Long COVID with chest burning and fatigue; basically back to normal after rest and time
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Mild (working or studying, with limits)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 3 months
- Last post
- Nov 2025
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I’ve been having horrible PEM like crashes since getting COVID about 7 weeks ago.
In context ↗ - At worst: Mild
I’m still basically able to walk around the house and do things (except when the malaise is super intense).
In context ↗ - Now: Recovered
completely improved in about 2-3 months time and am back to normal
In context ↗ - Began after: COVID
I got COVID in mid January - about three weeks ago. I tested positive.
In context ↗ - Says they never had: Brain fog
no brain fog, no more fatigue than my normal
Read from 43 of their posts and comments; links to the 20 this page draws on
Summary
A Reddit user who had COVID-19 in January 2024, with two weeks of severe congestion then chest burning, fatigue and frequent flu-like malaise with adrenaline rushes; a later head cold made symptoms hit again. She took magnesium, NAC, vitamin D, B12 and aspirin, tried Zyrtec and Allegra, and one Klonopin dose eased a bad malaise wave. She credits rest, time and light walking, found breathing exercises helped symptoms, and reported being basically back to normal in about 2-3 months, though one later comment says 3-4 months with continued viruses.
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What they tried
What they credit
Also tried
Their words about each treatment
- Magnesium glycinate · Helped
I love taking magnesium because it calms me and I noticeably sleep better.
In context ↗ - Zyrtec · Worse
Zyrtec completely cleared up my post Covid congestion and throat tickle but it made me feel like I had gotten hit by a bus.
In context ↗ - Allegra · Helped
I took an Allegra. I did not get the malaise feeling the next day.
In context ↗ - Afrin nasal spray · Helped
I eventually took Afrin and Allegra and that completely cleared everything.
In context ↗ - Baby aspirin · Not said
Baby aspirin daily dose for 7 weeks (recommended by my dr post Covid)
In context ↗ - NAC · Helped
I took NAC gummies for probably 2 weeks and no longer have the burning feeling or chest pain.
In context ↗ - Vitamin D · Not said
a dose of baby aspirin, NAC supplement, vitamin D, vitamin B12, occasionally iron
In context ↗ - Iron · Not said
occasionally iron, and occasionally vitamin C and Zinc
In context ↗ - Vitamin C · Not said
occasionally vitamin C and Zinc
In context ↗ - Monoclonal antibodies · Helped a lot
It worked very well at the time and I felt better right away with no lasting effects.
In context ↗ - Deep breathing exercises · Helped
It’s getting slightly better over time.
In context ↗ - Klonopin · Helped
the chills and malaise subsided about 90%
In context ↗ - Biotin · Worse
I don’t like taking biotin because that gives me cystic acne.
In context ↗ - Rest · Helped
Mix of radical rest and light activity that increased over time.
In context ↗ - Walking / light activity increased over time · Helped
light activity that increased over time. Listen to your body.
In context ↗ - Time · Helped a lot
I completely improved in about 2-3 months time and am back to normal.
In context ↗
Approaches: Biologics & antibodies · Physiotherapy and rehab · Radical rest
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-01-15 | COVID-19 infectionI got COVID in mid January - about three weeks ago. I tested positive.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2024-02-13 | PEM-like malaise, adrenaline waves, chest burningHowever, I’m still basically able to walk around the house and do things (except when the malaise is super intense).In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2024-02-20 | crashed after a head coldI actually had been feeling somewhat better before the head cold. Now it’s all hitting me all over again even though I rested for 3 days straight.In context ↗ | Mild | |
| 2024-02-27 | malaise and fatigue slowly fadingMy malaise and extreme fatigue is slowly fading but I still do get malaise at nighttime which is so odd.In context ↗ | Mild | Time and spontaneous remission |
| 2024-10-02 | doing much better with rest and walkingDoing much better. Combo of rest, giving it time, and exercise / walkingIn context ↗ | Near normal | |
| 2024-12-06 | fully back on track after 2-3 monthsBasically totally fine. It took me 2-3 months to get fully back on track.In context ↗ | Recovered | Time and spontaneous remission |
| 2025-11-04 | still totally fineTotally fine now. Had to de stressIn context ↗ | Recovered |
Adverse events
- Cetirizine (Zyrtec)“it made me feel like my body had been hit by a bus. I was bed bound the entire next day.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Fexofenadine (Allegra)“unfortunately the Allegra gave me a headache. Not really a traditional headache but a clearly aching/weird feeling head, almost like a bad hangover.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Biotin“I don’t like taking biotin because that gives me cystic acne.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
I’ve been having horrible PEM like crashes since getting COVID about 7 weeks ago
In context ↗ - Flu-like symptoms
It’s the feeling before you break out in a fever or flu, but the fever and flu never come.
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
I barely slept 2 hours a night during that time
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
I had similar bounding pulse and pounding heart after a recent cold
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
I’m still a little short of breath when doing activity
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I have pretty moderate general anxiety
In context ↗ - Neuropathy & tingling
the weak and jelly and tingly hands/arms
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
convinced I had a fever but my temperature was reading normal, chills
In context ↗ - Hair loss
Lost a good amount of hair that shed over the course of several weeks due to Covid
In context ↗ - Mast cell (MCAS) & allergies
an intense flushing or burning feeling at my collar/neck and above
In context ↗ - Gut problems
I’m also nauseous.
In context ↗ - POTS & dysautonomia
the POTs like stuff when standing up
In context ↗
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