Long COVID
Moderate → near normalIll 2 years before improving or writingNeeds ongoing treatment
Long COVID, barely able to do anything, nearly back to normal after time and rest
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 2 years
- Last post
- Sep 2026
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
long-hauling since March 2020
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
it’s taken me around 9 months to get back to a semi-normal state where I feel like I can work again and function at a reasonably high cognitive level
In context ↗ - Now: Near normal
Six years out, I still need to watch my energy budget, but nothing like the first year.
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
caught it in March 2020
Read from 131 of their posts and comments; links to the 57 this page draws on
- Jun 2021
- Jan 2021
- Sep 2026
- Sep 2020
- Feb 2022
- Aug 2021
- Mar 2021
- Sep 2020
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- Jan 2022
- Dec 2022
- Nov 2020
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- Oct 2020
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- Jun 2021
Summary
Rain 52033 caught COVID-19 in March 2020 and could do very little for about five months, with dizziness, nerve pain, breathlessness, gut trouble and brain fog. They credit time, rest, sleep, nutrition and gentle walking, plus smaller gains from famotidine, thiamine, magnesium and probiotics. They were near normal by 17 months and say they are no longer a long hauler, though six years out they still watch their energy budget.
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What they tried
What they credit
mega-probiotic (Swanson Epic Pro) and fermented milk· Helped a lottime· Helped a lot · mainrest and pacing· Helped · mainmoderately paced walks· Helpedseverely curtailed diet (plain food, no dairy)· Helpedlow-histamine diet· Helpedmagnesium, zinc and calcium supplements· Helpedmagnesium, zinc and calcium supplements· Helpedmagnesium, zinc and calcium supplements· Helped
Also tried
lymphatic massage techniques· Helped · wore offprednisone· Helped · wore offsaline sinus rinses and sprays· Helpedloratadine (Claritin)· Helpedfamotidine (Pepcid)· HelpedVentolin (albuterol) inhaler· Helpedsinging, humming and diaphragm strengthening exercises· HelpedTiger Balm liniment· Helpedmelatonin· Helpedcod-liver oil / fish oil· Helpedsimeticone· Helpedsleep mask, earplugs and noise-cancelling headphones· Helpedeye patch· Helpedelectric massager pillow· HelpedModerna vaccine· Helped · wore offCoQ10· Helpedantibiotics (doxycycline)· Helpedsalt and hydration· Helpedcold water dousing· Helpedvitamin B1 (thiamine)· Helpeddiluted lime juice· HelpedEpley maneuver· Helpedvitamin D· WorseB complex vitamins· Not saidoregano oil· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- rest and pacing · Helped
the only real relief I've found is to rest a lot (an hours' rest for every hour of exertion)
In context ↗ - moderately paced walks · Helped
I credit singing and walking an hour every day (not briskly).
In context ↗ - severely curtailed diet (plain food, no dairy) · Helped
a severely curtailed diet (plain food, no dairy)
In context ↗ - low-histamine diet · Helped
The pairing of these two really works for me as well, especially when combined with a low-histamine diet.
In context ↗ - lymphatic massage techniques · Helped
Various lymphatic massage techniques shown on YouTube seem to offer temporary relief
In context ↗ - prednisone · Helped
I took a 5-day course of prednisone a couple of months ago and it helped somewhat there and then (though with its own set of uncomfortable side effects)
In context ↗ - saline sinus rinses and sprays · Helped
My vision problems were actually improved by flushing my sinuses with high-powered saline nose spray
In context ↗ - loratadine (Claritin) · Helped
I use Claritin and Pepcid against brain fog and malaise
In context ↗ - famotidine (Pepcid) · Helped
I feel like this has helped a great deal. I went off it for a couple of days and instantly felt miserable.
In context ↗ - magnesium, zinc and calcium supplements · Helped
magnesium supplements (300 mg per day). Feels like they’ve helped me
In context ↗ - vitamin D · Worse
I cut down on vitamin D and definitely experienced reduced joint pain.
In context ↗ - B complex vitamins · Not said
taking fish oil and B complex vitamins
In context ↗ - Ventolin (albuterol) inhaler · Helped
I also used a couple of Ventolin inhalations every day to widen my bronchi
In context ↗ - singing, humming and diaphragm strengthening exercises · Helped
Singing and humming, diaphragm strengthening exercises
In context ↗ - Tiger Balm liniment · Helped
Using a soothing liniment like Tiger Balm 2-3 times a day has really helped me as well.
In context ↗ - melatonin · Helped
I took 1 mg of melatonin every night for a couple of weeks, which fixed me up.
In context ↗ - cod-liver oil / fish oil · Helped
I started taking a spoonful every day and it does seem to have a beneficial effect
In context ↗ - mega-probiotic (Swanson Epic Pro) and fermented milk · Helped a lot
I found on balance that I felt much better with probiotics than without.
In context ↗ - simeticone · Helped
I also had some luck with simeticone
In context ↗ - sleep mask, earplugs and noise-cancelling headphones · Helped
Sleep masks and ear plugs are a longhauler’s best friend!
In context ↗ - eye patch · Helped
covering my “bad” eye with a patch. Seems like my headaches have dropped drastically after doing so.
In context ↗ - electric massager pillow · Helped
An electric massager pillow has really helped.
In context ↗ - Moderna vaccine · Helped
I was finally was able to receive the first shot of Moderna two days ago
In context ↗ - CoQ10 · Helped
Started taking 100 mg a day and saw quite surprising improvements in sinus congestion and migraines within a couple of days.
In context ↗ - antibiotics (doxycycline) · Helped
I’m actually taking antibiotics (very reluctantly) now to see whether it might help
In context ↗ - salt and hydration · Helped
upped my salt intake, hydrated properly
In context ↗ - cold water dousing · Helped
One workaround has been dousing my head in cold water toward the end. That seems to help.
In context ↗ - oregano oil · Not said
which I’m trying to treat with oregano oil and probiotics
In context ↗ - vitamin B1 (thiamine) · Helped
Nothing has been as effective against long-haul neuropathy as vitamin B1 in my case.
In context ↗ - diluted lime juice · Helped
Fixed me right up, digestion-wise, after months of probiotics
In context ↗ - Epley maneuver · Helped
Learning to perform the Epley maneuver (used to treat benign paroxysmal positional vertigo) seemed like it helped a bit
In context ↗ - time · Helped a lot
Ultimately, time seemed to be the major factor in recovering.
In context ↗
Approaches: Diet · Exercise and activity · Pacing · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| March 2020 | COVID-19 infection; could do very little for monthsI got it in March 2020, couldn’t do very much from March until August 2020In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| spring–summer 2020 (months 2-4) | worst stretch: too dizzy to watch TV, dropping thingsI couldn’t watch TV for a few months because I’d get so dizzy.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| July 2020 | in pretty good shape by JulyI was actually in pretty good shape by JulyIn context ↗ | Mild | Time and spontaneous remission |
| August–fall 2020 | possible re-exposure, vacillating between 50-85 percentmay have been re-exposed in August, then vacillating between 50-85 percent through the fallIn context ↗ | Moderate | |
| November 2020 | able to walk 10,000 steps and work againYesterday I walked more than 10,000 steps and didn’t feel weird or “off” after, as I know I would have even a month ago.In context ↗ | Mild | Time and spontaneous remission |
| January 2021 | feeling better than in months on famotidineI’ve been taking 10 mg famotidine daily for a week and feel better than in months.In context ↗ | Mild | Famotidine (Pepcid) |
| May 2021 | relapse after tripping on an electric scooterI tripped on an electric scooter and had a relapse.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| September 2021 | insomnia and night sweats returned after second Moderna doseThis happening to me again after 18 months—the only thing that’s changed is that I got the second dose of Moderna 10 days ago.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| October 2021 | working full weeks and cycling; B1 breakthroughI did have what felt like a minor breakthrough with vitamin B1 and magnesium a week agoIn context ↗ | Mild | Thiamine / benfotiamine |
| January 2022 | writing, reading and memory coming backcouldn’t write or read much for a year, and these past 10 months have seen improvements by leaps and boundsIn context ↗ | Near normal | Time and spontaneous remission |
| July 2022 | able to go about their day, migraines and exercise limits remaintwo years out and I’m able to go about my day more or less as neededIn context ↗ | Near normal | Time and spontaneous remission |
| August 2023 | feeling right as rain, no longer a long haulerI’m feeling right as rain these days. ... I am no longer a Covid long hauler.In context ↗ | Near normal | Time and spontaneous remission |
| September 2026 | still budgeting energy, much better than the first yearSix years out, I still need to watch my energy budget, but nothing like the first year.In context ↗ | Near normal |
Adverse events
- Corticosteroid pulses“I took a 5-day course of prednisone a couple of months ago and it helped somewhat there and then (though with its own set of uncomfortable side effects)” In context ↗ Side effects
- “I never needed it pre-covid either; it gave me palpitations and tachycardia whenever I used it” In context ↗ Heart rhythm problems
- Melatonin“It was nice being able to quit the melatonin, though, because it left me feeling quite sleepy in the daytime” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“Felt quite icky and flu-like for about 12 hours after” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“It came back for a couple of hours right after my first Moderna shot” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- CoQ10 / ubiquinol“I also realized that some supplements like CoQ-10 were driving my insomnia” In context ↗ Insomnia from treatment
- COVID vaccination as treatment“This happening to me again after 18 months—the only thing that’s changed is that I got the second dose of Moderna 10 days ago.” In context ↗ Insomnia from treatment
- Vitamin D and sun exposure“I cut down on vitamin D and definitely experienced reduced joint pain.” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“(I didn’t get the third booster shot because of the neurological effects of the second in particular.)” In context ↗ Other
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogBreathlessnessGut problemsHeadaches & migraineHeart symptoms & palpitationsLight & noise sensitivityNeuropathy & tinglingPOTS & dysautonomiaPain & fibromyalgiaPost-exertional malaiseSleep problemsTemperature regulationVision problems
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
Relapsing upon exertion.
In context ↗ - Brain fog
Still dealing with the occasional bout of brain fog and shortness of breath, and my energy isn’t quite what it used to be
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
I was dizzy for a long time. 18 months now and rarely dizzy, at least not in any debilitating way.
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
My joints and muscles have been so badly affected by covid-19 and post-covid
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
Only remaining long-haul symptom is right-sided migraines after strenuous cognitive work.
In context ↗ - Gut problems
Had a lot of GI issues
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
after 9 months of on and off breathing issues
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
I had lots of heart-related trouble (racing at the slightest exertion, high blood pressure)
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
I had nerve pain back in June and July (legs and arms), but it’s basically completely gone now
In context ↗ - Vision problems
My right eye is definitely blurry after covid.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I’m treating it with 2 mg of melatonin per night. I’m also experiencing night sweats.
In context ↗ - Light & noise sensitivity
I couldn't listen to music for like 6 months nor (episodically) watch movies comfortably for about 6-8 months.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
dizzy, anxious, exhausted, racing heart, lots of other post-covid symptoms
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
I’m also experiencing night sweats.
In context ↗
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