Long COVID
Moderate → somewhat betterIll 3 years before improving or writingNeeds ongoing treatment
Long COVID brain fog and PEM, somewhat better on low-histamine diet and hawthorn tea
- Condition
- Long COVID
- At worst
- Moderate (mostly housebound)
- Ill before improving or writing
- 3 years
- Last post
- Apr 2023
In their words
- Condition: Long COVID
I had LC, 2 doses of Astra Zeneca and one of Pfizer.
In context ↗ - At worst: Moderate
I still need plenty of time to rest and nothing seems to completly stop my heart feeling heavy
In context ↗ - Now: Somewhat better
I feel better and can do more than a year ago, but I still feel the effects of the virus. ... PEM still has a hold on me.
- Began after: COVID
I got Covid and the worst was over after 7 months, but I'm not fully recovered.
Read from 39 of their posts and comments; links to the 26 this page draws on
Summary
Beacon 26356, in Poland, fell ill with COVID-19 in the 2020 first wave and was not fully recovered 2.5 years later. The first seven months were worst for brain fog: they couldn't read a book and later couldn't translate professionally. They also had histamine intolerance, headaches, chest heaviness and PEM. A low-histamine, low-gluten diet and hawthorn tea brought partial improvement; loratadine and melatonin were used for symptoms and sleep but didn't fix the underlying issues. Symptoms were milder but PEM still had a hold, and later a new infection and other health issues worsened fatigue and led to a diet lapse.
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What they tried
Also tried
daily masking· Helped a lotLoratan (loratadine)· Helpedmelissa tea· Helpedmelatonin· Helpedlow-histamine diet· Helpedlow-gluten and low-oxalate diet· Helpedlow-gluten and low-oxalate diet· Helpedglasses· Helpedhawthorn fruit tea· Helpedstim toy and taking breaks· Helpedfiltered tap water· Helpedred light filters on devices and dim lighting· Helpedpills for IBS· Helpedsteam-cooking· Helpedintermitted fasting· Helpedantibiotics· No changeweed (THC/CBD)· No changeAstra Zeneca, Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines· Worseforcing herself to keep going despite PEM· WorseNervomix Control· Not saidDrota Femme Forte / Nospa Max (drotavirine)· Not said
Their words about each treatment
- Loratan (loratadine) · Helped
I take Loratan for 2 weeks in a month.
In context ↗ - melissa tea · Helped
I drink melissa once or twice a day and take 3mg of melatonin half an hour before sleep.
In context ↗ - melatonin · Helped
I had to start taking 3mg of melatonin and I often have a cup of melissa before the bed-time.
In context ↗ - Nervomix Control · Not said
I take Nervomix Control when the anxiety gets worse than usual
In context ↗ - Drota Femme Forte / Nospa Max (drotavirine) · Not said
Drota Femme Forte / Nospa Max for stomach ache
In context ↗ - low-histamine diet · Helped
my digestive problems got partially solved through low-histamine and low-gluten diet and steaming food
In context ↗ - low-gluten and low-oxalate diet · Helped
I had to limit my intake of gluten despite not being celiac.
In context ↗ - glasses · Helped
The glasses also helped me with migraines.
In context ↗ - Astra Zeneca, Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines · Worse
No change after Astra Zeneca, a bit worse after Pfizer.
In context ↗ - antibiotics · No change
sometimes I got antibiotics that don't do anything for me
In context ↗ - daily masking · Helped a lot
My health improved greatly ever since I begun masking every day
In context ↗ - forcing herself to keep going despite PEM · Worse
I even forced myself to keep going despite PEM and the worsening of chronic pain
In context ↗ - hawthorn fruit tea · Helped
Drinking hawthorn fruit everyday did wonders for me.
In context ↗ - stim toy and taking breaks · Helped
I found out playing with a stim toy and taking breaks help a bit.
In context ↗ - pig's pancreas enzyme / DAO enzymes (described as histamine-blockers) · Helped
I was given a pig's pancreas enzyme in the past and even though it did wonders for my issues, I gained a lot of weight in a very short time so I had to stop it.
In context ↗ - filtered tap water · Helped
Drinking filtred tap water helped a tiny bit with the sensation.
In context ↗ - red light filters on devices and dim lighting · Helped
I noticed my migraines and fatigue gets worse if I had been exposed for long-house to "normal" light so I stick with dim lighting.
In context ↗ - pills for IBS · Helped
what helped the most were pills for IBS
In context ↗ - steam-cooking · Helped
switching to steam-cooking
In context ↗ - weed (THC/CBD) · No change
I only tried weed (0.3mg of THC, the rest CBD) and it let me down.
In context ↗ - intermitted fasting · Helped
This diet and intermitted fasting helped me with weight loss.
In context ↗
Approaches: Antihistamines & MCAS
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 6 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | COVID-19 in the first waveI'm a first-waverIn context ↗ | Not stated |
| 2020 | worst of the illness, unable to read or workI couldn't read a book for 7 months, but my mental abilities returned after that time.In context ↗ | Moderate |
| after around 7 months | brain fog eased and she could read againThe brain fog got better after around 7 months.In context ↗ | Moderate |
| 2022-08 | health improved after masking every dayMy health improved greatly ever since I begun masking every day despite me being a first weaver and possibly having ME.In context ↗ | Mild |
| 2022-09 | caught a virus from an unmasked shop workerThis month I went to a store where an unmasked worker had wet cough. A kn95 didn't project me this time and it was horrible.In context ↗ | Moderate |
| 2022-09 | symptoms milder than at the startmy symptoms are milder now since 2020In context ↗ | Mild |
Adverse events
- “The same symptoms appear after I swallow something with paracetamol, which is the reason why I had to stop using painkillers.” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“Pfizer mimicked a bit what Covid was doing to my hearth and breathing.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- COVID vaccination as treatment“HiT and allergies got worse for me as well, but LC is still worse than the jabs.” In context ↗ Side effects
- DAO enzymes“I was given histamine-blockers for a brief time. It felt a bit like a miracle cure, but the rapid weight gain made it not worth it.” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“I developed more allergies, I acquired a weird feeling in my heart and I no longer can take painkillers even though I didn't abuse them.” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“Astra Zeneca - a week taken out of my life with flue-like symptoms ... My cycle was moved a week ahead as well.” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“AZ x2 - Dizziness, temperature rise.” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“a bit worse after Pfizer.” In context ↗ Made symptoms worse
- Melatonin“I took this dose and 3mg and the higher one caused side-effects.” In context ↗ Side effects
- Loratadine (Claritin)“Claritin gave me side-effects when it's the same dose.” In context ↗ Side effects
- DAO enzymes“I was given a pig's pancreas enzyme in the past and even though it did wonders for my issues, I gained a lot of weight in a very short time so I had to stop it.” In context ↗ Side effects
- COVID vaccination as treatment“Pfizer caused me heart issues” In context ↗ Heart rhythm problems
- Loratadine (Claritin)“other, solid pills with loratadine I seem to react to.” In context ↗ Side effects
- DAO enzymes“DAO enzymes made me gain weight so quick I'm still unwilling to return to this treatment.” In context ↗ Side effects
Symptoms mentioned
Anxiety & low moodBrain fogBreathlessnessFlu-like symptomsGut problemsHeadaches & migraineHeart symptoms & palpitationsLight & noise sensitivityLoss of smell or tasteMast cell (MCAS) & allergiesPain & fibromyalgiaPost-exertional malaiseSleep problemsTemperature regulationVision problems
Their words about their symptoms
- Post-exertional malaise
PEM still has a hold on me.
In context ↗ - Brain fog
I still have trouble with focus
In context ↗ - Mast cell (MCAS) & allergies
food intolerances and sensitivity to histamine got worse
In context ↗ - Sleep problems
When I try to cut to half a dose of melatonin, I don't sleep for a full night.
In context ↗ - Pain & fibromyalgia
a lifetime of chronic fatigue, chronic pain
In context ↗ - Headaches & migraine
my headaches became less frequent thanks to glasses
In context ↗ - Gut problems
my digestive problems got partially solved through low-histamine and low-gluten diet
In context ↗ - Light & noise sensitivity
I've always been sensitive to light so no comment on this one.
In context ↗ - Breathlessness
My breathing improved very slighly after 2,5 years
In context ↗ - Heart symptoms & palpitations
nothing seems to completly stop my heart feeling heavy or it beating faster when someone stresses me out
In context ↗ - Anxiety & low mood
I'm more often in a bad mood.
In context ↗ - Flu-like symptoms
I've been suffering from sore throat for over a decade.
In context ↗ - Loss of smell or taste
my sense of smell is almost non-existent
In context ↗ - Temperature regulation
the rises or falls in temperature I experience
In context ↗ - Vision problems
I had to buy glasses last year because I noticed blurinnes in leaves and text
In context ↗
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