Unable to work with long COVID, now much better and back at work after sauna and walking
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 18 months
- Last post
- Jan 2025
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
My first bout of LC lasted ten weeks.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I went from walking 200 meters at a time to being able to do 5km in one walk.
In context ↗ - Now: Much better
now I'm finally able to return to work! ... Four months ago I couldn't even drive around in my neighbourhood without getting dizzy, brainfoggy, and tired. Now I can do up to 60km/h, but at highway speeds it's to much.
- Began after: COVID
My first bout of LC lasted ten weeks.
In context ↗
Read from 22 of their posts and comments; links to the 14 this page draws on
Summary
Otter 76107 had two bouts of long COVID. The first lasted ten weeks and cleared after a reinfection from their girlfriend; the second left them unable to work and walking only 200 m at a time. Weekly sauna, gradually increasing walking and repeated boosters brought slow gains, and by December 2024 they were able to return to work, though cognitive limits and trouble with fast movement remained in January 2025.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- walking exercise · Helped a lot
I went from walking 200 meters at a time to being able to do 5km in one walk.
In context ↗ - sauna · Helped
I have definitely felt better for doing it.
In context ↗ - pacing · Not said
I still have to be careful and pace myself, but my limits are steadily moving.
In context ↗ - anti-histamines · Helped
I would say that anti-histamines have helped somewhat, but it's so hard to say what causes what.
In context ↗ - mRNA vaccine shots and boosters · Helped a lot
I get every booster I can get, and they help.
In context ↗ - Belegarth boffering · Helped
The last remaining bits disappeared after I took part in an intense weekend of boffering.
In context ↗ - Venlafaxin · Helped
My GP increased my Venlafaxin to 2x75mg per day, and I think it helped.
In context ↗ - nicotine patches · Not said
The ramping up coincided with me walking more and more and starting on nicotine patches, so it's hard to tell which did what.
In context ↗
Approaches: SNRIs · Alternative therapies · Exercise and activity · Vaccination
Their path
How ill they were on the ME/CFS severity scale, estimated from what they describe at each point, in the order they describe; they don’t give enough times to place each step. Hover or tap a point. 2 steps say too little to place on the scale and are only in the table. Dates are when they posted. What the levels mean.
Show as a table
| When | What happened | Where they were | After |
|---|---|---|---|
| onset | first bout of long COVIDMy first bout of LC lasted ten weeks.In context ↗ | Not stated | |
| 2.5 mo | COVID reinfection from girlfriend; symptoms disappearedThen I got another COVID infection from my girlfriend, felt sick for a day or so, and was symptom-free thereafter.In context ↗ | Recovered | |
| — | second bout of long COVIDAfter my first LC I got back to it relatively quickly. This second one is tougher.In context ↗ | Not stated | |
| early on | could not tolerate even the 60C sauna and walked only 200 m at a timeI went from walking 200 meters at a time to being able to do 5km in one walk.In context ↗ | Moderate | |
| 2024-09-29 | walking up to 5 km in one walk and tolerating the 90C humid saunaAt first I could not even tolerate the 60C sauna ... now I can actually do the Aufguss where they pour water on the stones.In context ↗ | Mild | Walking |
| 2024-11-09 | able to walk about half an hour without getting sweatyOne is how long I can walk without getting sweaty, which is now about half an hour rather than a few minutes.In context ↗ | Mild | COVID vaccination as treatment |
| 2024-12-11 | able to return to workAnd now I'm finally able to return to work!In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2025-01-29 | can drive up to 60 km/h but not at highway speedsFour months ago I couldn't even drive around in my neighbourhood without getting dizzy, brainfoggy, and tired. Now I can do up to 60km/h, but at highway speeds it's to much.In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- Hyperthermia and sauna“At first I could not even tolerate the 60C sauna ... "60C sauna makes me crash"” Made symptoms worse
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
I am ok as long as I don't do too much
In context ↗ - Brain fog
but cognitive things are hard
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
will eventually give me headaches
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
without getting dizzy, brainfoggy, and tired
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
heart palpitations are a good indicator of having overdone it
In context ↗ - Gut problems
nausea (from motion)
In context ↗ - Light & noise sensitivity
I'm still input sensitive
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
I early on got cold hands and feet whenever I did computer stuff
In context ↗
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