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Mirtazapine (Remeron)“I also tried mirtazapine at 7.5 mg. and it made me very woozy and dizzy all the next day. It really did not improve my sleep.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Fexofenadine (Allegra), Cetirizine (Zyrtec), Levocetirizine (Xyzal), Diphenhydramine (Benadryl), Meclizine (Bonine, Antivert)“However, I have noticed that when I try any of the antihistamines to treat long covid my dry eyes come back.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Meclizine (Bonine, Antivert)“The worst side effects for me are dry eyes and dry mouth.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Nicotine patches“I tried patches twice and both times experienced heart palpitations that disturbed my sleep. I won't be using them.” In context ↗ Heart rhythm problems
- Hyperthermia and sauna“I was in for 20 minutes and started to get dizzy.” In context ↗ Other
- Lactoferrin and colostrum“However, I went from mild IBC-D to constipation.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
- Thiamine / benfotiamine“For me, for some reason I do not do well with benfotiamine. It makes my headaches worse than they already are.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Zolpidem (Ambien)“I took Ambien once at 2:00 AM and I was groggy for most of the next day.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Isotretinoin (Accutane)“I took it many years ago. It dries out oil glands. Now I have extremely dry eyes that nothing can fix.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Nattokinase, Serrapeptase“I just found that taking natto-serra with at least 6 oz. of water eliminated the nausea.” In context ↗ Gut side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Brain fogGut problemsLoss of smell or tasteNeuropathy & tinglingPOTS & dysautonomiaSleep problemsTemperature regulationTinnitus
Their words about their symptoms
- Sleep problems
I still have insomnia but it is getting better.
In context ↗ - Tinnitus
My tinnitus is still here.
In context ↗ - Loss of smell or taste
It is helping with my taste and smell.
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
I think the B1 is helping with the numbness as well as the head pressure.
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
Dizziness subsided after 6 months (I was not able to drive a car with the dizziness).
In context ↗ - Brain fog
my headaches and brain fog were getting better
In context ↗ - Gut problems
I have chronic constipation with long covid.
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
Heat intolerance is my problem as well.
In context ↗
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