Long COVID symptoms for 18 months, now recovered after rest and low-histamine diet
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 18 months
- Last post
- May 2022
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
Cardiologist clinically diagnosed me with long COVID based on presentation.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I would say I've gone from 40% in August-September to 75% October to 90-95% December-January.
In context ↗ - Now: Recovered
I'm at the point where long COVID does not have any influence on how I live my life. ... But I am recovered.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
Got sick mid-July, tested negative but had typical symptoms
In context ↗
Read from 41 of their posts and comments; links to the 13 this page draws on
Summary
A previously fit man in his mid-30s fell ill in July 2020 and was ill about 18 months with long COVID: pericarditis, tachycardia, chest pain, dysautonomia, insomnia and anxiety. Rest, a low-histamine diet, electrolytes, antihistamines, CBD, niacin and slowly rebuilt exercise helped, but a second Moderna shot in April 2021 set him back six months and re-triggered pericarditis. By May 2022 he worked 50+ hours a week and trained again.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- CBD oil (60:1 CBD:THC tincture) · Helped
CBD. 50 mg in the morning, 50 mg at night.
In context ↗ - THC edible · Worse
the one time I've tried actual THC (2.5mg edible) it did NOT go well
In context ↗ - Electrolytes (low-sugar Gatorade/G2, Nuun sport tablets) · Helped
The things that helped were electrolytes before bed (low sugar G2 or nuun tablets)
In context ↗ - Melatonin · Helped
The things that helped were electrolytes before bed (low sugar G2 or nuun tablets), 30-40 mg CBD, and 3 mg melatonin.
In context ↗ - Gradually increasing exercise (walks, yoga, weights) · Helped
Consistently doing as much exercise as I could handle. For many months this was just slow walks.
In context ↗ - Colchicine · Helped
Colchicine + high dose NSAIDs relieved major symptoms within a couple of days.
In context ↗ - Omeprazole · Helped
Prescription-strength omeprazole during bad GI days (40 mg 2x daily). Both helped with their limited purpose.
In context ↗ - Vitamin D · Not said
Stuff I was already taking: Vit D 4,000 iu
In context ↗ - Famotidine (Pepcid) · Helped
Antihistamines (H1 and H2, famotidine and zyrtec) when my symptoms were at their worst
In context ↗ - Multivitamin · Not said
Stuff I was already taking: Vit D 4,000 iu; famotidine (pepcid) 20 mg; multivitamin; melatonin 3 mg.
In context ↗ - Niacin (flush) · Helped
I take 250 mg niacin (full flush) 1x daily around lunch.
In context ↗ - Zantac · Not said
Stuff I started taking in last six weeks: Niacin 250 mg; Zantac 10 mg; Quercetin 500 mg.
In context ↗ - Low histamine diet · Helped
Low histamine diet; Niacin; low sugar electrolytes in AM and before bed
In context ↗ - rest · Helped
walking to release cortisol; rest; time.
In context ↗ - time · Helped
But it seems the best healer is time.
In context ↗ - IF/16:8 · Not said
I have been doing IF/16:8 for years.
In context ↗ - Baby aspirin · Helped
Others (including me) find relief with electrolytes and baby aspirin.
In context ↗ - Low inflammatory diet, no alcohol, almost zero sugar · Helped
Low inflammatory diet, no alcohol, almost zero sugar
In context ↗ - Pre-/probiotics and fermented foods · Helped
Pre-/probiotics and fermented foods to rebuild gut microbiota after I started to feel better
In context ↗ - Meditation and breathing exercises · Helped
Meditation, breathing exercises (especially before bed), and cold showers to improve parasympathetic nervous system function
In context ↗ - COVID vaccination as treatment · Worse
the second shot in early April set me back and I have not recovered to my pre-vax baseline
In context ↗
Approaches: H1 antihistamines · H2 blockers · POTS medication · Alternative therapies · Diet · Mind-body practices · Pacing · Physiotherapy and rehab · 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. The chart starts 2 months 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 | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2020 | COVID-19 infection; sick for 10 days, felt 100% better for about a week, then worsenedGot sick mid-July, tested negative but had typical symptomsIn context ↗ | Not stated | |
| August-September 2020 | worst stretch: about 40% of normal, four ER trips, cardiology workups, panic and anxietyI would say I've gone from 40% in August-September to 75% October to 90-95% December-January.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| October 2020 | gradual improvement to about 75% of normal | Mild | |
| December 2020 - January 2021 | 90-95% of normal; working from home 8-10 hours a day and jogging short blocks with HR under 140I am able to work from home 8-10 hours a day with a couple of breaks mixed in, and able to jog a couple of blocks at a timeIn context ↗ | Near normal | Time and spontaneous remission |
| April 2021 | crashed after second Moderna shot; re-triggered pericarditis and lost about six months of recoverysecond shot set me back six months in my LC recovery and triggered a fresh bout of pericarditisIn context ↗ | Mild | |
| November 2021 | started feeling better again after the vaccine setbackI started feeling better (again) in November 2021.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| May 2022 | full recovery: working 50+ hours a week, heavy weightlifting, running, drinking alcohol, normal dietI'm at the point where long COVID does not have any influence on how I live my life.In context ↗ | Recovered |
Adverse events
- Cannabis (THC, marijuana)“even that small amount of THC seemed to trigger my heart rate, arrhythmia, and shortness of breath” In context ↗ Heart rhythm problems
- Cannabis (THC, marijuana)“THC beyond trace amounts in CBD products (1 mg max) really exacerbated my heart palpitations and didn't help with my anxiety” In context ↗ Heart rhythm problems
- COVID vaccination as treatment“the second shot in early April set me back and I have not recovered to my pre-vax baseline” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- COVID vaccination as treatment“second shot set me back six months in my LC recovery and triggered a fresh bout of pericarditis” In context ↗ Autoimmune or inflammatory flare
- Graded rehab and self-made programmes“There were many times where I pushed it too far and collapsed afterward with a sustained high heart rate, dizziness, disorientation, chest pain” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
But if I cross into the 130s for more than a few seconds I get pretty bad PEM.
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
dysautonomia which manifested in high heart rate, SOB, and extreme sensitivity to exertion
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I had insomnia earlier in the experience.
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
muscle soreness
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
SOB, chest tightness/pain, headache
In context ↗ - Gut problems
diarrhea throughout
In context ↗ - Light & noise sensitivity
sensitivity to sound
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
For me the chest pain and shortness of breath caused anxiety
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
Really bad tachycardia, stabbing chest pain
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
a *lot* of panic and anxiety in between
In context ↗
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