Nerve pain and panic attacks with long COVID, now somewhat better on pregabalin
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- over a year
- Last post
- Sep 2022
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I got long haul from the vax.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
It was debilitating so I didn't have many options.
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
I've been taking 225mgs of Lyrica since February and I was feeling a lot better.
In context ↗ - Began after: a vaccination
I got long haul from the vax.
In context ↗
Read from 22 of their posts and comments; links to the 16 this page draws on
Summary
Breeze 55981 developed long COVID after vaccination, with debilitating nerve pain in the shoulders, arms, hands, feet and chest, plus panic attacks. Gabapentin helped, and pregabalin (Lyrica) later cut nerve and chest pain by about 90%. A January 2022 booster brought symptoms back, while a May 2022 COVID infection gave a week or two of relief before they returned. They stayed on pregabalin, which caused 20 lb weight gain and fluid retention.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Gabapentin · Helped
Gabapentin has been the only thing that has helped me.
In context ↗ - Spinal steroid shots · Not said
I was treated with gabapentin and spinal steroid shots for 9 months.
In context ↗ - Oxycodone · No change
I tried everything in the beginning and nothing helped, not even oxycodone.
In context ↗ - TENS machine · Helped
in the beginning a TENS machine helped a ton!
In context ↗ - Cutting out caffeine · Helped
Cutting out caffeine helped.
In context ↗ - Time · Helped
Only time healed it.
In context ↗ - Lyrica · Helped a lot
I started in February and it got rid of 90% of my nerve pain.
In context ↗ - Xanax · Helped
Worked for me as a temporary solution.
In context ↗ - COVID vaccination as treatment · Worse
I got the booster and all my symptoms that were getting better came back.
In context ↗
Approaches: Diet · 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. The chart starts 4 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 |
|---|---|---|
| onset | Long COVID after COVID vaccinationI got long haul from the vax.In context ↗ | Not stated |
| 4 months after onset | Symptoms improved and became manageableI was improving after 4 months and it was manageable.In context ↗ | Mild |
| 2022-01-05 | Booster brought symptoms back with a vengeanceThe booster was the worst. My symptoms that had decreased came back with a vengeance.In context ↗ | Severe |
| February 2022 | Pregabalin reduced nerve pain by about 90%I started in February and it got rid of 90% of my nerve pain.In context ↗ | Mild |
| May 2022 | COVID infection gave temporary reliefcaught covid 14 days ago and since day 5 I’ve been feeling like a million bucksIn context ↗ | Near normal |
| 2022-07-16 | Symptom relief after COVID wore offIt lasted about 3 weeks though. Now right back where I was on the recovery road.In context ↗ | Mild |
| 2022-08-06 | Tapering pregabalin brought pain backI recently tried tapering off of it and the pain came back so I’m not ready yet.In context ↗ | Mild |
| 2022-08-15 | Still taking pregabalin; chest pain controlledI just take lyrica and that has been the biggest help.In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- COVID vaccination as treatment“This is when my nerve pain started after my vaccination.” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“I got the booster and all my symptoms that were getting better came back.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- COVID vaccination as treatment“3 jabs and 1 bout of covid here, each time it got worse.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Pregabalin (Lyrica)“the downside is that I’ve gained 20 lbs since I started lyrica and I retain a ton of fluid” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Neuropathy & tingling
I have straight up burning, like there was a fire in there.
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
The chest pain came back fierce.
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I’m past the panic attack portion of long haul
In context ↗
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