Long COVID
Severe → much betterIll 18 months before improving or writing
Housebound with long COVID, now working and driving again after time and gradual steps
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Severe (mostly bedbound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 18 months
- Last post
- Jun 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I developed long covid in 2020.
In context ↗ - At worst: Severe
a year and a half- two years ago I was practically bed bound. a year ago I was completely house bound.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
I am grateful that many of my issues are better. I was once basically bed bound ... But it does sick that in no way am i living a normal life.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I had covid December 20th.
Read from 115 of their posts and comments; links to the 36 this page draws on
Summary
Comet 96095 caught COVID in December 2020 and was normal for two months, then had panic attacks, brain fog, dizziness and POTS that left him housebound, unable to drive and medically retired. He credits time, about a year and a half, and slowly building up to 10,000 steps; supplements and propranolol did nothing. A January 2022 reinfection put him back to square one. He works and drives again; heat rash and blood pooling remain.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
keeping a strict schedule· Helpedfunctional neurologist· Helpedintermittent fasting (16/8)· Helpedbooks about death and dying· Helpedchanging his diet· No changepropranolol· No changeflu shot· No changebreathing exercises· No changemagnesium· No changenicotine pouches and patches· No changeantihistamines (Zyrtec, fexofenadine)· No changeantihistamines (Zyrtec, fexofenadine)· No changecompression socks and a gallon of water a day· No changecompression socks and a gallon of water a day· No changeZoloft· Worsevitamin D· Not saidsun exposure in short increments· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- keeping a strict schedule · Helped
My mom and wife basically forced me to keep a strict schedule like a normal person again and it’s made a huge difference
In context ↗ - Zoloft · Worse
Made my panic attacks worst so I stopped taking them before it could start doing anything useful.
In context ↗ - changing his diet · No change
I have literally tried all the diets over the last year and nothing has changed.
In context ↗ - propranolol · No change
It does absolutely nothing that I can tell.
In context ↗ - flu shot · No change
I got the flu shot. Saw no difference whatsoever
In context ↗ - vitamin D · Not said
two months ago I found out my vitamin d was extremely low and have been supplementing since.
In context ↗ - functional neurologist · Helped
My functional neurologist has been much more helpful then my actual neurologist.
In context ↗ - intermittent fasting (16/8) · Helped
I’ve noticed it helps hr stuff at night time
In context ↗ - breathing exercises · No change
no breathing exercise can cut through this epinephrine dump
In context ↗ - books about death and dying · Helped
they are both great books, and both helped me sort of come to terms with the idea of dying
In context ↗ - antibiotics for strep · Helped a lot
took antibiotics for a week and my longhaul has drastically improved since
In context ↗ - magnesium · No change
but I don’t really notice much from it besides the fact that my magnesium is normal now
In context ↗ - gradually increasing steps · Helped
First i decided to try and get 300 steps an hour, then 400 steps an hour etc.
In context ↗ - sun exposure in short increments · Not said
I still do sun exposure. I just do it in 5 minute increments throughout the day
In context ↗ - nicotine pouches and patches · No change
I personally obviously don’t find any positive longhauler benefits to nicotine
In context ↗ - antihistamines (Zyrtec, fexofenadine) · No change
I did take many antihistamines for a pretty long time and they literally did nothing.
In context ↗ - compression socks and a gallon of water a day · No change
I drink a gallon of water a day ... I wear compression socks etc but it does nothing.
- time · Helped a lot
And yeah I really think it was just time.
In context ↗
Approaches: Antibiotics · Physiotherapy and rehab
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 2020 | COVID-19 infection, sick for about two weeks then back to normalI had covid last December. I woke up and immediately knew I have COVID.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| February 2021 | Long haul began: dizzy spell and first panic attack at Disney, then daily panic attacks and brain foggot dizzy and immediately went into a full blown panic attack. I’d never experienced anything like it.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2021 | Housebound for most of 2021, on medical hold from the navy, unable to driveall of 2021 I was an absolute wreck. Never left the house, couldn't drive at all, couldn't walk around any stores.In context ↗ | Severe | |
| September 2021 | POTS symptoms substantially better, sweating returnedPOTS issues have been substantially better the past few weeksIn context ↗ | Moderate | |
| January 2022 | Omicron reinfection sent him back to square oneI can’t even get off the couch because my hr is so unstable.In context ↗ | Severe | |
| February 2022 | Turned a corner after strep throat and antibioticsI’ve been much better after I got strep.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| December 2022 | Slowly better, not as far as he wantedI'm better than I was. Not as good as I would like to be lolIn context ↗ | Moderate | |
| January 2023 | Built up activity with a treadmill and daily walking to 9,000 stepsI now am up to 9,000 steps a day and do light weight exercises everyday and push-ups and situps.In context ↗ | Mild | Graded rehab and self-made programmes |
| March 2023 | Able to bowl with family for three hourstoday I was able to bowl with my family for three hours. feels good being able to do normal things againIn context ↗ | Mild | Graded rehab and self-made programmes |
| April 2024 | Driving, walking 10,000 steps, working again but keeping a wheelchair for long outingsI drive again, I don't get dizzy anymore unless I really overdo it. I get 10,000 steps a day and workout, and I am back working a different job.In context ↗ | Mild | Graded rehab and self-made programmes |
| June 2026 | Life mostly normal but heat-triggered rash, blood pooling and inability to sweat remainMy life would be completely normal if my blood vessels worked correctly. But they dont at all whatsoever.In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Sertraline (Zoloft)“They tried putting me on Zoloft but the panic attacks got so much worst” In context ↗ Mood or psychiatric effects
- Propranolol (Inderal)“I have taken it every day for like three months now, I honestly don’t see it do anything except at night my hr goes super low” In context ↗ Heart rhythm problems
- Flu vaccine“I was actually back to feeling normal again back in late March until after I got the regular flu vaccine and I’ve been all fucked up again ever since.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Vitamin D and sun exposure“I just do it in 5 minute increments throughout the day so I don't break out in hives.” In context ↗ Allergic reaction / anaphylaxis
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogHeadaches & migraineHeart symptoms & palpitationsLoss of smell or tasteMast cell (MCAS) & allergiesNeuropathy & tinglingPOTS & dysautonomiaPain & fibromyalgiaPost-exertional malaiseTemperature regulation
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
Basically if it was too much I would feel like absolute shit the next day
In context ↗ - Brain fog
my brain fog has gotten substantially better over the last month
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
My pots issues are much much better than they were, but some things still set it off.
In context ↗ - Mast cell (MCAS) & allergies
If I go outside and it's hot I get what looks like hives on my chest, feet, hands, and upper arms
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
Now I’m back to terrible terrible dizziness, pain all over my body, tired
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
My current issues are daily headaches that are pretty bad and in and off
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
Now u usually get them everyday.
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
My hands and feet are bright red and my vessels are maxxxed out and painful, tingly.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I have like crippling anxiety now that I’ve never had before.
In context ↗ - Loss of smell or taste
Yeah, I lost smell and taste and felt like shit for Two weeks
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
Another issue is heat intolerance.
In context ↗
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